What do ya run or recommend and why

Tighten them up till pan stays up on its own then it should b about 3-4#.

^^^this^^^ and if you end up being a pound or two over that won't be a issue with coyotes. Had some jrs that had five pounds of pan tension still caught coyotes fine.

Finally a texan that makes sense!!!!

Less than four you get toe catches, pull outs and house cats.

I use a low setting pan,(KB5.5) I never check the tension one toe caught bobcat in 15 or more years. The only other animal I've caught by the toes are lions, some I have their foot in as far as it would go. I think it depends on the way the trap is built and how it is set.

What about Savell!!!!!

You might be onto something. I have a few KBs and a few Montana Coyote Specials. I never toe catch anything and if I've had a pull out with them it has been so long ago I forgot about it. Thanks for bringing that up- I'd never thought on it but now that you mention it I can see it making sense.

Mark- Savell doesn't need you to be his cheer leader- the Texas rangers are already doin' that!

I've been setting mine at 2 and never had a toe catch, that's why I was asking (use a pan tension tester) my thought has been when they step they step. Wonder if the depth of snow and/or dry dirt over the pan plays more of a factor

Imo snow yes lots of snow accounts for some toes catches depending on depth and type of snow.
Dirt no 4-4.5lbs of tension to rabbits and skunks out.
I use 1/2to 3/4inch of covering give or take.
The opportunity for weathered dirt or wax dirt to build in bad weather is lessened imo when there is more underneath to take up the crust it will still allow trap to fire under the weight of a coyote. Less dirt imo or observation will in weather take less weather ,rain freeze or wet snow freeze to render a trap inoperatable.

if snow is coming in i use #5 bridgers in cat sets. I think fast springs are lots more important than a perfect pan tension.

T

Mine are set at 3 to 3-1/2 lbs. Never a problem.

My pan tension is defined as; crisp.

I never have and never will measure pan tension.

Did u ever tighten them up?

3 to 4 pounds

Yes indeed. No slop.
I have used the MB 550 coil offset exclusively for over a decade now, and there isn't any hardware involved. When some at our Academy hand me a Sullivan pan tension tool to gauge the poundage of my trap, I just snap it, and I can tell whether or not a bit of the dog needs touching up to get it right at...

A bit of weight...
and a crisp snap.

I like about as much as I can get. Usually if checking a waxed trap, It is hard to get five pounds, but by running a lot, I have fewer incidentals of possums, skunks, coons and house cats. The big coon will still get caught most times, wish I could keep them out entirely! My sterlings, You got to keep the gun notch clean of wax to get the kind of pan tension I want!