How do your strap down?, trailering your car Options

[McMark]

I was talking with someone about ways to secure a car for transport. I usually strap through the wheels with 3" wide nylon straps when securing a car to the trailer. I usually don't criss-cross the straps.

What do you do? What have you seen that you felt was wrong or unsafe? What about damages to cars from strapping? Why type and size of straps do you use? Got pictures?

Share your strapping thoughts and experiences... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif)

[stownsen914]

When my racecar got really low to the ground and it became hard to reach the suspension, I started strapping through the wheels at the back. At the front I still go around the A arms near the strut.

I also stopped criss-crossing. I wondered if it would allow the car to walk around during transport, but I haven't seen any evidence of that, even on 6+ hour tows.

Scott

[mepstein]

It might not walk if the straps are short but I haul the cars in an enclosed trailer and the wide ones end up close the the wheel wells. I criss cross at least one end, usually both ends. I go through the wheels or suspension. I try to do the suspension if it has painted or polished wheels but sometimes the engine is hot and the car is low and rear wheels are the best option. I love it when the car has tiedowns.
I haul shells to the media blaster and DC Auto. rollers to and from paint, running cars to the dyno, purchases and sales and pick up and deliveries to customers. Probably about 50 trips in the last year and a half.

We just got a new truck but the lift gate is broken so I have not driven it yet.

[ChrisFoley]

Short D ring straps go around the fat round tube on the trailing arms. Ratchet straps are crossed. Its a bit of work getting the D ring past the brake caliper but otherwise works perfectly. However this method can be problematic with some exhaust systems.



The front adjustable fixed length straps are looped around the transverse member on the A-arms and attach to the trailer near the center but are not crossed. (no picture)

[brant]

no pictures right now

but I use wheel straps that go through a D ring at the front of the forward tires, then over the tires, and then into E track straight down at the rear of the tire.


kinda like what you see on a Uhaul.... pulls the entire front wheel and tire down.

on the back, I quit crossing the straps
I built aluminum spacers over my rear shock bolts
turned the shaft of them to fit the strap ends
snap on to the shock and pull back wards as a safety

really the front straps holding the tire down do all of the work
no walking...

the rear straps are for emergency stops or wrecks.

I've towed this was from Colorado to California about 6 times....
geez... how many 10 hour days is that.... probably 13,000 miles
plus Nebraska, Kansas, texas, Oklahoma, etc

[brant]

found a picture of my rear shock bolts/tie down points

[mepstein]

Like Chris said, a lot of it depends on the car. Deep front spoilers, rear valance, exhaust, etc.

[Andyrew]

Front and rear I use wheel straps through my huge open wheels. Rear are crossed. Pretty simple. Takes about 10 minutes after the car is on the trailer.

[URY914]

Two straps work for me.............

[jmz]

I use the tie down hooks on the shock bolts on the rear. On the front I plan on going with wheel bonnets in the near future but for now I go through the A Arms on the 935 suspension. I'll take a photo after I get it loaded on the trailer for the weekend.

[campbellcj]

^ I've been doing the same for 15 yrs now. Basic tow-eye hooks on the rear shock bolts, and thru the a-arms up front. I've never criss-crossed and cannot envision any benefit with my trailer/car rig. However due to brake ducts I want to change to some other front tie-down method to speed-up loading/unloading. I already have to remove the spoiler.

[jmz]

Probably not ideal but I haven't set the trailer up properly for the car yet. ..was used for transporting MX Bikes. I'm planning on using wheel bonnets over the front wheels and possibly the rears as well. For now I've got straps going around the front a-arms and cris-crossed and attached where I have tie downs spots on the trailer, I also keep the winch attached as well.

Rears go to the shock mount tie downs. Seems to work for now.

[jmz]

A really good discussion on tie down techniques from the bird...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911...ly-911-a-2.html

[McMark]

Great thread. Thanks for the link.

[MikeSpraggi]

I use bonnets in the front and rear shock bolt tie-downs in the rear. Traveled many a mile through hill and dale without a problem.

[GaroldShaffer]

I tow my car with by hooking on the arms up front and going through the tire in the rear. I don't cross them. Been towing that way for well over 20 yrs with no issues.

[mepstein]

I tow my car with by hooking on the arms up front and going through the tire in the rear. I don't cross them. Been towing that way for well over 20 yrs with no issues.

It really depends on the car, the trailer, etc. if my straps are really short, say I have other stuff in the trailer, straight works fine. If straps are long and it's a widebody car, I'm going to cross them so I don't get side to side motion and hit the metal wheel well. Sometimes bodywork like deep spoilers or wide flares, determines the tie down direction. Almost every car I trailer is less than 2500lbs so that makes it easy.

[stownsen914]

I used to cross the tie downs until I put the splitter and diffuser on the car and lowered it to like 2" off the ground! I had to just run them un-crossed by necessity. I wondered if the car would walk laterally, but so far it hasn't moved at all while transporting.

[smokey]

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[smokey]

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