[DOC]

I have a 18’ steel floor open car trailer that I have welded multiple tie downs on for the 4 wheelers and different cars. Looking at welding some E Track on where the tire treads would for a car. Want to start using tire straps for securing a car to the trailer. Tired of climbing under a car to attach straps. Trailer is stored outside.

I am looking for any experience pro/cons on welding some e track down and using tire basket straps. This is for the average non race car.

Thanks in advance.

[Mike Davis]

Depending on how far you are towing etc. I personally prefer to tie the suspension down to keep the car from moving around. They also seem to tow better when the suspension is pulled down and not allowing it to "wiggle" around. The bigger the tow rig the less you will notice it.
E tracks with tire straps would be ok but I would still tie the suspension down.

[JJDeville]

I have them on my Hodges Hauler car hauling truck. They are great. It makes loading and unloading a 10 minute operation. I don’t know any cons on them. When you cinch them down they don’t move at all. Also it takes out any chance of tying one down too tight and bending the frame. Believe it or not that happens all the time on late models on big car haulers when they chain them down too tight.

[tallrandyb]

Originally Posted by Mike Davis

Depending on how far you are towing etc. I personally prefer to tie the suspension down to keep the car from moving around. They also seem to tow better when the suspension is pulled down and not allowing it to "wiggle" around. The bigger the tow rig the less you will notice it.
E tracks with tire straps would be ok but I would still tie the suspension down.

You could still run a ratchet strap across from one e-track to the other to pull down front and rear suspension, right? Like you said, just two extra steps after putting on the tire holddowns.

[Mike Davis]

Originally Posted by tallrandyb

You could still run a ratchet strap across from one e-track to the other to pull down front and rear suspension, right? Like you said, just two extra steps after putting on the tire holddowns.

That would work. It's a lot easier on the shocks and suspension of the car as well without all the movement. I was following a guy with a 69 Camaro on an open trailer the other day. He was pulling it with a new Silverado 1500. The car was not tied down tight. Every time he hit the brakes the car would nosedive and change the tongue weight of the trailer making the back of the truck squat a few inches.

[Simple Man]

Originally Posted by JJDeville

I have them on my Hodges Hauler car hauling truck. They are great. It makes loading and unloading a 10 minute operation. I don’t know any cons on them. When you cinch them down they don’t move at all. Also it takes out any chance of tying one down too tight and bending the frame. Believe it or not that happens all the time on late models on big car haulers when they chain them down too tight.

Who is tying them down, Hercules?

[JJDeville]

On the big car haulers the truck drivers put a chain in the unibody slots and if they pull them down too far it will rip the unibody. The post sale inspections at late model auto auction arbitrator will try to claim frame damage because of this.

[lust4speed]

I try and think what happens if I ran into the vehicle in front of me and what the kinetic energy might do to the tiedowns. I have two 10,000 pound rated straps hooked into 12,000 pound rated D-rings welded to the trailer frame. The little hooks into the E-track always looked like a disaster waiting to happen. Take a 3,600 pound car and a collision with only 3 G's of force is going to produce over 5 tons of force trying to tear the car from the tiedowns.

Granted, the trailer will probably break free and go under the tow vehicle, but that at least has the trailered car and trailer wedging under the back of the tow vehicle. Wouldn't want to see the car pulled free and going down the trailer and through the tailgate and across the pickup bed into the cab.

...or maybe I'm just paranoid.