Escapees July-August 2022
W e recently made the switch from full-time RVing in a 36' Hitchhiker fi fth-wheel trailer, to part-time travels in a 2005 Arctic Fox truck camper. Putting a camper in our truck bed required that we remove the truck’s tailgate so the camper could slide in and out. However, the camper could now slide out of the bed while driving! To avoid this scary scenario, the camper had to be attached to the truck using some kind of camper tie down system. We have always camped away from civilization down the rough dirt roads of public lands, and we realized that our new-to-us truck camper had to have as secure a connection to our truck as possible. There are many different types of camper tie-down systems. These systems typically consist of turnbuckles that are hooked to anchor points on both the camper and the truck in all four corners. Sometimes the system also includes chain links and/or steel carabiner quick oval screwlock links. The turnbuckles are tensioned so the connection between the truck and camper is tight.
OPTIONAL LOCK
FASTGUN TURNBUCKLE
Create a Secure Connection With The TORKLIFT CAMPER TIE DOWN SYSTEM Text and Photos By EMILY FAGAN #99408
We decided to go with the most rugged yet easy to operate suite of products we could fi nd, and those were the FastGun Turnbuckles and Talon Tie Downs from Torklift. Unlike traditional turnbuckles which must be tensioned or loosened with an adjustable wrench each time the camper is installed on or removed from the truck, the FastGun Turnbuckles are spring-loaded and have a large clamp handle that tensions or releases the turnbuckle when it is opened or closed. Also, whereas many camper tie-down anchor points are installed on the bumper
TALON TIE DOWNS
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July/August 2022 ESCAPEES Magazine
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