Fact or Fiction--Trailer tie downs

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swifter

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Guy's--Fact or fiction??? When tying down your car in the trailer for the ride too or from the track always tie down to the frame to keep suspension from moving and hence working your shocks and heating them up???????? Thanks Steve
 
Fiction, you can't tighten the straps enough to pull the car down to the point that the car won't move.
 
..when tying a bike down, you just the front shocks compressed a bit...
 
I use the tire loops to tie mine down. Tying it to the frame would still let the car bounce around and possibly loosen the strap.
 
I tie mine down at the rear axle with straps, this allows the rear suspension to move freely.
On the front, I use axle straps loop thru the K-member on both sides, It still has some movement.
Whether this is right or wrong IDK.
 
No kiddin, LOL. I've always tied to suspension, close to the tires. I was never fussy about fancy painted LCAs so I just used chains over the LCA and rear axle. I used to have a "little bend" in the brake tube to slip the chains under.

The one thing to be careful of using straps is that you don't cut them up. Much cheaper to scratch a little black paint than have a strap fail
 
grassy said:
..when tying a bike down, you just the front shocks compressed a bit...
Click to expand...

I use a fork brace when tying down my bike.
It goes between the tire and the under side of the fender where it mounts.
This way there is zero load on the fork spring and it tightens up solid when tied down.
 

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Ahhhh this is the racers forum hence the question, car doesn't go down the road it goes down the track . highly illegal to go down the road, read about this In Dave morgans chassis book and can't see how u can tie down a car without the suspension getting worked unless u install blocks to hold it.Thanks Steve
 
I tie down the rear end and K member. I guarantee you that a car the caliber of yours doesn't care where it's tied down, keep in mind you are not dealing with a pro mod. Don't over think it :thumb up:
 
The thought is that by tying down to the frame that you aren't putting the towed miles on the suspension. Tend to concur with the idea that you can't tie down tight enough to lock-out the suspension from moving. I think it's being over-thought.
 
On racecars I tie down the car so the suspension CAN work. That way I don't have to worry about breaking suspenion parts or beating the car to death. Most racecars have lightweight components SOMEWHERE in the suspension system & I'd rather contend with warm shock fluid than broken/bent parts. BTW, I've run tube chassised & stock-framed cars..........
 
I have a loop on my front K I run a chain through. On the rear I use ratchet straps around the rear axle. I also have smaller ratchet straps from the rear frame of the car straight down to the tie down points on the trailer. Those little straps take a beating. They will literally start bending the hooks. One other thing to consider..... there is alot of occilation at the rear of the trailer. If you've ever rode in the way back of a school bus you'll see first hand.
 
I think that I'd just not use those rear straps. Doesn't sound like they're doing anything for you and they may be working against you.

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If you've ever rode in the way back of a school bus you'll see first hand.
Click to expand...
OH YEAH! Used to get launched clear out of the seat in this one dip. It was awesome!
 
Between the time you park at the track and your first run the shocks have plenty of time to cool down.
 
was traveling through Maryland south and was approaching the bridge that goes over the Chesapeake. My buddy was driving this stint....i woke up and looked in the rear view and noticed the front end of my duster was moving up and down WAY to much as we drove up the bridge and over the expansion joints....
i told my buddy ...something is not right...pull over..he said...ON THE BRIDGE? i said..
take it easy then pull over ASAP
the front pumper had sawed through the front tie strap..the only thing keeping the car on the trailer was the park prong..
was using a borrowed trailer so my tie down routine and chain back up where not on hand...
i keep my chain back up with my race gear...now...
 
I'm kinda laughing at this thread right now as ive been transporting car all over the country for 17+ years now, ok if your talking about your old mopar muscle guess what ladies and gentleman, they have factory tie downs in the frame, thats how they've tied them down for years, some will have a circle hole that'll be double thick for this some will have an oval look that is thicker, now a days there are alot of manufactures going to wheel straps, which means exactly that its a wheel strap, works great, now with my experience with older muscle i strap all of them because 40 year old metal is thinny out over the years, your not going to hurt any suspension parts by letting it ride like if you was driving it, so with this said it a bunch of BS, shocks get hot ive never heard such a thing!!!!!!!!
 
You need to attend an off road race. Those shocks can get hot enough to cook the egg in the shell.

But I get the idea and I agree that shocks getting hot is not something to worry about since what they're supposed to do is convert motion energy into heat.
 
just use a loop around the LCA (outside of shock between spindle) and around the rear end. If your really worried cross front and rears.
 
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