Current Opinion

[wcjp]

Solid or Spring mount Torklift?

I'm schedueled for my Super Hitch install on Saturday. I'm going with Torklift frame mounted tiedowns for my slidein camper. Should these be solid or spring mounted tiedowns? The search I've done in the past suggested solid mount with the HappiJack tiedowns. The company rep I've been dealing with strongly suggests spring loaded frame mounts. This is because the Happijack system has spring loaded turnbuckles in the front only. My slidein is a 11. 5' 1978 Vacationer. I'll probably upgrade to a newer slidein later. I'm also going with a front hitch install for just in case.

 

[dresslered]

wcjp-

I bought my Tork-lift's from a camper dealer in Oregon that sold both versions. He strongly recommended that I go with the rigid Tork-Lifts and use the spring loaded turnbuckles made by Hapi-Jak. He claimed that the spring system used in the Hapi-Jak's was superior to that used on the Tork-lift. The front Hapi-Jak turnbuckles are larger and do have a greater amount of "sprung" travel. The rears do flex but use a polyurethane bushing instead (the travel is much less). The theory is that the front of the camper should flex more and take out the hop or flex while the rear acts more like a rigid hinge. I have been very happy with my set-up and rarely am told by salesmen to buy the cheaper version. My camper weighs in excess of 4000-lbs.

 

[DPelletier]

I agree with David that a frame mounted set-up with spring loaded turnbuckles up front and a rigid frame mount on the rear is the way to go IMHO. The tork-lifts look like a nice product. I personally have a DSP solid frame mounting kit and I think any properly installed rigid frame mounts will do the trick. The tork-lifts may or may not be stronger than the ones I have, but I know that mine are strong enough to completely rip the camper tie downs off the camper if things go wrong. I would also suggest using a rubber bed mat. Myself, I would never mount my camper to the bed or the bumper. My spring loaded turnbuckles came with my camper, and so I don't know what brand they are. The're about 18-20 inches long and about 1 1/2" in diameter. Seem to work well so far. I am driving from B. C. to San Luis Gonzaga in Baja next week, so I will see how they take extreme conditions.



David, the poly bushing idea sounds good, I'd like to see a picture of such a set up. Where to you put the bushing, what configuration, where do you get them? Enquiring minds want to know!



Dave Pelletier

 

[dresslered]

Dave-

You bring up a good point with the bed mat! Definitely have some kind of padding in the bed. The big rubber horse mats work great.



As far as the rear poly bushing, this is within the happijac turnbuckle. Where the front turnbuckles use a spring for tension, the rear's are a smaller version using a bushing for the tension. They are much stiffer. They look like little shock absorbers.



Any frame mounted system should work great for the big rigid slide-ins made today. Even Happijac has conceded by offering their own versions of a frame-mounted system.