Did you get Torklift newsletter?

[Kayteg1]

They made several articles, but THIS ONE IS ABOUT DAMAGE TO TRUCK BED due to bed-mounted tie-downs.
I know frame mounted tie-downs are superior and I never had bed-mounted, but they claim to repair $5000 worth of damages to the bed.
From what I know, you can buy new bed for much less than $5k, so is it publicity stunt?

[mi_drew]

I agree with burningman, the belly bar is easy on easy off, no bed stress, cheap and easy to fab. Pulls on frame more evenly. Sometime still in the way of gas filler door.

[Kayteg1]

We all have our reasons.
I paid extra for tri-coat pearl paint on my truck and than for two-tone to make it look good. When inside bed scratches are unavoidable, I keep the paint shining.
For risky loads, I hook up utility trailer.
That thing after 25 years of abuse looks like S***t, but I am ok with it.

[jaycocreek]

It's a truck, my bed is scratched up too from tons of gravel, it's a truck that I use as a truck within reason, my reason.

You don't here that very often but I agree 100%..The biggest reason I sold my Class C was I needed a pickup to haul things,mostly firewood and the bed does take some abuse,within reason even being as careful as one can be.

The guy that had my truck before I got it had a smallish crease from the happi jacks and carrying his big 10ft camper..Does not bother me at all because it is a truck that gets used as a truck and I can only assume there will be another crease or dent hauling as many cords of wood as I get each year on the roads I take it, being extremely careful.

[whazoo]

I had looked at frame mount tie downs years ago incl TL, who I do admire as a company, but didn't see a one that I wouldn't bang up 4wheeling. So I stayed with HappiJac bed mount and used TL Fastguns, call me a hybrid. Yes I have a small dent in the truck cab where the Fast Gun bottom hook hit the cab while twisting. It's a truck, my bed is scratched up too from tons of gravel, it's a truck that I use as a truck within reason, my reason. As for bed damage after 11 years of wheeling I have none. I also use the button mounts on the rear bumper without issues. What am I doing right? I did put the Fastgun hooks in a press to give them more "hook" and not fall out of the bottom mount when leaning to and fro, having them fall out at different times.

[AnEv942]

Structurally yes, the inserts could be mounted as you choose. Which you proved as you mounted, what most would consider backwards, and they didn't fail. However the task of resisting a certain force dictates orientation. Which you also proved, you camper wasn't being held

Re-mounting the inserts with the tiedown plate pointing forward, increasing the tie down angle should help alleviate and hopefully solve your camper walking backwards.

Ive several Torklift products, some of the best on the market I think but I would agree, in my opinion, that some of thier instructions manuals are the weak link. I've no qualm reimagineering a product to make it do what I want it to but was the manuals that needed the most refinement.

[Kayteg1]

Strange that TL can engineer pretty complex frame bracket and the way to fish the bolts, but they can't make clear manual for it.
But seems with different manuals I can put the inserts any way I want 😉

[Reality_Check]

Crack me up... good reading. Good instruction on how to build a mountain out of a... Creating a solution for a problem that doesn't exist, just to be adversarial. Lovin' it....

I think the TL manuals I've got must all be wrong too. No doubt typo's and photoshop action going on. I'm going to look into this further.

[Buzzcut1]

yeah he has it bass akwards. no surprise

[AnEv942]

Kayteg1 wrote:
That makes the installation against TL manuals.
TL tie-downs are weak link in the system and they are first to bend, when reversing the inserts will put more stress on them.
I am afraid that will void warranty and that is why TL is not answering the questions.

EDIT https://youtu.be/3MnQKY3cxrY?t=147
Heres Torklifts video install on 2017..at 2:27 show insert-plate pointing forward...
(manual same as NRALIFR uploaded showing insert mounting
http://www.towshop.com/F2021-torklift-camper-tie-downs.pdf
You can ignore the rest of this post EDIT


Sorry believe your Wrong- Unless you interpreted "the short side" as meaning horizontal length instead of vertical, which is what they intended, the short vertical "height" end points to front, like pictures show. Not sure where you got info...

Unless something specific on your application/install precludes mounting like most-If you currently have them pointing towards rear flipping them to point forward would give you 6-8" of more angle at bottom. IF indeed your manual states otherwise I would really like to see a copy. Otherwise youve already mounted contrary to whats specified.

As far as stress,
Because both ends of tiedown are free to rotate, the greater the angle between the more the angle itself will lessen vertical load. Probably not being clear on that. Its just a lever. If your standing directly at end of a rod pulling on load, how ever much you can pull your end toward you the other end will move that much. If you stand off to the side, however much you pull the distance at other end end will be less, or at least the force, as some will be absorbed by the rod & load trying to match angle. That made even less sense and I wrote it
Oh well-I know what I meant

Theres some rotational force being applied to the insert-extending it 4" as suggested.. :I dunno be the last thing I'd try to save 30 seconds at the pump.. If your bending inserts cant imagine what its doing to camper- bottom line to tight

But have to ask -if your conclusion is pointing them forward would increase stress then why did you ask TL if ok to do? My assumption to T/L not responding is they 'heard' you asking to do what you had already don, departing from norm and mounting so that tiedown more vertical.. not that you had already mounted backwards and if ok to mount as intended. Which would be my conclusion if asked to depart from instructions, not realizing you had already mounted 180° off.

[GeoBoy]

NRALIFR wrote:
According to the instructions I have, the pointy end of the “bullet plate” is supposed to point towards the front of the truck on the front tiedowns, and towards the rear of the truck on the rear tiedowns.



:):)

Absolutely, that’s how you should mount them.

[NRALIFR]

According to the instructions I have, the pointy end of the “bullet plate” is supposed to point towards the front of the truck on the front tiedowns, and towards the rear of the truck on the rear tiedowns.



:):)

[Kayteg1]

That makes the installation against TL manuals.
TL tie-downs are weak link in the system and they are first to bend, when reversing the inserts will put more stress on them.
I am afraid that will void warranty and that is why TL is not answering the questions.

[AnEv942]

Kayteg1 wrote:
...
I send letter to TL if they would allow flipping the front inserts over, so the extension would go farther to the front...

Are your 'ears' not already facing the front?

[jaycocreek]

Torklift has been around more than 40 years and I replaced the happijac mounts on my 94 with their frame mounted tie downs.

That may be so but the Torklift frame mounted tie down was not invented until 1990,then who knows when they were available to the public and through who.I certainly never heard of them back in the 90's yet.

Back then Verizon was not even born and the internet didn't exist in my mind(laughing)..So the bottom line was "back then" was if the local RV/hitch shop didn't have it,they did not exist,to me anyway..

The internet has changed the RV industry and availability. Tork Lift tie downs are very good and have a couple issues for some and Happi jacks are also good and have there draw backs to some especially with heavier campers.