Securing The Car to the Trailer

[shmoov69]

I have always just thrown a couple long straps across the hood and fenders in front and across the trunk and quarters in back!! My grandpa just put them in park and set the brake! He said "if it wants to go, I don't want to stop it, it might turn the truck over!" Needless to say, he lost a few!! LOL!



So, the a-arms are a good point? I have always went across the crossmember in the front. But that is a royal PITA with how low it sits! On the wagon, I had to compress the suspension in the back because it was bouncing too much and causing the trailer to sway over 80mph. The car was as far forward as I could get it with the tie down in the front. Squishing the suspension solved that problem.
David-will the stress not bend the sway bar? Or is it strong enough to hold the car?

[NOT A TA]

I trailer long distances pretty regularly with different types of cars. The type of car sometimes changes the way I tie it down. Since most of the cars here are lowered with big wheels/tires heres my thoughts.

Low cars are hard to get under to strap to axles and control arms. Plus who wants to be on a trailer floor if ya don't have to. For my Firebird I bought some 3' padded axle straps and use them through the wheels. A 3' strap allows use around 315 35's on an 11" TT II rim. Then used ratchet straps to the D rings in the floor. No bent brake lines, stress on suspension parts, or grease on my clothes/ seats after loading up!

Crossing the straps keeps "drifting" sideways to a minimum. Also crossing helps if the trailer is hit from the side preventing the car from hitting the wall in an enclosed or fender on an open.

Always check all 4 ratchet straps a few miles after beginning a trip after everything has a chance to settle a little.

[ProdigyCustoms]

Good point. But do you tip on take-out orders?

OK, I admit it. I tip the little hottie at the Starbucks drive through. She smiles at me and acts like she likes me! And her tip jar of the window sil is always overflowing.

[justanova]

I find it interesting that the concensus among individuals is to strap the car to the A arms and rear axle when EVERY commercial car hauler hauling new and used cars ties the strap or chain to the frame. The commercial car hauler (portable parking lot) usually uses a fitting that twist's into OR hooks to the fame at a point designed by the manufacturer for just such use.

I tie cars on my 1 and 2 car trailer to the rearend and lower control arms as do many as listed above.

Since the OE manufactuers have designed their cars to be transported by rail/truck, the trailers (portable parking lots) are manufactured specifically for the purpose of transporting vehicles AND the fact that the commercial car haulers haul FAR MORE CARS than all of us put togther and do so FOR PROFIT, could it be that they know a little more about hauling/transporting a car than we do????

I don't know about other mfg's but bmw has plastic shipping spacers that they put on the shocks to keep the suspension from compressing too much and to give the car a little extra ride height for loading/unloading.

when we haul our dirt modified(i do it this way usually on other cars too) we tie to the axle in the rear and cross the straps side to side. and on the front we hook into the holes on the bottom of the frame behind the control arm mounts and tie straight forward, this pulls the car forward but does not compress the suspension, seems to work pretty good.

[StRacerDuke]

There is a much quicker and far safer way to tie a car to a trailer. You need a new fresh roll of duct tape, starting at the center of the roof rap it around the car, down the door, under the trailer, and back to the roof. Make three passes to be safe and you are good to go.

[MonzaRacer]

The proper Dot way is to tie over the differential then tie to the front cross member and compress the front suspension as the front wont move a lot due to weight,,,then I tension the rear to pull the car in tension its being "pulled in two and the front wont bounce over rought roads but the softer rear suspension will allow it to "give or bounce" over rough roads and not stress the body.
To actually be true DOT legal you should also use a minimum of 3 tie downs and actually I will tie it down then if the traile has a winch I leave it under slight tension tied to the cross member, and a second chain/strap on the rear not as tight but atleast tight enough to not let car off if others fail.
Most guys I know on race cars have hook plates n front of the rear axles and behind and hook over the axle housing on both sides with seperate straps, and atleast one on the front crossmember/tie point in front (I prefer 2 ).
Good Luck

[RKHiPerformance]

At the same time I posted this question here I sent the question to Jeff Smith at Car Craft. Seems unnecessary now...Thanks for all the replies!
I guess we're good tying to the rear axle and through the front wheels. But I still don't know if I'm straight on the appropriate tippage for take out orders...


Thanks again,
Rick

[MonzaRacer]

Well after doing 7 hauls this weekend (saturday) I had a few cars that couldnt be tide over the crossmenmber so we used holes in the frame and pulled the front down and forwardagainst the chain/strap tied to the diff.
One guy was worried about scratching his diff paint so we simply cut up an area rug and threw a piece over the diff under the chain. His wife helps at an uppolstery shop (one of the olde time shops that can make sewn to fit carpets) and is going to use some of the carpet we cut and make me some chain sleeves to carry when hauling (it was her Camaro we hauled).
Also if I knew I would be hauling I think I would have some round loops welded to the front (sub)frame horns so you can get a chain on it and then after you paint it or powder coat it got your local hardware store and get some cool color of plastidip and dip the rings in it, saw it on the Camaro after we got it home.
I think the pics came out Ill find my cam cable and show the pics I took.
But then if you have ahardware store similar to the one I got to then you can even get color coordinated Duck tape to match the paint!
Heackj the one I go to even has the actual metal duct tape not this plastic immitation.

[mpozzi]

Always use a four-point tie down and the attachment points will depend on the type of car.

If you're towing a car that has aluminum alloy suspension, do not attach to any part of it to secure the vehicle to a trailer. Under load, these parts will bend and your alignment will change. And if you're hauling a car for $$$, you may be liable for the repairs.

However . . . the absolute best way to secure a car is with the wheels. There are straps with D-rings that lasso through the wheel openings and can be connected to the ratchet tie-downs. Make sure the D's are positioned on the tires, not on the wheels, to avoid damage.

As far as the slotted frame openings are concerned, be careful as they're usually rated for about 3,500 lbs pull tension. I've seen these rip out over time and loading. Opt for some part of the car that's more solid such as the wheels.

Set the parking brake (if there is one) and leave the transmission in Neutral, not in gear. If left in gear, repetitive "rocking" from light movement can damage gears and shift forks.

And if I have to put it on my plate or carry it to my table, plus take the detritus to the waste can, no tip. I do tip the delivery guy or if I get extra-special nice treatment at Starbucks.

Cheers,
Mary Pozzi

[zbugger]

Drove past a couple "Wagoneers" car haulers the other day. All the cars had the wheels strapped down. Suspension free to move around. Just thought I'd mention it....

[WEAVER]

Tie downs? thats why i keep losing cars, most people i've seen use a-arms and axle.

[CraigMBA]

E track and tie down all four tires.

About ten years ago we wasted a set of Penske shocks on a South West Tour car trailering the car with the suspension not blocked up. "Wasted" meaning we wore out the bodies and the shocks lost their valving. After that we always blocked the car up once we got in in the trailer right before we cinched it down.

For a street car it doesn't matter.

[streetrod77]

My trailer has the hooks on the outside of it. Can I still X the back straps? Seems like the straps would rub on the edge of the trailer with that much angle on it.

[MarkM66]

I just put the car in Park.

[CraigMBA]

I just put the car in Park.

OR flatten all four tires!

[Charley Lillard]

Vintageracer... Most commercial carriers are carrying a bunch of cars and stacking them close together. They tie down at the frame to limit the car travel because there is usually another car within inches of it.