Trailer tie down

S

Steve Rinaldo

Member
I just got home from the Glidden Tour in my "A". While hanging arround the lobby one evening, the tire kicking conversation turned to trailering. The major areas of disagreement included:
1. Cross the straps or not?
2. Leave in gear or not?
3. Set the parking brake or not?
What are your thoughts and why? The more I listened the more confused I became. Steve
 
My 2 cents for what it is worth...

1. Not (see the following link)
2. In gear (anything to keep it stationary sounds good to me)
3. Set (ditto)

You will probably be OK with either crossed straps or not.

The following is probably the best discussion of the subject that I have seen. I used to use the crossed strap method but have since decided that the argument for not crossing the straps is right.

http://forums.aaca.org/f196/need-sound-advice-towing-buick-roadmaster-279165.html
 
Straight on straps, In gear only after tight. If you need hand brake after all that fails, you need a new car and trailer...
 
Not using crossed straps sounds like a good idea based on what was said in the referenced web site above. I have used only tie downs from each wheel in the front and cross in the rear. But next time, I think I will just go from the axle of each wheel.
 
Not in gear, no matter how well things are strapped down they tend to loosen up. When things get loose, the car will bounce back and forth, and guess what will absorb that force. The transmission.

Not in gear, emergency brake set.
 
I've found that when it comes to tying down a car, the hardest thing to do is throw away straps that have chaffed! When somebody wants to borrow my trailer, I tell them to bring their own straps. In addition to 3" straps on each corner, I also keep the winch cable attached to the front axle with a strap. Also use the E-brake and transmission in neutral.
 
This is how I've tied my car down before.
1) don't cross straps
2)put car in gear with brake on, and tie down the car so that it doesn't move any.
3)take off parking brake and put in neutral to do the final tightening.
4) put the it back in gear with brake on

This is so the tension is taken off the transmission so it's not holding the car in place, but it's there for an added security.
 
FWIW:

I use straight straps at both front and back, one centered in front and two at the rear axle. Use the big heavy-duty web straps. Trailer has stop blocks in front of front wheels that allows me to get the car positioned the same each time.

I then add lighter weight straps on both front and back from the bumper mounts to the opposite side rail to make sure that the car isn't going to move sideways.

Car in neutral, emergency brake on.

All loose ends of straps secured.

I stop and check tightness on occasion as I tow.

After reading this thread and the one referenced, I may add a second strap in front.
 
denis4x4 said:
I've found that when it comes to tying down a car, the hardest thing to do is throw away straps that have chaffed! When somebody wants to borrow my trailer, I tell them to bring their own straps. In addition to 3" straps on each corner, I also keep the winch cable attached to the front axle with a strap. Also use the E-brake and transmission in neutral.
Click to expand...

Somewhat off subject, but noticed you mentioned a winch. I have been thinking about getting one. The question I have is-if you winch a car onto a trailer, where do you tie the winch cable? I understand you should not pull from the axle. So what do you tie it to?
 
Parallel straps permit the car to move sideways. I prefer anchoring from inside the spring hangers toward the outside trailer corners. (on an A) . If unequal capacity straps, use the strongest in the rear. That's where the greatest force will be. Front blocks only help locate the car. A collision can make the car climb over blocks less that hub height high. Set brake, leave transmission in neutral. Check straps after five or ten miles, and every potty stop thereafter. They do get a little slack and cause jerking on an engaged transmission. That's why neutral.
 
To me, the argument for not crossing the straps is a moot point as it is assumed that if a strap breaks, the load will move, yes it will, but why did the strap break in the first place? Sounds like the strap is not a high enough rating if that happens. When I'm towing on an open trailer, I cross my straps front to rear, I never have the car in gear, and the hand brake is applied.
While towing a mates car from Melbourne to Canberra and back, it was loaded in this manner, I suffered a tyre blow out on the trailer. Got a pretty impresive tail whip going, recovered thanks to electric brakes. We pulled over to change the tyre and inspect the load, it hadn't moved one inch.
The main issue is to have correctly rated straps.
 
Fred K-OR said:
Somewhat off subject, but noticed you mentioned a winch. I have been thinking about getting one. The question I have is-if you winch a car onto a trailer, where do you tie the winch cable? I understand you should not pull from the axle. So what do you tie it to?
Click to expand...

I put a 3" axle ******** the axle to winch the car on the trailer. I've been doing this for 20 years and call BS on those that claim there is damage to the axle when you do that. BUT, I've made the mistake of wrapping the strap around the tie rod in the dark and caused self inflicted damage bending the tie rod. So, make sure that the strap is around the axle only.

SIDE NOTE: I find it interesting that there are Model A owners out there that treat their cars like fragile Italian exotics!
 
NOT IN GEAR!!! The problem is not with the trans, it is the fact that as the car rocks a bit the flywheel bolts take the brunt of the force. Flywheel bolts are a problem with all 4 cyl.'s, even late model ones. This is more apparent in high performance A's as they work even more. Been there, done that!
 
I have been towing cars for 50 years and I found out early to cross the front and rear tie down straps which are hooked to the axles. I let the vehicle float on it's own suspension. With the straps parallel, the load can shift from sided to side. With every side shift it will be testing the tie down straps. By tieing to the frame of the car, I have seen 3" nylon straps torn apart from the shock of going too fast over a speed bump. Nowadays, I use "e" track in the floor to hook to. Using a tire "bra" over each tire, there are 8 anchor points used for a 4 wheeled vehicle. The tire bra is made up of 3" wide nylon strap and each wheel bra has a ratchet to dog its strap down to the floor. This is the ultimate in car hauling. I travel coast to coast and have shown at Pebble Beach California and at Ameilia Island in Florida and many other places. With my cars costing as much as $300 K each, I cannot afford to have a car break loose. Photo attached of just our steam cars.
 

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As SSsssteamer says the tire bra's are starting to become standard equip on many high end towers, or at least short rachet straps that go thru the wheels. Been there, done that.
Paul in CT
 
I have a wooden deck on my trailer. If going a long way, I sometimes block the the wheels with 4 x 2s screwed to the deck with long drywall screws for additional insurance. If balance allows, I sometimes back a chassis right up against the front railing (a foot high) so that the rear tires can be ratcheted snug up against the railing. Don't try this with the front wheels though.
 
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