How do you mount your popup camper to your truck?

[Photobug]

I am considering a popup camper. Until I can figure out where to store my shell, lumber rack and all other things in and on my truck now i want to put one on a truck bed trailer. I have work truck trailer lined up.

How do you keep a camper on your truck?

Is it possible to have the tie-downs on the front and back part of a truck bed so the sides can be freely accessed?

 

[Buliwyf]

I wish someone made inside the bed mounts, that mount to the frame. Make a hole in the bed floor.

Not a huge fan of grabby chains and cables off the side of my truck almost as bad as a ''Sprinter ladder''.

 

[JaSAn]

My FWC Grandby is bolted through the floor directly to the bed of my truck. 4 grade 8 bolts, 8 very large, thick washers, 8 nuts. Has worked well for 5 years.

 

[shade]

My GFC camper uses mounts that attach to the cargo rails along the inside of the truck bed. I don't know if a similar attachment system could be used for a heavier camper, or if there'd be space to access the attachment clamps.

 

[tacollie]

What kind of camper? What kind of truck?

Not a huge fan of grabby chains and cables off the side of my truck almost as bad as a ''Sprinter ladder''.

I guy I know with a transit drug his side ladder at a drive thru ?. I think he lost some Instabro points on that one.

 

[Buliwyf]

Big campers and big trucks need some sort of frame mount. Campers were heck on one piece steel beds, with bed mounts. Bent and deformed beds everywhere. Today's multipiece beds don't stand a chance, I'll bet.

I just want frame mounts through the bed, not outside the bed.

 

[Photobug]

For the record, I was at a 3 day concert and saw some really sketchy setups. One guy had a set of ratchet straps looped onto his truck at random places and had this nylon fabric holding the camper to his truck bed.

Right now I am considering buying this trailer. I really like the idea of all the storage but if I don't design the tie downs right the storage won't be accessible. It looks like the read bumper is sturdy and could be a good place for a tiedown. Maybe the front frame could also give a tie down spot.

The trailer is a long drive away, so I am trying to figure this out before I go to look at the trailer.

 

[Regcabguy]

My Northstar's been on two trucks secured by Happijac's.
They've functioned perfectly on 33 Baja runs,Utah,Oregon and Washington state.

 

[Photobug]

My Northstar's been on two trucks secured by Happijac's.
They've functioned perfectly on 33 Baja runs,Utah,Oregon and Washington state.

That Happijacs looks like a good system and they make a quick release that will possibly let me spring the attaching apparatus lose to let me access the cabinets.

 

[Bubblegoose1]

Mine is also bolted thru the service body floor. Been that way since 2005; no issues, even after early years of traveling Baja and SoCal deserts.

 

[Photobug]

Mine is also bolted thru the service body floor. Been that way since 2005; no issues, even after early years of traveling Baja and SoCal deserts.

Man that is a sharp looking setup. Do you have a write up of how you have it layed out?

 

[Photobug]

For those through bolting: Where do you bolt through? Are the bolts hidden? How hard is it to remove if I wanted to just use the trailer without the camper?

 

[Bubblegoose1]

Man that is a sharp looking setup. Do you have a write up of how you have it layed out?

Thank you very much.
Link to thread:

2005 F-450 4x4 Utility Body w/ Starcraft Pine Mountain Lonestar Pop-top Camper

Hello!! This is my first full-size expo/camper. I spent 7 years building a 4 door Jeep JK, then some time with an Excursion pulling a 23' Sleekcraft Enforcer boat. Time to get back out remote camping. This truck and camper are in near perfect condition; stove and fridge have never been used...

expeditionportal.com

 

[Bubblegoose1]

For those through bolting: Where do you bolt through? Are the bolts hidden? How hard is it to remove if I wanted to just use the trailer without the camper?

Mine are located in the front and rear storage cabinet corners. Hidden but easily accessible. Mine have never been removed though; systems and wiring are all integrated within the truck, service body, and camper.

 

[JaSAn]

For those through bolting: Where do you bolt through? Are the bolts hidden? How hard is it to remove if I wanted to just use the trailer without the camper?

It depends on what you call easy.
Bolts are in the four corners of the camper. Tops are easy to get to. But someone (me) has to crawl under the truck to loosen the bolts; at 70 that is getting harder every year (actually its the getting up off the ground that is getting harder).