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Car trailer tie down method...

Started by RallyRed , Jul 31 2014 10:04 PM

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45 replies to this topic

#1 RallyRed

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Posted 31 July 2014 - 10:04 PM

Hi..
....have modelled this method of tying the car down, from stuff seen around the traps and seen on
the web.
Have not towed it yet, but have since added a front and rear short metal chain that attaches to the
""TOW"" hooks on the car, for back up and in case the straps ever slip off the tyres.

Anyone used the over the tyre type straps?...and do they ever slip?
ta
Col

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#2 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 31 July 2014 - 10:17 PM

Cant see that failing.

I use a bit of a different method of holding cars down by the tyre, dont have a pick handy, but you attach the strap to the side of the trailer to the left of the tyre, and hold it loosely, take it left to right over the tyre, then double the strap over itself beside the wheel, and tie it down to the right hand side.

Worst. Explanation. Ever.

Will get a pick next time i put a car on a trailer.

Cheers.

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#3 RallyRed

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Posted 31 July 2014 - 10:20 PM

...ha ha ....thanks Bomber..I think I know what you mean. Pic = good

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#4 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 31 July 2014 - 10:30 PM

After seeing your pick im tempted to impliment that in my next bout of car trailer mods, atelast for the regularly towed vehicles. I like your idea. Quick, easy, simple, cant see how it would fail.

I think the goal tying a car down is to keep teh tyres planted on the deck. The body can do what it wants, it has suspension, use it, will give the car a softer ride after all.

Most of my attempts at tying the car down by the body have failed, and upon reconsidering the failures (all picked before they became masive thankfully!!) i think its the jumping up and down of the body on its suspension, even if you pull a car down on its suspension over a big bump it might jerk, and either move and loosen or worst case break a strap, so IMO just planting a cars tyres on the deck is the key.

Cheers.

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#5 Rockoz

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Posted 31 July 2014 - 10:39 PM

Would use 4 straps instead of 2 but using the same principle.

Have had nylon straps break before from deterioration.

What stops it moving to and fro?

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#6 _j.e.d._

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Posted 01 August 2014 - 05:53 AM

What stops it moving to and fro?

The handbrake I guess but this wouldn't work if the car was a roller without one.

Looks good Col, I like your tiedown method & this one as well that turbo76lx has done on his trailer which is similar to yours & gives adjustability for the size of car:

http://www.gmh-toran...-trailer-build/

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#7 76lxhatch

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Posted 01 August 2014 - 07:30 AM

The body can do what it wants, it has suspension, use it, will give the car a softer ride after all.

Curious to know how it tows - would normally use this method on a small trailer with no suspension so the car makes up for it. On a trailer with its own suspension do the two fight each other at all and make it wallow around?

What stops it moving to and fro?

I'd add some chocks that are also somewhat held by the straps (or joined together as a pair under/around the wheel and held by the weight of the car) if this was a concern, turbo76lx's example has a forward stop built in.

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#8 warrenm

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Posted 01 August 2014 - 08:02 AM

I'de also use a strap on each wheel.

I have tie loops on the diff & straps that sit out near the ball joints at the front so that the suspension can move around & a trailer with suspension, tows like a dream.

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#9 Shiney005

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Posted 01 August 2014 - 09:26 AM

These are the type most truckies use.
http://www.uscargoco...t-and-Flat-Hook

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#10 Swarbs

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Posted 01 August 2014 - 10:59 AM

Couple of points with the system i can see

There is a high stress point on the strap where it goes through the floor mounts - it would also need some form of protection on the strap

Not sure if you would get the same tension on the front tyre as on the rear - once the strap bites onto the rear it would want to roll the car backwards to enable the tension on the front to take up

You loose 1 strap you loose 50% of your holding capability and in a emergency situation it may be the difference between saying "phew that was close" or sitting on the side of the road with your pride and joy splattered through something

Myself i always prefer off the diff and front X member with 4 straps

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#11 lx308

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Posted 01 August 2014 - 11:35 AM

I always did the same Swarbs, but it gets bloody hard to do the front with spoilers & shit.
I would go a strap on each front tyre & straps off the diff.
The lower shockie mount works pretty good & easy to get to.

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#12 76lxhatch

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Posted 01 August 2014 - 12:17 PM

You loose 1 strap you loose 50% of your holding capability and in a emergency situation it may be the difference between saying "phew that was close" or sitting on the side of the road with your pride and joy splattered through something

Four 2000kg straps on a car that weighs 1500kg or less gives a bit of a safety margin

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#13 _LHSL308_

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Posted 01 August 2014 - 05:07 PM

These are the type most truckies use.
http://www.uscargoco...t-and-Flat-Hook

At $20 a pop U.S thats pretty good value.

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#14 _NewsuxLX_

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Posted 01 August 2014 - 06:09 PM

I used to borrow a guys trailer that had been made to suit a specific car. Cant remember what it was. Anyway it used the same principle as the pics above over the wheels but it had 4 truck ratchet tie down things mounted under the deck, with a bar running to the very outside of the trailer to allow you to do the strap up with a wheelbrace. One behind each wheel, so theres only a small slit in the trailer top for the strap to pole up over the wheel. It also had chocks that u could drop into holes. Again great if thats the only thing your ever going to carry on it. Im thinking about doing a similar thing on my trailer.
Cheers jake

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#15 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 01 August 2014 - 06:12 PM

Yeah ditto. Chocks locked in by the straps is a good idea.

Basically my mini and lj are the two i would cater for, anything else can be done the old fassioned way.

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#16 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 01 August 2014 - 06:14 PM

Oh yeah, forgot, tows great using the cars suspension. The shoks help a lot i think, the only undampeed weight is the trailer and unsprung mass of the car.

Need to think aboit fitting shocks to the trailer to i recon.

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#17 RallyRed

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Posted 01 August 2014 - 06:28 PM

Thanks for the input guys..

I think the straps are rated at 4500kg each.

As noted, I have since added a front and rear short metal chain that attaches to the
""TOW"" hooks on the car, for back up and in case the straps ever slip off the tyres.

Re those trucky style over the tyre loops, I also have 2 of those ( Aussie made , from a place called Just Straps - look
very good quality )to throw on if it does roll back and forward a bit.

I note the car transported delivering vehicles to dealers seem to do like mine, but only on one front and one opposite
wheel on the rear.

Let youse know how it goes on the weekend.

Thanks again

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#18 Ice

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Posted 02 August 2014 - 05:11 PM

I think the chains are a great idea col

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#19 _LHSL308_

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Posted 02 August 2014 - 05:39 PM

Good idea Col putting those over the style loops on as well. With the straps, chains and the tyre loops on there I cant see it moving. Yeah let us know how you go.

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#20 _Agent 34_

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Posted 02 August 2014 - 05:53 PM

col,

just strapped rocket on the trailer and yours look like a bank vault compared to what i have.

i only have to go 40 klms though.

only one more sleep

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#21 rodomo

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Posted 02 August 2014 - 06:25 PM

I use chains. Pics say it all. This pic is from this forum.

Torrie.jpg 80.05K 8 downloads

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#22 RallyRed

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Posted 02 August 2014 - 06:50 PM

col,

just strapped rocket on the trailer and yours look like a bank vault compared to what i have.

i only have to go 40 klms though.

only one more sleep

ha ha ...p.s. looking at the way the weather is...might need Mud & Snow tyres for SMP???

I use chains. Pics say it all. This pic is from this forum.
Torrie.jpg

Assuming the XC is the tow car??...what happened...a big fish tail?

Good idea Col putting those over the style loops on as well. With the straps, chains and the tyre loops on there I cant see it moving. Yeah let us know how you go.

Ta..will do

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#23 rodomo

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Posted 02 August 2014 - 08:47 PM

Assuming the XC is the tow car??...what happened...a big fish tail?

Dunno? It was a while ago? I'll see if I can find the thread.

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#24 Potta

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Posted 02 August 2014 - 09:16 PM

Yeah the problem is in the foreground of that pic :spoton:

XC was the tow car and I think it blew a tyre, or maybe the trailer blew a tyre.

He was lucky, apparently not too much damage to the car, but still not something any of us like to see

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#25 Shiney005

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Posted 03 August 2014 - 01:21 AM

Back in about 1988 I blew a diff in the HQ and got my brother to tow it back home. Back then I only ever tied a car down with rope around the cross member and another around the diff. It kept the car on the trailer in this instance.

Subaru towing HQ crash015.jpg 78.96K 8 downloads

The problem was using a tow vehicle that weighed less than the total weight of car and trailer. Massive snakies being the result. My Bro was very lucky he wasn't pushed head on into the tree.

Subaru towing HQ crash014.jpg 100.94K 4 downloads