I know Torklift recomments using that rubber washer to set the tension on their fast guns, but doing that there is not the remotest possibility doing what they recommends sets the tension evenly. I have one that must take at least twice as much pressure as the others to close and I have also noticed that dealers do not use the rubber washer to set the tension nor do a lot of other folks. The key for my is to set them snug, but not so tight it feels like it will rip the eyelet out of the camper. What do you do?

 

Hope I can explain this. I set mine so that when I close them I see half of the lock hole covered as it starts to tension... and then snap them home. I've heard others that do it the same way is where I got it from.

 

I pretty much do the same thing. Does anyone bother with the rubber washer on the fast gun? It really doesn't take much to keep our truck camper in place. It doesn't seem to move around at all on the road. We normally check ours when we take on fuel.

 

When we bought ours (we were new to truck campers) the dealer told us the rubber washer was to keep dirt out of the mechanism. When we got home, I looked up Torklift's procedures and read about the washer being used to set the tension, and so I followed that for a few times. Now I go by half-the-lock-hole (also mentioned in the Torklift manual), which results in the same "feel" as when using the rubber washer.

 

I have one that if I were to use the rubber washer, I think I would just about rip the hook out of my camper. So far I haven't met anyone on the road who uses the rubber washer and was curious if anyone did. I mostly go by feel. I tend towards making sure they are not too tight as I want to spring in the fast gun to have room to work. You would be surprised how many campers I saw when we were searching for a Northstar to buy that had at least one eyelet that had pulled out, I suspect from too much pressure on the turnbuckles.

 

Doesn't really apply but I have the Derringers and there is no rubber stopper. I just make them "snug". With a thick rubber mat I've never had an issue..

 

What about the standard turnbuckles or the hijack round one's .Do you just make them hand tight? Ive read you need to get them to 300 ft pounds but have absolutely no clue how you could possibly torque them to any spec

 

I've heard that number too, but give it no credence. TCs are all different weights and pose different challenges. I snug my Fast Guns down and have gone thousands of miles without a problem. I agree there is no real way to measure the actual torque or any way to keep it constant while traveling.

 

Can you better explain this "half of the lock hole covered as it starts to tension" thing? How much tension should I feel as the lock hole starts to become covered?

 

 

It really is a "feel" thing as to how much tension. Luckily, when we bought our camper the dealer was really good and showed me how they should be set.
My guess is that most people over tighten them. It does not take a lot of tension but it is hard to explain what that feels like.
Kind of like answering the question, "What is sexual harrassment?". Hard to explain it but I know it when I see it!

 

Yep - I've been setting mine way too tight then. Good to know. Glad I haven't damaged anything...

 

I use it as a reference but definitely do not use it as a "rule" I am a couple turns past that on mine. My camper likes to move. The center of gravity is behind the rear axle. I called Bigfoot about it and they said yes, all of our short bed campers COG is behind the axle. I love everything about the camper besides this. I will see if how I have mine set goes along with the "half-hole rule"

 

I also go by the half hole rule, do not over tighten it causes damage to the TC connect points.