Car trailer tie down method...

Looks like a lesson learnt the hard way Laurie.

 

Still, could have been worse.

 

Did either car survive that?

Yeah they both did. The Subey was repaired and then T boned in Perth about 8 months later. The HQ had only been done up for a couple of months when it hit the tree, so it got rebuilt again and I drove that around for a few years.

Poor Subey, must have been her time to go.

I also use the crossmember and diff. The crossmember has about 5 loops of the wide webbing spread across its width and then ratcheted down, for the diff I do 3 loops of the wide webbing either side of the diff centre and then ratchet each tight.

Also run the trailer pull-on ratchet cable to a double welded L bracket that bolts under the front bumper to the bumper bar brackets extending from the rails.  I have no handbrake and the car is in neutral.

thanks Howard.
We did Newcastle - Sydney - Newcastle today...all good.
Didn't move an inch.

I just run straps from K frame to front of trailer and diff to rear of trailer, never had an issue.

ta Liam...guess I'm old and lazy and just want to hook it up without ever getting under the bodywork.

I know a lot of people do it, and i have, but the main issue with running straps over the K frame IMO is unless you can pull the suspension down quiet a bit with the straps (and your average Torana would want more than a 2500kg strap to try that trick) then as you go over bumps the suspension will dip then bounce back up on the strap, exerting a lot of force on it. 

 

Obviously with a live rear axle this isnt an issue, over the back tyres or over the diff is much a muchness, either way your still strapping the unsprung mass to the deck of the trailer. 

 

When your strapping your bike in by the triple trees what do you do? Jump up and down on the bars while someones pulling the strap to hold the suspension down. 

 

Cheers. 

Edited by Bomber Watson, 04 August 2014 - 06:48 PM.

yeah that could definitely explain why no matter how tight you tie them down they always come a bit loose.

 

I reckon over the wheel is a good idea.

 

That is how the RAC have their trucks set up here, winch on the front somewhere, couple of chocks, and a strap over one (maybe two) of the wheels.

 

They are purpose built and they would have to meet safety requirements so sounds like the way to go.

 

No problems with damaging bodywork and if the wheels don't move the car's not going anywhere.

Exactly. 

 

Also know a few towy's who are not set up for the over tyre thing, so they hook the winch up to the x member, strap the back down by the diff then pull the x member down with the winch. Same same, pullign the suspension down. 

 

Need to sus out a new way to strap the mini down, as i've just been going over the chassis with that car myself, due to lazyness, and it managed to pretty well entirely untie itself last time i towed it.....And its suspension is STIFF. 

 

Cheers. 

yeah I noticed in that vid you put up there was very little bodyroll at all.

 

Pretty hard to go over the wheel on that too though I'd imagine?

Yeah touch difficult, and it has a nice convenient part of the chassis at the back you can strap over and a nice convenient big ass front bumper you can strap over....So as i said, i've been lazy. 

 

Really need to edit/upload the video from the last race meet, though seeing though i have another race meet this weekend i'll probably do the lot in one go next week sometime. 

 

Turns out it does body roll a touch, when you actually start to drive it hard haha. 

 

Cheers. 

Bomber....where can the vids be seen?

One here: 

 

http://www.gmh-toran...ic/70808-mindi/

 

Another one here:

 

https://www.youtube....GEDBEya77C935YQ

 

Should probably do an update to the thread and add that vid, its from the last race meet, my last run at the day during a drift session, non timed expression session type thing, decided to have a go. Have footage from all the timed races up to that one that i havnt bothered to edit yet. 

 

Cheers. 

good work..that figure 8 drifty thingo looks like fun....that drivers mirrow looks familiar...no wonder they are hard to come by!

Hahaha yeah it never had a mirror, and some of the tests i do require a reversing manouver....

 

Reversing into my park is fine after a run, have my harness off by that time, but when strapped in, i cant see shit anywhere near behind me, hence i found a mirror laying around and just grafted it on

 

Cheers. 

My brother has towed his car across Australia and back many times, and many many other cars locally. He uses the over the tyre method as in the first photo. Never an issue.
Hi only difference as someone else mentioned is over one wheel on one side, then one opposite wheel on the other. We have been in some freaky situations with sway ans bounces, never seen a car move or strap break. He uses 3500kg straps .

I have herd of cars being damaged by being tied down in a way that allows the suspension to pull and bounce on the straps. Over the tyres seems to be fast tie down and very effective.

It would never hurt to have a backup chain somewhere. There are no guarantees when dealing with any method really.
That's my 2 cents anyway

Look's like a Neat way to Tie a Torana/Car down,

 

never seen that way done before.

A Good Quality Vehicle needs a Good Quality Tie Down Method.

thanks for the replies and thoughts guys

just a thought may be a issue if one of your tyres  were to deflate while in transit.

I use one of those heavy 2000 Kg ratchet tiedowns with the captive ends on the rear. I hook the ends of the tiedowns onto the extended part of the shocker mount bolt that goes through the rear trailing arm.

its usually easy to reach andunder the car. Also a \fairly strong part of the suspension.