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Looking for the perfect way to get off the grid and go camping, but still able to camp in an RV? Truck Bed Camping is the perfect way to hit the road and go camping and allows you to go in further off the beaten path. There are many truck camping options out there, but the starter pack would include the truck, truck camper and equipment to tie the camper to the truck.

Torklift Camper Tie Downs

Truck Camper Tie Downs are a necessity to securely attach a truck camper to a truck. There are two options in truck camper tie downs for vehicles older than 2017 which include Torklift Frame-Mounted Tie Downs and the alternative option of bed mounted tie downs. (Torklift makes truck camper tie downs for 2017 plus as well). By going with frame mounted tie downs, you are attaching to the frame of the truck as opposed to attaching to the aluminum body of a truck or bumper which often can cause damage to your pickup truck. Torklift frame mounted tie downs are manufactured to fit specific trucks and truck frames and due to this are sold in a set of two for front Torklift camper tie downs and a set of two for Torklift rear camper tie downs.

How to maintain the life of Torklift Tie Downs

Although products manufactured by Torklift International come with a Legendary Lifetime Warranty, finish is something that is not under warranty due to the camper tie downs being exposed to the natural elements that can cause corrosion when steel is exposed. If you are interested in corrosion resistant truck camper tie downs, click here to determine if the Torklift Talon Tie Downs upgrade are for you.

There are two steps to maintaining your Steel Camper Tie Downs which include:

1) Regularly inspect and clean your tie downs. As previously mentioned, your vehicles are exposed to elements that may cause corrosion to steel such as road salts, salt water, etc. By inspecting your camper tie downs regularly and cleaning off any chemicals your truck may have come into contact with while driving on the roads, you are able to prevent the potential of rust. If you are dip the rear of your truck into salt water while off-loading your boat for a fishing trip, you will absolutely want to hose down the underbody to prevent rust from all aftermarket steel products installed on your truck.

2) If you do begin to see rust due to exposed steel, touch up the Torklift Tie Downs with an enamel or urethane-based aerosol paint products such as Rust-Oleum.

Like any great product, some maintenance may be required even if that just means wiping them down after your camping trip.

How to maintain the life of Torklift Fastgun

Torklift Fastgun Turnbuckles are what you would use to attach the truck camper to the frame mounted camper tie downs. This springloaded system for truck camper turnbuckles allows you to set tension of the turnbuckle system once – that’s right, once, and with the easy quick release handle, you are able to remove the tie downs easily at the end of each trip or when you want to remove your truck camper.

Just like the camper tie downs, you will want to maintain the truck camper turnbuckles as well. An easy way to clean off the turnbuckles and to avoid the possibility of corrosion, is to use a WD-40 and microfiber towel or cloth to wipe them down. If you are looking to polish the Fastgun turnbuckles, specifically the polished stainless steel Fastguns, we recommend using a stainless steel chrome or aluminum wheel polish.

Another way to maintain the life of the product is to add a level of security. The Torklift Fastgun locks are a great addition to your camper tie down system and allow for added security while you are on your camping trip.

Have further Questions?

If you have further questions on truck camper tie downs and turnbuckles maintenance, our team is ready to take your call or answer your email. We are open Monday – Friday 8:30 am PST to 5 pm PST, excluding holidays. You can contact our team by calling 800-246-8132 or emailing support@torklift.com.

Looking for Torklift camper tie downs for sale? Find a dealer in your area or online!

Typically, campers come with factory bumpers, or no bumper at all. But did you know there are aftermarket truck camper bumpers available that help you gain added storage compartments, bright LED bumper lights and a convenient built in step to help you get in and out of your camper easily?

Torklift offers many kinds of bumpers with features you don’t want to miss. One of the best parts? Most of these bumpers feature spacious compartment storage so you don’t have to store items inside your camper or in the truck. You will never have to leave anything behind while camping again and enjoy the opportunity to take longer camping trips. Created to be a clean, sleek design with advanced engineering, our bumpers are high-impact powder coated for extreme durability.

Bumpers, bumpers and more bumpers!

As of right now, we have five truck camper bumpers available for four different manufacturers with more bumpers always in the works. Each bumper is made specifically to fit each camper – you can contact your manufacturer for fitments or find your specific bumper here. All Torklift bumpers are proudly made in the USA and come with our Lifetime Legendary Warranty – ensuring that we’ve got your back so you can have stress-free camping trips! Below are further details about each of the bumpers we have available.

The Foxiest of Bumpers

Fox Landing Bumper for the Arctic Fox: Serves as an extension of your camping experience. This bumper allows you to have left or right side truck camper entry steps. It allows for safe camper entry and exit with its swing side step and is designed to sit above your tow extension so you don’t even have to disconnect when you’re at the campground.

Features of the Fox Landing Bumper include:

• Large entry platform
• Made of aircraft grade aluminum and stainless steel
• Folds up in seconds 
• Convenient fold-away steps 
• GlowStep treads for added safety 
• Allows the ability to tow when using a SuperTruss Extension

The Ultra Bumper Sophistication

Ultra Deck Plus Bumper for Lance campers: When it comes to bumper storage, there’s nothing better than the Ultra Deck Plus as a Lance camper bumper. Made with you in mind, this bumper allows for 7.8 cubic feet of additional truck camper storage space. With a slide-out deck that has the capacity to hold 600 pounds when extended, you won’t have to worry about safety when you’re hanging out on this custom truck camper deck. Additional Ultra Deck Plus features include:

• Aircraft grade aluminum and stainless steel
• High-impact powder coated for extreme durability
• Allows the ability to tow when using a SuperTruss Extension
• Swing step that incorporates Torklift International GlowStep technology
• DOT certified LED lights
• Exclusive Torklift hinge lock system for all storage compartments

The Perfect Landing Pad

Palomino Landing Pad is made specifically to fit all years of the 2902, 2910 and 2911 camper models. Manufactured from aircraft grade aluminum and stainless steel, it’s designed to work with our Space Dock and Lock and Load Sidekick. This bumper makes it easy to add a swing out accessory to hold generators for extra power. The Space Dock accessory swings in and securely stores while in transit. The Landing Pad is perfect for all your bumper needs and provides an excellent step out of the camper.

Features of this camper bumper include:

• 93” wide platform
• 18.5” depth platform
• Nearly 3.5 cubic feet of storage space
• Allows the ability to tow when using a SuperTruss Extension
• Glow-in-the-dark camper swing step
• LED lights

Nothing But the Best Dura-Bility! 

Palomino Dura-Trak is a lightweight bumper that is designed to be visually aggressive and features a backlit Palomino logo making it look like the bumper is on “fire” when lit up.

With a 36-inch wide by 8-inch deep swing-up step that doubles as a bench, this bumper makes it easy to get in and out of your truck camper improving safety and stability. The step also easily stores on the bumper, not effecting your ground clearance while driving.

Features of the Palomino Dura-Trak include:

• LED recessed lighting for a sleek looking bumper
• 36” wide swing-up step that doubles as a bench and glows in the dark
• Two lengths available for the Palomino Bumper – 83 ½” and 92 ¼”
• Step easily swings up and stores on bumper, not effecting your ground clearance while driving (can be locked)
• Bolt-on installation, no drilling into your camper
• Provides a specially designed license plate bracket that lights up for nighttime driving
• Powder coated in an anti-skid black matte for added traction
• Made of aircraft grade aluminum with stainless steel hardware for a lighter weight bumper
• Compatible with a specially designed Space Dock swing arm accessory that is available through Palomino to hold accessories like a generator, BBQ and more

The True North of Bumpers

Everyone loves a Northstar truck camper, so no matter where you are – from Southeast Florida to Washington, North star bumpers are wonderful campers that are made even better with a bumper. This Torklift bumper works with any Northstar truck camper frame and is built with a lockable storage box on each side of the bumper giving you added storage space.

Features of the Northstar Bumper:

• Custom step tread
• Custom steps
• Made of aircraft grade aluminum
• Allows the ability to tow when using a SuperTruss Extension
• Reinforced gussets

If you have any questions about our custom bumper options or are interested in purchasing one of our truck camper bumpers for Arctic Fox, Lance, Northstar or Palomino, click here or find a dealer near you by visiting the Where to Buy section on our website.

Written by Kerstin Stokes:
As a graduate from the College of Idaho with a B.A. in both History and Art, Kerstin has found her passion for writing and marketing, and has loved every minute of working for Torklift for over 2 years. She enjoys looking up tasty recipes for baking and daydreaming about future travels. 

Although it’s impossible for me to imagine, and difficult for those who have come to love the FastGun, that there was life before this revolutionary turnbuckle.

I went to the oldest person I know, my 105-year-old grandmother, and asked her what it was like before the FastGun.  She said, “ We used bows and arrows.”

So, okay, not that far back.

She’s not a truck camper, but she did tell me a camping story that falls somewhere in the timeline between covered wagon and the Winnebago, but I’ll save that for a later date.

I resolved to find out what it was like.  So, I went to the computer and typed in a query.

A generic turnbuckle is really just a simple piece of tension building hardware used in marine applications, sports, shipping and construction.

It is a simple piece of hardware that can make a simple task difficult.

“Big Red,” the Ford F-350, doubles as a work truck and a weekend camper.  I can’t imagine taking the camper off and back on this often without the FastGun turnbuckle.

They are spring loaded for superb functioning, easy adjustment and have spring tension indicators, that take the guess work out of tightening and securing.

They have a quick disconnect feature that makes the leveling process fast.  They allow use of the electric jacks to level when the camper is left on the truck.  This avoids the hassle of leveling blocks under your tires.

100% no tools, 100% lockable, quick-lever handle and a lifetime warranty that means with my genetics for longevity may be a very, very long time.

There is no turning back for the turnbuckle.  http://www.torklift.com/x.php?w_page=original_fastguns

 

What’s black, grey and sometimes potable?

No, not a lead in to a bad joke, these are all very important distinctions to make when moving up to camping with plumbing.

Thanks to this new knowledge, I will never be able to hear that lovely, little Southern rock ditty by the Doobie Brothers the same way again.

Black water is the worst kind of water.  It is the direct contents of the RV toilet.

Grey water, although nasty, is just the waste of the bathroom sink, shower and kitchenette.

Common sense would have me believe that potable water would relate to the “potty” as well.

So, not so, as I am learning the color-coded designations of the RV tank system.

Potable water is your fresh water tank.

I am used to tent camping and somehow over years of boating and camping have never had the duty to, well, deal with the “duty”.  I have just always known that finding a Honey Bucket was a convenient luxury and I could deal with nature calling out in nature just fine.

I am not looking forward to my first time “dumping.” Yikes!  A gauge will show the levels on the control panel in the camper and a distinct stink may tell you when it is time.  However, this is a highly researched area of RV life and many products have been developed to make this a quick, easy and sanitary process.

The advice from my co-workers is to not overthink things and just do it.

I wonder how long I can get away with never using the truck camper bathroom.  I think the space could make a great walk in closet.

Forklift Jen

Beep, Beep…here I come.

No, not really.  I’m actually not Forklift Jen, Tork lift Jen, Torquelift Jen or even Dorklift Jen.

It’s a common mistake when you have an easily rhyming name, and I don’t take it personally.

With all of the new ways I am learning to get around here at Torklift, I hope I eventually have the opportunity to master the forklift mode of transport, too.

There’s a lot of hard work, skilled craftsmanship and innovation that goes on here.   It’s inspiring to be part of the team and get to see products start from raw metal and then fabricated into the functional art they become.  They are invented, made, boxed and shipped from right here at the factory to all over the world.

I should really get back to work now.  Torklift Jen will not be taking on any new job titles until mastering the F-350 and camper first.

See why I’m so proud to work here:

Torklift International Wins First Place in Seattle Business Magazine’s 2013 Best Company to Work For

http://www.seattlebusinessmag.com/article/100-best-companies-work-2013-midsize-companies

Looking back to my humble beginnings of truck camping there were many learning opportunities and tips that I should have picked-up on in regard to all this truck camping stuff.

I am reminded that all I really needed to know about truck camping, I learned in kindergarten.

Like coloring, stay between the lines on the highway and go a little crazy when you’re off road.

Don’t run with scissors, but it’s okay to run up a sturdy set of scissor steps. 

If you got bad suspension you were in some heavy-duty trouble and you were going to be in a world of hurt when you got home from school.  Now with good suspension you can carry a heavy load home and not feel a thing.

Kissing a toad will not result in a prince charming and will result in me looking very silly kissing my little tow behind car.

I learned that if you tie your toy truck bumper to a string attached to your bike and take off down the driveway, the bumper will get pulled off the truck and the part will end up in your baby brother’s mouth and then you’re in a heap of trouble from mom.  The worst!  Frame-mounted tie downs are always best.

Pick up your toys and someday your toys will be pickups.

Training wheels are not for babies.  They were just good practice for driving my dually Ford F350.

Time-out is a good thing if you’re prepared with your best toys and can sit and enjoy the quiet.

I think I’ve got all these new concepts down now and can put them to good use as I grow into “Torklift Jen”.

True Frame-Mounted Tie Downs- Stay snug to your foundation.

http://www.torklift.com/w.php?w_page=tie_downs

The F-350 seat adjusted: Check. 

The squiggle indicator off: Check.

 No explosion upon starting the engine and the Everest parts are off: Check.  Phew!  I think I can do this.

 The rest of the test drive went smoothly. Really!

 I was impressed by the handling of the truck, especially with such a big camper.  I felt no lack of power going up steep hills, good stopping distance and it handled well over rough, un-even roads and railroad tracks.

 I am used to driving a stiff suspension little car.  It is nice to feel high and mighty on the road.  It feels like I’m going places, making it big, and climbing the corporate ladder even if that ladder looks more like a tree…, I’m loving it.

http://www.torklift.com/products/stableload.php

I experiment with Torklift products and take them out in the real world with a uniquely “Torklift Jen” perspective.  Some people say I’m like an action figure All I need is a cape!

What is the “Torklift Jen” perspective you ask?

Well, I get lots of advice during my work week on what to do, and most importantly what NOT to do by some of the best in the industry.  I look forward to sharing what I learn and passing on what I find about new products, engineering information and technical advice.

Just as a preview, you’ll find out what it’s like for little ole’ me to drive a giant truck!

I will check-in from the roads traveled with the people I meet while wearing my “Torklift Jen” hat.

Let me know if you have any great ideas and what makes your off time work for you.