Frame mounted camper brackets

[L_Rutigliano]

Just bought an '03 3500 SRW 4x4 Laramie with the HO and 48RE. Awesome truck. I am interested in getting some Torklift frame mounted camper brackets for it to attach our slide-in camper to.



Has anyone installed these on their truck? If so, did you have to drill the rail? I don't want to get the bed mounted brackets because the front of the bed looks like it will bend if I stare at it.



Help!! Any info would be appreciated.

 

[Spyke]

Irutigliano, I just installed the superhitch and front brackets on my 2003. The front frame mounts require 1 17/32 hole drilled in the frame on each side. Easy install

 

[L_Rutigliano]

I called Torklift and was told their front and rear mounting brackets require no drilling into the rails. They use existing holes in the rail to mount their brackets. I asked, "are you sure about the rear because the factory hitch has bent tubes ilo a square tube" and they assured me that no holes need to be drilled. I even asked if they had seen my inst in real life and said they had and it was very simple to install. I'm picking up my brackets tomorrow at Gresham RV. Will let you know how it goes.

 

[WSL]

lrutigliano



I installed the Tork Lift tie downs this weekend. The front brackets call for a hole to be drilled into the frame (17/32)... however, the pre-drilled hole in the bracket does not give the required clearance from the edge of the frame to the edge of the hole. DC requires 1. 6". I have emailed Tork Lift and am waiting for their reply. I feel that they need to change their bracket to allow for the proper clearance and they need to send both you and I the new brackets (I live in Clackamas too!)

 

[JDanford]

I put torklift's on mine a couple weeks ago; had to drill one hole in outside of the frame rail for the front bracket & fish the bolt through a larger hole that's already there, off to the rear. The back ones went right into the pre-drilled holes, but it was a dirty *&^^%$&*^^^ to get them up there in between the bumper brackets; took a BIG hammer! Other than the fact I don't like the way they hang down, especially the front one, they worked good on my recent trip to Las Vegas & Death Valley. Also, Tork Lift says they won't warranty the tie-downs if you've got a plastic bed liner, which I do; so I called them & they said it's because of static electricity build-up between the bed & the bottom of the li ner. So, I shoved a rubber liner in between the liner & bed; then another liner on top of the plastic bed liner.

 

[JDanford]

Too long, so I had to break up this deal;



Also, you guys will be upset, like I was; these Dodge cabs are higher than the old ones; so like Ford had to do a couple years ago, I had to put a bunch of 2x6's to set the Lance on to clear the roof & cab lights. Hell, there's always something! My Jacobs brake works good; I actually like it better than the Pac Brake I had on my 2000; that used to stick shut quite often, so you'd have to baby it, clutch it, to get it to open back up.

 

[Bill Stockard]

JDanford,

I had to put a bunch of 2x6's to set the Lance on to clear the roof & cab lights

What year is your Lance?



I think about the year 2000 Lance changed the overhead dimensions to accommodate the Ford Super Duty increased truck bed to cab height. There is quite a difference in cab clearance between our former '94 Lance 990 and our present '01 Lance 1140. I don't expect any problems on our on order '03 HO/48RE.



Bill

 

[JDanford]

Bill Stockard

Yes, you're probably correct; I have a 94 Squire 3000.

 

[L_Rutigliano]

Got my brackets from the RV dealer, went home, took them out of the box and saw that I had to drill a 17/32" hole in the rail for the front brackets. I was steamed. Just dropped $44k (list) for this truck and these guys promised me its a no-drill installation. Called Torklift, the tech person says "oh, you must have the very first brackets we designed. We have changed them recently so that you dont have to drill the 2nd hole" I asked "did you change p/n's?" Answer: NO. So I ordered a set of NEW brackets from Torklift and they came this week. No drilling. I will take the other set back to the dealer. Be careful when you buy a set of these brackets. Make sure they were manufactured after 1/06/03 to get the new design that requires no drilling. I had to pay a few dollars more direct from Torklift vs the RV dealer, but it was worth it to me, because the dealer would have been very confused about this and I would have gotten another set just like the first set...



Thanks for your replies.

 

[JDanford]

Irutigliano

I must have gotten one of the old ones, 'cause I had to drill the front hole, then fish the bolt through the bigger hole toward the back. I like the brackets OK, but the front receiver sticks out too far; looks "reeeeaaaalllyyy uuuuggggglllyyyy. " So, I'm thinking of ordering 4 Class I/II black hitch receiver cover's & jam them in the ugly holes. The class I/II receiver's are only 1-1/4 inch, & the Tork-lift hole is 1-5/8, so a guy will have to make some alterations, but I think they'd look better than that rusty, square hole! I guess I'm going to put some black nerf bars on (my black sport); I didn't want to, but my wife got hung up on the way to church, so she's sorta pushin me; either that or bolt a step ladder over on her side! Maybe the Nerf's will sort of "hide" the ugly Tork-Lift receiver.

 

[Bill Stockard]

lrutigliano,



Thanks for finding out the info for the no-drill brackets. I think I'll call Torklift next week and find out what I need to convert my '00 Torklift tie downs to fit the '03. I know the rear brackets will be different since I have the old style that bolt on the factory receiver hitch side plates.



My Lance dealer handles Torklift, but I'm afraid he'll be totally confused if I don't find out what I need from Torklift first.



Thanks again for posting your information.



Bill

 

[L_Rutigliano]

Bill Stockard,



The '00 brackets wont work at all with the '03 (both front and rear), so you probably stuck buying new. The front frame pattern is different and the rear are completely different as you described. Thanks for heads up on the cab height. That really would make my day if I lowered camper on the bed and hit the cab. I went out and measured the camper to the bottom of the cabover, its 47. 5". Measured the truck, its like 44". I should be ok.



JDanford,



Please let me know which nerf bars or steps you get. I've been looking at other '03's around here and haven't seen any I like yet. How come the Durango comes with running boards, but the tall trucks don't?? DC really doesn't think about the end user, do they?? I got the Laramie, you would think they would be std on the Laramie.



Now I have run out and look at the brackets again to see how far they stick out before I install them. I did paint them flat black yesterday (even the inside rusty part) because when I got them out of the box, they were all scratched up and painted gloss black.



Thanks again!!

 

[Bill Stockard]

lrutigliano,

Please let me know which nerf bars or steps you get.

I have the chrome Westin nerf bars on my '00 and plan on putting a set on the '03(height challenged wife). I have no clearance problems with the Torklifts since the bars don't go further back than the back of the cab.



I do have a question for you:

Is there a problem getting to the fuel tank fill door with the Torklit tie down chains hooked up on the Lance? It's not a problem with my '00, but the fill door has been relocated on the '03s.



As far as the new Torklift brackets, I figured on replacing both the front and rear mounting plates. I can probably still use the arms that slide in the truck mounted tubes.



Thanks,

Bill

 

[L_Rutigliano]

Bill Stockard,



Your old arms from your '00 wont work on the '03 because Torklift changed the pin diameter from 5/8" (I think that is the dimension) to a new pin that is 1/4". You could modify the new frame brackets by drilling out the 1/4" hole to accept your 5/8" pins.



I just installed the front brackets yesterday, haven't done the rear yet, so I dont know where the chains will end up in relation to the fuel fill.



Good luck!

 

[JDanford]

Fuel Door

Yep, the front tie-down is in the way of the fuel door. I can still get mine open about 3/4 of the way; didn't have any trouble fueling, but the fuel door could get scratched up mighty easily.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I may go back to the Happijacs. I had the old style Happijacs before the changes were made to the front tie downs with the cross bar and the braces to the frame. I not real fond of the rear tie downs either; however, I never had any problems with the rear tie downs on a Ford and they were in the rear fender panels, not the ends of the bumper.



The only problems I had with the Happijacs was the front tie down "ears" flexing the bed and damaging the paint on the edge of the truck bed. Happijac has fixed that problem with the reinforcement cross bar.



If I have to buy all new tie downs, I would like to have access to the fuel tank door!!



Bill

 

[D Baker]

I ordered a set for my truck and I will have to drill one hole for each front bracket. I did call them after I recieved them and Andrea said they are working on a style that you won't need to drill but its still being developed. She sent me this email.

Date:Tue, 25 Feb 2003 11:09:17 -0800

HI THERE. I AM WONDERING IF YOU CAN POST A NOTE ON THE TURBO DIESEL REGISTER WEBSITE SAYING THAT YOU CONTACTED TORKLIFT AND THAT OUR HOLES FOR THE TIEDOWNS DO MEET THE DODGE SPECIFICATIONS, AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE HAVE PICTURES AVAILABLE IF THEY CONTACT US.



THANKS

-ANDREA WOODWORTH

OFFICE MANAGER

 

[L_Rutigliano]

D Baker: Talk to DJ at Torklift. He knows about the new front brackets for the '03. Andrea either doesn't know or isn't telling you the whole story. Sure the original brackets they designed will work, but you have to drill a hole in the rail very close to the spec that DC says not to do (1. 5" from bottom flange). Their slogan is "requires no drilling"



Hope this helps.

 

[JDanford]

Tork Lift

Also - I've been trying to attach a picture, but can't figure out how - I don't like the looks of the square rusty hole of the tork lift receivers; so I ordered some rubber receiver covers from Draw-tite for the Class I receiver's & stuck those in the holes. Looks much better IMHO. To make up the dfference in the 1-1/4 inch class I plug to the 1-5/8 inch size of the tork-lift hole, I wrapped a couple wraps of inner tube around them & screwed it to the cover; then just shoved 'em into the holes. They seem tight enough that they'll stay in there, but I might try to come up with a little better attaching system when the weather gets a bit warmer. I sent photos to both Draw-tite & Tork lift & told them if they made such an accessory, I thought the tork lift folks might just throw 4 of them in with every set they shipped out. But, nobody's written me back, so I guess they're not interested!

 

[PCline]

Anyone have pictures of the Torklift installed??



I really want to see these "ugly recievers" before I decide which way I'm going to go.