On 8/21/06, Jim Juhas <james.f.juhas@snet.net> wrote:
>
> I just bought some new ones that are a variation of what I've seen lots
> of racers do. It is a single 2" wide strap of the usual material that
> has a ring sewn on to one end, the other being a plain end that can go
> in to a ratchet. The idea is to thread the strap through the wheel
> (easiest on minilites, hardest on wire wheels, workable on most stamped
> steel wheels) and then the end threads through the ring, making a loop
> with the wheel/tire in it. The plain end then inserts through the
> ratchet, which hooks to the floor mounted ring. Only one per tire, and
> seems to be very secure. I often run in to clearance issues with the
> axle straps, and I'm often loading or unloading in the dark. Theses
> tire straps seem to be a good alternative.
>
This is the prefered tie-down method a bunch of fancy cars, Porsches,
fancy bimmers, and the like. They haven't got slots for frame
engaging hooks. You need to make sure that you get the strap flat on
outside of the wheel. If it's not flat, you can easily damage the
finish of the wheel. You also need to make sure that it's clear of
the spokes of the wheel, as edges of many wheel spokes are sharp
enough to slice the strap. I usually put a rag between the wheel and
the strap. I've also seen these with out the metal ring, which would
prevent scratching. On many cars, it's possible use an axle strap
through the wheel, grabbing its two ends with a hook. That doesn't
work if the wheels are wide, or if the angles are bad.
--
David Scheidt
dmscheidt@gmail.com
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