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So got a wild hair and decided to try my first hand at strapping the S down to the flat bed. Safe to say it was nerveracking...being my first time (twss) but it was a success and nothing (on the S) got damaged. I think my x-brace grabbed the back steel rail holding the boards down and bent it a little. I banged it back down with a hammer and replaced the damaged screw with a nut and bolt. Ready to get to the alignment shop!


I think Im going to need longer boards


Success!

















Bought 4 10k tie downs and a big ass chain with hooks yesterday. Will loop the tie downs through the pockets on the sides of the trailer and then cross the front straps. Chain is for added insurance and piece of mind.

Yours are *probably* okay, but not a fan of hooks just tucked under like that. If the rears were to somehow loosen, a bump could mean the fronts come completely free. I always like to make sure the strap can be positively HOOKED on something that it can't come free of if slack appears in the strap. I'm not sure you have a better option in that configuration, but I'd consider having some loops welded on the trailer somewhere that you can make that strap hook to so that it's closure can close.

Some would say slack means you're in trouble already, but that thing staying hooked might buy you time, at the very least.

I get the straight up front and crossed rear thing, but in your situation I don't like those straight straps like that. I'd cross them, too. If you look at the pros who strap with the factory tie downs, most of them cross.

You could probably tow thousands of miles just like that with no problem, but those are the possible problems that stick out at me after having towed quite a lot back in the day...never had an issue myself, but seen many by other folks, and had a couple close calls.


--Donnie

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Buy some of these, please.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Cargo- ... /T55B.html

That's a really scary setup. See what you can do with the stake pocket d-rings. You also shouldn't strap down with wood blocks under the car, you want the car to move so the only tension is in the straps. With the angles on the straps I'd be surprised if they were able to meet even 1/2 their rated capacity.


For approach angle, the cheap fix is to put the rear tires of your truck up on a set of ramps. It'll lower the tail of the trailer a good bit.

Ha...I know right. I ended up buying 4 of these: http://www.lowes.com/pd/SmartStraps-2-i ... n/50372804. I put 2 through the pockets in the rear, and wrapped 2 around the front A frames. Worked like a charm and they are pretty resourceful to have.

Towed my buddy's daughters Jeep GC yesterday and she did great. Checked all 4 straps when we got back to his place and all were tight. 4000lb tester makes me feel better about my tiny 2700 lb track toy.



I really do like the idea of the pocket inserts though.

I see a lot of commercial haulers using tire straps these days. Seems like a good idea to put the tie downs on something that doesn't compress and decompress over every bump.

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2017 Autocross Chief of Tech

2000 E Street Miata
2015 Focus SE EcoBoost 6 speed
2015 Fiesta ST (Wife's ride)
2012 Yamaha FZ1 sorta crotch rocket? All I know is 150HP and 487 lbs is fun!

Bob K. has a set of the tire straps on his trailer. They are fast to install and have no crawling under the car to attach. They also stay very secure. On a street car it appears to jostle the car less because the car's suspension is free to move and soak up the bumps with the stiff ride of the trailer. The @#$@%^ Focus has been on the trailer 3 times now.

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George Bright Member # 141
One of the youngest of the old farts.
Yes I voted against you joining the club.

Cross the straps, put the car in neutral and move the trailer mounting plates.

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BenchWarmer Motorsports

another one of those damn LeMons heads

just another Chump

we are an Autocross Club Dammit............

Buy the pocket D rings, dude.

They deform far less than the suspension of the car. And they're far faster to install on cars that don't have dedicated tow hooks welded to the frame. (aka "race car")