Strapping Car down to a Car Carrier... (Tips from those who have done)
10-15-2013, 04:35 AM
#1
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Strapping Car down to a Car Carrier... (Tips from those who have done)
I assume numerous members here have transported their car on a (all wheels off the ground) car carrier..
besides watching for clearances (using boards under the ramps, and also watching out for the front of the carrier where the tire rests against for it hitting the front under spoiler... any tips/tricks in how to properly strap down said vehicle for the safest tow?
the carrier comes with proper tire straps for the front tires...
I plan on buying 4 more high quality ratcheting straps... going to loop thru the wheels and use towels to prevent wheel damage.. but should i cross them or strap to their respective sides?
some say to put a strap directly to the chassis as well to prevent the car from bouncing should the harmonics of the road match those of the suspension...
some use the tow hooks but i feel these might break with that much stress? anywhere else recommended besides wheels to strap down?
vehicle is manual trans, so will have parking brake on... and put into 1st gear..
will also stop every 100miles or so and check said straps.... trip will be 1000miles..
besides watching for clearances (using boards under the ramps, and also watching out for the front of the carrier where the tire rests against for it hitting the front under spoiler... any tips/tricks in how to properly strap down said vehicle for the safest tow?
the carrier comes with proper tire straps for the front tires...
I plan on buying 4 more high quality ratcheting straps... going to loop thru the wheels and use towels to prevent wheel damage.. but should i cross them or strap to their respective sides?
some say to put a strap directly to the chassis as well to prevent the car from bouncing should the harmonics of the road match those of the suspension...
some use the tow hooks but i feel these might break with that much stress? anywhere else recommended besides wheels to strap down?
vehicle is manual trans, so will have parking brake on... and put into 1st gear..
will also stop every 100miles or so and check said straps.... trip will be 1000miles..
10-15-2013, 11:36 AM
#2
Rennlist Member
i tow all the time as does my indy/race shop who recommended this method which many of my friends use (as well as a lot of GT folks on the other forum it seems): if you can avoid it, dont use the wheels to tie down. 4 straps is all you need. fronts hook into the holes in the jack point plates and i cross them. rears hook to the ends of cross member. i do not cross these. i have 1000's of tow miles (as does my race shop and plenty of others) and have never heard of a problem using this method. good luck.
10-15-2013, 12:52 PM
#3
Race Director
I hauled my Boxster on a car trailer over 2K miles with nary a problem. I used a rented trailer (and moving van to tow the trailer).
I verified I could get the car up on the trailer and down again with no clearance issues. I had the rental employee show me the proper way to connect the trailer in case I had to disconnect it then reconnect it.
For holding the car down I used the ratchets with the nylon webbing that went over the front tires. I can't recall now if the rear tires had theirs too. Maybe not.
But I do recall I secured the back of the car with a safety chain though I forget how I connected this. I did not use the tow eye either at the front or the back.
The transmission was left in gear and the parking brake set.
The car stayed nice and tight and secure the whole trip. I checked the setup every stop for gas and before leaving the hotel after a night's stop.
Check the trailer tire pressures before you leave. If you find one with low pressure that's a sign it has a leak and this should be *fixed* before you head out.
Check tire pressures at every stop too.
More times than I can recall I've come upon a trailer being towed either with an obviously low tire, or a tire coming apart, or parked on the side of the road with a flat tire.
I verified I could get the car up on the trailer and down again with no clearance issues. I had the rental employee show me the proper way to connect the trailer in case I had to disconnect it then reconnect it.
For holding the car down I used the ratchets with the nylon webbing that went over the front tires. I can't recall now if the rear tires had theirs too. Maybe not.
But I do recall I secured the back of the car with a safety chain though I forget how I connected this. I did not use the tow eye either at the front or the back.
The transmission was left in gear and the parking brake set.
The car stayed nice and tight and secure the whole trip. I checked the setup every stop for gas and before leaving the hotel after a night's stop.
Check the trailer tire pressures before you leave. If you find one with low pressure that's a sign it has a leak and this should be *fixed* before you head out.
Check tire pressures at every stop too.
More times than I can recall I've come upon a trailer being towed either with an obviously low tire, or a tire coming apart, or parked on the side of the road with a flat tire.
10-15-2013, 02:43 PM
#5
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
i assumed better safe than sorry should any damage happen to the trailer/etc... figured it takes 3 minutes to pull up an exit and check and go back down the exit... versus risking a >100k car and my personal safety.
my original thoughts were to put a gopro on the back of the moving truck with the wifi adapter going to my phone to check.. but a simple stop is a lot more effective.
i guess i am over cautious but have heard many stories about trailer problems.
my original thoughts were to put a gopro on the back of the moving truck with the wifi adapter going to my phone to check.. but a simple stop is a lot more effective.
i guess i am over cautious but have heard many stories about trailer problems.
10-15-2013, 02:44 PM
#6
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
i tow all the time as does my indy/race shop who recommended this method which many of my friends use (as well as a lot of GT folks on the other forum it seems): if you can avoid it, dont use the wheels to tie down. 4 straps is all you need. fronts hook into the holes in the jack point plates and i cross them. rears hook to the ends of cross member. i do not cross these. i have 1000's of tow miles (as does my race shop and plenty of others) and have never heard of a problem using this method. good luck.
I hauled my Boxster on a car trailer over 2K miles with nary a problem. I used a rented trailer (and moving van to tow the trailer).
I verified I could get the car up on the trailer and down again with no clearance issues. I had the rental employee show me the proper way to connect the trailer in case I had to disconnect it then reconnect it.
For holding the car down I used the ratchets with the nylon webbing that went over the front tires. I can't recall now if the rear tires had theirs too. Maybe not.
But I do recall I secured the back of the car with a safety chain though I forget how I connected this. I did not use the tow eye either at the front or the back.
The transmission was left in gear and the parking brake set.
The car stayed nice and tight and secure the whole trip. I checked the setup every stop for gas and before leaving the hotel after a night's stop.
Check the trailer tire pressures before you leave. If you find one with low pressure that's a sign it has a leak and this should be *fixed* before you head out.
Check tire pressures at every stop too.
More times than I can recall I've come upon a trailer being towed either with an obviously low tire, or a tire coming apart, or parked on the side of the road with a flat tire.
I verified I could get the car up on the trailer and down again with no clearance issues. I had the rental employee show me the proper way to connect the trailer in case I had to disconnect it then reconnect it.
For holding the car down I used the ratchets with the nylon webbing that went over the front tires. I can't recall now if the rear tires had theirs too. Maybe not.
But I do recall I secured the back of the car with a safety chain though I forget how I connected this. I did not use the tow eye either at the front or the back.
The transmission was left in gear and the parking brake set.
The car stayed nice and tight and secure the whole trip. I checked the setup every stop for gas and before leaving the hotel after a night's stop.
Check the trailer tire pressures before you leave. If you find one with low pressure that's a sign it has a leak and this should be *fixed* before you head out.
Check tire pressures at every stop too.
More times than I can recall I've come upon a trailer being towed either with an obviously low tire, or a tire coming apart, or parked on the side of the road with a flat tire.
10-15-2013, 03:20 PM
#7
Rennlist Member
i think checking every 100 miles is overkill. 99% of the time, if it's good at the first 100 miles (i always stop and check) it will be good the rest of the way. as for the 1%...well, even if you did check every 100, how do you know the "fluke" won't happen at the next 99mi marker? point being, there is no beating murphy's law. or whatever analogy i mean. 
and the reason i dont like tire straps is that not only can you damage rims but the tires are unsprung. that means your car could be bouncing all over the place especially in an accident where that extra few inches of multi-ton inertia (i.e. the sudden travel upward before the shocks extend fully/top out) could exacerbate the situation. MUCH better to connect to something solid - frame, etc, - that will hold the whole car down snug to the trailer.
and the reason i dont like tire straps is that not only can you damage rims but the tires are unsprung. that means your car could be bouncing all over the place especially in an accident where that extra few inches of multi-ton inertia (i.e. the sudden travel upward before the shocks extend fully/top out) could exacerbate the situation. MUCH better to connect to something solid - frame, etc, - that will hold the whole car down snug to the trailer.
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10-15-2013, 03:22 PM
#8
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I recently moved from VA to NM and rented a Budget trailer for the 997 Cab. Couldn't get the clearance to drive to the wheel chalks so I loaded the trailer backwards. Used the nylon webbing around the rear wheels and the safety chain around the front axle. Checked everything with every stop and had no issues over the 1,900 mi.
10-15-2013, 10:30 PM
#9
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
i think checking every 100 miles is overkill. 99% of the time, if it's good at the first 100 miles (i always stop and check) it will be good the rest of the way. as for the 1%...well, even if you did check every 100, how do you know the "fluke" won't happen at the next 99mi marker? point being, there is no beating murphy's law. or whatever analogy i mean.
and the reason i dont like tire straps is that not only can you damage rims but the tires are unsprung. that means your car could be bouncing all over the place especially in an accident where that extra few inches of multi-ton inertia (i.e. the sudden travel upward before the shocks extend fully/top out) could exacerbate the situation. MUCH better to connect to something solid - frame, etc, - that will hold the whole car down snug to the trailer.
and the reason i dont like tire straps is that not only can you damage rims but the tires are unsprung. that means your car could be bouncing all over the place especially in an accident where that extra few inches of multi-ton inertia (i.e. the sudden travel upward before the shocks extend fully/top out) could exacerbate the situation. MUCH better to connect to something solid - frame, etc, - that will hold the whole car down snug to the trailer.
and after first 50 miles.I recently moved from VA to NM and rented a Budget trailer for the 997 Cab. Couldn't get the clearance to drive to the wheel chalks so I loaded the trailer backwards. Used the nylon webbing around the rear wheels and the safety chain around the front axle. Checked everything with every stop and had no issues over the 1,900 mi.
i bought some 2x8's today to help with loading/unloading and possibly "jumping" over the front chalks if needed..
going to get some rubber chocks for behind the rear tires just to have overkill on the situation.
10-16-2013, 03:00 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
If the trailer is a rental, make sure the axle and wheel bearings have enough grease. Look at the diameter of your trailer vs your car tire. The trailer tires will be doubling your vehicle RPM or more as you drive down the road so that gets hot...
Tire change may be a pain but replacing wheel bearings will take it to another level. You can't screw up greasing a trailer and a grease gun is cheap insurance. Excess just falls off..
Tire change may be a pain but replacing wheel bearings will take it to another level. You can't screw up greasing a trailer and a grease gun is cheap insurance. Excess just falls off..
10-16-2013, 08:56 PM
#12
Burning Brakes
There are a lot of towing threads on the DE/Racing forum with good info.
A few thoughts:
Be sure the trailer you rent is designed to handle the weight of the car. I'd prefer a tandem axle trailer myself. Will it have trailer brakes? Many states require them over a certain weight. Even basic surge brakes are better than nothing.
As somebody else mentioned, inspect the trailer tires carefully before you leave the rental place. If you don't like the look of the tires, get a different trailer.
Since it's a rear engine car you'll need to either load it on backwards or get it far enough forward to get the proper tongue weight. Play around till you get it right.
Don't forget to ensure you have the right tow vehicle. Can it handle the weight, does it have good tires and most importantly, good brakes?
BTW - I don't like crossing the rear straps, IMO it puts an abnormal side load on the rear wheels/suspension.
Good luck.
A few thoughts:
Be sure the trailer you rent is designed to handle the weight of the car. I'd prefer a tandem axle trailer myself. Will it have trailer brakes? Many states require them over a certain weight. Even basic surge brakes are better than nothing.
As somebody else mentioned, inspect the trailer tires carefully before you leave the rental place. If you don't like the look of the tires, get a different trailer.
Since it's a rear engine car you'll need to either load it on backwards or get it far enough forward to get the proper tongue weight. Play around till you get it right.
Don't forget to ensure you have the right tow vehicle. Can it handle the weight, does it have good tires and most importantly, good brakes?
BTW - I don't like crossing the rear straps, IMO it puts an abnormal side load on the rear wheels/suspension.
Good luck.
10-16-2013, 10:31 PM
#13
Race Car
I rented a uHaul. Had a tonge surge brake on it. $49.00
Had to back it on as the front won't clear.
Tire straps on the rear tires only. Parking brake on & in gear.
Towed from Niagara, US to Toronto.
Had to back it on as the front won't clear.
Tire straps on the rear tires only. Parking brake on & in gear.
Towed from Niagara, US to Toronto.
10-17-2013, 01:51 AM
#14
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
actually hauling my aston, front engine.. mid trans..
i dont like the cross strap idea either now.
i'm going to measure it to see if the trailer chalks are higher than bumper.. worst case back it on.. use tire straps and 4 more ratcheting straps(one per wheel).. and i think it will be good
i dont like the cross strap idea either now.
i'm going to measure it to see if the trailer chalks are higher than bumper.. worst case back it on.. use tire straps and 4 more ratcheting straps(one per wheel).. and i think it will be good
There are a lot of towing threads on the DE/Racing forum with good info.
A few thoughts:
Be sure the trailer you rent is designed to handle the weight of the car. I'd prefer a tandem axle trailer myself. Will it have trailer brakes? Many states require them over a certain weight. Even basic surge brakes are better than nothing.
As somebody else mentioned, inspect the trailer tires carefully before you leave the rental place. If you don't like the look of the tires, get a different trailer.
Since it's a rear engine car you'll need to either load it on backwards or get it far enough forward to get the proper tongue weight. Play around till you get it right.
Don't forget to ensure you have the right tow vehicle. Can it handle the weight, does it have good tires and most importantly, good brakes?
BTW - I don't like crossing the rear straps, IMO it puts an abnormal side load on the rear wheels/suspension.
Good luck.
A few thoughts:
Be sure the trailer you rent is designed to handle the weight of the car. I'd prefer a tandem axle trailer myself. Will it have trailer brakes? Many states require them over a certain weight. Even basic surge brakes are better than nothing.
As somebody else mentioned, inspect the trailer tires carefully before you leave the rental place. If you don't like the look of the tires, get a different trailer.
Since it's a rear engine car you'll need to either load it on backwards or get it far enough forward to get the proper tongue weight. Play around till you get it right.
Don't forget to ensure you have the right tow vehicle. Can it handle the weight, does it have good tires and most importantly, good brakes?
BTW - I don't like crossing the rear straps, IMO it puts an abnormal side load on the rear wheels/suspension.
Good luck.
10-19-2013, 04:23 AM
#15
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
would you guys additionally (trailer comes with straps for the vehicles "front" wheels.) secure the tires (i've heard taught but not tight) or would you secure the control arms.
i feel a firm strap on control arm (that moves w/ vehicle movement) would be good to prevent too much harmonic bouncing but maybe not best for fastening.
keep in mind front wheels will have straps around tire securing them 110%... just looking for additional bracing..
(thinking both rear wheels strapped straight down ..(not forward or back) and then one front pass on control arm and one rear pass on control arm to avoid bouncing..
i feel a firm strap on control arm (that moves w/ vehicle movement) would be good to prevent too much harmonic bouncing but maybe not best for fastening.
keep in mind front wheels will have straps around tire securing them 110%... just looking for additional bracing..
(thinking both rear wheels strapped straight down ..(not forward or back) and then one front pass on control arm and one rear pass on control arm to avoid bouncing..