Trailer tie downs

[Auswallaby]

What is the best way to secure a cobra to a trailer when moving it about? Any particular brand or type of tie down required?

[Modena]

In my opinion you want this type and you want four

[Gav]

Legally you only need two diagonally opposite wheels tied down.
That is all the car transporters use.

Personally I tie the two fronts as shown above or similar, I then tie down the rear of the car from the chassis.

Truck centers have ratchet tie downs very well priced.
500kg units for under $20 normally.

[Paintwerks]

I took my Cobra to the sparkie today on a car trailer. I purchased 4 x Lion brand 2000kg heavy duty (yellow colour) ratchet straps from Bunnings for $18 each. I only ended up needing two of them, and I placed them diagonally opposite. Worked a treat and the car did not move.

You do want to stop a couple k's up the road and check the tension on the straps though. I found my rear one needed a little adjustment.

Cheers,
Sime

[deano59]

guys in our race club have been pinched and fined for not having all 4 corners of there cars tied down and having the winch attached is a no no as well they have been told

[Wazza]

Richard....if you're asking about tying down and transporting YOUR car...it won't have suspension/wheels attached...so securing the flat bottomed body/chassis will be a bit different to securing a car with wheels on it.
Plus it weighs bugger all,so no difficulty in keeping it on the trailer safely.
Cheers,
Warren

[Gav]

Originally Posted by deano59

guys in our race club have been pinched and fined for not having all 4 corners of there cars tied down and having the winch attached is a no no as well they have been told

As I said above, you require two diagonally opposite wheels to be secured.
And yes, tethering with a winch is not an acceptable method.

[Towmaster]

I had a massive tank slapper going to the Nationals one year and although all 4 wheels were strapped down the car still slapped both sides of the trailer and smashed the rear guards. Imagine if maybe only two were attached. Can never be too secure. Just my opinion.

[tomcat racing]

I think our cars are worth more than 2 extra straps, 4 all the way.

[schipps]

I bought the twin pack of these Australian made straps.
https://www.juststraps.com.au/store/...ialty_Tie_Down

Very happy with the product so far.

regards

Mick

[spookypt]

I've set my trailer up so my straps are set up 92inches apart specific to my car and I ratchet strap all 4 wheels plus a safety chain and always disconnect winch.

In the early days of the Nats my car was shipped in another persons enclosed trailer with 2 straps only. .... 500ks later the rear of the car had been worn off..no lights and ass end square as. Not happy Jan and chose to run my own race after that.

I also don't leave it in gear and I don't (if I had a handbrake) leave that on either.

Spookypt

[Morris]

You might consider doing what we do..... the Cobra is to low to get under .... so we made these extra nuts to tow with and change when we are ready to drive.

[Dimis]

Originally Posted by Morris

You might consider doing what we do..... the Cobra is to low to get under .... so we made these extra nuts to tow with and change when we are ready to drive.

Hey Morris,
How much for you to mock me up a set of 4?
Thx

[stiffy]

Hey Auswallaby,

I always use 4 straps, I can load my car onto the trailer in about 5 minutes.

I have set the trailer up to hold the two front wheels in place similar to the

Porsche set up and I cross the rear from the lower suspension points.

I always check after a while as the straps sometimes come adrift.

I have modified the straps so there is no long tail hanging off that will flap in

The wind. I find it extremely worrying that some guys towing a beautiful car will

Not spend the money on the correct straps or for that matter trailer. It is

Piece of mind for me to have the car thoroughly tied to the trailer. I enjoy towing

Now as I have had a bit of practice and the car is not going to move.

I also keep a spare wheel bearing kit, nuts, longer tie down straps, cable ties,

D shackles, tools and a 6 pack of Cider just in case .

Why is it not recommended to hook the winch onto the car?

Stiffy

[deano59]

Originally Posted by stiffy

Hey Auswallaby,

I always use 4 straps, I can load my car onto the trailer in about 5 minutes.

I have set the trailer up to hold the two front wheels in place similar to the

Porsche set up and I cross the rear from the lower suspension points.

I always check after a while as the straps sometimes come adrift.

I have modified the straps so there is no long tail hanging off that will flap in

The wind. I find it extremely worrying that some guys towing a beautiful car will

Not spend the money on the correct straps or for that matter trailer. It is

Piece of mind for me to have the car thoroughly tied to the trailer. I enjoy towing

Now as I have had a bit of practice and the car is not going to move.

I also keep a spare wheel bearing kit, nuts, longer tie down straps, cable ties,

D shackles, tools and a 6 pack of Cider just in case .

Why is it not recommended to hook the winch onto the car?

Stiffy

if the winch should short circuit for any reason and start pulling the results could end in tears .
ive had this happen on one of my tow trucks i had the cable hooked onto the back of the tray and somehow water got into the controls the next morning i went out to find the hook had straightened under the tension till it let go and smaked into the back of the cab tearing it open granted it prob was a bigger winch than most would use on a trailer but the damage could still happen

cheers dean

[Aussie Mike]

I got all my tie down straps made by these guys Load Restraint Equipment, Lifting Products & More | Load Restraint Systems

The had all the different styles of hooks and ratchets and just made them up however you need. Cheap too.

I was running straps over the front wheels that split around the tyre. At the back I had diagonals that wrap around the chassis members on either side of the diff. I reckon you need the diagonal straps in the back because in the case of an accident. You want some way of stopping the car coming through your back window.

I'll dig them out and take a pic if If you like.

Cheers

[stiffy]

Aussie,

That's who I use, they are great and cheap....

I only have a manual winch so all good there.


Stiffy

[Auswallaby]

Thanks all for the comments. Lots of good advice and knowledge/experience out there. Wazza, understood. I had been thinking about how to secure the kit for transport and that got me thinking about securing/transporting a completed car, just snowballed from there.

[Morris]

Dimis

Those are SS nuts and SS bar stock formed and welded to the nuts......the bar has to be welded at exactly the same place on each nut just so you can buy a 2 3/4" socket and slot the sides out of the socket so you can take the nuts on/off with a 3/4" impact.....

The nuts cost me $100.00 each and the bar stock and fitting and welding about another $100.00 each.....

I think you could accomplish the same thing using aluminum nuts and bar stock......for less money.....I had a spring mfg bend the loops for me as the are about the same size as a axle....

Hope this helps out....

[Mr wrench]

Do you use wheel straps thru the wheels? Since the cobras sit so low its hard to reach the rear axle