Torklift tiedowns with Hawk/Tundra

[Charlie]

Is anyone using this combo (bed mount)?

Hit a pothole hard today on a rough dirt road, and all four of the dealer Installed turnbuckles opened up and fell off. I think spring loading would have avoided this.

Thx,
Charlie

 

[Andy Douglass]

What do you mean by "opened up"? Did the hooks bend?

 

[Charlie]

Yep, the hooks were bent so that they weren’t hooks anymore. The ends were more like a right angle, and so they wouldn’t stay hooked to the eye bolt. Using the hammer (that my wife insisted we carry, we were able to close them up enough to get us on the road again.

 

[OffTheGridMaps]

I have an 03 Tundra that already had external (frame mounted) Torklift tie downs and Toklift fast guns from a previous camper we owned. When I bought my 05 Eagle last year, since I already had invested in the external tie downs, I chose not to install the internal tie downs. That being said, in about 4 years of use, I have never had an issue with the spring loaded fastguns, and hear them squeaking (slightly.. if the windows are down) when we are driving down bumpy roads. So I know the spring loaded tie downs are doing their job and expanding/compressing while we are driving.

Folks with internal tie downs have mentioned the Torklift Derringer handles on the forum, but I don't think they are spring loaded, they just make tightening down the turnbuckles easier.

 

[Charlie]

Thanks for the details. Torklift makes a shorter version of their Fastgun for bedmount installations, but it seems to me that they cant go short enough. Their minimum length is 14.5”. I measured my installation, and it seems that I need something as short as 13”.

 

[wandern]

I've mounted my FWC with Torklift Fastguns (I normally use them for a much larger truck camper), but I prefer the sleek lines and narrower profile of the bed-mounted tie-downs.

I installed forged eye bolts and forged clevis-end and hook-end turnbuckles with jam nuts, which completely eliminate the risk of tie-down breakage. That being said, don't crank the turnbuckles down tight- the camper and/or bed will become the weak link in the system.

 

[Machinebuilder]

What truck and camper do you have?

I see reports like this and wonder, because there are as many reports of people that never have a problem.

 

[Jon&Sue_DeArman]

Way too fast for the tracks they are on.

 

[fish more]

I use the Fast Guns with a forged treaded ring. Since install, never had them come loose. Turn buckles thrown away a long time ago.

 

[hebegebe]

I use the Fast Guns with a forged treaded ring. Since install, never had them come loose. Turn buckles thrown away a long time ago.

exactly! Why chance loosing your whole rig?

 

[moveinon]

I have used Tork Lift Derringers for years now with no problems on a Tacoma Fleet combo. Once you get them dialed in they are so much easier than turn buckles for those of us who take the camper off and on a few times a year.

 

[Charlie]

Thanks @moveinon. What do you use to connect the derringers to the camper (or truck bed) tiedowns?

 

[The Saints]

I live in a townhouse and they won’t allow storage for my Fleet. So, I had mine bolted down to the bed instead of turnbuckles. I figured if I take it off then out it back on, I could have the bolts sticking out of the camper to line me up and put some kind of rollers on the camper jacks to get it precise. You might consider that as an option.

 

[Kerschbaumer]

I have used Tork Lift Derringers for years now with no problems on a Tacoma Fleet combo. Once you get them dialed in they are so much easier than turn buckles for those of us who take the camper off and on a few times a year.

I too would love to have more insight on the tacoma/fleet and torklift setup - those turnbuckles are driving me nuts. there is enough room in there to clamp the handle down?