Help with trailer tie down
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Greenfield WI
Help with trailer tie down
Hello all, being one of the new guys on this block, I am picking up my first Corvette on Saturday. 
The question I have is, I am bringing it home on a trailer and need to know where the best place to attach tie downs to the car. FYI, it is a 1977, I have been reading lots of great information on this site and know someone will know and be able to help.
Thanks
The question I have is, I am bringing it home on a trailer and need to know where the best place to attach tie downs to the car. FYI, it is a 1977, I have been reading lots of great information on this site and know someone will know and be able to help.Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Hello all, being one of the new guys on this block, I am picking up my first Corvette on Saturday. The question I have is, I am bringing it home on a trailer and need to know where the best place to attach tie downs to the car. FYI, it is a 1977, I have been reading lots of great information on this site and know someone will know and be able to help.
Thanks
The question I have is, I am bringing it home on a trailer and need to know where the best place to attach tie downs to the car. FYI, it is a 1977, I have been reading lots of great information on this site and know someone will know and be able to help.Thanks
Is it something like a U-haul trailer? They come with front tire straps and a chain that you can wrap around the mount of the rear end to keep it from jumping over bumps.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
From: York PA
When mine was trailored in they used what looked like a hammock or a broken arm sling over each of the the (4) wheels. The loose ends were connected to adjustable straps that were secured on the trailor. They said they did it that way so no chains were used on the frame limiting their libility or damage to any under carrage metal.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Greenfield WI
I am getting the trailer from a friend and will be seeing it tonight. I was told it is open down the center with a sheild up front, but he did not say how the tie downs worked. I guess I will see more tonight, I wonder if I went to a rental place if they would have the tire hold downs to rent? I may have to wait and see it and then report back as too what kind of tie downs it has.
Thanks
Thanks
Terrorizing Orange Cones
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,572
Likes: 17
From: Northern CO
Welcome to the forum, C3badger. I hope you find this place as great as I did to source good data.
I have trailered a few cars over time; enough so I finally invested in an open trailer to move in-progress or dead ones around. Webbed straps over tires is one of the best methods and hooking T-bar type hooks to slots in the bottom of the cars frame is also safe. BTW, I like to cross my straps (X-pattern) to the trailers anchors, where applicable (rear, mostly). Check tension often; they may loosen during the ride.
I performed a search and you can click this link open to get a grip on the fundamentals of how others trailer their units around. It's not specific to a C3 yet most of the data is relevant. Check it out:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...railer+connect
I have trailered a few cars over time; enough so I finally invested in an open trailer to move in-progress or dead ones around. Webbed straps over tires is one of the best methods and hooking T-bar type hooks to slots in the bottom of the cars frame is also safe. BTW, I like to cross my straps (X-pattern) to the trailers anchors, where applicable (rear, mostly). Check tension often; they may loosen during the ride.
I performed a search and you can click this link open to get a grip on the fundamentals of how others trailer their units around. It's not specific to a C3 yet most of the data is relevant. Check it out:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...railer+connect
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
Just finished towing almost 2000mi each way from Ft Lauderdale to Duluth and back, went thru Madison, sort of near you.
Ended up on many back roads, thanks to my wife.
I like to use the 10000lb rated hooked straps on 4 corners and attach to the car using the t hooks on the frame. Much easier than the chains and binders of yesteryear,
This way you compress the suspension enough so that car on the trailer does not bounce at all. With straps attached to the suspension at the a frames and or with wheel straps, the car will move up and down on it's own suspension. With the condition of some of the roads up there, I wouldn't preferr that. Illinois roads being by far the worst.
Of course if it's a short trip and you shake it easy, almost any method will work
Take some duct tape with you and also some carpet and a razor knife just in case.
Also make sure you balance the car well on the trailer with just enough weight on the tongue. It might prevent some soiled shorts.
Below is a short trip and the carpet pieces come in handy here for the a frames.
Here is the best way I have found
Ended up on many back roads, thanks to my wife.
I like to use the 10000lb rated hooked straps on 4 corners and attach to the car using the t hooks on the frame. Much easier than the chains and binders of yesteryear,
This way you compress the suspension enough so that car on the trailer does not bounce at all. With straps attached to the suspension at the a frames and or with wheel straps, the car will move up and down on it's own suspension. With the condition of some of the roads up there, I wouldn't preferr that. Illinois roads being by far the worst.
Of course if it's a short trip and you shake it easy, almost any method will work
Take some duct tape with you and also some carpet and a razor knife just in case.
Also make sure you balance the car well on the trailer with just enough weight on the tongue. It might prevent some soiled shorts.
Below is a short trip and the carpet pieces come in handy here for the a frames.
Here is the best way I have found
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Greenfield WI
help with trailer tie down
Thank you very much for all the information, I knew that someone from here would have some good information. I did not expect with pictures and everything! I will look at the trailer tonight and see what he has and go and pick up some other straps and "T" hook if needed. I am lucky that I only need to go about 250 miles from northern Wisconsin to the MIlwaukee area.
I like it here already, I hope I can help somebody else down the line with something.
I like it here already, I hope I can help somebody else down the line with something.
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