Tying a vehical to a car hauler.

[johns4104s]

Getting serious about spending time on the road, not really knowing which car I will end up with, I bought a open flat 20 ft car hauler. I have seen many ways of strapping a car on a trailer. The last time I set out I attached two straps to the front axle and two to the back, it was a pain lying under the car to reach the axle, same when we got to take the car off.
I was fueling at the Flying J and noticed a car strapped to the trailer from each wheel. They ran the strap though the wheel openings and tied them of to the eye hooks at each corner, Each wheel had its own strap. all tied down independently. Sure looked easier than getting underneath and looked safe. I did not get a chance to talk to the guy I only noticed this while he was driving off.

What do you guys think?

John

[VanTare]

Buy over the tire straps from u haul or camping world install flush mount anchors loops in the trailer simple cost about 300 for the set 

Check out Rjay or Summit racing their prices are a lot better than the 2 above  www.rjays.com
David

[Airbag]

Just be careful not to put to much pull on the wheels for you might hurt the upper ball joints or bend some dust deflectors for the brakes. Once you do it a couple of times you will find a groove. FWIW

[Old4103]

Here's some advice from an old heavy haul driver, take it or leave it as you wish.

NEVER TIE DOWN THE VEHICLE BY THE WHEELS!

Sure, for a short run it might be OK, but the only way to actually secure your load is with straps or chains to the front and rear frame.
What happens when tieing down by the wheels is that you then have the wheels secured, but the vehicle is free to move up and down with it's suspension. If it moves up and down and fore and aft and side to side with the suspension, you are effectively moving the load around while going down the road.
If the load moves while going down the road, and you find yourself in a bad situation and need to swerve or stop suddenly, all of a sudden you can find yourself with the load being places you really don't want it... like plastered against the back of your bus, or worse, plastered upside down on top of another vehicle or person.

If you tie down using the frame holes and clevis or T or J hooks, the vehicle is held rigid and becomes part of the trailer it's loaded on.

Another tip: buy yourself some Transport grade 5/16" chains and some ratchet binders... much easier to use than ratchet straps.

Do it your way.

Dallas

[cody]

I guess duct tape is out then too lol.

[VanTare]

Sorry old4103 but I have to disagree with you about the tie to frame all manufactures recommend the wheel nets or axle straps never to the frame.My manual recommends wheel nets for Lexus     


David

[Old4103]

I'm so sorry that you are sorry David,

However, those same Lexus's or is it Lexii? that you speak of are never tied by the wheel when transported on the (Professional new) car hauler or in the rail car. For exactly the reason I mentioned.

I've driven over 3 million miles as a professional driver, most of it hauling over sized loads, vehicles, heavy equipment and other stuff you don't want to have come loose.
I've never lost a load, and I've never had one damaged. The reason is, because I properly secured the load in the first place.

No matter what you owners manual states... when the vehicle leaves the manufacturer, it is tied down by the frame, not by the wheels.

Just for fun, put your Lexus on a flat bed trailer and tie it down with the wheel straps. Now hook it to your bus and go down the road as fast as you can, then lock up the brakes, while turning the wheel as if in a emergency swerve to miss another object.
Now, if the car is still there, try the same move with the vehicle chained down by the frame. You will find that you have as much control over the trailer as if the car were a solid part of the trailer as opposed to swinging to and fro from the G-forces acting on the suspension.

However, do it your way.

Mine is not to change your mind, it is only to observe and report.

Dallas

[gus]

I have to agree with Dallas. I've hauled a bunch of antique trucks and tractors many miles and never tied down by the wheels.

I suppose if you chocked the wheels very securely that would help but you still have the vehicle moving around on its suspension.

With the frame secured the vehicle will not move no matter what but the binders need to be tight.

[johns4104s]

Thank you for the input. I have a lot of straps I will check on the racing site for axle straps.

John

[VanTare]

Gus you are not hauling trucks, tractors and equipment this a auto without a frame take a good look at the commercial car haulers tie downs check out the railroads tie downs and if the chance ever comes look at shipping co tie downs these outfits don't even know what a chain and binder looks like  


David

[Old4103]

I beg to differ, commercial car haulers DO use chains, either with T-hooks or J-hooks, depending on the application, I've driven many a 11 car transit unit.
Whether the car has a frame or is a unibody construction has nothing to do with how it is tied down. If you will look under the front end of your Lexus, you will see a hole in each of the frame horns where the hooks are attached. (We aren't talking about the standard chain hook here, but a specialized hook built to be easily attached and removed, and to cause no damage.
You will also find a set of holes in the rear to do the same thing.

Railroads, and Shipping companies, IIRC use chains or straps hooked into a ratchet which is attached to the vehicle the same way as the Auto transport does.

The only time I've ever sen a commercial transport using a set of wheel straps is a recovery unit or a wrecker that is only moving a short distance.

Again, do as you please. It's your car and your life, and you are the only one who can say that you feel comfortable with that set up.

Dallas

[Paladin]

My pennies worth for whatever it buys is that I've hauled many cars from Model A's to muscle cars to my Lincoln Navigator on a flatbed though not commercially and I've used wheel straps, frame straps and also chained the frame. If I'm driving or if it's my car on the trailer I will only chain\strap my frame to the trailer as has been described for the same reasons. I once towed a car on a U-haul trailer using their wheel straps and after having to swerve around another car I swore I'd never do it that way again. I thought I would be ok with wheel straps for a little 50 mile jaunt bringing a new car home but...
Chain it or strap it to the frame and it won't flop around on you. I just like having it down solid against the deck, seems to just handle better all around.
I also learned to strap the back of even my little flat bottom boat every time too.....another story.

Of course, everyone has a preference and that's fine too, just not on my car or my trailer.

[WEC4104]

If I were going to repeatedly place the same vehicle on a trailer, I might look at adding something to the vehicle to make the tie down process easier.  My F150 has sturdy loops welded to the front frame.  I could easily envision tie down hooks welded to a tow hitch in the back.

[Old4103]

Here's a link to the recommended Lexus RX400 tie down method for transport:

http://partner.aaa.biz/portal/binary/com.epicentric.contentmanagement.servlet.ContentDeliveryServlet/AAABiz/auto/files/rx400h_guide.pdf

The GS 300 and GS 430, See pages 6 and 7
http://partner.aaa.biz/portal/binary/com.epicentric.contentmanagement.servlet.ContentDeliveryServlet/AAABiz/auto/files/lexusgs_guide.pdf





And a few photos of different hooks used to tie down vehicles for transport:

[NewbeeMC9]

 I vote with Dallas on this one,  the wheelnets I've seen/used are on tow dollies and not trailers.  The one i used was a solid axle with no suspension so the car suspension was active to the road

just my two sentse