Tie down of car in or on trailer

[Grady]

I've done the search of this site and need to know how to best 'tie down' the car while being on a trailer. I've talked with Paul at Olthoff and was told they use the lower control arms most of the time, and sometimes the sway bar. I'm looking for a 4-point way to secure the car. My trailer is an open 16' unit that has two large rails to drive the car on. So I can get under the trailer center easily. And yes, I can also drive it home, but only one car at a time. I guess my wife will find out soon enough I've bought another car this year (3), no need to ask to blow a day a drive a car back from Olthoffs.
regards
Grady

 

[chuck smith]

Grady, I use the arms also, crossing over left to right, ect.

 

[Ian Anderson]

Most people that I know have / use this type of strap
http://www.autohaulersupply.com/ind...073&prevaction=category&previd=57&prevstart=0

It holds the wheel in place and allows the car to move on it's suspension

The other way I have seen done is
load the car
let down the tyres
Put a strap through each wheel one side to the other onto U bolt on trailer
Re inflate ture to tension
The car will NEVER move!

Ian

 

[David Morton]

Axle/wheel straps combined with 50mm/2 inch ratchet strap on two front wheels and tied down so it cant move. Then two simple ratchet straps
passed through the rear wheels and pull/ratchet to nearly drum tight. This assumes the car is loaded rearwards. Tape the doors and door handles shut (and anything else you think ) -and no loose or fitted cover unless you want a repaint.

 

[Bill D]

I just had my GT40 towed home and the tow guy put the straps through the rims and then attached the 2" wide ratchet straps to them. The car didn't move and the suspension was allowed to move. I plan to do the same thing when I use my trailer

 

[Eric Johnson]

I've heard some thread the straps around the knock offs. Don't know how well it works...

 

[Fran Hall RCR]

When we ship our RCR kits as rollers in overseas containers, we always strap through the wheels.

We have yet to have any issues...touch wood.

 

[Grady]

Chuck, Ian, David, Bill, Eric and Fran
Thanks for your help fellows. I'll take a look at the position of my D rings as I may have to weld some new ones to the rails/frame. I think through the wheel spokes with a second set across the control arms will be the way I try. I liked to use the rear axle on my Mustangs and crank it down tight, but not with this car. I haven't lost one yet....and yes 'touch wood'.
Thanks all again,
Grady

 

[Malcolm]

I strap around the knock offs and have done so for years without any problem. Quick and easy to do too. Only works on real knock off wheels though, do not use if you have dummy spinners! Straps over the tyres is the next simplest method IMO. But do them up properly tight is what I have learnt along the way. I have not been able to strap through the wheels as the brake discs have been in the way for feeding the strops or hooks through. But it sounds a good system to me. I have found that if you strap down via suspension arms and sometimes even the chassis, when the car moves up and down as you trailer along, the straps vary in tension which either over tightens them (rare) or worse, makes them loose. The counter argument is that you tigthen the car down so that it can't move up or down. Suspension arms are not designed to be tie down points about right now! Anyway thats what I have learnt from about 10,000 plus miles of towing my 40 and yes I know I should drive it more......

 

[RichardH]

I know it may be a moot point, but always load '40s on to trailers rear first. Having loaded mine the other way, the first time, and been dragged across 3 lanes of a motoway by the "tail wagging the dog" - not an experience I wish to renew.
For those in the UK - the M25 southern part - 19:00 on route to Le Mans 2 years ago. Not the best time and place :furious:.

 

[Grady]

I know it may be a moot point, but always load '40s on to trailers rear first. Having loaded mine the other way, the first time, and been dragged across 3 lanes of a motoway by the "tail wagging the dog" - not an experience I wish to renew.
For those in the UK - the M25 southern part - 19:00 on route to Le Mans 2 years ago. Not the best time and place :furious:.

Hi Richard,
I surmise the heavy end (axle) of the car should be between the trailer axles and hitch. Come to think about it, I've always towed only front engine autos. The trailer is a twin axle design (electric brakes) towed by a 3/4 ton extended cab Silverado 4x4 truck with towing package (& leveling). I guess the whole package would weigh 9,000 pounds rolling down the road. I've never had any problems with 'wagging', but see your point. My concern is with tire (tyre) blowouts. When driving in Scotland, my concern was being on the wrong side of the road or steeping off a curb!:shocked:
Good points
Thanks
Grady

 

[Mike Drew]

Yes, the centerline of the engine should be ahead of the centerline of the trailer axles to prevent disaster. This either means towing backwards (far from ideal unless it's an enclosed trailer), having a custom trailer whose axles are aft of where they would normally be, or having a long trailer, loading the car towards the front and having a bunch of extra trailer hanging out there.

Pantera guys face the same problems, with the additional factor that if the car is towed facing backwards on an open trailer occasionally the decklid will catch air, pop open, then flip up and over and smash the roof and windshield to bits--that's a $10,000-$15,000 mistake that more than one person has made. :shocked:

The nature of the GT40 bodywork makes the rear hatch relatively safe, but the doors and front bonnet are both vulnerable. Think hard before you put your car at risk....

 

[Tim Kay]

If anyone has a picture of tie strap around the spinner/knockoff I would like to see. Thanks.

 

[40 Bud]

My trailer loaded with the 40 tows great with it driven on front first. No tail waging or wandering and straight stops. If you look at the picture you will see that the twin axles are placed more toward the rear than "normal" trailers. The tire stop face is 96 inches from the trailers rear axle center line, The distance from the tire stop to the center line of the gtd40 rear axle is 105". I could move the tire stop several inches forward if it were necessary, but after towing with car in several different locations , this was found to be ideal.

 

[Grady]

If you can get your hands on the book below you will find several good shots of tie-downs over the spinners. It looks like that would do the job with a ratchet style belt tie-down.

http://www.amazon.com/Ford-that-Beat-Ferrari-History/

 

[Andrew East]

I thought I'd share some photos of the simple tie down system I made for my 40 trailer. The first photo is a sample of how the strapping goes over the tire and under the frame. Second shot shows the rear rail removed to allow the car to be positioned onto the trailer the final shot shows the car secured on the trailer. The advantages of this system is the car is positioned in the exactly same front to rear position because of the craddles for the tie downs\important for getting to balance correct for your trailer.

Andrew E

 

[Lucas van Altena]

Never put the car in gear, you ruin your engine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you have a handbrake put on,

I strap mine 4 wheels.

Regards,

Lucas

 

[Lucas van Altena]

P.s.

the car allways looking backwards on the trailor.

 

[Sandy]

When I got my car from Fran the trucking company used these nice rails that the run the length of the trailer then they had tie downs that went over the tires. I think this thread has the links and all the nice attachments for the rails that make it easy. no messing with my nice orange rims ;-)

http://www.gt40s.com/forum/race-track/21238-i-love-trailers.html#post185957

Sandy

 

[Randy V]

Through or over the wheels whenever possible - if I can't tie down there, I get the lower control arms as close to the wheel as possible..

Bottom line for me is to not bind the suspension as part of the tie-down process..

Andrew - I like your tie downs, but man they look like they would be a pain in the butt to hook up!