Picking up my new car this saturday

Kinja'd!!! "Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder" (pabuuu4)
10/16/2017 at 13:15 • Filed to: None

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I need to tow my beautiful new purchase about 2 hours, and I need some solid advice on trailering a car.

So after some weeks of back and forth with the current owner, we have agreed on a (hilariously low) price..

My plan is to get some straps (with a 1000kg breaking point (2200lb) through both back wheels or crossed, from the back attached to the chassis. Possibly in the front too. and I will keep the car attached to the winch in the front. The car weighs 1225 kgs. (2700 lb)

Those who have experience trailering a car, would this be sufficient?


DISCUSSION (10)


Kinja'd!!! cmill189 - sans Volvo > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder
10/16/2017 at 13:24

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Do an X-pattern at the front and back. Don’t rely on the ratcheting mechanism of the winch to hold the weight of the car. Emergency brake on and in gear, if manual.


Kinja'd!!! Tristan > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder
10/16/2017 at 13:25

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Through the wheels is fine, but don’t use the winch as a restraint. I normally use 2 straps on the front, one on the rear and parking brake set. Two on the rear isn’t a bad idea. Get the car’s weight centered on the trailer, unless it’s a uhaul trailer... They won’t let you. Trailer brakes are a must, and take it slow and easy!


Kinja'd!!! PartyPooper2012 > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder
10/16/2017 at 13:28

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Earlier this year I trailered a new to me car.

Car was so damn low, I could barely get the doors opened once it was up on the trailer. The lip of the car was 1/32 of an inch away from the end of the trailer. It was tight.

Uhaul provides plenty of straps to hold the car down. of course, I don’t know what type of trailer you are using. What you are towing it with etc.

My experience with trailering a car only ran into little bit of hair raised experience because the car was so low and wide. Other than that, no issues. Strapped the car according to uhaul instructions. uhaul truck did the towing.

If you need more ideas, see some youtube videos and/or uhaul car trailering instructions


Kinja'd!!! 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder
10/16/2017 at 13:44

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If there are mounting points on the bed of the trailer, I would recommend these:

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Easy to install, super safe, and no crawling under the car or threading straps through wheels.


Kinja'd!!! KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
10/16/2017 at 13:48

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This is the best solution.


Kinja'd!!! KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder
10/16/2017 at 13:54

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I don’t know what your trailer provides for tie down points, etc, so anything here is pure speculation.

In my case (16 foot dual axle braked car trailer, wood floor)

I put four pieces of E-Track down on my wood floor trailer, along with reinforcing brackets between the wood and the steel frame. Each E-Track has a ratcheting wheel strap to hold each wheel, and the E-Track is secured to the decking by 96 Grade 8 bolts, secured with flat washers, lock washers, and lock nuts. Calculated forces at each bolt are somewhere in the range of 33 pounds of shear, so well within the capability of the bolt (I fully would expect the decking to fail before the track separates from the fasteners).

I’ve towed a 3900lb Audi on it before, and likely will end up trailering the Camaro to a track before too long.


Kinja'd!!! Powershiftmedia-ResidentDSMGuru > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder
10/16/2017 at 14:07

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I haul for a living, I’m definitely what you call an expert on this.

I don’t like the wheel method whatsoever. Here’s what you do.

There will be anchor points on the rear of the chassis. Run your strap in an X pattern to the rear anchor points. If there are none, loop the strap around the rear trailing arm or something similar.

2# if the front has a tow hook, utilize it. If not, I’ve alwaya used the engine cradle or beefy front component. Use two straps.

Lock the parking brake and leave it in gear. If the trailer has a safety chain, USE IT.

Check your straps after 50 miles and every 100 miles thereafter.


Kinja'd!!! Dusty Ventures > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder
10/16/2017 at 14:28

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Never use the winch as a restraint, get some actual straps on the front.

Also, regarding going to the wheels as others have said, the viability of that method depends on the car and the suspension. If it’s a taller vehicle and/or one with a softer suspension/more suspension travel, you need to put straps to the chassis and crank them down tight to compress the suspension. Otherwise every bump you go over (and even sometimes during braking) the car will bounce on the trailer, which can increase risk of the straps loosening/shifting/breaking and cause unwanted trailer movement. I always run two straps over the frame rails of my desert truck when towing it (one front and one rear) and we had to do the same thing with Stef’s Type 4 when we towed it from California a couple weeks ago. Take a look at how the car sat before and after we compressed the suspension. That’s about half the amount the body was constantly bouncing (if even that much)

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Kinja'd!!! 450X_FTW > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder
10/16/2017 at 14:30

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Axle straps are not utilized enough. Make it very simple for creating a solid attachment point. I only have the one picture of our jeep when we towed it up north unfortunately. Zip tie the excess strap material really good. Do not want 15 feet of strap flapping in the wind, especially near a wheel. In gear, neutral, park brake, lots of opinions. Personally I left ours in neutral, with a wheel chock on 1 wheel (after ratchets were tight) and it did not move at all while towing.

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Kinja'd!!! pip bip - choose Corrour > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder
10/17/2017 at 06:56

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use chains all round, NEVER use straps!