Trailering a Car

[B7510HSD]

you could also back the truck rear wheels up on wood to lift the front
of the trailer higher making the back lower to the ground...

[rcrcomputing]

The army doesn't tie to the axle. This is very interesting reading..

http://www.tea.army.mil/pubs/nr/depl.../pam_55-19.pdf

Also, from another forum..

Google "TEA PAM 55-20 Tiedown Handbook for Truck Movements". I'd post here, but it's 4.7 MB.

BTW, just for your edification, both PAM 55-19 (Rail movements) and 55-20 (Truck movements) make the following statement:

"A. Preparing Payload Vehicles Prior to Loading

1. Be sure all shackles are on the vehicle. Do not use bumperettes, axles, towing pintles, or towing hooks as points of attachments for chains.

....."

According to these military documents, for rail, truck (and sea) movement of vehicles, the military exclusivley uses chain or wire rope and secures vehicles by the frame, not the axles. FWIW.

[Iron Horse]

Its Ok to tie down on the chassis only if you can get the chains/straps nearly horizontal as this allows the vehicle to go up and down using the arc of the chains . This is not allways possible with car trailers because of the length restriction so the car should be tied down on the suspension or straps crossed over the tyres which allows bounce . As you would be aware , drive the car on forward to achieve positive ball weight . A car put on backwards will cause trailer fishtail because of the reduced ball weight and the counter balance effect of the cars engine behind the trailer axles . If you look at how sprung or tyred machinery is tied down you will see the chains are close to the horizontal plane . I have seen broken chains because chains were near vertical on tyred machinery , the inertia of the bouncing machine easily overcomes the chains .

[MossRoad]

I used to drive 5 ton, 2.5 ton, hummers and postal vehicles of different sizes out of AM General's factory in South Bend, Indiana and load them onto rail cars all over northern Indiana. We always secured them by the frame to the rail car bed and ratcheted them down to compress the suspension. After loading, a military inspector would come by and inspect the job before the train was allowed to move. I probably did several thousand of these.

But, I have never moved a car on a trailer on a highway. I would have thought that you would not want the car to be able to move at all and want it as solid to the trailer as possible, so that the trailer's suspension would be the only thing moving back there. That would require ratcheting it down to the trailer to compress the suspension.

But after reading the advice of people that have done it, I am torn between the two.

[Diamondpilot]

I totally agree if moving on a rail car or a semi to pull the car down vertically and compress the suspension. This is not practical on your typical car haul trailer.

For one it would probably spring the trailer because the force required to compress the suspension would bend something.

Second if you hook to the frame and do not totally compress the suspension when you hit a bump the suspension compresses allowing slack in the chains/straps and they will come loose or break when the suspension rebounds.

I move cars all the time and only had problems when attached to the frame. Hooking to the suspension allows for the car to (float) on the trailer while keeping the wheels securely planted to the trailers deck.

Here is what I use. 4 Axle Straps and 4 Ratchet Straps.
S-Line Axle Strap — 10,000-Lb. Capacity, 21in., Blue | Axle Straps | Northern Tool + Equipment
S-Line Ratchet Tie-Down Strap — 10,000-Lb. Capacity, 2in x 8ft. | Ratchet Tie-Down Straps | Northern Tool + Equipment

Chris

[RobS]

Finally had a chance to check out my trailer and yes, it should be fine. I'll take some planks to get the car up a bit before it hits the ramps. The breakover isn't as sharp as I was remembering.

Uh, sunroof? No sunroof and I plan on keeping it that way!

[LBrown59]

Originally Posted by RobS

I pull the trailer with my truck which gets miserable mileage. So, I'm buying an economy car.

Are you sure the car has the beef to pull the trailer ????

[crbr]

Originally Posted by RobS

I have access to a tow dolly, which sits lower. I've never used one before and would prefer to have the car on my trailer.

Suggestions?

Preferences are each to their own. I have towed with a dolly many times, as well as with a trailer. For a one time trip and the ease and convenience of a drive-on dolly, I'd recommend and prefer the dolly. Easy towing and no other prepearation on front-wheel drives. Cinch it down with the wheel straps, unlock the steering column, and it will be an easy tow.

As for your trailer, I'd guess that with the 2' dove tail and then the 5' ramps, it will load up nicely. Or look for a ditch to drop the tail in and drive right on.

[Newblue]

Had to lift the front of the triaxle to load the wifes car.

[RobS]

Nice car but I think I like what's lurking in that garage bay too!