>I have a 16 foot open auto transport trailer. I use four 10000lb
>tiedowns and axle straps. Sometimes I'll also throw a chain around
>something just to be sure. I am new to the towing game, so I have
>had to figure out the best way to attach various vehicles.
>Recently, I have seen two articles about towing, one in Skinned
>Knuckles magazine and another in Auto Restorer, both September 2003
>issues. The Auto Restorer article author states "We use 3000 lb
>test rated tow straps to firmly secure the Charger to the trailer,
>one at the front of the car, the other at the rear". The Skinned
>Knuckles author states that he has 8" channels fastened to the floor
>next to the Right Front and Left Rear wheels. He uses a set of
>winter tire chains over the two wheels, attached at one end to a
>lateral steel rod through the channels and at the other end attached
>to another lateral rod with a come-a-long. I guess my question is,
>am I extremely cautious, or have these guys lost there minds? I
>can't imagine either of these approaches being terribly safe.
In the towing business, standard practice is four tie down points,
any one of which is rated sufficiently strong to hold the weight of
the vehicle. Wire ropes (as in the winch cable) don't count, so you
often have five. Standard procedure on a flatbed is to attach the
rear tie downs, winch the vehicle forward a bit to tighten them, put
the vehicle in gear or park and set the parking brake, level the bed,
and put the front tie downs on, usually using some sort of ratchet
binder to make sure they're tight. The sort of tie downs used depend
on the hauler and the vehicle, but include chains with R-hooks,
T-hooks, J-hooks, mini-J hooks, axle straps, and tire straps. Of
course, people sometimes cut corners.
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