Hi all,I've been having a hard time finding a suitable camper tie down systemfor my 3rd gen. 3500 dually. I want a bolt on frame-mounted system,as I don't want to drill holes through the box. I like the Tork Lift system,but when I priced them out,I almost had a heart attack,front and rear package will cost over $800.00 Canadian( not including installation!!!!!!!!!!!) What's up with that?? Does anyone have any other suggestions that they know work similarily,or have tried (that doesn't cost as much as a top of the line fiver hitch?) heck my camper isn't worth much more!! P.S.,not interested in Happi Jack system that drills holes through box.Thanks for your help,Mark.

 

IMO, torklift are well worth the cost. I tried the box/bumper mount system in the past and wound up with a bent bumper.

Or you could always put some cheap junk on your 50K truck .

 

You're probably right,but for about $100.00 I could out fit my 98.5 with good quality tie downs...a combination of front manufactured frame mounted bolt on bars, with home made rear tie downs that slid into each side of the hitch receiver. Very similar construction to the complete tork lift pkg.,but at 1/8th the price. Just because I spent about 60 grand on my truck( now I'm broke!, )doesn't mean that I can justify blowing a wad on $100.00 worth of steel.It might just be a case of local RV shop's price gouging. Input appreciated,thanks for the reply.

 

I don't know of any other system that matches the strength of the torklift. I just bought my torklift system for a SRW for about $350. Either that play money isn't worth much or the system for the dually costs a lot more. Its too bad you can't build a cheap setup for the rear like you could on the older trucks. Also, I installed my own in about an hour-and-a-half without air tools. That included a beer or two along the way.

 

Ive seen many rigs set up with the rears using the hitch tube. and the front was fabricated and mounted to the frame. just cause someone else didnt make it dosent mean you cant do it better. Use your imagination. my first truck/camper set up used the old style pocket type tiedowns and the camper was 2k on a 68 F250. they used turnbuckles that were 5/16 or so. We romped that thing everywhere and never has any problems or breakages. Not saying it wasent a weak setup but..... Heck ,if you used those now the bed would self destruct like the one on my dually. Thin, Cheap, mass production crap, sorry to rag but thats the facts, period.

 

Breakin Loose, if I could get the system for $350.00,I'd buy them,but its $380.00 for the front and $380.00 for the rears,plus tax. And I hear ya, Apache, I just don't have the time it takes to design a set ( I just found out that I got a new 90 day temp. job,1100 miles away and was going to use the "old camper" as my accomodations. I have less than a week to get ready.) This new style enclosed frame,makes it difficult to come up with many good ideas for mounting. I guess I was dreaming when I thought for a couple of hundred bucks,I could slap something fairly reasonable on the frame and go. It's obviously a little more involved than that compared to the previous generations of Rams. O well,I'll keep thinkin,til I run outta time. Thanks again for input.Mark.

 

Unfortunately, you've only got 2 choices for a commercially produced tiedown system, HappiJac or TorkLift.

You could make up a belly bar system of your own...

I use the HappiJac system on my '01 holding down a 4100 lb camper, and haven't had any problems going into our 4th season now.

 

Moopa,

I installed Torklift on the front and used HappiJac I had left over from previous truck on the rear. I used the same happiJac cushioned turnbuckles. An '01 bumper is plenty stout for this and I'd assume a 3G is too. Put a rubber mat in the bed and it'll go nowhere.

I now have a TorkLift Superhitch so I could put torklift rear, but I se no need. MY camper hasn't budged a mm.

 

Whereever you went, they are trying to gouge you!!!! I just had my Torklift system installed on my dooly and the was $385.00 American for the entire set-up.....but I then spent another $400.00 on their new Fast Gun turnbuckles......they are cool and easy to use, but very expensive. Are you sure they didn't price it including those?

There is nothing better than the Tork-Lift frame mounted system.....IMHO.

 

Nope...it was just the two part numbers,front and rear, nothing mentioned about turnbuckles. The prices up here can be very inflated,I sold flatdeck utility trailers and hitches/accessories for a time...and the mark-up on RV parts was unbelievable!

 

Moopa, from what I see the tork lift is the best hands down. I have a buddy that has a tork lift set up on his rig and I was impressed with how heavy duty it was. All you have to do is go to any number of RV websites and read the posts about the nightmares some people have had with happi jack systems. I use a home fabbed set up that is frame mounted and uses the rceiver in the rear and has worked great for years. But for such a new truck like yours I would definately recommend the tork lift.

just my .02

 

stuff some 2"x2" 1/8" sidewall sqaure tubing in the hitch sides with eye bolts.wham back tubes done,happy jack brackets on front bed.works for my 10'10" camper.

 

Can't you buy direct from tork lift in CAN?

 

Moopa,
I had a local welder fabricate a front set that fit nicely under the running boards and mount to the frame. I told him to mount them so they would support the running boards. Perfect. You can jump on my running boards and they don't budge! He also made up a set for the rear hitch reciever. You can stand on those too. Best set of tiedowns I've seen. $100.00. then you have to buy the chains and turnbuckles.
Andy