Author Topic: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.  (Read 15889 times)

VanTare

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #15 on: February 10, 2009, 08:56:51 PM »
fellows I really don't care the info I got from Lexus tells me to use wheel nets or axle straps and what I paid for this RX400 if they told me use super glue that would happen.I noticed there was no mention of disconnecting the 288 volt battery system. Not a problem for me anyway I tow a Jeep 4 down   


David

Offline Jriddle

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #16 on: February 10, 2009, 09:41:11 PM »
I like the frame idea best. You need to have enough tension to keep the car from bouncing. You can do damage to frame. If only holding wheels the springs are free let the car bounce. I would think this may not be very good if one were to hit very rough spot in the road. I'm not an expert but have hauled many cars on a flat bed. I try to stay away from the axle.

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Offline Sojourner

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #17 on: February 11, 2009, 03:45:09 AM »
Here's some advice from an old heavy haul driver, take it or leave it as you wish.

NEVER TIE DOWN THE VEHICLE BY THE WHEELS!

Sure, for a short run it might be OK, but the only way to actually secure your load is with straps or chains to the front and rear frame.
What happens when tieing down by the wheels is that you then have the wheels secured, but the vehicle is free to move up and down with it's suspension. If it moves up and down and fore and aft and side to side with the suspension, you are effectively moving the load around while going down the road.
If the load moves while going down the road, and you find yourself in a bad situation and need to swerve or stop suddenly, all of a sudden you can find yourself with the load being places you really don't want it... like plastered against the back of your bus, or worse, plastered upside down on top of another vehicle or person.

If you tie down using the frame holes and clevis or T or J hooks, the vehicle is held rigid and becomes part of the trailer it's loaded on.

Another tip: buy yourself some Transport grade 5/16" chains and some ratchet binders... much easier to use than ratchet straps.

Do it your way.

Dallas

Amen!

Just ask any race car hauler using trailer...they will tell you horror stories unless they never tie down only the wheels or axles. I am one of them that will tell you my experience. Back in the “Ultra Super Stock Alter” (front move 10” & rear 15” forward)(1965) drag racing days, we build a tandem trailer to haul a Dodge 426 Alum head hemi/automatic. We did anchor all axles and test run to 45 mph, when all of sudden it was going side to side knocking off trailer’s hub caps,,,flying down the road & ditches. I was sitting between the driver & a friend and seen the rear end of race car thorough the left driver window. That happen while we were trying to slow down to a stop but we had to keep driving but slower a little at a time until it calm down to stop.

We try (thought) every thing. We just had to drive under 45 mph to get to our “3 of 5 match” drag race event. Until one time coming home from the event, I was following behind the race car & trailer and saw what it was doing. The race body was waving or rocking side ways while trailer was going the opposite direction. So I pull over our truck driver to retie down via frame only. Wow, what a dream it made to relax…to be able to go at any speed and not even know that your pulling a trailer with a car on it.

Bottom-line…is ALWAYS tie down via vehicle’s frame…NEVER via axle or wheel.

The ONLY exception is when vehicle has at least 2 wheels on road…while it not totally on a trailer to cause double compound reaction via trailer frame/wheel/tires with another suspension equips vehicle.

FWIW

Sojourn for Christ, Gerald

BTW…it should be a law that no vehicle that is equips with suspension to haul on road unless the frame are ridged to hauler’s frame. It may already has a law.
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Offline johns4104s

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #18 on: February 11, 2009, 04:47:37 AM »
Dallas.

Those J hooks look like they would save me time and from having to get underneath the car. Where do I get them?
Thx

John

Offline jjrbus

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #19 on: February 11, 2009, 04:55:34 AM »
 We hauled many auto's on the railroad. Big trucks, tiny econo box's. All strapped down by the frame. I was not on the buckling down end just observed the operation.  IIRC there was not a large collection of tie downs on the railcars. The strapping down of releasing of cars was a quick and efficient operation. Over the years I am sure I observed over a million cars shipped and only one time did I see one come loose. This includes derailments with rail cars scattered around the countryside!!
 It seems that all the manufactures must use a universal mount to ship cars. The hole in this theory is that each individual auto maker owns the railcars there autos are shipped on, which I doubt.
 If I wanted to strap down an auto, me thinks I would look at a train or auto carrier and see where they were putting the hooks and what they were using. Then simply copy and modify their system to suit my needs.
 One thing I have learned over the years from the gentlemen on this board is just because a big, well credentialed, impressive, brand name organization tells you to do something does not mean they know what they are talking about  :o
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Offline JackConrad

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #20 on: February 11, 2009, 05:47:30 AM »
     
    They make small metal hooks that are designed to hook into the holes in the frame of vehicles near each corner.  Ask a roll-off wrecker driver to show you how he ties down a vehicle.  Jack
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cody

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #21 on: February 11, 2009, 07:55:52 AM »
My mother had a lexus that my brother has now that she is in a nursing home, no idea what model or year, my guess would be about a 2004, it has loops on the back and front of the frame, the book calls those tow loops and says to use them for towing or securing for transport, no mention of the tire straps, only the tow loops.  This is according to my brother, I called and asked him to see what the book says, didn't think to ask what model or year but here is a link to the towing manual for a lexus, it specifies the towing loops,,, http://partner.aaa.biz/portal/binary/com.epicentric.contentmanagement.servlet.ContentDeliveryServlet/AAABiz/auto/files/rx400h_guide.pdf


Offline kyle4501

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #23 on: February 11, 2009, 09:48:02 AM »
Interesting comments here.
I have observed many vehicles being towed.
I have seen cars that were simply driven on the trailer & put in park. No park brake, no chains, nothing except the transmission in park!  :o
I have seen lots of loose chains that were initially attached to the frame. I've seen lots of damaged frames from loose chains too.
I have seen those little factory tow hooks ripped off.
However, I have never seen an axle or wheel ripped out from under a car because of how it was tied to a trailer. But, I'm sure it could be done . . . .

If the trailer has no suspension, then tying down the car by the wheels will allow the car's suspension to help. (this assumes the car's suspension is in good condition & the shocks are working.)
If the trailer has a good suspension, then tie the car down by the frame is ok provided you take enough travel out of the suspension so that the chains don't EVER go slack due to bouncing of the load.

I go a little overboard when I tie one down. I use at least 2 chains or straps in the front to make sure it doesn't roll off the back of the trailer. I use at least 2 chains in the back to make sure it can't hit me in the back of the head if traffic gets exciting.
I usually tie the front frame down (nearly to the suspension travel stops) & only the rear axle. This minimizes the bounce of the car on the trailer but allows the rear to give a little which reduces the stress on the attachment points.  8)


Another note, when towing a trailer, the higher center of mass shouldn't be taken lightly either. So driving with extra caution is part of the process.


FWIW, the hauler I use to take my derelict relics for rides always chains the wheels to the Landoll deck & allows the bus to follow its wheels. He's never lost a load, but then again, he's a specialized hauler that has had his own business for 25 years, so he probably doesn't know much yet. . .  ;)


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cody

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #24 on: February 11, 2009, 09:55:36 AM »
Whats up with this all, am I the only one with a decent roll of duct tape? lol

Offline kyle4501

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #25 on: February 11, 2009, 09:57:48 AM »
It is easier for me to reuse the chains.  ;D

Takes too long to roll the duct tape back up.  :(
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cody

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #26 on: February 11, 2009, 10:14:24 AM »
oh ok

Offline Dreamscape

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #27 on: February 11, 2009, 12:28:56 PM »
I think Dallas has it correct!

Many years ago when I moved from Arizona to North Carolina I used a car hauler trailer and strapped the wheels down. Very Big Mistake! With all the bouncing up and down it ruined the front wheel drive axles. Of course this was probably due to the fact it was pretty worn anyway, I would never do it again that way.

Suck the frame down and you're good to go!

I hadn't thought of Duct Tape though! ;D

HTH John and Good Luck!

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Old4103

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #28 on: February 11, 2009, 01:16:56 PM »
http://www.awdirect.com/hooks/

Dallas.

Those J hooks look like they would save me time and from having to get underneath the car. Where do I get them?
Thx

John

Offline gus

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Re: Tying a vehical to a car hauler.
« Reply #29 on: February 11, 2009, 07:35:27 PM »
David,

It doesn't matter if a vehicle has a separate frame or a unibody, the point is to tie down the mass mounted on the suspension so it doesn't bounce.

A unibody has a built in frame, it just isn't separate.
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