Review of the Torklift International FastGun

Hey former moderator Brad, I stay objective by never recommending any of Torklift products nor do I claim they are the best. I have only stated that I use them, and have long before I signed on as an evaluator. I will admit that I made one big mistake and that was being open with the forum as to my being an evaluator. I should have never mentioned it and everything would have been fine. Apparently honesty is not always the best policy.
I do like the fact that Torklift products are made in America and if being patrotic is a violation of forum rules, then the rules have a problem. I don't remember every suggesting that any forum member should buy Torklift products and I don't plan to do so in the future. Go back and read my past posts and if you can find one when I do suggest they are the best and people need to buy them, then I will delete the post.
We have campground owners on the forum that post on the subject of campgrounds and other subjects. They make their living through their campgrounds but that doesn't seem to be a problem.

So as I said before, I am trying to figure out the difference in my mentioning I am an independent evaluator and moderators promoting products they own and even claiming that anyone that doesn't like their product, it is because they have never used it, regarding the Stable Lift Company.

So I am trying to figure out what are my limits on the forum? Just no mention of the word "Torklift" or what? I have been trying to take my lead off the postings by some of the moderators but apparently those rules don't apply to me as a member. The rules prohibit the promoting of any commercial endevor, so to apply that rule as it reads, would make most of the forum members and moderators guilty of violating that rule. It even speaks to not using outside links as references, most members do this from time to time.
Somehow the fact that I get to keep products that I evaluate, seems to make a big difference in the interpertation of the rules. The rules don't say you can promote commercial endevors if you don't get free items. It just says no promoting of commercial endevors or outside links.

Just my being a product evaluator and a forum member is not a violation of any forum rule. It only becomes a violation of the rules if I promote their products, which I don't feel I have done. I take effort to make sure I am not promoting Torklift products.
Just as mike didn't promote them either in his review.

This is my last planned post on the subject. If Wayne or the Admin wish to delete any of my posts, so be it. That is their jobs. Perhaps I can figure out my limits of posting and has given other members something to think about with their postings.

joe b. wrote:
In no way am I trying to be argumentative but am trying to understand how just mentioning that I have a new set of Fastguns and posting photos, is a violation but Moderator Wayne's postings about the Stable Lift tie down system isn't or other products he recommends, with links to companies such as Cabelas isn't?

The difference is that Stable Lift and Cabelas hasn’t given Wayne anything of value.

I was offered truck camper items to evaluate when I was a moderator. I always turned them down. How can someone be 100% objective if a company is giving items to them worth $100’s or $1,000’s? Not in this world.

Brad

Mike, I think there is a very fine line on interpeting the forum rules on promoting commercial endeavors on the forum. Most likely my comments about Torklift Fastguns was the post that Moderator Wayne felt was a violation of the rules, as I openly admit I am an independent evaluator of Torklift products. However I make an effort not to promote any of their products as that is the job of their advertising department and other forum members do a good job as well.

In the past I have used Happijac tie downs and been very satisfied with them on my previous truck, a 2002 Dodge with a very stout rear bumper. I have used stake bed tie downs and don't like them at all. I now drive a Chevy truck with Fastguns and frame mounted tie downs.
I have very little brand loyalty to any product, except for old Jeeps and beagle dogs. One of the reasons I suspect I was asked to evaluate Torklift products as they want an unbiased report.

Mike, you and Wayne are both representatives of this forum as moderators so I can see how both of you have to be very careful not to be seen as promoting products and violating the forum rules. I am in no way an agent or representative of Torklift, even though I get to keep the products I test. I get to keep the whether they are good or bad, in my opinion. They have no way of dealing with used products if returned.
I have gone back and reviewed the past postings of both you and Wayne. If promoting commercial products is a forum violation, then most all of us, including moderators are guilty.

In no way am I trying to be argumentative but am trying to understand how just mentioning that I have a new set of Fastguns and posting photos, is a violation but Moderator Wayne's postings about the Stable Lift tie down system isn't or other products he recommends, with links to companies such as Cabelas isn't?

Yes, he and I have been discussing this matter by PMs. As a Moderator, he can delete any of my posts, including this one.

I got my fast guns with my lance. They are to long for the happi jack tie downs. The dealer gave me quick links to go on the lance because it hard to connect to the camper with the fast guns. Well all four are to long. Even tho I asked the dealer to cut them down.So I am in the process of cutting them by hand,With out the quick links it is hard to connect to the camper

The moderator brings up a good point. My OP should've come with some kind of disclaimer. I've since added one. It reads, "I'm neither a Torklift employee nor an official product evaluator and that I receive no royalty or compensation of any kind for this review. I'm just a regular guy like you writing an honest review about this product."

The review has also been updated with a couple new paragraphs and with a few new pics.

Excellent review.

Paul

I have reviewed this thread several times. Some of the posts appear to be in violation of the Forum Rules & Policies. I encourage members to review the Rules and Policies. Consider the first paragraph’ “Commercial enterprises and/or their representatives are not allowed to post in these forums.” and these two rules:

• “You may not use the Open Roads Forum to either advertise or promote commercial endeavors. This includes direct posts, member name, URLS in your profile or signature, as well as, active links to other sites on the Internet.
• You may include URLs or active links to commercial sites for the purpose of expanding on comments or providing additional information as part of regular forum interactions.“

It is certainly acceptable to discuss products relating to RVs, including writing reviews. It is easy to get in a gray area with how the review is written. Unfortunately, there are times when the review goes beyond the gray area, and the writer becomes the agent for the vender of the product. They may or may not be paid. This is in violation of the Rules and Policies.

Sometimes venders will offer their products to Forum Members for evaluation. That is great, and can be of great benefit to the RV community. This evaluation is for the vender and the person given the product, not to be posted on RV.NET. If you post your evaluation, you are the vender’s agent, and have been paid with a free product. As previously stated, it is acceptable to post your experience with a product, but not to act as their agent. It is obvious when you post links, and go in detail with your evaluation.

Most of the posts on this Thread are fine, a couple in the gray area, and at least one definitely in violation of the Forum Rules and Policies. As the Moderator of the TC Forum, I do not always read every post. I try to be flexible, and sometimes ignore a post that should be edited or deleted. I do not establish policy. In hindsight, I probably should have addressed this Thread much earlier. Unless instructed otherwise, or post continue to appear to be made by agents of the vender, I will not close or delete the thread. I will watch the posts more closely, and probably delete rather than edit rule violating posts.

Wayne
Moderator

AnEv942 wrote:
Heres a pic of dipped handle. makes them bit nicer to grasp.
The handles (old style) work well its just I conciously have to remember not to grasp the whole thing. As I bought used Im unsure how old they are-the handles appeared to be hand cut out, all 4 are different and the finishing even more so. My my original intent was to round grind & repolish but became difficult. Pretty hard material, so just rounded the square corners and dipped.



They have 3 coats-would have gone more but started dipping other stuff between coats. A lil work-hardest for me was the imersion and removal speed-slow. First imersion coat speed critical for adhesion-removal speed for uniform coat all subsquent coats.

Wow, Mark. Your FastGuns look terrific. I love what you did with the handles. Great idea.

Heres a pic of dipped handle. makes them bit nicer to grasp.
The handles (old style) work well its just I conciously have to remember not to grasp the whole thing. As I bought used Im unsure how old they are-the handles appeared to be hand cut out, all 4 are different and the finishing even more so. My my original intent was to round grind & repolish but became difficult. Pretty hard material, so just rounded the square corners and dipped.



They have 3 coats-would have gone more but started dipping other stuff between coats. A lil work-hardest for me was the imersion and removal speed-slow. First imersion coat speed critical for adhesion-removal speed for uniform coat all subsquent coats.

I use the Winchester style handle on the rear ones to keep the handles from smacking the tail lights when I release them. A standard handle would be more difficult to hold back without the loop.