Pros and cons of permanent mounting.

[RONR]

I’m thinking about permanently mounting my 2015 slide in Grandby to my new 2022 F-350. I rarely take the camper off. I think I’ve only done it 5 times in the last 7 years.

I’d really appreciate some help from folks who have done the permanent mount on their FWCs. I will most likely have FWC in Woodland or another professional do the job. The questions that I would like to get input are:


1. Is the camper mounted to the frame? This is important because my bed on the SuperDuty is aluminum.
2. I’m concerned about how difficult it is to get the camper off and back on if for some reason it has to come off?
3. For those who have done this, are you happy with it?
4. Again for those who have done this, have there been any unintended consequences I should be aware of?

Again, thanks for any help you can give me.

Ron

 

[Ted]

What is different between the usual mounting and a permanent one? We left out FWC on our truck full time just using the eyebolt setup that came with it?

 

[fish more]

My camper is on my Super Duty full time, I use the Torklift Fast Guns. Makes it easy to remove camper for any maintenance. On your truck you should use backing plates below the bed to protect from cracking bed in the eye bolt area.

 

[Wango]

Maybe a bit different setup, mine is bolted to my flatbed. Has been off the truck twice in 5 years. Mostly i just un-bolt it, put big pins in the holes to help with realignment and raise it a few inches to inspect and air out.
w

 

[fuzzymarindave]

What is different between the usual mounting and a permanent one? We left out FWC on our truck full time just using the eyebolt setup that came with it?

Same here!
RonR; If there is a desire for a more robust connection, perhaps add larger plates under the aluminum bed to distribute the load; and add locking nuts to the turnbuckles to reduce chance of coming loose. I did those two things to my superduty and the camper is pretty much full time although my bed is steel not aluminum. We are in San Anselmo, probably near you.

 

[RONR]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback.

Yep. The question is “what’s the difference”? I still don’t get what it is other than a permanent mount does not use the shackles.

Being a guy who wears both a belt and suspenders, I also use lock nuts as well as zip ties on each of my factory shackles. I’m confident in the backing plates also so no need to change those.

So at this point in the conversation, even though I rarely take off the camper, I see no reason to change from the shackles.


Thanks again.

Ron

 

[nikonron]

Bolted our Eagle to the Tacoma frame, no worry with turnbuckles getting loose. I can unbolt and remove if I needed to much quicker and easier than dealing with turnbuckles through the access doors. I haven't removed the camper in 6 years. Ron

 

[RONR]

Bolted our Eagle to the Tacoma frame, no worry with turnbuckles getting loose. I can unbolt and remove if I needed to much quicker and easier than dealing with turnbuckles through the access doors. I haven't removed the camper in 6 years. Ron

Ron: thanks for that. Good info!

 

[PaulT]

Check the laws/rules with DMV in your state. If you go from slide in camper type attachment (i.e., turnbuckles) to bolt down attachment, you may alter the official designation of vehicle type. In Oregon, your pickup with camper becomes a motor home.

There may be some impact on where you can park in towns or HOA . Insurance impacts, ferry transport, registration fees,, whether you need to have a license plate on the camper, whether it now needs a title, etc. What happens to the camper designation if you replace the truck?

Paul

 

[Wallowa]

In Oregon my Tundra/Hawk, due to dimensions of Hawk, does not require a separate registration for the Hawk...not a motor home....no plate on Hawk, no Oregon registration on Hawk and my insurance [USAA] on the Tundra covers my Hawk...basically the Hawk is treated the same as the shell I had on the Tundra before the Hawk...

As posted each state has it's own set of convoluted DMV mumbo-jumbo regs, so do the investigating...

Phil