[Speargun]

I have an 18', wood bed, open car hauler that I just put a new deck on and kinda like the idea of using wheel bonnets with e tracks, but after exhausting all of my google skills, I haven't found a definitive answer to just how secure the car will be using the e tracks.

The wheel bonnets look like they would be a lot easier to use than having to crawl under a low car to find a hook up and you wouldn't have to worry about a strap or chain contacting the body. They make bonnets that attach to the side rails, but the e track offers a lot of flexibility when it comes to different vehicles/motorcycles/ATV's as well as being able to haul different types of stuff.

Most opinions seem to be that it's OK for enclosed trailers, but a lot think that it won't hold up on an open trailer in an accident. Most of the wheel bonnets I've looked at are rated around +/-1500# working load, which is plenty strong for most vehicles with a bonnet on each wheel, but I haven't been able to find any working or failure ratings on the e track.

Obviously how the track is mounted will effect it's strength. Self tapping screws or lag bolts through the wood deck (PT 2x6) is the easiest, but I would think that 1/4" bolts with a washer under the lock nut is the safer bet.

The way I see it, the e track is bolted to the deck with the car tire sitting on top of the track. The wheel bonnets would pull up on the track while the weight of the car and the bolts hold it down.
During hard braking (or a head on crash) most of the force would be lateral and would have to shear off all of the bolts for the track to come off, but there are only 8 points, where the bonnets actually attach to the track, that would have to support all of the forces generated. So it really boils down to just how much stress the track can take at the attachment points before it will fail and I haven't been able to find any numbers on this. The track itself looks like 1/8" (12 ga.?) stamped steel.

I've found 6000# as the working load limit for the e-track, but it doesn't specify under what conditions. I.e. Can I hang 6000# from an e-track mounted overhead, or is that the limit only when the load is spread out over the entire length of the track and applied laterally? How much force would it take to actually cause an attachment point to fail?

The mechanics of a system like this look like it would be OK for normal driving, but if something did happen, I wouldn't want my car getting tossed off the trailer.

Maybe I'm over thinking it....

Anyone have first hand experience using e track to hold your car down?
Thoughts?
Opinions?

Thanks!

[rsavage]

I have pulled cars several thousands of miles on the open trailer I had using wheel bonnets on the front wheels and straps on the rear axle - but fastened to d rings bolted with 1/2" grade 8 bolts though the perimeter frame c channel. I now have an enclosed trailer and e tracks which are installed inside the wheel track width as recommended. I could use one of my bonnets on the passenger side as I have room to install it easily as the side door is there. Installation of a bonnet on the drivers side would take some work. My trailer is 8'6" wide (O/S) but there is little room on the sides. I find it easier to use ratchet straps on the lower a arms and rear control arms for the GTO's. I also use 6 straps, 3 in fron and 3 in back, just in case I lose one for some reason. I recently towed a 600 mile round trip. What I found was that the ratchet straps and e track did not require re-tightening like my wheel bonnets did. Once I was down the road a ways, I would always stop and check tension - I could always get a couple of clicks on the wheel bonnet ratchets at just about every fuel stop. I wouldn't want to drive on the e tracks. It would only work well for one vehicle, and again, that is not what the installation video I viewed recommended. I used both screws into the 3/4" deck and lots of 1/4" grade 8 bolts through every 16" OC frame crossmember for the etrack. Happy so far with the set up. The long trip was with a 71 K5 4WD Blazer and it worked as well with that as it has with my 70 GTO. JMO
I used to drive on and off the open trailer. Now I winch on and off the enclosed trailer because I do not want to slither out the window or screw up the paint.

[68ragtop]

Speargun, did you end up setting your trailer up with an etrack system? I have a new enclosed trailer & am considering the same thing. In my old trailer I have D rings all over the place, but Really like the idea of running 16' of track on each side.

Also wonder whats up with the prices. They seem to be all over the map & 12ga seems to be the thickest material the tracks are made from?

[Sirrotica]

Snappin Turtle is a sponsor on PY, and is owned by C Casperson (owner of our forum), they're products are made in the USA also. I would make an inquiry of your concerns to the people that support the hobby, as well as this forum. I would assume you'll get an honest answer as well as some pertinent info about their products.

http://www.snappinturtle.com/

[68ragtop]

I did send Snappin Turtle a message regarding the gauge of the track sections, but no reply yet....

Most tracks seem to be 18ga, but the prices vary from $35 - $80 per 8' section. Not sure what the difference is. I am just looking for the floor tracks for securing wheel Bonnets.

[sdbob]

My new enclosed trailer has e tracks in floor,and wheel bonnets. Went to Gettysburg with TA. No problems.You have to reach around wheel and tire to hook up though. My first time was frustrating. My wheel bonnets have 3 large rubber blocks in strap that slide, that go into tire tread. They did not loosen as I ckd them couple times on trip. I took race car to Norwalk but used the d rings in floor.

[68ragtop]

Who's tracks did you buy & do you know what gage they are? I see prices all over the place on the tracks. I would spend the extra money on something if they are stronger than others, but Also don't want to throw money away if they are pretty much equal in strength.

I have local store that carries 4' sections at $17 each, rated at 2000 lbs. Seems a little light & measuring the steel, they are .010" so falls short of 12ga, maybe 13-ish? My plan is to either put 4 sections down, or run two 16' continuous length.

[68ragtop]

I have good tire bonnets that are designed for D rings. I was hoping to keep using those with some etrack ring adaptors.



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[68ragtop]

These are the Tire bonnets I have had for over a decade. Had several D-Rings in the floor of the old trailer. They worked well, except the ratchet mechanism was always in the way or the fenders on larger tire cars.

I like the all sewn design of these old ones though. Something about the adjustable ones today, or the ones the stay centered in the tire tread make me nervous.

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[68ragtop]

Thought maybe I could use them with the newer etrack accessories, but I would need to find some sort of shackle type connector to relocate the ratchet mechanisms. I do like the echocks. seems those would make it near impossible for a car to roll up those if the bonnets stay snug. I plan to buy (4) 8' sections of galvanized track for the floor, the 4' green section in the picture was just for testing. I did buy some of the Erickson devices for relocating the ratchets down near the track.

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[68ragtop]

Maybe something like this? These look strong as heck. Says 5000lb, but obviously its the etrack locks at 2000lb that would be the failure point.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TWO-2x-Car-...AAAOSwOFtdUjnu