Sharing the FWC and bedliner on a working truck

[BaseCamp]

I’ve ordered a new Hawk Shell for my 06 Tundra doublecab. I’ll be replacing the FWC with a standard plastic bedliner and bed camper shell after each camping trip for work. How are you FWC veterans handling the tiedown eye bolts? Do you remove/replace them each time you switch or is there a flush mount eye bolt available?

I guess I can cut a hole in the plastic bedliner at the 4 eye bolt locations but they’ll still get in the way of loading/unloading stuff.

I’ve been unable to find any questions or answers regarding this searching the forum. Everybody can’t be mounting their FWC on their truck permanently.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

The eye bolts are set wider than the wheel wells, so they really don't get in the way. Instead of a plastic liner, you could use a 4' wide rubber stall mat. I use a 3/8" 4x8 mat in my truck.

If it's an issue, you could go to external tie downs like Tork lifts.

Edit: look at Alley-Kat's post below... Far better and less expensive than external tie downs.

 

[Alley-Kat]

I switch out between my ATC Bobcat and the plastic removable bed liner quite often using QuickTies (you can find them at various on-line locations).
.
I use a short handle screwdriver to loosen and tighten the eye bolts in the tight, forward corners of the my truck bed.

And, I have made these to tie into my frame rails.

Installed since 2010, lots of dirt roads (probably at least 100,000 miles), no issues with them holding the camper at all.

And, with the eye bolts removed, the truck bed is flush for the drop in plastic bed liner.
No holes in my bed liner.

 

[longhorn1]

The eye bolts have never been an issue when the camper is off the truck. I have a spray-in bed liner and a rubber mat. The rubber mat is notched on four sides for the eye bolts. As Mr. Sage stated the eye bolts are installed within the offset in front and behind the wheel well. I use my truck for work and to haul things and the eye bolts have never been an issue. jd

 

[DesertDave]

Unless you think the plastic liner will be damaged by the camper, you could use a rubber mat on top of the plastic liner when using the camper, and remove it with the camper when using the truck bed.

 

[BaseCamp]

Thank-you much for all your replies. Rubber mat won't work for me because I'll bang up the sidewalls and exposed corners of the bed. FWC was pretty specific about removing the bedliner from the truck bed when the FWC is loaded. Alley-Kat's solution looks like an excellent answer to my problem. I'll go ahead and pursue it.

 

[BaseCamp]

Alley-Kat,

Any idea who manufacture Quick-Ties? None of the vendors can provide specs on the product such as working load limits. Searches on the web is not coming up with a manufacturer.

 

[Alley-Kat]

I have no idea the name of the manufacturer.
I should have taken a photo of the package when I had it, that's usually what I do with unique products, however, I slipped up on this one, sorry.

I'd email or call discountramps.com (the web link I provided above) and ask them to look on the package for any name and contact info of the manufacturer.
If they can't provde that for you, you may just want to make a purchase, so you can look on the package yourself.
That way you may be able to make direct contact with the manufacturer.

They are fordged steel eye bolts and the QuickTie nut that the eye bolt screws into is pretty tough stuff, as well.
I've got about 100,000 miles on mine, some on very rough dirt roads.

Right after I got my ATC Bobcat I was going 50 mph in a wind/rain storm that was blowing horizontal at 50 mph, head on, according to the radio weatherman, so a combined wind from the front of 100 mph. I was sure the camper would come loose by catching wind under the cab over section, however, it didn't move at all, not even a loose turn buckle.

I trust them with my $$$$$$ camper.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I'm curious why the builders don't offer this as an option.... Seems like a workable solution to me.

 

[super doody]

I’ve ordered a new Hawk Shell for my 06 Tundra doublecab. I’ll be replacing the FWC with a standard plastic bedliner and bed camper shell after each camping trip for work. How are you FWC veterans handling the tiedown eye bolts? Do you remove/replace them each time you switch or is there a flush mount eye bolt available? I guess I can cut a hole in the plastic bedliner at the 4 eye bolt locations but they’ll still get in the way of loading/unloading stuff. I’ve been unable to find any questions or answers regarding this searching the forum. Everybody can’t be mounting their FWC on their truck permanently.

I have the same camper and truck. Please note that the fit of the Hawk is extremely tight on 1st Gen Tundra cabs. When removing the camper make sure its on flat pavement so if your camper does catch the jacks can slide. Bad things can happen when the jack legs get caught in the dirt. I have to grind down the linex bedliner on vertical lip on the sides of the bed if I want to remove my camper.

 

[BaseCamp]

The Quick-Ties bolts are from China and no specs are available. They usually sell them as motorcycle tiedown points. They're guessing 600-900 pounds, but would not suggest it be used for a camper on a truck. Of course Alley-Kat had some major backing including a tie into the truck's frame member. I'll keep checking into it.

BTW: the eyebolts used by FWC are 3/8" zinc with 1300 pound working load, thread size 16.

 

[Alley-Kat]

A guess of 600 - 900 pounds is about what I would expect.
4 eyes at 600 pounds each would provide 2,400 lbs provided all the turnbuckles are snugged up and not loose thus ineffective.
My Bobcat shell wieghed 550 pounds before I built the interior.
With the current interior I have about 875 pounds.
Add some kayaks to the top for anouther 100 pounds, occassionally.
Heavy things I carry in the cab of the truck for better weight distribution.

Maybe they were not thinking of our lightweight pop-up campers when they said "but would not suggest it be used for a camper on a truck".
.
Maybe they were thinking of those common wood framed, hang off the back of the truck a few feet with a slide out for the dinette with a huge water tank and tons of storage for cast iron cookware, etc., that weigh a lot.

Now that you know a guess of what strength the Quick-Tie eye bolts provide AND what they look like as component parts, if you want something stronger, take the photos to a machine shop and talk to them about making something stronger. I'd guess that you could use the 1300 pound eye bolts you mentioned and get the machine shop to make you 4 of the Quick-Tie NUTS to fit it up.

 

[2tallDA]

I switch out between my ATC Bobcat and the plastic removable bed liner quite often using QuickTies (you can find them at various on-line locations).
.
I use a short handle screwdriver to loosen and tighten the eye bolts in the tight, forward corners of the my truck bed.

And, I have made these to tie into my frame rails.

Installed since 2010, lots of dirt roads (probably at least 100,000 miles), no issues with them holding the camper at all.

And, with the eye bolts removed, the truck bed is flush for the drop in plastic bed liner.
No holes in my bed liner.

Dang, 100,000 miles offroad? That's amazing.

 

[Alley-Kat]

Paved roads, just more needless government spending.


And, that's all I'm going to say about that.

 

[Stromtrooper]

Thank-you much for all your replies. Rubber mat won't work for me because I'll bang up the sidewalls and exposed corners of the bed. FWC was pretty specific about removing the bedliner from the truck bed when the FWC is loaded. Alley-Kat's solution looks like an excellent answer to my problem. I'll go ahead and pursue it.

What reason does FWC give that makes them "specific about removing the bedliner"? We bought our rig complete and the bedliner is in between the FWC and the Tacoma.

I have noticed that the center of gravity sticker sits about 1" aft of the center of the tire. Maybe the bedliner (wrongly) uses this 1" in the front of the bed?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

The bed liners are typically slick, and can allow the camper to move around and perhaps loosen the turnbuckles. That can lead to some non habit forming conditions.

 

[Seth]

I *really* wanted to keep my plastic bedliner. The local dealer talked to FWC and wouldn't install tie-downs with the bl in place. I still *really* wanted it, as the PNW can be a little damp from time to time, and I haul various gear and musical instruments when the camper is off and the tonneau is on - the liner completely seals the bottom.

Further research here (sorry, don't have thread links) helped fill in the details. Not only is the plastic bedliner slick (I knew that, and thought that good attention to turnbuckles would keep things right), but, the bedliners may collapse, not being constructed for the weight of the camper. That could be catastrophic... I thought about loosened turnbuckles, maybe enough to disconnect. Didn't seem worth the risk.

I ended up with a $90 rubber mat bedliner from Amazon, installed my tiedowns, and life is grand. That sucker ain't moving.

Except for the liner leaning against a tree in back yard - a big awkward piece of plastic.


Sent from my iPad using Wander The West

 

[Old Crow]

Alley-Kat, Any idea who manufacture Quick-Ties? None of the vendors can provide specs on the product such as working load limits. Searches on the web is not coming up with a manufacturer.

The Quick-Ties bolts are from China and no specs are available. They usually sell them as motorcycle tiedown points. They're guessing 600-900 pounds, but would not suggest it be used for a camper on a truck. Of course Alley-Kat had some major backing including a tie into the truck's frame member. I'll keep checking into it. BTW: the eyebolts used by FWC are 3/8" zinc with 1300 pound working load, thread size 16.

Here are some similar ones with strength figures (3rd line down). You can find them on Amazon if you use the SKU or use 'Progrip bed bolt". I put a set of these in my ATV/motorcycle trailer a few years ago.

The D-Ring-style bed bolt is also interesting. It's tough to tell from the pix but they not only lay over, they can be unscrewed. Reviews suggest they're larger than is apparent in the photo.

-Old Crow

 

[BaseCamp]

I have the same camper and truck. Please note that the fit of the Hawk is extremely tight on 1st Gen Tundra cabs. When removing the camper make sure its on flat pavement so if your camper does catch the jacks can slide. Bad things can happen when the jack legs get caught in the dirt. I have to grind down the linex bedliner on vertical lip on the sides of the bed if I want to remove my camper.

Thanks for the heads up. Luckily my driveway is on level ground.

 

[Squatch]

My local "Tractor Supply Company" has those quick ties. Or at least very similar if not the exact same thing. If I remember correctly the strength numbers are on the package.