Listers,
Carl Mussen asked that I pass onto the list, the trailer towing tie down
suggestions which were sent to me. I have copied excerpts from them into the
following section FYI.
Also, I found several Internet sites which contain useful information on
this topic. They are
www.reesehitch.com and www.sstractor.com/trailer
Ken
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------
>From Brad Kahler:
I'm sure you remember my trailer and how I used the "wheel bonnets"
to tie down the front of the car with. I've used those now for over two
years and driven coast to coast with cars on the trailer with no ill
effects what so ever. I'm as happy with them now as I was when I
first got them. Cost was about $90 for the pair.
I have also found that its quite beneficial to tie down the back end of
the car so it can't "float" around while towing. I had trouble with some
cars bouncing because they are so light in the rear. I still use a
chain on the front end loosely wrapped around something on the car
and tied to the front of the trailer "just in case" something happens.
Better safe than sorry!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
>From Doug Ross:
If you have wire wheels w/knockoff hubs you can make a single wrap around
the
knockoff. Connect each end to a large, solid eye bolt, welded or bolted to
the trailer frame. This assumes the use of the web belt type tie down. We
used to use small chain covered with a piece of garden hose slid over it to
protect the wheels.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------
>From Brian Kemp:
I'll leave it to the more knowledgeable to tell you how to strap down the
car.
I will recommend that you stop after about an hour and check all the straps
to
make sure they are still snug.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------
>From Henry Frye
I vintage race a TR4, and towed my race car over 5000 miles in 2000. I've
seen all sorts of approaches to your problem.
The quickest, cleanest, easiest way is to use two what I think you are
referring to as wheel web tie downs, they are straps that go around the
circumference of the wheels. Many people use one on each front wheel, and a
safety chain to the rear axle.
Attaching to the rear axle of a street car will be a pain if you have a
solid bed trailer. If you are making a two rail trailer, you have decent
access. But, beware of brake lines, emergency cables, etc... I think that
one wheel strap on each of the four wheels is fine, but YMMV.
I use two axle straps in the rear of my race car, but not attached to the
axle. I attach to the rear leaf spring frame pickup point. Then, a
ratcheting tie down strap that goes over each trunnion holds the front and
tightens things down. I can do this because the race car is lowered
substantially, and the suspension is rather tight in the rear. I wouldn't
want to go that way on a street car, as the bouncing of the car's
suspension on the trailer would tend to stretch the straps.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------
>From John Macartney:
Listers will have many varied opinions - and all of them sound in a variety
of ways. This
is how I tow a Triumph (or any other car) on a trailer and it closely
follows how they
were transported from the factory on trucks to the docks for shipment.
Four spindle ratchets 2 x fore and 2 x aft with hooks attached to chains.
The chains wrap
around the front lower wishbones and rear axle tubes and then pass through
the eye of the
hook. Tighten the ratchet to take out all chain slack but not enough to
distort items
already mentioned. You could have small eyes for the hooks welded to the
chassis itself
and while this may tread on the toes of those obsessed with 'originality' -
keeping your
TR firmly in position is far more important. Select first or reverse gear
and it's your
choice whether to engage the handbrake - or not. Finally, wide nylon straps,
each with
another adjustable integral ratchet go around each tyre. These types of
straps are often
used on trucks. In the UK, they cost about $15 each. You'll need to position
the car
carefully on the trailer before deciding where to finally mount the hooks at
either end of
the strap should be fitted. It's no good getting locating eyes sorted out
for the straps
if the point of balance with the car on the trailer is wrong. Aim for about
130 - 150lbs
trailer nose weight on the pulling car's towball and a good solid jocket
wheel to easily
cope with that load.
|