Questions about strapping down a truck...

[MEPR]

Alrighty, i have read that its best to let the suspension on a towed vehicle cycle naturally. Well heres a good one for you guys...
How do i go about strapping down an IFS rig. Now i know what you guys who are familiar whith Latter GM ifs and Toyota IFS are saying, "just strap it to the lower A-arm. Well on a LUV ist not that simple. It dosnt have a lower A-arm. It has a lower L arm, imagine the L where the knuckle is attached to the long end and the short edn attaches to the torsion bar. There is just asway bar like link that bolts the lower arm and then to the framecalled a strut bar) to keep the axle from movinf front to back too much. So how would i strap down a set up like this? the lower controll arm is a solid chunck whith no holes and i dont whant to strap into the strut bar. So should i just strap down to the frame?

 

[big83chevy4x4]

i have seen quite a few tow companies hook directly on the frame, but i wouldn't do it.

what about hooking it on the frame on the front and the axle on back, but that may let the front come undone.

you always do a sfa swap on the LUV /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[MEPR]

man what are you talking about?! IFS is the wave of the futre, perty soon people will swap out solid axles for IFS /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

 

[chevyracing]

If it is your trailer install hooks in the floor and get the webbing straps that go around the tire (like a tow dolly has) and try that.

John

 

[MEPR]

alrighty thanks for the suhestions. This wont be for a while but i like to plan ahead and make shure ill have all the gear ill need /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[4X4HIGH]

[ QUOTE ]
Alrighty, i have read that its best to let the suspension on a towed vehicle cycle naturally

[/ QUOTE ]

It is best to strap the towed vehicle in such a way as to remove any suspension from it to keep the weight from shifting around and possibly making you lose control. This also helps to eliminate the possibitly of the straps coming loose on you. If I am towing any kind of distance I like to strap the axles down and then also strap the body down like I said to eliminate the suspension from working.

 

[chvyhs]

I personally strap the axles and the frame to eliminate the excessive movement. I let the trailer's suspension handle the bumps.

 

[skratch]

There are slots on the frame for t-hooks that can be bought at most trucking supply places. I think they normally call them clusters.
Clusters
Use those with whatever chain or straps you have now. If you stap them down tight enough there is no chance of them coming out. You just have to keep in mind the angle that the slot is cut at and make sure the chain is pulling at a similar angle, and you can't cross chains like this, but if it's pulled down tight enough thats not a problem either.
This is how cars are loaded on transports. It works but the chains have to be TIGHT!

 

[imiceman44]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Alrighty, i have read that its best to let the suspension on a towed vehicle cycle naturally

[/ QUOTE ]

It is best to strap the towed vehicle in such a way as to remove any suspension from it to keep the weight from shifting around and possibly making you lose control. This also helps to eliminate the possibitly of the straps coming loose on you. If I am towing any kind of distance I like to strap the axles down and then also strap the body down like I said to eliminate the suspension from working.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is exactly what I came up with after looking at different ways towing companies do it.
Although i found a better way to accomplish this.
I will be puting a jack stand under the frame on four corners of the truck close to the axle and then cinching down the frame to contact the stands.
I don't like just hooking the frame because if you cinch it down to much you are over flexing the springs for a long period, and if you don't do it enough, a good brake could squat it and loosen the straps.
With the stands, it becomes one with the trailer and you have one movement to worry about not a combination of two suspensions working against each other and compounding the bounces.
/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[Corey 78K5]

The proper way to strap down a rig to a trailer is to use "J" hooks on the rearend as far out on the axel as possible and make sure the chains are tight. In the front use nylon ratchet straps and attach them to the frame in the factory frame slots. I know this cause I have towed just about every type of car or truck there is on a slide bed tow truck. This way of securing the car or truck will hold it and yes it will even hold it under hard breaking. Every Towing company out there does it this way cause it's the right way.

 

[skratch]

Thats pretty close to true, but not quite.

I've been hauling for 9 years and I usually try to use the frame slots front and rear first before I j-hook the axles. I also try to avoid using the nylon straps except as a safety. I like chain binders better simply because you can get a much tighter chain out of it than with a ratchet strap. But I've also gone from the little rollbacks to 4-5 car transports to full auto transports, and each one hooks a little different.

Also if you check with the wreckmaster certification that isn't the way they recommend hooking cars on rollbacks either. In some of the states I've hauled they require either 4 or 5 points of attachment. And some count the winch line on the front as one point and others count it as two (because of the v chain).

I don't think there is any "one" right way to hook a car to a trailer or truck, but there are a lot of wrong ways to hook them.

Personally given that it's a luv, I'd go with the four corners of the frame, because it has a softer suspension that can be easily compressed for safe towing.

But to each his own I guess. As long as it's done safe who can really complain. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[Corey 78K5]

I agree with You on many of Your points. I should have been a little more clear. I should have noted the winch line as another mounting point or two. As for the "J" hooks in the rear it's just the way I was tought on any rear solid axel car or truck. Not to say Your way was wrong as I use that method on most every front drive/IRS car or truck. As for chain and binders VS. nylon straps and ratchet binders I guess it would come down to how good Your equipment is and how heavy the towed vehicle is. On a Luv I would use straps.

 

[skratch]

Yeah the lighter the vehicle the easier it is to get away with the straps. I hauled salvage for a long time too, so I hated straps! Battery acid, twisted panels, and other stuff tore them up way to quickly.

I was taught to use the j-hooks too, but I had a 20 foot deck and with any "large" rig you couldn't get what I considered a safe angle on the chains, so I started going to the frame slots and had much better luck with them.

I think it comes down to what a person is comfortable doing repeatedly and safely every time they tow.

Next trailer I get I'm going to mount an 8,000lb winch to it, so I can pull my truck up, and use it to help compress the suspension for towing too! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[Corey 78K5]

[ QUOTE ]
Next trailer I get I'm going to mount an 8,000lb winch to it, so I can pull my truck up, and use it to help compress the suspension for towing too!


[/ QUOTE ]
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