[Shop-talk] which tie down best for car hauler

[David Hillman]

On Sat, 14 Jul 2012, John Niolon wrote:
> the trailer has 4 tie downs welded in , one at each corner and side board
> anchors along each side, no rub rail.  wondering the best type of tie down to
> use with the truck...  I like ther wheel basket straps on each wheel.. seems
> it would secure it well but not pull down the suspension... which may or may
> not affect towing ???

    I know a lot of people prefer tieing down by the wheels, but I have 
never liked the idea of a ton plus of vehicle suspended and moving 
around on my trailer, in an emergency.  Everything I tow, mainly my 2000 
pound racecar and occasionally heavier ones for friends, gets strapped 
down by the tow-hooks on the car, tight, whenever possible.  A 3-series 
BMW I've moved a few times does not have attachment points on the chassis, 
so tieing to the wheels is the only option, and you can feel the 
difference.

    Last winter, I had to make an emergency lane change under hard braking 
at the crest of a rise, due to an incredibly stupid cabbie on the Tollway, 
and the trailer stayed right where it was supposed to be, behind my truck. 
Now, maybe that would've happened anyway, but this seems safest to me. 
Maybe it'll eventually wear out my shocks, but they have about 350,000 
miles on 'em now and dozens of tie-downs, so I'm okay with that.  Shocks, 
even expensive ones, are far cheaper than the potential expense of 
crashing into a stopped cab, a conversion van, and a 3rd vehicle on the 
shoulder.  YMMV.

    As as aside, if you are looking for straps, this company in Ohio makes 
very high quality pieces ( in Ohio, not China ).  I bought a set a couple 
years ago, and have been very pleased.

http://www.lodimetals.com/car-tie-downs

--
  David Hillman