Procedure For Strapping Car in Trailer

[DKO]

I bought a 2006 Scion Xb to pull behind the bus. It's a neat little rig with plenty of room inside and great gas mileage.

It will be riding inside my trailer this summer with the first trip in two days. Any hints on the proper procedure for strapping it down?

I am planning to use heavy duty truckers ratchets. 

Should the manual transmission be in first gear?

Should the emergency brake be on?

Should I crank the ratchets as tight as I can get them?

Thanks in advance for your help. 

DKO

[chev49]

i haul cars/etc, every week with trailers and tow dollies.. i always put the brake on, etc and cinch them down good, drive a bit and recheck, then most of the time never recheck cause i normally haul less than 200mi.  the genuine heavy duty truck rachet straps are fine.. just dont use the harbor freight ones...
you want at least 3 points of contact.  i use 4 almost all the time, and frequently 5 if i count the winch still hooked up.
and on the equipment trailer i use chains, chain binders and the winch as an extra pull against the front.

i dont think it would also hurt to have permanent ft wheel chocks and a couple of rubber ones behind the back wheels.

i am assuming that your tie down points are solid ones....

just my experience.. esp about once using the bigger harbor freight rachet straps.... what junk...

[bevans6]

I try to strap to the suspension so that the car itself is riding free on it's springs.  Straps over the wheels is optimum - trailers are usually not set up for that.  I'll often run the straps through the wheels if there are spoked type wheels.  Strapping diagonally helps keep the car where you set it.  I always set the brake on, and leave it in gear.

Brian

[Tikvah]

Remember, it needs to be held back (kept from moving forward), more than it needs to be held forward (kept from moving back).  In a panic you can stop pretty hard, but you can only pull away just so much.

I usually use one in the front, two in the back.  Keep it in gear with the brake on.  I like the idea of the block.  Even a 2x4 screwed to the floor in front of the front tires.  That also helps park the car in the exact same position every time.

As was said before, strap to the wheels or axles (avoid damage to brake lines), let the body alone. 

Have fun - those are cute cars

Dave

[DKO]

Thanks for the help.  I know permanent wheel chocks for the front wheels would be ideal. Or I would use the wheel straps but the attachments in the trailer are placed wrong for that.

The back of the car has two brackets underneath that look like they are made specifically to hook on to. The front is a different story. Everything in the front is covered and inaccessible. I will have to improvise there.

Funny or tragic that you should mention Habor Frieght (Affectionately refered to as "China Frieght" in our family) straps. I bought four of the biggest they carry because they were recommended to me by a friend who hauls cars on a weekly basis. Maybe I can get by with these until I can do better since the Scion is less than 2500lbs. You think?

Also if it makes any difference the trailer floor is diamond plate.

Thank again, gentlemen.

DKO

[TomC]

I hauled many a car in the back of my moving van over the years.  This is what I learned- You should block the tires, or make permanent tire rails to keep the car from moving side to side.  Use either an aluminum shoring bar in the E tracks, or build a front tire block to keep the car from moving forward.  I had four car straps that have a combination of four different shaped hooks that are made to hook into the chassis of the car.  BUT- new cars now don't have those tie down slots since their "chassis" are so thinly made, the hooks many times pulled out of the chassis leaving damage (especially on small cars).  The procedure now is to tie the wheels down.  They make wheel straps that go over the wheels to either wall or floor hooks or E tracks.

So-make tire guides to keep the car from moving side to side; Have front tire chocks to keep the car moving forward; tie down the wheels only; AND allow at least 6" around the car clearance, especially near the windshield (don't ask how I know this) for the car to bounce and rock but not roll.  Good Luck, TomC

[Busnut83]

Nice pics,,,  Just wondering what your trailer looks like??? How many axles,,, ramp or door??? I am dreaming of how and what kind of toad to buy???

[Uglydog56]

The rule of thumb I have always heard was if your trailer has springs, tie down the body.  If the trailer is solid axles, strap down the wheels.  I personally do not chock the wheels if tying to the body - I have seen it affect the alignment.  If I know I'm going to be trailering a car semi-regularly, I bolt or weld plates on the frame on each corner with a hook hanging down discreetly to distribute the load - I have even ripped the factory tow hook hole on my 56, which is fairly heavy duty as frames go. I don't have to crawl under a car in the mud at night with the wind/rain blowing sideways that way either.  I use pre cut-and-measured chains in the back - hook them and inch forward until they are tight.  Then hook up the tiedown ratchet straps in front and cinch it down.   Braking is when you need the big strength in your restraints.  Maybe Don Fairchild needs super heavy straps in the front, but the rest of us not as much.

[DKO]

Nice pics,,,  Just wondering what your trailer looks like??? How many axles,,, ramp or door??? I am dreaming of how and what kind of toad to buy???

My trailer would be super overkill for just my little car. It's a 1996 24' Featherlite double stack. It has three axles a back door ramp and a side ramp with a man door in it as well.  I use it in the summer to haul a 48x70 tent, 200 chairs and all the things I need for tent revivals. The rest of the year I only pull the car four wheels down.

Davy

[Busted Knuckle]

DKO nice rig very nice indeed! Now the car does need some blue & white graphics to make it match the trailer & the bus though!
  BK 

[DKO]

The bad thing is that the trailer and the bus do not match at all. When I tow the car only it does match the green stripe on the bus pretty close.

DKO