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I have just bought my 3rd C4. I will be picking it up with my enclosed trailer. I was wondering if this type of tiedown strap will fit through a stock 94 non-ZR1 wheel? it looks like it will. Any other hints to Tie it down for a 6hr trip?
I have always used the T hook fittings in the frame rails to secure any car on a trailer. YMMV.
Ditto. You don't really have to use the actual T-hooks if you can't find them easily/quickly. I used quick-links (I forget the size) through the holes in front and rear. You might be able to use anchor shackles, too. The two big advantages are that you prevent the chassis from moving around while towing this way, and you don't risk any marks on the wheels. This is how the factory ties the cars down for transport, so it seems like the best way to do it.
Ditto. You don't really have to use the actual T-hooks if you can't find them easily/quickly. I used quick-links (I forget the size) through the holes in front and rear. You might be able to use anchor shackles, too. The two big advantages are that you prevent the chassis from moving around while towing this way, and you don't risk any marks on the wheels. This is how the factory ties the cars down for transport, so it seems like the best way to do it.
I think this is the biggest benefit of doing it this way, otherwise you not only have the suspension of the trailer moving around, but that of the car as well. I used to drive a flatbed in my younger days, we never used wheel straps.
The factory tie points are intended to be used with commercial auto transport equipment or railroad auto-racks that have winches positioned directly below the frame tie down points. the intended trajectory is straight down. Most hobbyist trailers don't have suitable anchors for use with the frame tie downs.
Any of you guys advocating the use of the factory frame tie-points tell me this: In the pics above (they are both the same trailer, different cars),How do you get the strap from the frame tie point to the ring on the trailer? The tire is in the way of the straight-line trajectory. (I don't see rings on the trailer in a position where a trajectory from the frame tie point is possible). How can the guy with the trailer above use the frame tie downs unless he adds rings directly in front and to the rear of the frame tie points?
Having trailered my C4s about 50,000 miles over 15 years without so much as a scratch, I like the wheel straps for the trailer pictured. The only thing I see is that the wheel straps induce side loading on the steering rack (fronts) and the toe link (rear). While not ideal, this is probably not a big deal. For an open trailer, it looks pretty good to me. BWTFDIK.
I have an enclosed trailer. Because of my yard storage limitations, it is only a 96" wide trailer. The fenders are inside the box, about 5" above floor level. It is pretty much impossible to access the frame tie points with the car in the trailer, because it is impossible to lay beside it and reach the points. I'm a little guy and I can't do it.
Three guys here have said "use the frame tie points". Sure, it makes sense. But I'm curious. How many of you have actually used them successfully with a typical hobbyist trailer and equipment?
I do it each and every time I trailer anything. A wooden deck trailer is not ideal for auto transport, that is why you should have something like this.
Easy access from underneath to any frame tiedown point.
You didn't answer my question. How does the guy with the trailer in the pics use the frame tie points?
That is a nice trailer in your pic (obviously not your trailer), and ideal for auto work. It would be nice to have a perfect trailer for every task. But most of us can only own one trailer, mostly from being practical about storage. So the trailer we choose is a compromise. Most of the cars I haul must go in enclosed trailers. (They are not beaters or race cars). Much of my post was in regards to tieing-down to the frame points in an enclosed trailer. Very difficult if not impossible, with most equipment.
How does the guy without the right equipment do the job ? Ask him, as obviously I don't know.
I drive everything I own (that is the entire purpose of a car) so I can't comment on tiedowns in an enclosed trailer. I agree that it would be very difficult (if not impossible) to get under a car in one, but maybe attach the T hooks while the car is outside the trailer and then use ratchet straps once inside.
The factory tie points are intended to be used with commercial auto transport equipment or railroad auto-racks that have winches positioned directly below the frame tie down points. The intended trajectory is straight down. Most hobbyist trailers don't have suitable anchors for use with the frame tie downs.
I really don't see any reason that the factory tie-down points have to be secured with a straight-down anchor point. They definitely do have to be tied down in a way that keeps the straps from touching anything else (see below). But if the argument is that we aren't using the factory tie-down points as the factory intended, then there is even less reason to use the wheels because the factory has no intention of the wheels being used to tie the car down at all.
Any of you guys advocating the use of the factory frame tie-points tell me this: In the pics above (they are both the same trailer, different cars),How do you get the strap from the frame tie point to the ring on the trailer? The tire is in the way of the straight-line trajectory. (I don't see rings on the trailer in a position where a trajectory from the frame tie point is possible). How can the guy with the trailer above use the frame tie downs unless he adds rings directly in front and to the rear of the frame tie points?
That's a fair point. On that trailer, it looks like wheel tie-downs are the best option for the reason you gave. But the factory points are pretty far inboard and so you can get a bigger angle than you'd think toward the outside. It might actually work on that trailer - only way to know is to try it.
It's been so long since I trailered my car that I can't recall details, and it wasn't my own trailer. But the trailer I used had front D-rings near the edges but not quite as far out. It allowed the use of the factory points without the straps touching the wheels. In the rear, the tie-downs I used had hooks that attached to the outside trailer frame edges. I think I crossed the straps so that one attached to the left point on the car and the right trailer edge, and the other vice-versa. This obviously keeps the straps away from the tires.
I'm not saying you can't use the wheels. I'm just saying it's preferable to use the frame points if you can.
In the pics above (they are both the same trailer, different cars),How do you get the strap from the frame tie point to the ring on the trailer? The tire is in the way of the straight-line trajectory. (I don't see rings on the trailer in a position where a trajectory from the frame tie point is possible). How can the guy with the trailer above use the frame tie downs unless he adds rings directly in front and to the rear of the frame tie points?
I really don't see any reason that the factory tie-down points have to be secured with a straight-down anchor point. They definitely do have to be tied down in a way that keeps the straps from touching anything else (see below). But if the argument is that we aren't using the factory tie-down points as the factory intended, then there is even less reason to use the wheels because the factory has no intention of the wheels being used to tie the car down at all.
totally.
I highly doubt the cars are shipped, tied "straight down". That isn't going to be an optimal way to mitigate fore and aft movement of the car!
Originally Posted by MatthewMiller
I'm just saying it's preferable to use the frame points if you can.
Again, It's the way to prevent movement of the car's body, in transit.
I bought my trailer before I retired from active duty so its not the top of line, but my technique is 100% safe. If you question how I'm strapping just look at a U-Haul auto transport, they strap just the front wheels and use a safety chain on the back. Ideally, you would want to compress the suspension to reduce sprung mass. Unfortunately, with most non commercial trailers you just can't do that with low cars.
Don't question his genius, somehow he thinks he knows what equipment I own and how often I use it even though he has never met me. Obviously he is smarter than everyone here.
Here is what i do. I use the t-hooks in the factory tie down locations. The front i have no issues with. The rears, because of the locations of the anchor points on the trailer, I have to cross the straps. I ran without crossing for quite a while, but that put pressure on the shocks and popped the bottom of the shock off of the bushing (pics below show not crossed). If my anchor points were 8-10 inches inboard than where they are now, I could run them straight like shown in pics.
My dad has an enclosed trailer to tow his 90 ZR-1. He uses the through the wheel method in the rear. He uses a strap around the sway bar to tie down the front.
Rear tie down point
Front tie down point
Shock popped off of bushing. Pressure from straps pushed on the shock. I got the bushing back into the shock and then used some large washers to try to prevent this from happening in future.
Trailering a C4
totally.
