2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission shifting camper

[BClement]

Has anyone experienced their camper sliding on the bed? I have a 97 3500, and my camper wants to move to the drivers side during travel... ... washboard roads seem to move it more,... ... no, I'm not driving too fast, but it seems like I heard some suspension issue several years ago.

 

[SRath]

Do you have a rubber bedmat? Best $75 you can spend for a problem like that.

 

[HBarlow]

Also, a simple length of 2" by 4" or doubled 2" by 4" side to side between the front of the lower edge of the camper body and the front pickup bed wall will help to keep it located properly.

 

[LandShark]

Are you using the hard plastic molded bed liner? If so, get rid of it and use just a rubber type bed mat under the camper.

What is this "suspension issue" you refer to?

 

[Regcabguy]

My Happijac Frame Mount system has centering guides in the front. In the back I've got a couple of blocks of wood which secures the rear. They offer rear centering guides but I'm reluctant to drill through the bed. The bedmat is a must.

 

[BClement]

I read about a possible link between the movement problem and the opposed shock mounts on the Dana 80 rearends..... that was several years ago, but I think it was on this TDR forum... . I have had a 3/4" rubber stall mat in the truck for a long time, but maybe more air in the airbags could help?

 

[SRath]

Opposed shocks are for wheel hop control and have been around forever and I think someone was getting overly cerebral if they think that had much to do with a camper sliding around in a pickup bed.



Put the rubber bedmat in and cut some spacers if you wish. End of problem if you have decent holdowns and take corners at under 1g-force.



Your dog will even thank you for the toe grip when you don't have the camper on!

 

[SMorneau]

I agree the rubber bedmat should cure your problem. If the tiedowns are near vertical they will really need the friction of the mat to hold the camper in location. If I load in the center and put the bumpers against the front of the bed I still have to tighten a tiedown or two after the first 20 minutes or so.

 

[rrl989]

Since you already use a mat, what tiedowns are you using, and are they being used properly? I tossed my mat in favor of those 2X2 foam interlocking squares.

 

[BClement]

I am using a camlock tie down, and the camper is on a custom flatbed, it only shifts some of the time, but did not shift at all for the first few years. maybe more psi's in the air bags... .

 

[Crazy Horse]

Happi jac used to have a kit designed to prevent the camper from moving sideways. Here is part of the kit. The other half was two angled brackets that were mounted towards the rear of the bed just wide enough for the camper to sit down between them. They were tapered to allow easy alignment. Since this is a flatbed you could fab some removable blocks to be mounted against the sides of the camper to prevent side to side movement. Something along these lines should be pretty easy.

 

[BClement]

thanx for the idea!

 

[dresslered]

I have the Rhino Liner sprayed in the bed and I also threw in a thick, polyurathane horse mat as well. If your slide-in is heavy, you MUST use frame mounted tie-downs. I use the Tork-Lift but I have heard that the Happi-Jac came out with their own version.

 

[BClement]

thanks for the reply..... I have a 3/4" stall mat and frame mounted tie-downs

 

[bcbigfoot]

My camper sarted moving around when I bought my dually, rougher ride than my chev 3/4 ton. I bought some spring loaded tie downs Torklift fastguns, it made a huge difference, I recently made a 12000 mile trip around the U. S. and didn't have to reposition the camper once.