[Mgs] MGB tie down

[Dodd, Kelvin]

Douglas:

This is my recommendation: FWIW

Using nylon axle straps is the best way to protect the car and the
ratchet straps.

On the front, pass the axle strap up through the gap between the a-arm
pan and the pivot bracket.

At the back, I pass the axle strap over the rear spring, in front of the
axle. This is well away from the brake lines which run across the back
of the axle at that point. My race car has rear tube shocks, so I don't
have to be too careful. With lever shocks, make sure that you pass the
strap between the axle and the link so you pull on the axle, not on the
shock link.

In my trailer, I don't cross the ratchet straps because the tie downs
are at the outer corners of the trailer. If the tie down points are
closer it's a good idea to cross strap as it locates the car better. Use
common sense, keeping the straps as short as feasible reduces the amount
of stretch.

Make sure you leave the car in neutral, so when the car moves the gears
are not damaged.


Don't let anyone help you strap the car down. Do it yourself and you
will be sure it's done correctly.



Kelvin


> -----Original Message-----
> From: mgs-bounces+doddk=mossmotors.com at autox.team.net
> [mailto:mgs-bounces+doddk=mossmotors.com at autox.team.net] On
> Behalf Of Douglas McKinnie
> Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 9:37 AM
> To: mgs at autox.team.net
> Subject: [Mgs] MGB tie down
>
> I've looked through the archives and don't find this:
>
> I'll be transporting my MGB-GT in a box-van. I've got a
> source for swivel floor-anchors that can take the angular
> pull with a 5/1 safety margin, but I'm wondering what I
> should use for tie-down points on the car itself. 4x4-ers
> like chains over the axles, but of course we don't have a
> front axle, and my car has the brake lines strapped tight to
> the front of the rear axle.
>
> My inclination is to use two poly roundslings or wire-rope
> slings for the rear axle, crossing them so that they stay
> near the diff (away from the brake
> lines) and also providing some restriction for side-to-side
> movement of the car. These will be shackled to the
> anchor-points and the car moved forward to take up the slack.
> Then I'm thinking snap-hook 2" ratchet straps to the
> front-a-arms. Do I wrap an axle-strap around the whole
> a-arm?, just run a chain through the a-arm somewhere?
>
> Thanks
> Douglas
> '70 MGB-GT