Recommended Camper Tie-Downs For A 1997 Ford F-250

Updated 02/17/2026 | Published 06/17/2024

Products Featured in This Question

HappiJac Truck-Mounted Camper Tie-Downs

(16)

$292.69

DeeZee Universal Utility Mat for Trucks and Trailers - 8' Long x 4' Wide

(24)

$154.84

HappiJac Qwik-Load Turnbuckles for Camper Tie-Downs - Stainless Steel - Qty 4

(89)

$379.11

HappiJac Camper Tie-Downs - Custom Bed and Bumper Mount - Front and Rear

(228)

$427.22

RoadActive Suspension Custom Leaf Spring Enhancement Kit - Heavy Duty

(597)

$589.00

TorkLift Tie Downs - Custom Frame Mount - Front and Rear

(568)

$854.19

TorkLift Locking FastGun Turnbuckles for Frame-Mounted Tie-Downs - Stainless Steel - Gray - Qty 4

(554)

$969.77

Question:

Hello, I just bought a 1997 Ford F250 7.3l HD long bed extended cab. And now I am looking to purchase a 1994 Lance Squire 8000 cabover. The seller advised me that I will need a tie down kit and also that I will need to double check that the height from the bottom of the camper to the bottom of the sleeper section will fit over my cab. So my first question is, have you heard of any issues with the height of the sleeper section on these campers? And second question, can you advise me on what tie downs I will need and any thing else I will need? the camper is 3 hours away from here so I will need to show up fully prepared. Thank you.

asked by: David H

Expert Reply:

Hey David,

I haven't really heard from anyone saying their truck bed camper couldn't clear the cab, but vehicle manufacturers can make some wild changes after a couple of decades. With your truck being only a few years newer than the camper I'd say you're likely fine because the camper manufacturers would be going off industry standards for trucks at that time. The camper is going to be sitting inside the bed so you can just ask the seller for the measurement from the bottom of the camper up to the sleeper section to see if this will clear the cab.

A lot of people will use a bed mat # DZ45GJ to gain a bit more clearance between the cab and camper. A rubber mat will also help prevent the camper from sliding around or scratching the bed.

For the tie-downs you'll need an aftermarket hitch and will need to drill into it in order to mount the rear tie-downs. If this is possible on your F-250 then you'll want the TorkLift # TL32FV. If not, you can go with the HappiJac Camper Tie-Downs # LC182910-182971 instead. I've attached an installation video for the TorkLift tie-downs below so that you can get a better idea if this will work for your situation.

To complete the setup you'll also need turnbuckles to attach the camper to the tie-downs. If you go with thr TorkLift tie-downs you can use # TLS9522-2-LK. If you go with the HappiJac tie-downs then you'll want the # LC182895 instead.

With that much weight in the bed I'd give your suspension some extra help with a RoadActive Suspension Custom Leaf Spring Enhancement Kit # RAS3611-HD. This spring has a 3,000lb load leveling capacity and activates as weight is added to the bed so that it won't affect your unloaded ride quality.

expert reply by: Kevin C

Robin H.

2/17/2026

Hey David, how did things go with the Lance Squire and your F-250 setup? Did the cab clearance and tie-downs work out the way you expected? Your update could make it easier for others pairing older campers with similar trucks.