DTSFab.com (Desert, Trail and Sand)
Machinery, Trailers, Toyhaulers and Motorhomes => Trailers, Toyhaulers and Motorhomes => Topic started by: Engineer on February 04, 2009, 06:09:39 PM
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What are the pros and cons of strapping your ride down at the wheels, or on the chassis?
Drag racers always want to hold the car rigid to not "wear out" the shocks and suspension on the way to the track. I don't know if that is a concern with a buggy.
I just thought that while building, some tow points could be easily implemented. So what is the best place for them?
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the best way would be to throw some blocking under the frame and strap it down till the frame is tight on the blocks. Next best would be to strap the tires down and let the frame "float" on it's own suspension. last would be to strap from the front frame forward and the rear frame rearward and let friction take care of the side to side. If you do it this way, you have to make sure that if the frame squats, the straps won't come unhooked. If I ever get my pilot and dump trailer done, I plan on just driving it in and closing the tailgate, will be a close fit so it won't move much.
Let the flaming begin.....
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No opinions? I have registered Boostin's "throw it in and slam the door" plan. ;D I have been guilty of the same with a four wheeler in the back of a truck, and sideways in the enclosed trailer. That is one super bonus of an enclosed trailer, not watching the mirror for 4 hours to see if anything has flown off the trailer. I have never had something in the enclosed trailer not show up to the dunes. ;D It may be beat to shit, but it always makes it there. ;D
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Have a chain w/hook for front maybe 2-3', Length determined for balance. Hook front frame, ratchet strap rear on trailing arm to back.
Never strapped my 4 wheeler in back of my little truck. Dumb ass
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I strap the front forward and the rear to the rear, and rachet it down real good (they squat alot). This is on a car hauler trailer. The rear one gets three straps if i am going over 50 miles. My hope is that may keep them in place if i loose a strap onthe front one.
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tightly?
ok, two in front which is the back, one in front which is the back - enclosed trailer
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I roll my tires up against the front of the trailer, and put one ratchet on the a arm to the trailer tongue... ;D
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sort of on topic, kinda, one of my mates arrived at the track with his tilt tray truck which DID have a class 1 buggy sitting on it when he left home... wasnt there when he pulled up. Good onya Barry Johnston (car 164). It was aways down the highway a bit..... he was very vigilant about attaching the car to the truck after that lil incident. Nice guy, now retired from racing, raced 22 years in our national championship and only missed 1 race (yep that weekend when she fell off).
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If there is something solid to roll it against, I take two large ratchet straps and hook them around the frame by the cross member near the seat. If the buggy is not against something, i use 4 straps, 2 forward, two backward. The ones going forward are in the front corners of the frame, and the ones going back are next to the engine, around the base frame.
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I have tied down using the frame, If on rouph roads the risk of the tiedowns coming off are pretty good, unless you really reef on them to compress the suspension beyond what it would riding on those rouph roads...
I build swing arm rear cars so I tie the swing arm (rear) to the lower control arm in the front...
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Yeah, I reef on em pretty good, then jump on the car to make sure it won't budge. Check, check, and recheck while traveling. I used come-a-longs last time and they worked very nicely.
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I just figured everybody was using ratchet straps - are they not?
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I am, the big ones you see on semi's. 4 or 5 of them
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Ratchet Straps?!?! you guys are hardcore bondage freaks!
I ask her politely to "put her seatbelt on"....
ff:
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eh?? Yah, ratchet straps or come-alongs for me. The small ones I use for the motorbikes don't quite hold up to a 1000 lb machine though.
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I usually haul 2 buggies in the enclosed trailer. I strap them tire to tire (to each other) in the center. Then I strap the front buggy from the frame between the front a arms to the floor cleats. (one on each side) The rear buggy is strapped from the rear frame to the floor cleats (also one each side) I just use the cheap motorcycle straps, not even the ratchet type. I've never had a problem with this. I did have a strap break once, but by using two you still have the other side. I don't think I'd do it this way if it were not an enclosed trailer though. Before I got into buggies I hauled 4 quads in this trailer strapped together the same way. I also make sure that the buggies or quads are all in neutral. It just seems to me that leaving them in gear might be hard on the trans.
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I also make sure that the buggies or quads are all in neutral. It just seems to me that leaving them in gear might be hard on the trans.
Rick
Good point on leaving the ride in neutral.
Any over head cam motor that has timing belts or chains can be damaged buy leaving them in gear while towing. The force applied to the belts or chains is multiplied ten fold Thur the trans and has been know to shear timing chain keyways and brake timing chains and belts. Big time on the subi motors. Wants to make them jump a tooth on the timing belt. All so on the short star v6's. The timing chain's are real small. Been know to break reverse on the vw's to. The constant back and forth movement wants to rock the crank back and forth. putting undo strain on every thing. Know guy's that drive there buggy's on a trailer and head of the the dunes and when they get there the car wont start.
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Use four straps 2 at each end. When building the chassis welded in tie down tabs. Each strap 2" wide with spring loaded safety hooks, Cross the straps to stop side to side motion. Set them pretty tight. In an enclosed trailer. Never leave the car in gear. Did it once, could hardly get it out of gear at the end of the trip.
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I use bungies like the truckers use to hold down the tarps on there trailers. Cant go wrong with that. If that doesn't work over sized zip ties work also. ;D :o
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I use wet noodles.When dry they are quite solid.
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Ta hell with that...just close the gate and let er roll around...
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Back in my roundy round days we always had D-rings in the floor at all 4 corners of the cars, and used the tire webs...Letting the cars suspension cycle, while the tires were secured to the deck of the trailer...Never lost one that way...but the car's suspension did get that many miles of wear hauling to and from the tracks...
There was a bonus to that tho-
Jumpin Johnny Zimmer mounted a couple of video cameras on the trailer and we watched the suspension cycle ;D
This was in the late 80's and early 90's so the in car cameras were extremely spendy in those days...Poor mans in car camera's ;D
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I have used the tire webs. For me they came off every time. Still have them but do not care to use them. I think the tires I was tying to were to short. And your rig seems to need to be set up for just the right spot so the web pulls straight down.
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I could see it if you had ANY SLACK in the web or if the D-rings weren't placed in the right spots... I always marked the contact patch and installed the rings that way 8)