How to tie down a car on a trailer ??

I could use some suggestions about tying down a car on a trailer. It looks like axle straps & ratchet straps are the easy way to go. The front end is a Must. 2 crossmember. This will be a cross country trip.
Thanks,
Bob

 

Search. There was a whole tech thread on here not long ago at all.

 

two on each end: on the front run the straps around the axle or lower control arms, run the rears around the axle housing. Ratchet down tight, and check tightness when you stop for gas.

 

Do not go around any moving (suspension) parts. On the front go around your front cross member. One on each side pulling towards each front corner. On the rear try to go around your frame and do just like on the front and pull outward to each corner.

This way the car is pulling against itself and your on the main part of the vehicle, the frame. Then just recheck everything at every gas or pee stop. Good luck.

 

you ALWAYS run the straps/chains/whatever to the axle or suspension, when you hook to sprung weight, the potential exists for movement of the suspension to cause a strap to come loose.

 

Ratchet straps are quick and easy, i only use them for cross town trips....Not cross country! The Only way to tie a vehicle down is with CHAIN & BINDERS!!!!!

I made the ratchet strap mistake, almost lost the wifes truck off the trailer. Stopped and bought two binders and chains, they don't loosen up like straps do!

You do it however you want to, but if you want to do it safely and worry free take my advice.

OSR

 

Let me clairify myself, I ment that you don't want to go around say an A arm and pull on it like hell to sinch it down. Thats not good for the suspension. I was thinking more of a bagged vehicle. Why would you just go around the axle? Thats not going to stop the car from floating.

If you go around the frame and pull down to your trailor, it will take the suspension out of your car and will not allow it to bounce. There for, go around your frame, not your moving parts that keep your front end in align. Good times.

 

there is nothing wrong with the suspension of the trailered car working a bit while being towed. you don't need to cinch the straps tight as hell if you hook up to the suspension! i've never had a problem with tie down straps ****ing up my alignment, i HAVE had potholes mess it up.

 

Cool man.

 

I drove a tow truck part time for years and haver hualed dozens of cars on trailers. There is only ONE way to do it.
Forget chains and things like that.
NEVER tie a car down so it's fighting it's own suspension.
It's now the 21st Century!
The way it's done properly is to tie each Wheel down with nylon ratchet tie downs with a harness that secures any size wheel or tire .On your deck you need to have eyelets that connect front and rear of each tire.
You need only one tie down to secure the car to prevent it going backwards and one the rear to prevent it going forwards in the event of a panic stop or accident.
These can be attached to any axle etc because they are not holding the car secure.
They cost money,but so does a car and if it falls off into traffic you are going to need more than a 'chain wrapped around an axle 'as an excuse to the other parties lawyers.
Have look at any large car transporter and you will see the tires are secured and nothing else.

 

One more thing. DO NOT load the car backwards, unless it has no engine and the trunk is full of parts (personal experience). I once saw a guy at Pomona load a 48 ford backwards, he never made it to Phoenix. Whole thing flipped over in a ditch.

But hey, you asked about tie downs, nevermind.

 

There's some that'll argue both ways, axle versus frame and straps versus chains. But on some cars you'll find one of the ways just won't work due to car, hook, and trailer configurations.

Use 4 ties, plus a 5th safety chain, and check tension often. You'll be fine.

 

I have always used strap and ratchet tie downs as do most sedan racers I know.
On soloid rear ends on over each ens od the axle to the corner of the trailer.
Front usually on the lower Arn to each corner.

On cars with tube ch***is you have to use wheel straps.

we have towed race cars from Elk River, Mn to Florida, Mid Ohio road course ect with no problem.

 

Definately chains! I was moving to Nevada, and was pulling my '60 f100 with my motorcycle in the back on a tow dollie. I watched in horror as my own truck p***ed us on a bridge in Oregon. The straps had come loose, and it coasted through 3 lanes of traffic! Thankfully it rubbed into the J rail on the side of the highway and stopped without hitting any cars. You just can't trust straps like chains!

 

I use a 3/8" chain either around the front axle a couple times or through the lower a-arms and down to the trailer. Then TWO axle straps and TWO HEAVY-DUTY ratchets off the rear axle.

Always depends on the car but I much prefer the car to "float" as it takes the bounce out of everything. If you tie to the frame, the car fights against itself. All that bound up energy WILL break something.

I tie the front off first, put the car in neutral, ratchet the rear axle down to tighten the chain and then put the car in gear and apply the e-brake. If the winch was needed I'll leave it loosely attached to the frame as a safety.

On bagged cars I usually do the same being careful the chain doesn't rub the bags, then I take 6x6 wood blocks and drop the car down on the blocks. I've never hauled a bagged car that didn't leak or sag in one way or another. PITA

I also stop a couple miles down the road and inspect the load again once everything has settled. The straps tend to stretch a "click" or two so check them a couple times early then roll.

You can agree, disagree or beat up your own car, but I've had a bit of luck with this system.

Another tip is if you're using ratchet straps to tie taller loads down, put a twist or two in them on each side. It keeps them from "fluttering" as you drive.

BTW-The tire tie downs may work great on late models, but tires go flat constantly on old stuff. Tie off to the axle.

 

Well, there is something wrong with letting the trailered vehicles suspension work...harmonics. The car is bouncing as well as the trailer. I had one a few weeks ago where I couldn't draw it down and it was all over the place on a bumpy stretch of road.
I pulled into Home Depot and got a couple sections of the large landscape timbers and jacked it up and then blocked it. Problem solved.
Look in most race race haulers and you will see that they actually block the body to stop it from moving.
I put chains to the back so I don't have to worry about the vehicle coming forward in a panic stop(Which has happened with 10K ratchet straps) then draw the vehicle forward with the winch and two ratchets to the front corners.

Ditto what Ben said about tire straps and flat tires. Pain in the ****.

 

Everyone has an opinion, but I've hauled a lot of cars. Some for a few thousand miles. Always used rachet straps 2 frt and 2 rear, to the axle or A-arms, never had a problem. As far as comments about trailer stability that's a matter of the way it's loaded not the way it's secured

 

Straps, chains, binders... on frame or using tire straps... whatever you decide but when I want it hummin' tight I let the air out of the tires, double-strap it down (just in case) and pump the tires back up. Never moves! One nasty winter long ago we trailered my buddy's car from PEI to Nova Scotia (that's crossing on a ferry and driving for 15 hours in blizzards) and that critter never flinched.
I did few times though....
Good luck on the trip.

 

well i have been doing it for so many years ..i cant even tell you how many cars ive hauled. I have NEVER had one come loose or p*** me up in the other lane. every car or truck is different to tie down. one rule of thub, is tie the front forward and the back to the rear. do not tie directly down and you should tie out to the sides of the trailer at an angle. its kinda hard to explane but i would never have any trouble showing you. I was a truck driver for many years and have never had any of my loads come un done. there is a science to it, and a skill. if you dont understand it..dont do it. or you will have a ****ty day that could cost you alot or a life even if it isnt your own.
All the cars i have hauled in the past 12 years i have done with 3" wide ratchet straps, and double tie backs cross lined on the rear staps. tieing to the frame is ok as long as you sufficiantly bind the car down on its suspension. you really dont want it working against your straps. there is no need for the suspension to work on the car your hauling, thats why the trailer has springs. just my 2 cents but i must be doing something right...knock on wood! im hauling home a full size chevy truck tomorrow for parts ..i see no problem there

 

I suggest you always cross the straps ... like above.
I always use rachet straps on anything with good paint on the rear end or front suspension I usually use chains ... on anything else.

Disclaimer :

The above car and trailer are NOT mine
I stole the photo off the internet ...

My trailer is a LOT newer and nicer ...

 

Something else to watch for if you're towing long distance on an open trailer and you plan on covering the car with a tarp or car cover against the weather is to make sure the tarp is tied down so no part or corner of it can flap around at all.

We lost a brand new paint job on a drag car when the steel eyelets in a flapping tarp destroyed it totally.

Cheers, Glen.

 

I should hope not, I wouldn't trust that size ratchet strap to hold my luggage in the bed of the truck.

Depends on load. For cars I pretty much run ratchet straps. And rarely crossed like the pic above, i never have the length clearance to be able to pull that off.
I use chains and boomers every now and then but it depnds on the load.
As for to the axles or two the frame. Only cool to go to the frame if you have it blocked up. If not always, always, always go to the axles. Let the piggybacked cars suspension work a bit, no reason to try to bind it up against itself. Its just going to cause HUGE problems and you'll never get it ****ed down tight enough.

 

Here we go again. This was addressed just a few weeks ago, but to recap something this important, I'll mention my experience and let you be the judge.

Having more than a few miles and years of driving a portable parking lot (commonly referred to as a 10 car carrier, but one that could haul up to 13 if they were small enough), I also drove a tow truck repoping cars for a few of the years of my youth, and have been flat towing (trailer, dolly, and even a chain or strap) for at least 40.

The pros generally use 4 short, adjustable, specialty chain or cable binders with hooks or special "dogbones" that fit in frame slots or loops (at least one at each corner of the vehicle) the manufacturer provided for this purpose. They pull them down tight enough to take out all suspension movement, but not so tight they buckle the frame of whatever they're tying down (you better believe it's an art form on unibody cars that have no real frame).
On the typical single car trailer, I've found ratchet straps to work really well if they are properly sized for the job at hand. Chains and binders work well too, if you really know how to use them and not just think you do. It's very important to make sure you angle the tie downs fore and aft enough to keep the vehicle from sliding. While it's best to fit your tiedowns to the above mentioned factory frame slots and crisscross them for stability, you can tie them to the frame in other ways if you make certain they're anchored in such a way they can't move or tear out. While completely ****ing the suspension down to prevent movement isn't practical (unless you've a tie down system like the commercial one mentioned), compressing the suspension even slightly will take out a lot of movement and help insure the tie downs stay tight. Crisscrossing is done to minimize sideways movement. Doing so keeps the vehicle more stabile and helps keep the tie downs tight. Tying directly to the suspension can work when tying to the frame just won't work for whatever reason. I've also tied inboard of the wheels to get the trailer anchor points far enough away from those on the vehicle to keep it from sliding fore or aft.
Just remember, allowing the body to work the suspension will affect the stability of the entire tow rig, toer and towee. How much you can tolerate depends on your particular rig and how it's loaded. Is the tow rig big enough for what it's towing, for instance?
It is extremely important to determine whether the transported vehicle far enough forward on the trailer to move the center of gravity so you don't get any tail wag. Zero, zip, naada should be tolerated, it you can feel any all, you're just asking for grief!
If you can't determine if your rig is safe (and doesn't just "feel" safe) in the first few miles and at low speed, by the hairs in the small of your back, you'd be well advised to hire it done.
One other important thing. CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ENTIRE RIG! Check it visually, check the tires (condition and pressure), grab the tie downs and FEEL their tension, lock and tie any ratchets or binders closed, check the lights, check EVERYTHING you can think of. Check it when you start out. Check it again in the first few (literally 2 or 3) miles. Check it again at EVERY 50 mile interval, or 100 if you feel really brave. If you're so smug you don't think this applies to you, you deserve what you get, just don't take out my family when (not if!) you get it.

Tow dollies are used sucessfully everyday, and by any number of people, a large number of which shouldn't be allowed to tow ANYTHING, but I still don't consider them safe. They don't usually have any suspension of their own, probably because the attached vehicle will move on it's own suspension due to it being secured by it's tires to allow the vehicle to articulate around corners. Because the towed vehicle will articulate, it shouldn't be backed up loaded, even if the steering axle is on the ground and restrained (not even remotely a good idea). It is also very difficult to back up unloaded because of it's extremely short length. While I've used them many times over the years, I still consider them an accident waiting to happen.

While I'm not trying to piss anyone off, but I feel this subject to be important enough, I had to sound off.

 

if you caught your episodes of red green the answer would be duct tape ..
had to say it , you already got a **** load of great ideas tossed at ya

 

yep if you aint good lookin' at least you can be handy. or somethin like that ..red green

in that picture you see those ratchet straps?
dont use or buy those to tie your baby down!
pay a little more and buy some REAL strap binders. please!

 

I also nail blocks behind tires if wood deck.

 

I completely agree with Twofosho, and Ill add my comments to go alogn with it. I used to run wreckers part time with a friend of mine who owned a small wrecker sevice here. We had 3 lift trucks(with the boom and dollie type set up) I hated them but workd good for fast recovery. And an international Flat Bed. It also had a dollie set up behind it as well. Anyhow we used the large J hook, for really short trips back to the yard, but 99% of the time used the r-hook, T-hook, S-hook, and a small J-hook. All these were ona chain that was about 10-16 foot long. just depended on how long the vehicle was. It was an Aluminum decked flat bed so we used the re-inforced holes in the bed for the rear chain an d****ed it foreward to **** down the suspension with the winch. EVERY VEHICLE is DIFFERENT!!!!!! Use COMMON SENSE when strapping chaining etc. ALWAYS check your load frequently. I will include a link to a few pics of someof the **** I hauled when I worked for a Ford Dealership. I finally conned my boss into a bigger truck and wheel straps, the above mentioned cluster of hooks on chain, and nylon straps, Real binders, and REAL Ratcher straps as well. On most vehicles I hauled I went right to the frame ****ed it down called it good I only had one come lose, and it was apile of **** CHEVY SS (cheap ***ed frames I hate those piles of ****) anyhow I am not prejudice, but the fames on the 05 and older trucks ****ed ***. Anyhow the actual frame bent, it was wheel strapped and frame strapped. Although I never had a frame problem on a chevy truck that had a trailer hitch. It sure strengthened the frame.
So back to waht I was writing. The link below has many pictures of 2 trips I made. The one in the F150 was from sherman texas to corpus christi texas. Snowing Icy as all hell, slushy ****py drive to haul **** in. Thank god for a good trailer brake set up as well. The F450 came from San Antonio to Corpus Christi. I also hauled a 20 p***enger bus with that same set up. It was a slow trip back from Around Santa Fe, Texas with that one.

Eventually an F550 and a 3 car trailer were purchased, but I left the dealership not long after that. Now they run a new F650 with ***mins power and the same 3 car trailer, and are looking into a new trailer at this time.
http://gallery.12thfloor.com/gallery2/v/users/Jeepfreak/Hauling-Pics/DCP_0207.jpg.html
http://gallery.12thfloor.com/gallery2/v/users/Jeepfreak/Hauling-Pics/?g2_page=5

I'll probably get flamed for posting pics or the way I strapped these vehicles, but they worked fine for me. Like I said earlier, I eventualy was able to talk them into letting me tire strap and frame strap them.

 

I believe Maryland law requires the tie downs to be X-ed.

What ever system you decide to use, please have the common sense to check them often. I like to pull over in the first 1/2 hour for a quick look see just to make sure. After that every piss stop and fill up gets a walk around with tugs on the straps. Sometimes I can get another click on the ratchet but usually they remain tight. The straps on that Deuce look like motorcycle hold downs.

Get the correct straps designed and sized for car trailers. Correct straps even if they loosen a little are designed not to fall off. I can see a car moving on a trailer...but coming off??? You can't blame that on the straps. IMHO

 

That is WHY I said that. My straps ... are rated @ 10 thousand pounds ...

The truth about the photo is ... the guy who builds the bodies and the frame ... as a package ... was the guy delivering the " package " . He hauls a good many ... I believe.

 

i'm sure those air mattresses do a great job of cushioning the car when the tiny straps fail!