Trimming down tie downs to fit

F-350shortBed wrote:
I had purchased some longer torklift tiedowns to fit my frame mounted tie down points. I also acquired some fast guns with the purchase from my TC.

I want to trim the bottom hook portion to fit the fast gun uppers.

Does anyone out there have a system for measuring and cutting them to fit?

Thanks, everyone.

My system is to use a tape measure to determine the length of the threaded rod needed and use a hack saw to cut to length. Put a nut on first then remove after cutting to align the cut threads. After cutting too short, I then add a threaded chain connector on the tie down bracket to make it all fit.

Maybe hang the FG in the TC eyelet and hook your long rod into the TL eyelet. Hold the two inline and eyeball where the nut in the FG lines up with the long rod and mark or put a piece of tape on the threaded rod. Cut a couple inches longer for FUBAR factor. (Provided my dyslexic brain is understanding you correctly. I'm reading it as when you screw in the longer XL hooks, they are so long they hit the end of the inside of the FG body before they are short enough to get in the hole of the tie down)

OK I think I get it now.
You could lengthen the (too short) Fast Guns with a section of chain* - Thats what I do as I bought two of the short ones in error back in 2009. I had HJ bumper buttons in the rear on our old truck. Found out, the short Fast Guns are for the front tiedowns. We have TL tiedowns all round on the new truck.



Do you have four short Fast Guns?

You could try to sell both sets and buy the correct length Fast Guns.

Or you could probably try to combine both sets, as you described in your question. The Fast Guns disassemble easily, so you should be to find out how long the hook section needs to be / where the nut is that it bolts into inside the housing. At least I think I remember that mine came dissembled from the factory. Unscrew the hook part until it comes loose, then the retainer nut is free inside the housing. There is a plastic cap on the upper end of the housing that you can remove. The loose retaining nut just comes out at the top end. At least I think that is how mine work. I have never used the standard turnbuckles, but I imagine they disassemble just as easily.

* if you do this, you need chain with welded links and one threaded chain link for each tiedown. At the time, I think TL had included the chain/link hardware with the tiedown kit.

As I understand the issue, your fastguns are too short. I had something similar happen. I raised the camper an inch more so that I had better clearance between the camper overhang and the roof of my truck. That extra inch was more than the capacity of my fastgun so I just used a chain repair link to regain some length. If more length is needed you could use the repair link to attach as many links of chain as needed.

Use this site to drag n' drop and then post the resulting string:

photo posting

joerg68 wrote:


Do you have a picture?

That's funny right there.. like we can post photos in here...

Ha
Ha
Ha...

So, same thread but the threaded end is too long?
Yup chop ‘em. Just leave enough length on the threaded part.
I’ve never been able to cut the same piece longer the second time! Haha

I purchased a TC that was mounted on a happijac setup. The seller included the fast guns which were short for the Happijac points on his truck.

My truck has torklift tie down points. I had also purchased torklift XL spring mounted turnbuckles which have a longer hook that attaches to the tie down point. I purchased these prior to the TC.

I would like to use the longer hook from the XL turnbuckles to screw into the fast gun upper so I don’t have to manually screw them tight every time I remove the camper and put it back on the truck.

When I mate the longer hooks with the fast gun uppers they are too long.

I can post a pic on Monday. Maybe the TC seller’s attachment are not fast guns but work in the same manner?

I agree with Joerg... something does not seem right... we need more info.

My guess might be that OP is trying to use fastguns on Hippi-Jac mounts????

Sorry, I have no useful answer to your original question.

But why are the Fast Guns too long? You have a normal truck, normal
camper, Torklift tiedowns - everything should fit like it usually does?

Do you have a picture?