My Lance doesn't fit in my 04.5!

[Scooby]

After upgrading to an 04. 5 3500 dually from my '01 2500 (and switching from HappiJacks to the Torklift set up) I finally did all the modifications to the truck and camper and was ready to load the unit in the truck today...



I got the thing lined up perfectly and then I noticed the camper was bottoming out on the sides of the bed before the bottom of the camper made contact with the actual bed... (and this was only at the rear of the bed)



No one told me my '02 Lance wouldn't fit on my 04. 5 truck!! I guess the bed rails are higher on 3rd gens, eh?



What are you guys doing about this? A bed mat would ad 3/8" at the most... and I think I need about that much... are there thicker bed mats? I'm not comfortable with a piece of plywood, that seems a little hookie... .

 

[ralbert]

I own a 1995 LANCE 945 when I upgrade to a new truck I think I will secure 5/4 x 4 runners to the bottom of the camper. That would give clearance to the bed rails if you also have a good bed mat. Look forward to reading about what others are doing to correct the problem. Rob

 

[HOCummins04]

A thick coating of a spray in liner in addition to the mat would do the job - probably. I had an ArmorThane sprayed in my new truck and it is 3 times as thick as my Rhino sprayed in my 01. 5. But then again, I don't do business anymore with the place that sprayed the Rhino. That is another story. The installer makes the difference.

 

[Fred Swanson]

Buy 2 3/4 sheets of plywood, cut them to fit the outline of a factory drop in 3/8 mat. This will give you enough clearance, and it isn't hokey, and you pull it out when not in use.



A spray in would have to be very thick to equal the thickness of the plywood under the mat.

 

[GFritsch]

The mat will stick to the camper and the plywood, the plywood will shift around even if it is cut to fit tight. As it slips around a little it will be scratching the bed. No big deal to many, but that was the purpose for the mat to begin with.



I just measured mine (I haven't had a chance to install the Bigfoot into the new truck yet) and it will be very close. If it is close but doesn't make it I will buy an extra mat or two. Another option would be two mats with the plywood between them if you needed this much room. That way the bed paint is protected.



I will let everyone know if the Bigfoot fits when I drop it in next week.

 

[Pirate4x4]

Just KISS and use a piece of plywood. With the Torklift mounts (AWESOME) it ain't going nowhere.



edit - my old '82 Lance 10. 5 didn't fit my new '03 when I got it. So I picked up an '85 11. 3 and it fits. Go figure...

 

[tommike1]

I made a 2 x 4 frame and mounted it below the camper. Works good.

 

[DPelletier]

GFritz,

I have a Bigfoot 2500 and had to use two rubber mats with 1/2" plywood between. There is enough coefficient of friction between the plywood and the rubber to keep it from moving. I would not use plywood directly on the truck bed OR directly under the camper. Friction is what keeps the camper from moving NOT the tie-downs. You shouldn't need quite as much height as I have added for a Lance. The Bigfoot 2500 has structural "stringers" under the overhang and I had to raise it enough so that the rear doors cleared these stringers. FWIW, I also had to space the front of the camper back with another piece of 1/2" in order to prevent the camper from rubbing on the taillights. Also, the fuel door is in the way of the front (frame mounted) tie downs. See my readers rigs pics or PM me for my solution for that issue.



Cheers,

Dave

 

[GFritsch]

DPelletier,



Thanks for the advice. I will try it this weekend and see what gives. Tork Lift now makes a quick release lever for the tie downs that would help with the fuel filler issue. The R. V. store and Tork Lift assure me that their tie downs will work with my truck and camper---



If not I like your solution with the added bar to relocate the tie down points. Your set up with two mats and plywood is how I figured would be the right way to go. Years ago I ran a camper on a plywood bed liner that I made. Even with the rubber mat the camper pushed the plywood around enough to damage the bed and make for interesting driving on twisty roads.



Nice pics --Thanks,

Greg

 

[InThinAir]

All I did was attach a 3/4" sheet of plywood to the bottom of the camper to make it fit. I have had no issues with it moving around in the bed and I have been on some bumpy roads. I will be putting in a LineX to cover some hail damage my bed and rails got, I think that will add some friction also. But right now I have had no problems with just plywood.



Only problem I have had in the conversion from a 2nd gen 2500 to a 3rd gen dually is that the swing outs jacks are not really very stable looking. It is really scary way up high to get in the 4x4 bed! I had to modify my storage platform to raise it up another 20 inches or so, this keeps the happijacs from getting too torqued when I lowered it all the way back down to the platform for storage.



---Doug

 

[Scooby]

Thanks for the replies... I have a Line-X bedliner sprayed in, but I went over the rails, so whatever height I gain on the bed floor gets washed out by the additional height I've added to the bed rails.



After measuring again, it looks like I'm only off by about 1/4 - 3/8". I'm thinking of getting the bed mat tomorrow and giving it a try. I really don't care for the idea of adding sandwhiched layers of extra material, cost and just plain inconvenience to the process of loading the camper... . I'm already in trouble for spending waaayy more than I told the wife I would.

 

[buddys06]

I had the same problem with my 02 lance in my 04. 5 and used a rubber mat you put in horse trailers. The mat is about 1 inch thick.

 

[GFritsch]

Bowron-- Where are these available? You are near Santa Cruz? How much?--sounds like a great solution!

 

[SMorneau]

Two 3/4" pieces of plywood is more weight than I want to add just to raise the camper. I would build a light weight platform that carried the weight in the same places the bottom of the camper already rests (on mine its very visible where the wood touches the bed) and screw it to the bottom of the camper. It may be an opportunity to add a little foam insulation as well. I would not want less than an inch or so between the bed rails and the camper just to be safe when things twist up a little.



The super duty guys have to do similar things to campers to clear the cab.

 

[buddys06]

Originally posted by GFritsch

Bowron-- Where are these available? You are near Santa Cruz? How much?--sounds like a great solution!

I picked mine up at a trailer lot any trailer dealer that sells horse trailers should carry them.

 

[Scooby]

Sweet! That's the kind of idea I was looking for!



I'm going to check out a horse trailer place tomorrow instead!

 

[PJereb]

There is a place in Central Point Oregon that makes 3/4" thick bed mats. They are vulcanized truck tire grindings. I paid $53 for my short bed. They are awesome, but are heavy, and they do not ship as far as I know.





Here is the info



Environmental Rubber Bonding Company.

6142 Crater Lake Ave.

Central Point, Oregon 97502

(541) 826-2225 or 826-9388

 

[Scooby]

I found a horse "parts" store and they have 4X6' mats that are 3/4" thick. They sell for $43. 99 a piece. I'm going to get two so that I can cut one and run the full length of the (long) bed.



I also called Featherlite in Iowa who can get them in whatever size you need. But they quoted $103 for a 4X8 (3/4") mat and the shipping was $109!

 

[TPCDrafting]

You guys might check farm and ranch supply stores. They may have a better price, but they are typically 4'x6'. To me they are like handling a giant HEAVY we noodle. They do have a non-skid surface ruffed into them, so they ought to work great. Maybe the first time you lay it in the truck, put a bunch of glue all over the top surface and set the camper on. Then it'll be permanately attached to the bottom of the camper and you won't have to deal with it anymore.

 

[LThurman]

my 02 lance 815 fits just fine. mine is and 03 and it is above the bed rails about 1 inch. Is there a difference between the 03 and 04. 5 in rails hight. I guess i need to go measure my buddies 04. 5 b/c i was thinking about upgrading the truck in few years