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Do you lock your turnbuckles?

Haggis_6_2
Explorer
Explorer
So after much hemming and hawing we are now the proud owners of an AF990 preparing for our first adventure. We are equipped with the torklift tiedowns and fastgun turnbuckles - both easily removed. Seems prudent to secure these in place to avoid a PITA situation should someone remove one or all. I was thinking of bolting the ties downs and padlocking the fastguns in-place of the clinch pins (or torklift locks).

What do you do?
40 REPLIES 40

Clarryhill
Explorer
Explorer
K Mac wrote:
jimh425 wrote:
I bought a set of 4 Masters keyed alike, easy and cheap.
X 2

x3
2014 Ford F450 PSD
2017 Lance 1172

d3500ram
Explorer III
Explorer III
Generally, I feel that there is little threat of theft of Fastguns. The crackheads that are looking to steel items for their fix 'prolly have no idea the value. Those who do know what they are worth are the TC'ers themselves and as an overall generality, I think that fellow TC'ers would not steal them.

I do lock mine... it is the Jersey in my blood that says anything not locked down will be gone the next day (lessons learned from growing up on the east-coast.)
Sold the TC, previous owner of 2 NorthStar pop-ups & 2 Northstar Arrows...still have the truck:

2005 Dodge 3500 SRW, Qcab long bed, NV-6500, diesel, 4WD, Helwig, 9000XL,
Nitto 285/70/17 Terra Grapplers, Honda eu3000Is, custom overload spring perch spacers.

Freep
Explorer
Explorer
srschang wrote:


You lock your house?


We don't lock our cars or our house.
2014 Lance 992
2014 Ram 3500 DRW Turbo diesel

Kayteg1
Explorer II
Explorer II
In my remodeling carrier, I had more than 1 customers who never lock their house. That was neighborhood in California. Seem in Las Vegas all neighbors are paranoid about having security systems, cameras and lockable mail boxes.
I have no locks on my fastguns and I have no lock on my Honda EU3000 that I carry on front, although I used hard to reach metric bolts to attach it to platform.
Last year we slept over 150 nights in the camper, but at the places theft was not a concern.

srschang
Nomad
Nomad
burningman wrote:

I have to agree with AnEv942, if youโ€™re gonna a call someone overly paranoid to the point they should just give up owning a camper because they want to lock up equipment thatโ€™s quick and easy to steal and costs what most people consider a significant amount of money, you should stop locking your house. There are other people who consider anything you own to be of insignificant value.
And even if you can laugh off the price of a set of FastGuns, its rather inconvenient to be stuck with your tie downs missing.


You lock your house?


2022 Ram 3500 Dually Crewcab Longbed Cummins, 2019 Northstar 12 STC

SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Explorer III
if someone is gonna lift your tie down's it would have to be another TC'er and I've always held the impression that TC'ers are all upstanding.

Besides, mine are insured under the accessory rider on my policy.
2015 Backpack SS1500
1997 Ford 7.3 OBS 4x4 CC LB

jaycocreek
Explorer II
Explorer II
No
Lance 9.6
400 watts solar mounted/200 watts portable
500ah Lifep04

K_Mac
Explorer
Explorer
jimh425 wrote:
I bought a set of 4 Masters keyed alike, easy and cheap.
X 2

burningman
Explorer II
Explorer II
Thieves steal anything. The other night one of them ransacked my truck and took only a cell phone charging cord and three new safety-T-shirts. Didnโ€™t take the expensive clamp-on current meter or other better things.

I have to agree with AnEv942, if youโ€™re gonna a call someone overly paranoid to the point they should just give up owning a camper because they want to lock up equipment thatโ€™s quick and easy to steal and costs what most people consider a significant amount of money, you should stop locking your house. There are other people who consider anything you own to be of insignificant value.
And even if you can laugh off the price of a set of FastGuns, its rather inconvenient to be stuck with your tie downs missing.
2017 Northern Lite 10-2 EX CD SE
99 Ram 4x4 Dually Cummins
A whole lot more fuel, a whole lot more boost.
4.10 gears, Gear Vendors overdrive, exhaust brake
Built auto, triple disc, billet shafts.
Kelderman Air Ride, Helwig sway bar.

monkey44
Nomad II
Nomad II
We have HJ tie-downs, and lost one in Big Bend NF out on one of the 4x4 trails.

We had no locks, only the slip-pins, and apparently one slip-pin slipped ๐Ÿ™‚ and we lost a rear tie-down somewhere on the trail - Bought four locks keyed alike, and have not had that problem again.
Monkey44
Cape Cod Ma & Central Fla
Chevy 2500HD 4x4 DC-SB
2008 Lance 845
Back-country camping fanatic

billyray50
Explorer
Explorer
Never have locked them in 2 years. Agree it is a niche item but they are expensive. Might look into some locks. Maybe.

SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Explorer III
srschang wrote:
Nope, don't lock them. First, I don't know why anyone would want to steal them, and more importantly, if I have to be that paranoid about fastguns, it's time to find another sport.


I'm with you. If one is that paranoid, stay home. I hauled steel on a flatbed for 30 years and all my chains, binders, straps and equipment were always on the trailer ... easy to grab (and expensive) and I never lost anything. Don't expect to lose my tie downs.

Only thing I lock is my deer blinds on my hunting property.

TC'ing isn't a sport, it's a past time.

I have the HJ Quikloads as well. Handles are easily removable. In fact, I only carry one handle, in the glovebox of the truck.
2015 Backpack SS1500
1997 Ford 7.3 OBS 4x4 CC LB

guidry
Explorer
Explorer
Iโ€™ve got the Happijack Quick Loads and never permanently installed the handles. That should dissuade someone from stealing them. But if they really want them even a small lock wonโ€™t stop them.

HadEnough
Explorer
Explorer
Hmmm. Never even thought about locking mine up. Seems a niche item only a few people with truck campers (the most uncommon type of camper) know anything about.
. I've been traveling full time in my TC for 2 years and not a single problem.

But you all have me feeling pretty paranoid now and certainly putting this on the to do list.

fpoole
Explorer
Explorer
AnEv942 wrote:
Nah-$400 why go to the effort, I couldnt afford the 1st time-let alone repeat. Dont lock the truck doors either, leave a window halfway just in case I do accidentally lock.
Release the primary latch on hood so it can easily be opened, never know when some poor sod needs batteries more than me, or needs something to swap for a bottle of red. Leave camper keys in the door when about, its not locked either but just in case perusing cabinet contents desired.

No such thing as low life's, thieves or pranksters, let alone kids just messing around. Lord forbid I lock the front door of the house when away-someone might call me paranoid. Jeesh

Seriously, the fastguns on camper like a ripe bunch of grapes on the vine 3' from the road. I lock. Not to concerned about where we camp but stopping on the road some of the parking lots iffy-getting groceries or a burger, or out on roadside trail. why invite?

Never thought about bolting the extensions, be nice to redrill larger, tired of those 1/4" pins bending.


What he said...
Why would you NOT lock up.. .Geesh...
Frank Poole
Roam'n ROG (Full Timer since Oct '15)
2016 RAM 5500, C/c, 6.7 Diesel, AISIN HD 6-spd, 19.5 DRW, 72 Gal fuel, 4x4, 10โ€™ Alum FB, 440 Amps, 4.10 Axle
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