School me on camper tie-downs

soberups · Jun 9, 2012

I recently acquired a nice '96 F-250 4x4 for cheap, and my wife and I are considering buying an affordable used camper. The truck is a HD 3/4 ton long bed, but it does not have any sort of attachment points for the tie downs. What are the pros and cons of the various types? The kind that drop into the existing stake holes and secure with a bolt look simple enough and I am seeing them used on Craigslist for $40 a set. The ones that bolt to the frame under the bed are spendier. I'd like to keep it simple and avoid drilling holes in sheet metal if possible. This will be the first camper I have ever owned. Opinions?

SteelyDan · Jun 9, 2012

Avoid the bed stake tie downs like the plague. Go with the frame mount systems that provide a much more solid attachment point and anchor much lower to center of gravity. Forunately, most people that are selling their campers will sell the anchor systems with it!

You can spend tons of money on anchor systems that lock the camper into the bed, etc. Do your research but trust me, don't skimp. There is nothing like that butt clinching pucker factor when you go around the corner in your tall 4x4 and the camper feels like it is going to roll off the truck!