Happijac or Torklift Turnbuckles?

Lakeside,

FYI, the Quick Loads, Torklift anchor guards, and Fast guns all have the rubber cushioning and springs these guys are "discussing" on your post.

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
Using solid turnbuckles and chain can pull the eyelets out of the wood camper, if you have them tightened and do some good off roading. Just driving on smooth highways, likely won't be a problem.

Either rubber or spring cushioned turnbuckles, or spring loaded bases, help keep from pulling out eyelets when the truck frame gets to twisting off road.

You don't even have to go off-road to get twisting. Some driveways with tall curbs and short ramps at gas pumps do a good job.

Well I asked for opinions and I certainly got a few. :D

Thanks all for taking the time to reply.

I will reread the input from you folks and then make a decision.

Safe travels.

Lakeside

Red dog 1 you may remember years ago we had posts with pix about hj turnbuckles pulling apart (incomplete poor welding I had a set that were pulling apart with rust in the weld crack I stand by my opinion HJ has little ,to no qc systems in place and produces products that just meet minimum standards.

Using solid turnbuckles and chain can pull the eyelets out of the wood camper, if you have them tightened and do some good off roading. Just driving on smooth highways, likely won't be a problem.

Either rubber or spring cushioned turnbuckles, or spring loaded bases, help keep from pulling out eyelets when the truck frame gets to twisting off road.

Respectfully Bedlam, I totally disagree.

Wayne

I feel you are over simplifying the turnbuckles. There is a reason that TC manufactures will endorse a particular product even when they are not the manufacturer. The turn buckle needs to have a spring to allow for chassis flex and not tear apart the TC. Most manufacturers suggest 300 ft-lbs at each corner to hold the TC in place without tearing it apart (the actual turnbuckles should be rated for the weight of the TC).

You can piece together your own hardware to do this and it will come out cheaper, but it will not be warrantied and it will not be as convenient.

If you think you can use hard links with your turnbuckles and set tension arbitrarily, you will quickly destroy a modern TC.

lakeside013104 wrote:
Happijac QWIK-LOAD Lever Action Turnbuckle or Torklift S9526 Long Polished FastGun Turnbuckle.

The price on the Torklift is about double. Will the Happijac do the job as well as the Torlkifts?

Lakeside

A direct answer to your question is Yes.

Fact is, hardware store turnbuckles will do the same job as any of the TC turnbuckles. The only real difference is different bragging rights, spend more money, have less bling-bling.

Ever wonder how TCs were tied down before Happijac QWIK-LOAD Lever Action Turnbuckle or Torklift S9526 Long Polished FastGun Turnbuckles?

Wayne

Can't speak to the HappiJac product. I bought the Torklift Fast Guns and they are great ... not cheap $-wise but sturdy, easy to use and they will easily outlast me. I can speak about HappiJac's customer service from recent first hand experience and sadly, I too find it severely lacking.

I haven't seen the bad quality turn buckles all these guys are posting about.

The Happijac quick loads are equivalent to the Torklift derringer anchor guards and not the fast guns. But they all do the same job.

I've had all three. The Happijacs work great. I had Torklift frame mounts so I had to use a short piece of chain on each to make them reach.

I currently have a set of Torklift fast guns and a set of Torklift derringer anchor guards I bought prior to my current TC.

The fast guns are slightly easier to use, as in they reach the torklift tie down bracket and you don't have to bend over and put the chain on the hooks before tightening. If you have the happijack tie down bracket then no chain required.

As far as quality, the fast guns are a bit heavier duty but since tie down pressure of 300 lbs is recommended, what's the point, but they are sexier. With many it's also a prestige thing.

If when I sold my previous TC, the buyer hadn't talked me out of my Quick Loads, I would still be using them and if my current TC hadn't come with fast guns, I would be using the derringer anchor guards I bought.

Any one of the three will work great, so it's up to what you want, how much you want to spend, how much you trust others opinion, and finally how good they look on you.