Trailer Tie down straps?
Paul Brewington
What size straps do you Recommend?
I will be hauling a 57 Golden Hawk, a 55 Commander, a subcompact
Kubota tractor from tinme to time. (not all at once <g>
Went shopping for straps today but quickly found many styles and
specs. Can someone recommend what I need? Thanks Paul.
Oldcarfart
>From: Paul Brewington pbrew...@mindspring.com
>
>What is the perferred method of tieing down a car on a car trailer?
>What size straps do you Recommend?
>
>Went shopping for straps today but quickly found many styles and
>specs. Can someone recommend what I need? Thanks Paul.
>
I like the car dolly style straps that pull to the side for cars, so 4 of those
& ratchets, 2 or 3 long straps (2" wide minimum) & ratchets should secure about
anything.
Lee
For years I have been using chain at the back (car frame to tie-down
point on trailer) and racheting 2-1/2" straps at the front (again,
frame to tie-down point on trailer). This gives some stretch and
cushion but holds securely. Also, it compresses the suspension enough
the car does not bounce around on the trailer. I do not like tieing
to the rear axle and front suspension/tires for this reason.
Lee DeLaBarre
Daytona62
1953 Commander Coupe (Parts Car)
1955 Commander Coupe (Soon to be sold)
1961 Hawk (Soon to be a '53 Coupe)
1962 Lark Daytona Convertible 62V10399
1962 Lark Regal Convertible 62V????? (Dad's Last New Studebaker)
1962 Lark Regal Convertible 62V41115 (When Done, Dad's Next New Studebaker)
1963 Cruiser (Body Tub on Frame and Most Sheet Metal/For Sale)
1963 GT Hawk 63V14568 (The Insurance Hawk)
1964 Avanti R2 4-Speed R5410 (Lark in a Party Dress <G>)
1964 Cruiser 64V10452 (Dubbed the Survivor II)
1964 Lark 4-Door Sedan 64V17327 R1 Powered Y3 Police Car
1964 Lark Convertible (Really Jim Turner's
but posession is 9/10 of the law)
1964 Lark Convertible (Canadian Built)
1966 Cruiser
(2) Studebaker Factory Parts Train Cars
Ray Fichthorn
I usually use 2 in the front- and cross them side-to side- to prevent any sideways movement.
The long one in the rear- goes under the axle-over the pinion-and back under the other axle.
I then take a short (heavy) chain- and make a loop over the axle and around a convenient cross brace
on my trailer (there's one directly below a stude rear axle on my trailer) It will only allow the
car to move a foot or so in either direction- should a strap break or come loose.
Ask Lee A. if this "safety chain is "overkill"...
Ray
My tiedowns are getting pretty tired- Sam's Club has a pair of 10,000 pounders for $25...
Rick Courtier
"Jeff Rice" <nos...@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:id2Lb.4887$Ub6.1...@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> I absolutely loved Calvin's straps and would recommend them
wholeheartedly.
> Nice thing about them is they clamped the wheel/tire assy. down tight to
the
> trailer, and allowed the suspension to work. Rode back there like a dream.
> Jeff (unsolicited testimonial...) Rice
>
>
>
> "Oldcarfart" wrote:
> .> I like the car dolly style straps that pull to the side for cars, so 4
of
> those
> > & ratchets, 2 or 3 long straps (2" wide minimum) & ratchets should
secure
> about
> > anything.
>
>
> > >Subject: Trailer Tie down straps?
> > >From: Paul Brewington
Sonny
pull the car up to where I want it on the trailer, then run a chain around
the front crossmember, getting it as tight as I can and secure it to the
trailer. Then I have a 10,000 pound J-hook that I got from a tow truck
supply company, (but I've seen them at the swap meets cheap), that I hook on
the rear axle housing, put my 10,000 pound come-along hook through the ring
on the J-hook, then hook the other hook on the come-along to the secure
point on the trailer and jack the come-along tight. Like Ray, I put another
chain around the axle and secure it to the trailer as a safety chain. I
guarantee that it will NOT move. I've towed cars thousands of miles, and
rarely even had to tighten up the come-along.
I think the most important thing to remember no matter what/how you tie 'em
down is, always keep the tie down tension applied from the back of the car
so the weakest link is always at the back. That way if you have a failure
the car will not roll off the back. A solid chain around the front
cross-member as tight as you can get it is cheap insurance. Ya gotta get
some of those J-hooks, they make hooking anywhere under a car a snap.
--
Sonny
http://RacingStudebakers.com
"Ray Fichthorn" <stud...@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
news:Y21Lb.192737$Vu5.14...@twister.southeast.rr.com...
Dick S.
are correct - they are easy to hook on the pinion housing and front end, and
then the D-rings, in my case.
Dick S.
63 Avanti
49 2R5 ( We got a good chassis now, almost ready to drop the engine and
tranny in!)
"Sonny" <as...@adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:BS3Lb.266$QI3.2...@news2.news.adelphia.net...
Lee
to the axle for a safe tow. I have always tied to the frame on front
(at the crossmember) and back (at the front of the rear spring perch)
and draw the car down then. This will load the suspension and keeps
the car's suspension from bouncing on the trailer going down the road.
I ALWAYS secure the car at all four corners and the tie-downs are all
at opposite angles to assure the car cannot move side to side no
matter how hard you turn or swerve.
In the last 50k miles of towing in the last 3 years, the only damage
to cars on my trailer have been one Avanti hubcap that got dented and
a crease on the door of my own car (then sold to Ron Dame and was
named Buttercup) that occured during loading. Not too bad a record,
if I do say so myslef!
Lee DeLaBarre
Sonny
is gonna have a different way to do it, it's like wiping yer butt huh? <G>
Anyway, your four corners system is great, but honest, I've dragged I dunno
how many around without hurting them any more than what was done getting
them on or off, that's the most dangerous operation I think. I honestly have
never had any problems with them moving side to side, or with allowing the
suspension to move.
In fact, I always thought that if you were to hook to the frame that it
would probably be a good idea to have the suspension as compressed as
humanly possible so that the straps or chains don't slack when the
suspension moves or the trailer twists and flexes. If you hook to the front
cross member and rear axle the straps or chains never slack with the
movement of the suspension or the trailer. Hell, you couldn't find a solid,
trustworthy part of the frame to hook anything on some of the trash that
I've dragged home. <LOL> I guess that's how I ended up hooking them all the
way I do, just hook on the parts/pieces that you want on the trailer when
you get home!!! <G>
--
Sonny
http://RacingStudebakers.com
.
"Lee" <dayt...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:4001cea5....@news.in.comcast.giganews.com...
Oldcarfart
just be careful not to damage any rear axle steel brake lines.
Sonny
tying one down. <G>
--
Sonny
http://RacingStudebakers.com
"Oldcarfart" <oldca...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040108060253...@mb-m17.aol.com...
Kent Fedor
have hauled lots, lots,lots of loads of farm equipment.
Here's what I like to secure a load:
10,000 lb USA made ratchet straps (I have used some quote "10,000
lb"import equilivents and they are poor quality and bend or break)
good ole 3/8" chain with spring cushioned binders.
Whateverer you do, DO NOT buy chineese ratchet straps: sure you might
save $20 bucks, but just ruin a $4,000 car! I have had chineese straps
fail and he only thing that saved my load of farm equipment from
disaster was a safety chain.
That's just my 2 cents on this thread
Kent Fedor
Paul Brewington <pbrew...@mindspring.com> wrote in message news:<gn2pvvk0n570odb7s...@4ax.com>...
Sonny
much chance for something to cut through them, made in USA or not. I just
can't trust 'em like good old welded link chain and hardened steel."Kent Fedor" <rchome...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:150d0331.0401...@posting.google.com...
Loy
>are correct - they are easy to hook on the pinion housing and front end, and
>then the D-rings, in my case.
>Dick S.
As many of you know, I am with the Texas DPS Highway Patrol - Commercial
Vehicle Enforcement Division (30 years). I deal with loads of all kinds. Small
loads and BIG loads! Light loads and Super-heavy loads! One segment of my job
as a Highway Patrol Trooper is enforcing Federal and State DOT regulations.
This entails many things as well as a knowledge of Proper Load Securement.
Daily, I look at a loaded trucks and trailers and determining the proper amount
of tie down assemblies needed to secure their load. This is based the number of
tiedowns required and on the WWL (Working Load Limit) of various types of nylon
webbing, wire rope, chain, binders, etc. I also investigate accidents involving
commercial vehicles where I see what happens when loads are not properly
secured. My advice (for what it's worth) is to use chains and binders...not
nylon straps and ratchets.
Looks like the majority here prefer straps. I used to use straps. Now, I
personally prefer chains . I think a few here on the NG recall the picture of
my white '63 R1 GT with it's nose against the tailgate of my 1-ton dually and
the car's front wheels hanging off the front of the trailer. This was due to a
strap failure. The new strap was cut in two by abrasion against the rub rails
of the trailer that it was hooked over. This was after a trip of less than 50
miles. Luckily the strap failure occurred at a stop sign a few blocks from my
destination and on a residential street with a speed limit of 25mph instead of
on the highway at 70mph trying to cram on the brakes to avoid someone who
pulled out in front of me, stopped suddenly in front of me or changed lanes in
front of me. I was luck that I wasn't ran over from behind by my own 2 ton car.
I don't think the tailgate and passenger compartment of the pickup would have
slowed the Hawk down before it went through me and out the front of the pickup.
I now use high grade chain to secure the vehicles I haul. Not too much danger
in a chain being cut through by abrasion.
Something to think about.
Loy Daniel
http://clubs.hemmings.com/hpsdc/
Grumpy au Contraire
Heh... In all of my years of driving, I never witnessed more unsecured
loads as I have encountered in Texas. As a matter of fact, I faced more
(dropped or dropping) loads of pallets, pipes, lumber, ladders in my
first year of residence in this state than I had in my entire previous
driving experience. Sorta reminds me of promotions to not drink 'n
drive when you can get ice cold brew at every corner convenience store...
Grrrrrrrrr
--
JT
Just tooling through cyberspace in my ancient G4