Ratchet Straps for Tie Down Safe?

M

Mountain Nomad

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2018
Messages
27
Hello Fellow Campers,
I sure appreciate this forum, especially as a newbie.

I am attempting to get my 2018 Toyota Tundra ready to pick up a Hawk popup camper when the right one surfaces for sale. According to who would install it (right now Mule Expedition Outfitters in Washington State, an AT Overland dealer) a major factor is whether it is a front or side dinette or rollover couch. I would rather have a dinette that folds into a bed with the couch and have a table than just a rollover couch and no dinette. So, I can't get any bolting system until I know what dinette it is and that can't happen until I purchase it. So is it safe to ratchet it down and drive it 100's of miles? Would the seller commonly have the ratchet straps or is it on me to get them?

Thanks a bunch!
 
I believe FWC Hawks all have approx. the same mounting location, at least for any given year. For example, if you were to buy a 2018 Hawk, the mounting locations do not change with interior layout. Maybe someone else can correct me if I'm wrong.

As far as ratchet straps go, that would be a hard No for me personally.
 
Welcome to the "cult".
Our campers usually are mounted by a turnbuckle at the 4 corners.Accesed
through a "sliding" door. So the layout of the interior shouldn't matter.
I have an ATC Bobcat with a side dinette and like it very much.
Frank
 
Thanks for the welcome!

The Overland dealer is telling me that the Hawk layout of the dinette (whether front or side) does matter because if they put the holes in for tie down for a front dinette and I end up getting a side dinette, different holes for bolting down would be required. They said it is preferable to know the layout to prevent a "swiss cheese" effect. So, what about that? Any further insight is appreciated!
 
Yes, this is what they are saying--bolting to the bed. So, are turnbuckles more adaptable to either layout because they are standard to either layout? I need to find what turnbuckles look like, I think.
 
Most of our campers are held to the truck with "eye" bolts in the truck bed at the appropriate
corners. Then a turnbuckle is attached from the truck Eye bolt to the camper Eye bolt.
The above video should give you a good idea of what is done.
The other method is to drill holes through the camper floor
and the truck bed and bold the camper down.
Have you gotten any info from Stan at FWC?
Frank
 
Be on you to have the straps. Plenty have brought home campers that way. Is it safe? Well I'd sure try and avoid any emergency maneuvers using straps.
 
Mountain Nomad said:
I am attempting to get my 2018 Toyota Tundra ready to pick up a Hawk popup camper when the right one surfaces for sale. According to who would install it (right now Mule Expedition Outfitters in Washington State, an AT Overland dealer) . . .
Click to expand...
I'm confused. Isn't this what you are paying the dealer for, to install it? He should be getting all the necessary parts for the install and tell you what you need to do to prep your truck.
 
It is Mule that I have spoken to and they are telling me: a major factor is whether it is a front or side dinette layout. So, I can't get any bolting system until I know what dinette it is and that can't happen until I purchase it. I don't know what I am getting yet, so this remains to be seen and this is why I pose the question... how do I get prepared when I don't know what Hawk dinette I will end up getting.
 
Thanks for the eyebolt installation video, Old Crow! It was what I needed to see.

Casa Escarlata Robles Too: The other method is to drill holes through the camper floor and the truck bed and bold the camper down. Have you gotten any info from Stan at FWC?


Thanks for that info Casa Escarlata Robles Too! I have not contacted Stan, yet, as I have been speaking to Mule Outfitters a bit. I think I would rather bolt into the bed of the truck vs. through the camper floor, not sure yet.


craig333: Well I'd sure try and avoid any emergency maneuvers using straps.

That doesn't sound so safe, Craig333. And what do you mean by emergency maneuvers?



Chukar Hunter: For a short distance could you get the seller to deliver it for you then get your mounting system in place?

I am thinking that asking for a delivery would increase the costs by hundreds of dollars, which is not so affordable. If I would have bought your recently sold camper and I asked you to deliver it to North Central Washington State, what would you have charged? Maybe that would give me an idea if it is doable.

It seems that many people have installed their camper safe enough to drive it hundreds or thousands of miles to get it home.

GDinMT says that they would not do it.

Others say they might. Maybe I should choose a front or side dinette camper and have that be the choice and then I could get the eyebolts installed?
 
Hello and welcome to the forum.

The most common FWC method of installing an FWC camper in most trucks involves four turnbuckles from camper to well secured eyebolts in the bed....lots of good info on the FWC site.

I don't believe there would any turnbuckle difference related to interior floor plan.

There is no reason to begin "preparing your truck bed for camper" untill you decide of a host of other consdiderations including weight carry capacity of the truck versus whatever camper you may choose. what flloorplan or accesories you want, and etc.

Does your Tundra have a steel bed or is it plastic like the Toyota Tacomas ?

It will help you learn about assorted methods of fastening camper in different trucks by searching this site from Yahoo or Google.

Good luck moving forward.

David Graves



I
 
<p>David--</p>
<p>Thanks for the information and welcome. Yes the FWC site is a great resource as is this WTW site. I was told by the Overland AT dealer, Mule, in Washington State that it does make a difference of the layout (front or side dinette) as to where the eyebolts would be drilled in the bed.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>I have a steel bed and I had Line X put in it. My main concern is getting it from where I would pick it up to the installer's. So, what method is the best to transport it in the bed of the truck, safely?</p>
 
Folks do realize that many tractor trailer loads are secured by ratchet straps. Buy or borrow a set that has the capacity you need. A $12 set at home depot has a breaking strength of 1500#s and a working load of 500#s. If you encounter a condition that would break the ratchet straps on your way home, chances are your truck and camper will be toast anyhow. I wouldn't be surprised if a ratchet strap of good quality pulled your camper apart before breaking..
 
I wasn't aware of a difference in truck-bed eyebolt placement between side-dinette and front-dinette Hawks so I called MULE Expedition Outfitters a few minutes ago and chatted with Dana (pronounced 'Danna').

That is indeed what we're talking about here. MULE does a standard eyebolts-and-turnbuckles installation for a traditional (non-Flatbed) Hawk on a Tundra and, yes, truck-bed eyebolt locations vary a bit by interior floor plan. That's a surprise to me as I assumed the upper tie-down points on the camper wing would be the located the same place regardless of interior layout.

As to the preparation of the truck, I think the issue here is MountainNomad is in the market for a used camper but doesn't yet have one locked down. She'd like to be prepared but how do you prepare if you don't know which layout you're going to end up with? I didn't think to ask Dana but as I write this it also occurs to me that there may be a variance in upper tie-down point locations over the years.

I think I'd argue the eyebolt installation is actually pretty easy and can be done once the upper tie-down point location is definitely known. However, if the owner has to arrange for someone else to do it, it can be a challenge to find someone willing to commit to doing that on short notice.

The other important issue is a Tundra-Hawk combination will almost assuredly need some type of 'riser'. On my '13 Tundra- 01 Hawk rig, I have a 2" piece of construction foam-board on a rubber mat to raise the entire camper enough for the camper 'wings' to clear the truck-bed sides.

Another prep issue is the truck-to-camper electrical setup. If you're just bringing the camper home (and it has jacks), I'd ignore it for that trip. But at some point you'll want to figure out which setup you want.




.

.
 
Howdy Again

I guess many of us are lost in the grammar and syntax of your initial inquiry,.

I think I just gleamed that you want to go buy a used camper and then take it to a dealer for a professional installation ?

Am I even near close to understanding what you are asking ?

Many, many members here have done that.

Regards,


David Graves
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads - WTW

C
Requesting Hawk Shell Build Opinions re: Fridge and Lower Bed
Wandering Sagebrush
Wandering Sagebrush
S
im new here! looking to see (or not) if this is a fair deal
Wandering Sagebrush
Wandering Sagebrush
B
2024 Tundra Composite Bed Tie Downs
CraggyMan
CraggyMan
pods8
Custom build - 1982 grandby ghost
2 3
pods8
pods8
E
2011 Four Wheel Camper Fleet for sale -- Northern Virginia
Evader53
E

New posts - WTW

Back
Top Bottom