irieman

I'm finally going to start tracking my corvettes (C6Z06 & GS) and I've spent the last couple of days researching old threads on how other owners are strapping down their corvettes. I was going to originally use the frame holes (jacking puck locations), but now that I've had a chance to see how much room I have from the frame holes to the tie-downs I'm now thinking about using the "through the wheel" method.

I'd like to hear from other owners that currently use this method and hear any good tips they'd like to pass along.

Anyone that previously used this method and stopped, because of negative effects please let me know, too.

I'd like to order some new MAC straps soon, so I hope to get as much feedback as possible to make a knowledgeable decision.

Thanks in advance.

StreetSpeed

I just started trailering my car as well, and use the Mac through the wheel straps. Works great. Only slight problem is that my car is so low that the front end air dam gets pinched by the strap from the very narrow angle to the D Hook. If you're **** about your car you may not like this. If you don't give a poop then it's not a problem.

The Macs tie downs are expensive, but worth it. Not all 10,000 lbs straps are created equal, as my dad learned when he bought the $14 Walmart versions to tow his 2010 Grandsport. I said "Dad, you really want to tow a $65,000 car with $14 straps?" Buckles are garbage, straps are chincy, etc. So he ordered the good ones after his first trip to Watkins Glen.

Not sure if the race car guys with the low front splitters can use the through the wheel method in the front. I'd like to hear what they do since I'll be going that route sooner or later.

Here's my rig:

AU N EGL

t-Hooks in the jacking puck holes

Bill Dearborn

Easiest way to do it. Also helps keep car from bouncing around so much on the trailer since when criss crossed across the car and pulled really tight the car actually drops down a little on the suspension. Factory uses over the wheel straps to hold cars on the carriers and frame shipping slots to pull the cars down so they don't bounce. I have a 16 ft trailer with a tire rack so the nose of the car is under the tire rack and I don't want the car bouncing. Using the shipping slots I have hit some big dips in the highway at 75 mph and the car barely bobbles up and down.

Bill

JerryTX

Know that I bought a former Porsche owners trailer so I back my car on the trailer. This helps with front splitter clearance since there is a beavertail. Also, some would say you should not cross strap the front wheels as it puts too much strain on the tie rods. That is debatable but I'm not getting into that here. So backed on, I cross the rears and go straight on for the front wheels. I had to buy special ratchets from TruckNTow HERE to allow me to clip right to the D Ring in order to have such a short run to the wheel.

irieman

Streetspeed...Thanks for the heads-up on the air dam rubbing issue. I am **** about my ride, so I think I'm going with the jacking puck locations. And I'm definitely staying away from the Wal-Mart straps...lol. FYI, rides and trailering setup!!!

irieman

I know its not recommended, but I use to cross the straps on my mustang and I plan on doing the same on my corvettes. It just felt more secure.

FASTFATBOY

Crossing straps in the rear will stop the car from moving laterally on the trailer if you hit a bad bump or woop-de-do.

RedLS1GTO

I use All-Grip T-hook straps as opposed to a separate hook/strap like I usually see. Works like a champ.



EDIT: 2nd down on this page.

http://www.all-grip.com/index.php?s=29&t=1

I just put it to the test a couple of weeks ago with not 1, but 2 pretty violent blowouts on the trailer and some crazy mountain roads. Car didn't budge.

Poor-sha

I use axle straps around the control arms. I use fixed length straps in the front and don't cross. In the rear I cross and use ratcheting straps.

RedLS1GTO

Only time I have ever had a car move on a trailer was when I had the rears crossed and the fronts not (about the only way I could get that particular car on the trailer).

With a pretty wild evasive maneuver that caused the trailer to do a bit of a tail whip, the front of the car slid over until the side of the car hit the fender and stopped it (about 2-3 inches)

Would it have done that with the fronts crossed as well? I'm not really sure, but the back of the car stayed right where it should be.

2 GTOs

T hooks and 10 k straps from cargo equiptment dot com (or something like that). I cross both front and rear.

AverageVetteNut

When I was trailering my Z allot the last 2 years, I was using the x pattern thru the control arms with axle straps. The car never budged on 1100 mile trip.

I've since switched to the t hook into the frame holes if for no other reason as I always worried about putting that kinda force into the control arms. More to the point, the bushings. I figured that ratcheting the car down and tightening 1st the front, then the rear would end up 'pulling' the a-arms in that direction and the car stays still. I had bushings that pushed out some and that and the bigger sticky tires on concrete contributed to that I'm sure.

I'm totally against tying the wheels down, as Bill said, you'll be allowing that car to still move and bounce, and that scares me when I see cars up north bouncing on a trailer tied down that way.