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Lots of good posts on C2's, but few on how to lash down a stock C1 in an enclosed trailer. (Assume you could outfit the trailer any way you wanted.)
Wheel nets, tire straps, direct to the chassis or suspension, or? I need to go from MD to eastern TN, 500 miles. Any recommendations on a company that uses one or two car enclosed trailers for a trip like this also appreciated!
Lots of good posts on C2's, but few on how to lash down a stock C1 in an enclosed trailer. (Assume you could outfit the trailer any way you wanted.)
Wheel nets, tire straps, direct to the chassis or suspension, or? I need to go from MD to eastern TN, 500 miles. Any recommendations on a company that uses one or two car enclosed trailers for a trip like this also appreciated!
Thank you
I own an enclosed trailer and do transport my cars in them.
In doing so, I like to have all four wheels secured. And unfortunately, it's not easy! Especially so if the car is lowered.
I have the E-track down each side of the trailer where the wheels are directly over the top of them.
I secure each wheel with a net, with the exception of the front left wheel. There's just not too much room to operate up there. So I have just a strap over the top of that one.
All the others get a tire net and the straps are secured to anchors I have in the floor of the trailer. And I put a large metal plate under the floor of each anchor to ensure they can't be pulled through the floor.
Then after I have all four wheels & tires secured, I then take two additional straps at the rear of the car, and complete two directional straps. I wrap the rear axle with short axle straps, and then cross it over the rear anchor of the trailer. When completed the rear section looks like an "X" has been formed with the straps.
It may be a bit of an over-kill, but none of my cars have moved yet!
I've hauled cars for years, and what Pat said is great advice. Always less harsh on a vehicle to secure it by the wheels, rather than the frame. Secure all 4 wheels, and pull the straps tight. After you go 5-10 miles, re-check the load and re-tension as necessary, and you'll be good to go for the rest of the trip. (I like to inspect the load at every rest stop, though!)
My trailer is older with the D rings. I use a ratchet strap on each corner, two holding the front A arms and two around the axle on rear. Didn’t loosen or move an inch!
My trailer is older with the D rings. I use a ratchet strap on each corner, two holding the front A arms and two around the axle on rear. Didn’t loosen or move an inch!
Use the D-rings in the floor front and back also. But have two large rubber chocks dry wall
screwed into the floor for front wheels. Sudden stops are my biggest concern and the chocks relieve stopping loads on those back D-rings. Also really nice when pulling into trailer to place the car
for correct position and balance.
When you atrap a C1 car down cross your straps in the rear end like an X from right side of axle to left D ring in floor and from left side of axle to right D ring in floor. If you run toyr srtaps straight back the car could hop to one side or the other but if you cross the straps (X) it can not hop fro side to side. Go around your axle as close as you can to the center punkin of the rear axle when crossing the straps that way the straps will not slide on the rear axle. Cross the straps in the front also so the car will not hop (when hitting bumps in the road) just like you would cross the straps in the raear of the car. That is the safest way to strap down a C1 and any other car in a trailer or even on an open railer. Always cross X the straps. You will b eglad you did.
One thing I find handy for getting under lowered cars is to run the front tires up on some 2"X12" planks. Fortunately it isn't required on my MX-5, but for the Corvettes it is almost essential.
For the back, I try to criss-cross the straps to keep the car located sideways in the trailer. I watched once as a fellow competitor lowered the door on his trailer to find his car snug against one side of his trailer with resulting paint damage.
I also made up a check list, that I laminated and attached inside the side door to ensure I don't forget anything when loading the trailer for a trip or event. I use a grease pencil to √ off each item before I close the door. You can make one up easily specific to your situation.
I Rarely tow the 56, but when I do, I use a 16ft open trailer.
I usually tow a trailer with the 56.
I use two 10,000lb straps.
At the rear, I hook the end of a strap on the trailer frame, go over the axle housing, under the differential, back over the axle housing and hook the other end of the strap to the trailer frame.
On the front, I hook one end of the strap to the BACK SIDE of a lower A-frame (63-later A-frames are made differently and won't allow this method), go around and under the trailer tongue and back up and hook the other end of the strap to the other lower A-frame.
Tom, thank you. Do you use some sort of a U shaped clip to hook the front strap to the lower rear edge of the lower control arm? Could you also loop through the 'hole' on the lower control arm next to the lower pivot shaft?
Tom, thank you. Do you use some sort of a U shaped clip to hook the front strap to the lower rear edge of the lower control arm? Could you also loop through the 'hole' on the lower control arm next to the lower pivot shaft?
My straps have wide, flat hooks which easily hook over the top of the lower A-frame on 53-62 Corvettes. The lower A-frame of 63-later Corvettes is different and doesn't work the same.
Yes, it would certainly be possible to pass the end of the strap under and over the top of the lower A-frame, but the way I do it, it just works fine and is sooooooooooo easy to hook up.
Below are pictures of the hook on my straps and how it hooks over the top of the lower A-frame.
A person could certainly use 2 straps on the rear and on the front. I've never felt using a total of 4 straps is necessary. Also, I have ZERO issues with crossing the straps, I just never do it.
Below are pictures of how well my use of the straps work.
On the way to the 2012 Chevellabration event (national Chevelle event) in Nashville, a person of minority tapped the rear corner of my trailer, causing it to start weaving almost uncontrollably. This caused me to go into the cables in the median which then flung us (like a slingshot) all the way across 3 lanes of I-40 east of Memphis and into the ditch and bushes on the far right. I fought hard to maintain control, but did not quite save it. The Chevelle stayed put on the trailer, and I feel it was because I had it strapped down so securely.
Here is how we started up from home in Okla City, and ended up just east of Memphis. Believe it or not, the Tahoe was still driveable, the Chevelle had VERY MINIMAL damage and the cables in the median almost took out my little cargo trailer. All damage has since been repaired, but the Ins co totaled the Tahoe and we got a new one.
The car in the background of the third picture is the one which tagged my trailer (That's my son opening their door and checking on them---------------what a mistake, they were fine, but CLAIMED injuries--------------and hell, wouldn't you know it, my ins paid them!). HE HAD NO INSURANCE AND HIS CAR WAS REPOSSESSED 3wks LATER!!!
Bottom line, be sure your load is secured with over kill!!!
Wow, what a story and an awful experience! Sure glad you got out of there with minimal damage. Dealing with that jerk and all the insurance issues must have been a real hassle.
Thanks for the strap and lower control arm pics - very helpful.
Damn Tom....that's horrible! And the insurance companies keep paying these people off.
Of course...no big deal to them as they just pass the cost onto our premiums.
Unfortunately, the truth be told, it probably saves the insurance companies money in the long run (court costs, attorney costs, etc...) to just go ahead and pay them off.
Tom, it's amazing that you kept that train rubber side down. Glad nobody was seriously hurt. I could go on for hours about uninsured, irresponsible, ignorant drivers that do major damage and end up either unpunished or rewarded for their poor behavior. Sadly, our culture has degenerated to this point.
After securing the car, do you put it in gear and apply the parking brake?
An area of differing opinion seems to be whether to cross the straps, especially the rear. That seems logical, but many experienced people don't. The longer the straps, the less effective they would be in controlling sideways movement I would think, so maybe its better to cross short straps and run longer ones straight back.
After securing the car, do you put it in gear and apply the parking brake?
An area of differing opinion seems to be whether to cross the straps, especially the rear. That seems logical, but many experienced people don't. The longer the straps, the less effective they would be in controlling sideways movement I would think, so maybe its better to cross short straps and run longer ones straight back.
Thank you all for your very helpful responses!
Here is how I was informed MANY, MANY years ago about securing the driveline after the straps are fully tightened.
FIRST, connect the straps to the suspension/axle housing. The reason is so that the body/chassis are NOT stressed. Thus, the car itself is allowed to move around on it's own suspension as it goes down the road on the trailer, as opposed to taking the shocks and jolts that come up from the trailer.
Also, if the car has either a manual or auto tranny, put it in neutral---------and set the parking brake. The reason is so that back and forth drive line movements (NO MATTER HOW SLIGHT) transmitted from the rear wheels, to the differential, to the drive shaft, to the transmission, don't cause back and forth lashing of the gears (in a manual tranny) or the park pawl (in an auto tranny) as the car rocks on the trailer.
Is that right or wrong???????????????? I do not know----------------but that's how I do it on those very few times one of my cars gets put on a trailer.
Now, with all that said, when it's time to unload the car from the trailer, BEFORE releasing the straps-----------MAKE DAMN SURE THE CAR IS IN GEAR AND THE PARKING BRAKE SET TIGHT!!!!! In my lifetime, I've seen one car roll off of a trailer-------------with no ramps connected to the trailer-----------when the straps were released. It was truly an "aw crap" moment!
Some might suggest disconnecting the battery. This trailer burned on the inside 8 miles down the freeway from the Fairplex at Pomona while heading there for the Winternationals this year because some how the C3 Corvette on the lower level caught on fire from a short. There were two comp eliminator cars on the second deck that sustained heavy damage. The Corvette can be seen parked up front outside of the trailer on the far right.
The interior and under hood area of the Corvette were torched.
[QUOTE=GTOguy;1596813928]Tom, it's amazing that you kept that train rubber side down. Glad nobody was seriously hurt. I could go on for hours about uninsured, irresponsible, ignorant drivers that do major damage and end up either unpunished or rewarded for their poor behavior. Sadly, our culture has degenerated to this point.[/QUOTE
I agree, happens all the time around here. Most of the time it’s an illegal immigrant that has an accident and then just takes off running. Evidently Texas also passes out drivers licenses to anybody.
After securing the car, do you put it in gear and apply the parking brake?
An area of differing opinion seems to be whether to cross the straps, especially the rear. That seems logical, but many experienced people don't. The longer the straps, the less effective they would be in controlling sideways movement I would think, so maybe its better to cross short straps and run longer ones straight back.
Thank you all for your very helpful responses!
I probably didn't explain myself enough in my first response.
On the rear of the car, I use a total of four different straps.
One on each tire, secured to a top half tire net, and pulled (ratchets), straight back.
Then I use two more straps to make the "x". That's what I was referring to when I said it may be over-kill, but again, my cars haven't moved. Even when going up and over mountain roads, winding roads, and bumpy roads, they still haven't moved.
03-17-2018, 11:36 AM
Trailering a C1
