Safety Braces

As many of you know, I've had a good run with my 2x4 safety braces. They are even better since Crawfors suggested that I get some C-clamps and clamp them to the lift arms top and bottom. Now there's no danger of them falling out, and the top sways much less.

Butch gave me some nice fairly heavy steel bar that is shaped like |_________| in about that proportion of height to width. They will be a nice change from the wood, and won't be nearly as ugly.

Here's my question: The bars are a bit too long, and since I have to cut them anyway, I want to cut them to fit in the right place. Should I cut them to fit on the outside edge of the lift arm, going up just short of the bolt that holds the lift arm to the top, or the inside, or one of the sides that are perpendicular to the camper sides? Dave, which way did the factory braces go on, and how high did they go? To the bolt, bottom edge of roof, inside top of roof?

The safety bars we had for our Pup were a "U" shaped channel that would wrap around the lift arm from the outside, and go in behind the outer lip of the "canopy/roof" and would end about 3/4" below the bolt on top of the lift arm, then it would snap around the base of the lift arm and rest against the top of the box wall to hold itself on. The bars would then be covered by that flap of material so they would be concealed.

This should give you a good idea on what length to cut them to.

That's exactly what I needed to know! Thanks Dave. I'll wind up using small c-clamps, as these won't "snap" on, but it will be covered by the flap and look better. Heck, I may even wash Miss Danger up a bit. Then, perhaps I'll get to be in the background of one of Chuck's photos of his campsite. (Hey, it never hurts to dream and set goals.)

I'll photo when I get it done.

Glad the info helped.

Washing the camper is a good thing!