Truck Camper tie downs

[ray1933]

Pros and con's of the Torklift and the Happijac model tie downs.



I have the Happijac on this truck now that I used before we got the 5th wheel which will soon be history. I had frame mounted tie downs on the 95 much like the torklift.



I'm debating using what I have on the truck now or getting the torklift installed.



We pickup our Arctic Fox 990 a week from tomorrow.

 

[Regcabguy]

I'm using the Frame Mount Happijac system on my '07 w/Northstar. This is the second truck with this setup. Thirty-two Baja trips on the last truck and almost 3 yrs. on this truck same camper. I think,however, that I'd go with the Torqlift system if I had a heavy hardside. The Torqlift marginally decreases your ground clearance and doesn't look so great,but that shouldn't be of concern.

 

[Grizzly]

I hear far better things about the Torklift, however I had the Happpijac's for 10 years on my 95 and 05 Dodge trucks and never had a problem. I also had a thick rubber matt on the bed of the truck. Nothing slides with a rubber matt between the truck and the camper. My 05 and Lance camper went to Alaska and Dawson City in the Yukon through some rough roads.

 

[DonTX]

I have had the Happijac ones for the last two campers, I am quite satisfied with them.

 

[rwitt]

I've had both and prefer the TorkLift, especially with a camper as heavy as the AF990. If you plan on towing anything behind the TC combination then you'll need to have a hitch extension, which will require an upgrade to a class 5 hitch also. Looking at your signature, it says you have stock tires. You will definately need to upgrade to a higher weight rating tire if you have a SRW truck. My AF990 is right at 5k loaded with a 8350lb rear axle weight on my dually in signature.

Rich

 

[Bill Stockard]

I had Torklift on my 2000 3500 DRW hauling a 11'3" Lance and later a 11'6" Lance camper, but switched back to Happijac on my '03 3500 DRW because the fuel door on the '03 interferred with the Torklift tiedown. To access the fuel fill, the tiedown had to be released.



Bill

 

[ray1933]

Camper tie downs+

I've had both and prefer the TorkLift, especially with a camper as heavy as the AF990. If you plan on towing anything behind the TC combination then you'll need to have a hitch extension, which will require an upgrade to a class 5 hitch also. Looking at your signature, it says you have stock tires. You will definately need to upgrade to a higher weight rating tire if you have a SRW truck. My AF990 is right at 5k loaded with a 8350lb rear axle weight on my dually in signature.

Rich

Rich , Thanks for the reply and info. I have a extension bumper built out of three inch steel tubing that slides into sleeves that are welded on to the sides of the factory hitch. The stinger is made of three inch steel tubing also. The bumper part is 8 inch steel channel so it is very stout, so heavy that I use the tractor to pick it up so I can slide it in place.

I hauled a 10 foot Lance on my 95 Dodge and the 10 foot Alpinlite on the 03 using the 10 ply tires that came on the truck. In fact I hauled the Lance on my 91 Dodge with 10 ply.



In the 35 plus years of hauling our campers around on a SRW w/10 ply tires

I have never had a problem. Maybe I just live right.



All I will be pulling behind the rig is the 16 foot fishing boat.

 

[DonTX]

When I was shopping for tiedowns, there was stories about the twisting action Torklift doing very bad things to the frame, and of course the happijac does not do that. Might check it out, I am not sure if that was just stories or real.

 

[ray1933]

Camper tie downs

After reading all the reply's on this I have decided to stay with the happijacs that are already mounted.



When one reads all the comments on the websites for both manufactures it is plain that the people are very happy with the brand they are using.

 

[wcjp]

Make sure your particular Happijac system will hold your AF990. It's a heavy camper. Also, I love the Torklift Fastguns.

 

[mjlexus]

camper tie downs

I have an 03 3500 SRW with tork lift and fast guns. I have no problem with these. WE use a host rainer as heavy as yours with no problem.

 

[steved]

Not that my camper weighed that much, but we chose the HappiJack because its less obtrusive and the fact I could not get a definite answer on whether it would have a clearance issue with my FASS.

The only thing I didn't like about the HappiJack was the fact the front tiedowns are powdercoated and it started flaking off the first winter. Knowing what I know now, I would definitely have had it sand blasted and primered/painted prior to installation,as once installed, the brackets are not coming off.

 

[mjlexus]

I have seen the happie jacks **** and the bed at the area is dented.

 

[mjlexus]

It should of said shift.

 

[mjlexus]

My vehicle is set up for the beach.

 

[LILHauler]

I have used the TorkLift Brackets with the FastGuns. No problems with clearance and they worked well with the factory hitch/TorkLift SuperHitch setup. I pull a 3000 LB ski boat on a 36" extension. It is rock solid with no fears of it not being strong enough for the hitch weight. The set-up works great.

 

[Grizzly]

After reading all the reply's on this I have decided to stay with the happijacs that are already mounted.



When one reads all the comments on the websites for both manufactures it is plain that the people are very happy with the brand they are using.

Happijacs tie-down system are fine, however I would still put a thick rubber matt between the truck and the camper.



Nothing slides on a rubber matt.

 

[ray1933]

Tie Downs

Grizzly



Well after more reading and talking to more people and to Northwood that builds the Arctic Fox who recommends the Tork Lift system that is what I went with.

I traded my 5th wheel hitch for the Tork lifts. I always used a rubber mat under our other campers so I still had it.



Picked up our 990 Arctic Fox up Friday. I'm sure our truck wanted to tell us

(( I would rather haul it than pull it)) as we climbed into the Blue Mountains on the way home.

 

[ray1933]

Tie downs

The picture did not attach.

 

[Jumbo Jet]

Now that is a good looking setup. You will like the Torklifts also. I have Torklift gear for my Lance 1030 and never had a problem.

I saw a nice Lance 1055 setup using the Happijac system on an older Ford F-250 and it looked substantial also.