What is your tie down technique ??

[Wes Harden]

I have some practices for securing a vehicle to a trailer.
Right now I leave my manual trans equipped rides in neutral, Parking brake on.
For my dune buggy 2 tie downs on the upper tube of the front beam, compressing shock slightly. 2 tie downs on rear shock horns, compressing shocks slightly. Pulling the car towards the rear of the trailer. No Body bounce while being towed.

On my 4x4's, which I haven't towed on trailer in long time, I would go to the axles. Pulling front and rear. This would allow the body to rock on the suspension. Not a huge deal for a sort trip, but might be for 1000 miles or more. I believe this is detrimental to the shocks, have the heavy ass body working the shocks instead of the much lighter unsprung weight. Opinion?

I have up dated to Speedpro straps for my dune buggy. with velcro wrap for the tails. How do you control the strap tails ?

 

[Chickntrk]

The problem with strapping to anything but the axles is everytime it bounces your straps will become slack…..I always strap to axles pulling forward and backward if possible….on a uhaul trailer I use the front tire straps and then run a strap over the rear axle on both sides, can’t really pull rearward as the trailer is as long as the truck and that’s it….for my strap tails I get the straps where I want them and zip tie them, you can still loosen and tighten the straps and leave the zip ties in place. Nothing fell off on my 3500 mile round trip to blazer bash last year

 

[nvrenuf]

For my Blazer and my wife’s Jeep LJ I put a ratchet strap at each corner from the axle to the trailer. For the loose tails I’ll either 1) put them in the toolbox at the front of the trailer and inside the back of the vehicle and close the tailgate on them (without catching them in the latch, etc) or 2) tie the bundle back on the tight strap (kinda looks like a Christmas bow), regardless I always wrap the tail around the ratchet twice first.

I use Tractor Supply yellow ratchet straps (5k capacity, iirc) and axle straps. I try to replace them about every 4-5 years or if the strap itself gets “hard”.

I tie down in neutral and once tight I’ll put it in gear and set the parking brake if equipped.

 

[Wes Harden]

Yes I have had straps come loose on the dune buggy. This why I updated to the speedpro straps the hooks lock on to the ring or loop. Keeps the strap in place. I could strap to the rear trailing arms that would be below the suspension. The front would need to be one of the a arms, and would end up getting into the king link pin grease, which would suck big time.

Oh forgot, Very important, Flick the straps and say the magic words "That Ain't Going Nowhere"

 

[Babaganoosh]

This was a very informal video when I watched it.

 

[Wes Harden]

When I said Speedpro I meant Speedstrap what's in the video is what I use.

 

[sweetk30]

Axles to hold and let vehicles suspension work and not bang straps .

Note how carhaulers and tow trucks have switched to tire tie down for the same effect.

 

[Wes Harden]

I am not sure I want 5000pds+ of square rocking my shocks for thousands of miles.
I don't mean change the tie down points, I am thinking compressing the suspension with other straps. Or may the winch.

 

[max 02]

To the axles with chain. This is how we hauled my 77 to our new place in February. The trailer is a 18’ so going from the front axle towards the back of the trailer and the back axle towards the front. Worked out good… never tied it down like that before. But will definitely go that way again.
My future SIL hauls tractors, he said to do that way for that trailer.

 

[76zimmer]

Ive always thought the suspension should be blocked so it cant move. But I’ve never implemented such a system.
Then I would strap front and rear to bumper pull points if possible, and at a slight outward angle but not crossed up.
I have towed to Moab twice now, and yes the straps will loosen over the miles, making it necessary that the straps have closing and locking hooks on them, as well as being checked at fuel stops. I also on my rear frame rails I welded some tiedown anchor points which are easy to access, and move my anchor point forward of my trailer anchor point by a few feet.
I loop the leftover strap onto itself and hold it in place with some velcro wrapped around the bundle. Macs tiedowns come with those velcro straps and are rated at 10,000lbs working load.

 

[imiceman44]

I put big wooden blocks under the frame then strap the body down to the trailer, no bounce or movement.
I used to strab the axles before but on some vehicles with soft suspension there was a lot of movement and it bothered me.
I tried a long time ago without the blocks and I lost the front strap, luckily I put both the parking brake and the transmission in park.

 

[Chickntrk]

I guess it depends how flexy the suspension is but if you drive it thousands of miles the suspension bounces on bumps, if you trailer it thousands of miles the suspension bounces on bumps….don’t the shocks do the same amount of work either way?

 

[sweetk30]

I am not sure I want 5000pds+ of square rocking my shocks for thousands of miles.
I don't mean change the tie down points, I am thinking compressing the suspension with other straps. Or may the winch.

Its no different than driving it down the road . . And prob less as some will be absorbed by the trailer suspension and tires .

 

[obijuank5]

I’d like some critique here also. This is how I do the chains. To pull the axles away from each other essentially. Over the pinion and under the tubes for the rear. I’m getting a better trailer with better toe downs for the blazer so I’d probably re-evaluate the best way after that’s done.

 

[imiceman44]

I’d like some critique here also. This is how I do the chains. To pull the axles away from each other essentially. Over the pinion and under the tubes for the rear. I’m getting a better trailer with better toe downs for the blazer so I’d probably re-evaluate the best way after that’s done.

View attachment 443298

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That's how I used to it.
Works great.
I like chains better for long trips too

 

[RaisedK5]

Kinda hard to see because I had to zoom in and the straps are black but in addition to the U-Haul wheel straps over the axels I strapped the axels to the trailer as best I could. Didn't move at all in 3500 miles from Long Beach to east coast Canada. With lots of crappy roads and idiot drivers along the way.

 

[kennyw]

I’d like some critique here also. This is how I do the chains. To pull the axles away from each other essentially. Over the pinion and under the tubes for the rear. I’m getting a better trailer with better toe downs for the blazer so I’d probably re-evaluate the best way after that’s done.

When I chain down a solid front axle, I go over the springs in front but not over the shock mount. I do about the same as you in the rear. I have found this is the best way to avoid anything fragile and it controls the load well side to side. I also do something similar on the 2wd squarebody trucks through the lower A arms.

 

[kennyw]

I have done just about every method for tying down vehicles. For anything with stock suspension, securing the axles or tires is the best control of the load and you leave the suspension free to work the way it should.

8 point tire tie downs the most common used on tow trucks and auto transports as long as you have many points to secure to.

I have 4 point tire straps for lighter weight cars like the VW beetle that work well with the car in park and parking brake set but they require extra caution.


For bigger cars like the Impala, four axle straps (with strap protectors) to axle or suspension going into four 15-foot straps at each corner.



For Squarebody trucks and similar, two chains to the axles or front suspension. Carefully located on the front suspension to control side movement without damage to anything fragile.

 

[Chickntrk]

I’d like some critique here also. This is how I do the chains. To pull the axles away from each other essentially. Over the pinion and under the tubes for the rear. I’m getting a better trailer with better toe downs for the blazer so I’d probably re-evaluate the best way after that’s done.

View attachment 443298

View attachment 443299

This is how I did my rear axle on the uhaul trailer I took to blazer bash because it wasn’t long enough to go to the corners, seemed to work well…I did two straps though one over the tube to the left of the diff and one over the tube to the left side.

 

[sweetk30]

If ever on a flat deck and its slickl like snow or ice . . . Cross secure atleast 1 end to keep it from sliding across the deck on you . .

As a ex tow guy in the snow belt i know . .