Bert the Welder
Van. Island
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memilanuk wrote:rickjo wrote:All the weight of the camper is on the two side rails. The space on the bottom of the camper in between is not weight bearing.
I'm new to all this truck camper stuff, so just for clarification... are you saying the bottom of the camper is not bearing the weight like it *should be*, or that it's not *designed* to be weight bearing?
I was under the impression that the 'wings' of the camper weren't supposed to bottom out on the side rails, that the bottom of the camper *was* supposed to be bearing all the weight? I thought I'd read about people putting various spacers - from 3/4" ply to 2x lumber to horse-stall mats to 2" rigid foam - to boost things up so the camper would clear the side rails. And that Ford tended to have higher side rails (deeper bed) than most...
Like I said, I'm very new to this, and just trying to make sure I understand.
I think they mean the slides on the bottom of the camper is where the campers weight is supported. Not the sitting on the bed sides of the truck. At least that's what I'm assuming they are talking about. Someone correct if I'm off.
If the bed is crowned in the middle, sounds like you need some trimmed to fit lumber to match so to give the camper base/bottom a true flat surface to sit on. Again, if I'm understanding correctly.
Sounds like a schit sandwich regardless. Good luck with it.
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Geo*Boy
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If your bed is crowded and the bed metal is cracking, then your camper is rocking front to back. I would measure the distance from where the crown starts and place a 1/2” or 3/4” thick piece of rubber mat in the back of the bed to stop this rocking. You can purchase rubber bed mat by the foot from Tractor Supply type stores.
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BobsYourUncle
Calgary Alberta Canada
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I have the exact same issue with my 3500 GM Dually.
It is not a TC, but a rack and pair of heavy toolboxes sitting on the bed rails. Same effect as a camper sitting there. The front of the rack has a welded cross bar, the back has 2 steel straps in an X to hold it together as a unit like a TC. Total weight about 2000 pounds.
The bed of my truck is beat badly. There are visible stress cracks in multiple places. The sides of the bed rails are splayed out to the point where the tailgate is hard to operate.
Truck is a 2007 and the entire box was replaced in early 2012 after a hard front end collision caused the entire unit to severely push forward and down, further damaging the box.
On mine, the weight has crushed the box to frame mounts to the point where the body lines of the box sit about 1 1/2 inches lower than the cab. Maybe check yours for that too.
And I don't drive like an idiot either. I am careful on corners, slow for bumps and so on.
So yours is not an isolated incident.
I think the quality of today's trucks is sadly lacking compared to yesteryears vehicles. Thinner, cheaper, less weight, less substance etc all contributes to premature failure.
2007 GMC 3500 dually ext. cab 4X4 LBZ
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joelc
Cedar Point, NC
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Just a thought. Are you sure that your 5er hitch is mounted correctly: through the frame of the truck and positioned where it should be? I hope it is not just mounted to the bed and not the frame. Is it even: left to right. Are the bolts holding it to the frame tight?
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rickjo
SW New Mexico
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To make things clearer, here are photos of my damaged bed in the F350 that I had previously:
Depression in the side of the bed at the rear
Plywood that sort of helped
Crack in rear sheet metal below tailgate caused by buckling
Update. I have horse stall mats in my aluminum bed. I am sure that is making a difference when I see your damage.
Rick
* This post was
edited 04/14/21 09:20am by rickjo *
2019 F-350 4WD Crew Cab DRW 6.2 l gas engine (6500 lbs cargo capacity!)
2007 LanceMax 1181 loaded, King memory foam mattress (driver's side locker omitted).
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cooldavidt
Vancouver
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Definitely do not want the wings touching anything.
I use 2” structural foam 4x8 sheet.
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Avid Fox
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Avid Fox
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Sorry about duplicates, it's harder to post pics on a phone...
Anyway, it's on both sides of bed. At about the same intensity.
I did bolster the tail of the camper for a while, to stop movement, but I think it just made it worse, as the forces were increased on the trail of the bed, rather than just letting it rock around on the rubber mat.
Next time it's going to be an F550 or Ram 5500. I blame the aluminum bed currently.
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