sleepy
Oak Ridge,Tennessee
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Joined: 04/07/2003
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This is one heck of a bend in the side of the truck bed.... the amount of pressure it would take to bend this like it is would be tremendous.
I looked as closely as possible to tire tracks in the pictures... anything.
Not even a bit of dust from the wind... creepy.
Thank goodness everyone is OK!
![[image]](http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac329/anutami/FF8F8878-E596-40AF-B9C2-49AC2DE8411A-235-0000001024F97C6F_zps58c981f4.jpg)
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Buzzcut1
Norcal
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Joined: 10/04/2010
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Sleepy, all fine and danndy, except that lance specifically recommends removing the struts during off pavement driving
2011 F350 6.7L Diesel 4x4 CrewCab longbed Dually, 2019 Lance 1062, Torqlift Talons, Fast Guns, upper and lower Stable Loads, Super Hitch, 48" Super Truss, Airlift loadlifter 5000 extreme airbags
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sleepy
Oak Ridge,Tennessee
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Joined: 04/07/2003
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Buzzcut1 wrote:Sleepy, all fine and danndy, except that lance specifically recommends removing the struts during off pavement driving
I have always been under the impression that Lance said off-roading... not off pavement. The road in the pictures is in about as good a shape as some of the interstate highways in Arkansas.
2003 Lance 1161,/slideout/AGM batteries/255W Solar/propane generator/Sat dish/2 Fantastic Fans/AC/winter pkg
AirFoil, Trimetric, LED lights, Platcat vent heat
2003GMC K3500 LT/Crewcab/duramax diesel/allison/dually/4x4/OnStar/front reciever mounted spare
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Reddog1
El Dorado, CA
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Joined: 03/09/2004
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I keep seeing those ruts on the driverside of the road, I easly imaging a gust of wind hitting the passenger side of the TC hard enough for the driver side of the truck to be pushed into the rut. That in itself is quite an angle and load on the tie-downs. When the bed of the truck hits the bank, and the truck/TC is already at an angle due to the rut, the truck stops its roll but the TC (top heavy) does not. I cannot imagine any tie-down that could take that amount of force, regardless of the manufacture.
I am not suggesting a fault here, but simply under those circumstances (wind/road) it is risk we take. When we see big truck on their side due to wind, it should be obvious.
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rtz549
Oklahoma
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Joined: 09/26/2013
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I just want to know if a material exists that could be used instead of plywood for the floors in these truck campers? The plywood floors are a huge deal breaker for me(water/wood damage).
A lot of large existing materials just aren't thick enough to offer what the plywood does. I think many of these materials could be used in a layered or built up method.
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Redsky
Northern California
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Joined: 12/03/2013
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I did a rough calculation of the wind force side load on my 845 camper and with a 50 MPH gust the force is about 844 lbs., which is not all that much and countered largely by the weight of the camper. But with a 70 MPH gust the side load nearly doubles to 1660 lbs. of force. It's the gusts that will get you.
The problem is that all that force needs to be resisted by the two windward hold downs on the camper. The turnbuckles are designed to provide 300 lbs. of holding force or 600 lbs. per side so even a 45 MPH gust could overwhelm them.
This wind force loading is exacerbated by the height of the camper off the ground and it does not help to have a less than rigid platform with the truck's suspension and tires flexing. Had the truck been parked while the winds were blowing it is likely that the separation would not have occurred.
Plywood or other sheathing is to provide shear strength to a structure. It is the framing that serves to hold the structure together whether it is a house or a camper. Clearly Northwood Manufacturing did a shoddy job of designing and building the camper and older Lance campers are little better in this area with their thin wooden framing.
Not any different with other RV's out there. Roll a motorhome or trailer and the framing is going to collapse. Probably better to be in the "crash cage" of a modern pickup than in any RV.
What the accident demonstrates to me is the need to exercise more caution when high winds and strong gusts are predicted and possible alter my travel plans so as not to be out on the road.
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12V Cummins
PA
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I bet if the tiedown didn't pull out your whole rig would have rolled over imagine the damage that that would have cause? almost lucky that the corner pulled out and the camper gradually fell over/off.
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bcbigfoot
Okanagan
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Joined: 02/12/2006
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Personally I would not use Happijac system, not because of a strength issue with their system but because of the typical lack of strength in camper tie down points. The front happijac tie downs on many applications pull on the camper tie downs at a approx. 45 degree angle greatly reducing the camper tie downs strength which is already very minimal at best.
2002 Dodge 3500 2wd dually, cummins, 4.10 gears, 10500gvwr, Rancho 9000's shocks
2005 Bigfoot 259.6E, 80watt solar, eu2000 Honda gen., 2x group 31 AGM bats., 7100 btu aircond, electric rear step.
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Ski Pro 3
Placerville area
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Joined: 06/15/2012
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I bought a Lance camper from the dealer last year. The dealer said, and the Lance manual says, to use Happijac system. I, instead, chose to install the Torklift tie down system.
I sure hope ALL camper manufacturers are reading of this situation. If this had happened to me, after following both my dealer, who would have installed the Happijac tie down system, and Lance, who has it in writing to use the Happijac system, I would be suing BOTH Lance and Happijac for the loss of what ever the insurance company wasn't covering.
It's a huge responsibility and liability for both dealers and manufacturers who they are partnering with on things like tie down systems.
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RZAR66
San Diego
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Joined: 10/17/2010
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skipro3 wrote:I bought a Lance camper from the dealer last year. The dealer said, and the Lance manual says, to use Happijac system. I, instead, chose to install the Torklift tie down system.
I sure hope ALL camper manufacturers are reading of this situation. If this had happened to me, after following both my dealer, who would have installed the Happijac tie down system, and Lance, who has it in writing to use the Happijac system, I would be suing BOTH Lance and Happijac for the loss of what ever the insurance company wasn't covering.
It's a huge responsibility and liability for both dealers and manufacturers who they are partnering with on things like tie down systems.
Lance now endorses both the Torklift and happijac tie down systems. Funny thing is they have done no changes to their campers.
1995 Ford F-350 DRW 7.5
2014 Lance 1050S
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