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Tie-downs

Frame or axle tie down

  • Total voters
    79
MTBLAZER89

MTBLAZER89

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I need to pick up a set of tie downs, and I have searched and have a good idea on what straps to get, but there seems to be a lot of controversy over tieing down to the axle or frame. Please participate it my poll and reply with vehicle specs, and reasons/opinions:D My K5 is 56's in the rear with a flip and 4" springs up front. Not super flexy, but soft. My guess is it weighs around 5000.
 
One more If you picked frame where at on the frame, and what pattern on the straps or chains.
 
short trips ok to axle i guess. but long hauls i would go frame. i run tow truck and it rides much better and safer at frame for the long hauls. if in town i just axle strap it. on the high way there can be lots of up and down bouncing and this gould cause bent parts or a strap/chain to pop off. so if you pull the frame down to load the suspension it will not bounce as much.

as to mounting spots. in your frame rails there will be some oval holes in there from front to back thay are for twistlock hooks or mini j hooks.

i get all my stuff from www.awdirect.com great service and selection and price.

i run these parts. straps 3,300lbs each part # nt16
then part # cc42 mini j hook and twist lock hook
also axle straps are light duty part # txs51 and heavy duty part #twp50

hope this helps ya. thay are super to deal with and most tow truck guys use there bissness.
 
I have been using straps in an x pattern from a strong point on the frame, to my tie downs. This works OK, but I am going to go to chains with a binder because the straps stretch too much when I go through NYC (alot of potholes and bouncy rutted roads). I always tie down the frame to compress the suspension to stop the suspension bounce. I DO run a safety chain around each axle to a seperate tie down location as a safety (required here in NY). I loop a chain around the front axle and go to the front tie down, and loop the rear axle and tie down to the rear tiedown. These chain tiedowns are seperate from the strap tiedowns. This way if any of the straps or their tiedowns break the rig cant roll off the back or front of the trailer. I know this is more then most people do, but it is required by law, and I like the extra margin of safety.

BTW I also have dealt with awdirect and plan to get my chains and binders from them when I have some $$. They are very knowledgeble on all types of towing setups, and can help you select the proper equipment for your needs.
 
looks like a decent deal. I couldn't really see what types of hooks were on the ends though. Just make sure you have a good spot to hook them on the chassis. Some hooks are too big to fit in the holes in the frame, if that's what you plan to do.
 
OK, I'm an idiot. I didn't see the "enlarge pic" button. Yeah, those straps are the same one's that I have, although mine are summit brand. probably the same manufacturer.
 
MTBLAZER89 said:
How are these?

http://www.apexperformance.net/cartgenie/prodInfo.asp?pid=962&cid=20


You could use this set up for either frame or axle right? I was thinking of the tying down to the frame. If it does bounce isn't that hard on the straps with the suspension rebound?

Anyway TTT:D
Click to expand...


These are the straps I use, I tie to the frame so as to compress the suspension so the truck doesn't sway during any type of emergency manuever making it shift its weight on the trailer. I also use a chain binder around the axle as a safety.
 
JEBSR said:
These are the straps I use, I tie to the frame so as to compress the suspension so the truck doesn't sway during any type of emergency manuever making it shift its weight on the trailer. I also use a chain binder around the axle as a safety.
Click to expand...

I am with JEBSR the few times I have gotten to tow my rig straps in a x front and rear to the frame to compress the suspension a bit and then chains to the axle. My reasoning is this most all the car haulers I have seen tie down to the frame to the afore mentioned holes in the frame, second reason is in my younger days I used to race and several poeple said you can brinnel the wheel bearings pretty bad if you just tie down to the axles. Probably a moot point in a 4wd but thats my reasoning
 
Wow, a can of worms. Kinda like the D60 vs. D44, Auto vs. Manual debate.

I do have a question for those guys that actually tow with the frame tied down to the trailer. How do you keep the chains/ straps from coming loose over bumpy roads, washboard back roads, etc.?
 
If you compress the suspension, It would take an alful hard hit to allow the straps to come loose. However it is possible. What I do is use straps like in the link above and lock them in a loop so that even if they were to get slack somehow they could not detach.
 
Well I went to the axles and had zero issues. It didn't wiggle sway or bounce.
 
Sure, as long as it's secure it will pull fine. The problem normally arises when your in areas where it is very windy and the roads are curvy. You get a good gust of wind in a turn with a lifted truck on the trailer and the suspension will give and put the center of gravity on one side of the trailer and cause all kind of handling problems at once. You loose the wind and it will pull great. Also when having to make an evasive manuever at highway speeds the truck will sway and cause the same problems.
 
I like the idea of both on a 4x4... You need to control both the the truck and the body roll of the vehicle that is on the trailer... I've used both chains and straps just remember to inspect them a few days before your planning on using your trailer so their is time to repair or replace befor you use it...
 
I've strapped to the axles every time without problems. I would imagine on a flexy buggy with a soft suspension I'd do something with the frame, but unless you compress it to the bump stops, there's going to be a lot of force hitting that strap/chain every time the trailer takes a good bump.
 
you know those straps that are everywhere on the boat, and the base, the white ratchet straps?
I have aquired 6 of those and used those on the blazer 4 on the axles, and 4 on the bumpers, 2 front and 2 back in a "X" the blazer diddent move at al, and even with the craptastic roads on the way back, the straps diddent move at all and everything was cool
those straps are rated to 5K LBS
you can kinda see it here
111-1140_IMG.jpg
 
I run straps to the front and rear axles in a "X" pattern. Been using this setup for years with no trouble. Towing from Charlotte to Tellico, and Royal Blue TN, and plenty of local runs around 150 to 200 miles round trip.

Straps from Northern(red car hauler with snaps), and some axle loops w/ rings.



Clay
 
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