strapping the car down

The front of the RX-7 has tie down points I use. The rears would be nice to use but they're literally at the back edge of the trailer. So I use the lower control arms at the axle and cross the straps. I've never really cared to hook up that way on the back but I really can't figure out a better one.
 
Crossing straps is a risky idea. if one of the cross straps loosens or fails, now the car will move to the remaining strap. Simple geometry will predict what happens next, and it's not good.

If the straps are pulled straight back, they have to lengthen to allow any other position of the car, so a failure isn't as big a deal.

The anal guys do both, of course.
 
Crossing also multiplies the load in the strap, could easily be two or three times the load depending on how steep the angle is.
 
The U-Haul trailers only secure the front tires and have a chain in the rear Has anyone been pulled over due to this set-up?

ddewhurst said:
***State law (not sure about Federal DOT) here requires FOUR load securement points.***

Good point, will look at state laws. I have thought about one chain front & one chain rear many times & said to myself, hmmmm. As I'm typing I remembered the time I was towing at black night to Blackhawk Farms, stoped by a state troper because the two chains from the trailer to the truck were sparking. He looked at the car tie down & said every thing else looked ok. Hmmmm:shrug: I'll add an extra locked chain just to make sure if either of the others let go the car stays on the trailer. Thanks ;)
Click to expand...
 
Textbook method: Cross the fronts and straight back on the rear.

Crossed fronts give you the side to side you should have and straight rears give you the strength under braking or in a crash.
 
Having straight straps in the front will allow the front to move sideways, due to the fact that the straps form a parallelogram. Crossed straps do not allow side to side movement.

Since the greatest shock to the tie-down system would be a front impact (tow vehicle and tralier), I want the strongest hold keeping the car from moving forward (acceleration forces are much smaller). I use chains in the rear, pre-set for length, and pull the car forward to its final position. I want the system to make the car and trailer as one, not the car bouncing on the bed of the trailer. Saves shocks, and provides better control of the mass of the trailer. Example is commercial car haulers...cinch the dam thing right down on its springs.

My opinion.

Bill
 
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I have recently changed my method a little..... I use one long 10000lb chain in the rear, I have 2 channels to run the chain threw, so if it ain't quite straight on the trailer, the will still have equal tension.... I also put some 1x2 chunks of wood on the trailer in a place that will let me know that its forward enough to hook up the chains, it keeps the car from rolling back also......
Front is like Keycom's, welded ratchets in line with tow hooks, there is only 2 straps to loose! I am thinking about running a safety chain in the front, just in case......
 
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