mitch236

I am using the Autometrics rear tie down attachment points on my car but am getting tired of crawling around the front of my car and trailer to get the wheel straps through the front tires. I called Autometrics but they don't have any front hooks. That probably means I am stuck with tire straps. Does anyone have any alternative suggestions for a 944?

Thanks

jerome951

If you have the factory tie downs that attach to the frame rails just in front of the wheels, you can make some adapters that extend downward to clear the undertray. That's what I did. I had to remove the factory tie-down and drill an extra hole through it (using that hole and the large pre-fabbed cutout to attach my adapter to).

PM me with your e-mail address and I can send you a pic.

RedlineMan

Hey Mitch;

That's a toughy. I've been looking at the same thing, and have just not come up with a good solution yet. The only thing solid up front is the transport loops bolted to the bottom of the frame rails. I'm thinking about a pair of ****** blocks on the trailer deck, and a pair of cables with hooks to these loops. Not a great solution, and these are not necessarily easy to get to either, but at least it is apart from the suspension.

In lieu of some hook arrangement, I'm thinking that a tire cradle is the best solution for the front. I've towed various cars with a ratchet strap looping over the front tire, and down to the side rails of my trailer. It works, but is not ideal when using a rearward pulling rear strap arrangement.

Just not an easy deal any way you look at it. Even harder with the Turbo nose. I'll find a way!

mitch236

What about the tow hook? I'm sure this is a bad idea but.......

ltc

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...hlight=tie+lug

Mike Buck

My buddies miata has dual tow hooks up front. He can literally strap the front down in about 10sec. I wish our cars had something similar.

I'm a firm believer in straps routed through each wheel and around the tire. Done it so many times now it doesn't take long at all. Maybe its more easy because I'm working with an open Trailex.

Mitch,
do you have an enclosed?

mitch236

Itc -I already read that thread and decided that it would be a bad idea. I don't want that much stress on the lug studs.

Yes, I have an enclosed trailer. The tire straps were no problem with my Trailex open (that is for sale!)

GUMBALL

My personal preferance is to strap down thru the wheels. It leaves the suspension free to absorb bumps and jiggles. I think it is easier on the car.

AW

The only issue with this solution is that it may affect the wheel alignment. I agree the tow hooks behind the front wheels are really annoying. I would not use the tow hook as a tie down.

Arnaud

clubrcr

In the last three factory cars I have owned, I have used the front tow hook. I have never heard or had a problem with this situation. You aren't putting stress on the hook, just keeping the car from moving around. I would imagine this is far easier on the hook than "yanking" it out of a gravel trap.

jerome951

On the 944 the tow hook in front is actually pretty high up. Unless you have a really long trailer where the angle of attachment to the hook isn't too steeply downward, I wouldn't risk it. Besides, I would never trust tying the end of a car down to only 1 attachment point.

I'll testify, though, that the tow hook attachment is pretty robust. I (inadvertently) tested it while pulling my car up a hill when it wouldn't start. I used a ratcheting tie-down strap on the hook and pulled it with my truck. My neighbor, who was steering the car, got waayy out of line so that the front of the car was barely behind the rear bumper of the truck (I had ~8 ft of strap). When I released the tension on the ratchet strap, the front of the car moved over ~2 inches to it's resting position. I'm surprised the tires didn't start to slide with all the sideways force on the car.

Though not optimal, I think the wheel straps are a better (safer) method than the tow hook.



Just my opinion.

Sam Lin

The front tow hook is incredibly strong, but the front aluminum bumper frame mounts are not - on a parts car we physically lifted the front end and rolled the car around using only the tow hook - kinda bent the alu frame mounts, but it worked. This was with full engine and tranny in car, no interior, full tank of gas.

Sam

clubrcr

I hope the tow hook never gets tested while in my trailer. I didn't think about how high the 944's hook might be. I also agree that a strap on the wheel would work.

Another post mentioned tire straps and alignment. Has anyone had that problem? I have used tire strap on the rear in the past and haven't seen an issue, but I think I would try another option if it would cuase alignment problems.

APKhaos

I had some suspicions that tying the front down with through-the-wheel straps was tweaking the setup over a longish tow. Decided to test it.

Had the car on the rack on Wednesday, recorded the settings. Trailered to and from Summit Point over the weekend, then straight back to the rack on Tuesday. Absolutely no measurable change to the settings. Quite a relief.

Still plan to figure out a front tie-down to the chassis members over the winter. Has to be a better way to go. The general idea is to secure to the two chassis rails using the two tapped holes forward of the sway bar mounts. Will fabricate a plate to match these holes, and weld an offcut piece of DOM with an attachment ring [plently of offcut DOM at most race car shops]. Will post when done.

Eric in Chicago

I use the big circle bolts, shaped like a C with a threaded end on one side and a bolt on the other. Very similar to the Autometrics front tie down hardware that came in the 993 kit. slip them thru the factory shipping tie down points in the front and hook my straps thru the dangling circle. For an extra mesure of saftey, I run a strap to my tow hook. With the front attachment point and the KLA rear brackets, I can hook up the car in all of 5 min (open trailer)