Chuck,
I haul my Buick Regal on a 25 ft flat be car trailer, I have 2 heavy duty
D-rings as my attachment points on the front of the car placed about 6
inches outside of the fenders and about even with the bumper. I use 10k
nylon ratch straps that I cut down to about 5 ft on the front. On the back
I have 2 flush mount swivle D-rings mounted about 2/3 the distance to the
back of the car, and outboard about 10 inches. I used 10k, 2 inch nylon
ratch straps here also. But I cross them over to attach to the opposite
frame rails on the car. This keeps the back end from walking on the
trailer.
I also installed some fold down metal wheel chocks on the front of my
trailer that I drive up against to position the car. It also helps keep the
car from sliding forward during hard braking.
Hope I could help.
Larry Zink
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chuck Rothfuss" <crothfuss@coastalnet.com>
To: <shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2000 8:12 PM
Subject: RE: Safety Chains
>
> List,
>
> I'm another big believer in crossed safety chains and have recently
> started using screw shut type connectors at the hitch ends after seeing
some
> cheap s-hooks straightened out. The hitch lubrication deal just requires
a
> little common sense. Obviously, if you grease up the ball and then drive
on
> the beach you might get enough sand in the hitch to create an abrasive
that
> will eat up the hitch and ball. For normal highway towing a regular
> cleaning and relubrication will keep the hitch much quieter and more
> pleasant to pull.
>
> Living right near the ocean I see lots of stupid stuff done with boat
> trailers, and thought these few cautions might save someone lotsa grief.
>
> With reciever hitches, do not attach the safety chains to the reciever
> end. (even if the manufacturer provided nice hooks there to hang them on)
> Attach them to the hitch itself. I saw a beautiful bass boat that made a
55
> MPH trip into the Croatan National Forest when the reciever came out of
the
> hitch. Worst part was that the safety chains and hitch were all still
> firmly attached to the front of the trailer when it made its' little
detour.
> After seeing that I'll never tow with a reciever hitch without a good
> quality, locking retaining pin for the reciever.
>
> Screw (U-haul) style hitches can cause BIG trouble if you don't pay
> attention when hitching up. I lost a 16' U-Haul not a mile from home
after
> my buddy hitched it up. It all looked good and the hitch was screwed down
> tight. Problem was that the hitch "foot", that's supposed to ride on the
> small part of the ball had been tightened down onto the 3/16" high flange
> around the base of the hitch. This flange just happened to be exactly the
> same diameter as the ball, and at the first good dip in the road I was
> testing both the safety chains and break-away brake system. Only damage
was
> a bunch of smashed lamp shades. Not near as bad as the damage a local
> fisherman did recently when he did exactly the same thing, but without
> attaching the safety chains! Launched his boat and trailer through 6 mail
> boxes, where the trailer stopped and the boat continued over the front of
> the trailer and up a telephone pole!!!
>
> While we're talking trailers, does anyone do anything special when
> securing their cars on trailers? Like a kinda fail-safe chain around a
> stout chassis member in case of an accident which might cause the car to
> break free of its' tie downs? I'm using 10,000 Lb rated nylon straps with
> attachments at all 4 corners. I've always been pretty comfortable with
this
> arrangement, but safety is samething that can always be improved
upon -like
> the cotter pin through the hitch idea. Good winter safety project.
>
> Chuck Rothfuss
> Long time solid axle 4 wheel car trailer puller
> Pole Cat Hollow, NC
>
>
>
> At 05:31 PM 11/29/2000 -0600, you wrote:
> >
> >> I always cross the chains as well. I learned this while in the
> >> Army
> >
> >Something I learned on my last trip...
> >
> >It is a good suggestion to drill the shaft of the ball and insert a
cotter
> >pin. Ideally, use a castellated (sp?) nut so that the cotter pin is
engaged
> >right from the start.
> >
> >The cotter pin is all that kept my ball on after it came loose! I
tightened
> >it up at the next stop, but crisis averted!
> >
> >Mark V.S. in Austin, TX
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