Tie Down Techniques

[Chad E532]

The recent post about broken Cal Tracs shock brackets had me thinking about different ways to tie down the car in the trailer.
On my 77 Camaro I typically loop an axle strap over the front subframe just behind the body mounts and use ratchet straps to tie down the front. On the rear I previously used the factory hole that the transport would have used in the rear frame rails but now the sub-frame connectors cover this hole up on each side. So more recently I have been looping an axle strap around the leaf spring just in front of the rear end on each side and then criss-crossing the rear straps to the floor. I would rather tie onto the frame in the rear but I do not see any really good tie down points.

How are you other guys tying down your cars to minimize suspension movement in the trailer?

Thanks,
Chad

[mannymen]

I thought about welding U hooks to each side of the rear subframe and then just ratcheting them to the rear D rings. This would hopefully reduce the rear suspension from moving up and down. I already have a u hook on the front subframe to minimize movement of the front shocks.

[Ed Fernandez]

Besides using the cross straps front and back I put a block of wood under the engine cross member and use a HD 1" wide ratchet tie down over the energy absorb bumper tubes secured by e track on the trailer floor.In the back same thing with the tie down and two jack stands on the frame.The car doesn't move at all.

[Chris DeGidio]

I use a pair of tiedown brackets from a Ford Taurus,and I bolted them to the subframe area on the rear of my car and also at the front bumper brackets.I use surplus military aircraft tiedowns with chain from the car to the trailer.The Ford brackets have an area that takes a chain hook,and they are real strong.

[njk53]

We wrap the tie down strap in between the inner ends of the lower control arm. In the rear we go around the rear axle outward of the center section. We also criss cross the rachet straps to equalize the load.

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[Bob Bender]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Besides using the cross straps front and back I put a block of wood under the engine cross member and use a HD 1" wide ratchet tie down over the energy absorb bumper tubes secured by e track on the trailer floor.In the back same thing with the tie down and two jack stands on the frame.The car doesn't move at all.

WOW !!!!!!!! ED it would take me a week to do that with my car ....

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by Bob Bender

WOW !!!!!!!! ED it would take me a week to do that with my car ....

Not really Bob.Takes about 5 minutes more.Take a look out the mirrors at the car going down the highway.The shocks take a worse beating than on the track.I bet the car will tow better too.That's a Baluga whale you have back there.

[rodrocket]

i will be strapping mine down with straps around the front tyres & cross over the tie straps in the rear to stop the car moveing sideways in the trailer

now if i can find some of them inflatable chassis stabilizers cheap to slide under the rear i will be set

regards
rod

[Bobby DiDomenico]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Not really Bob.Takes about 5 minutes more.Take a look out the mirrors at the car going down the highway.The shocks take a worse beating than on the track.I bet the car will tow better too.That's a Baluga whale you have back there.

Ed,
You are correct, the car takes way more abuse in the trailer on our fine highway system than on the track.
(Unless you brake a wheelie bar, then slam the front end down. Another advantage to having a slow car!)

We used to do design work for the Army and they had some very exacting trailer standards, and one was crisscrossing the straps to prevent shifting of the load followed by securing the load vertically from bouncing. Then there was the angle of departure thing for the rear so you didn't get stuck on a hill...