Tie down points for trailering

#1

Alright, I finally got all the kinks worked out of the car and the trailer, the tow vehicle and the race car in the same ZIP code (unbelievable difficult). Then, I realized that I don’t know how to secure the car (I should have asked McAvoy when I bought the trailer).

I have four come-alongs and four "axle" straps from Apex Performance, but with the car balanced on the trailer, the front come-alongs are too long. What I was planning on doing on the back was: run the axle strap through a rear wheel, then use the come-along to secure it to the opposite-side tie-down and repeat for the other side. On the front, I can either buy a set of tire nets, or I can use tire straps through those wheels and use a short length of chain to tie them forward to the tie-down loops on the near side (will that mess up my alignment?)…

So… what hook-up points and methods do you guys (& gals?) use? I have the early air dam, so I can’t easily use the tow hook as a contact point…

Thanks.

#2

sharkd wrote:

[quote]Alright, I finally got all the kinks worked out of the car and the trailer, the tow vehicle and the race car in the same ZIP code (unbelievable difficult). Then, I realized that I don’t know how to secure the car (I should have asked McAvoy when I bought the trailer).

I have four come-alongs and four "axle" straps from Apex Performance, but with the car balanced on the trailer, the front come-alongs are too long. What I was planning on doing on the back was: run the axle strap through a rear wheel, then use the come-along to secure it to the opposite-side tie-down and repeat for the other side. On the front, I can either buy a set of tire nets, or I can use tire straps through those wheels and use a short length of chain to tie them forward to the tie-down loops on the near side (will that mess up my alignment?)…

So… what hook-up points and methods do you guys (& gals?) use? I have the early air dam, so I can’t easily use the tow hook as a contact point…

Thanks.[/quote]

We tie ours down from the rear wheels and the front toe hooks. We just run the straps through the rear wheels and then through the ratcheting tie straps. We do the same on the front, we just cross them to increse the length to allow the use of the racheting straps. You can get the tie straps at home depot or any constuction type store for like 40 bucks.

#3

Ah, but I’ve still got the early air dam – your sedan has been liberated of that, and has much easier access to the tow hooks.

Anyone use the loops that are welded to the frame rails, behind the front wheels?

#4

sharkd wrote:

[quote]Ah, but I’ve still got the early air dam – your sedan has been liberated of that, and has much easier access to the tow hooks.

Anyone use the loops that are welded to the frame rails, behind the front wheels?[/quote]

what wheels do you have, if you can fit the straps through the wheels that is the best place to strap her down in my opinion.

#5

sharkd wrote:

[quote]Ah, but I’ve still got the early air dam – your sedan has been liberated of that, and has much easier access to the tow hooks.

Anyone use the loops that are welded to the frame rails, behind the front wheels?[/quote]

I have a later plastic-bumper car, but in front I use the frame loops behind the wheels.

On the rear, I’ve done several methods, depending on who(m) I’m listening to at the time. Sometimes the sheet metal holes in the rear fender wells, sometimes axle straps looped thru the rear wheels, and for awhile I had these ghetto homemade plates bolted to the lower shock mount with a small slot to accept the tow hook.

I’m coming around to the idea that having the car and trailer bouncing around together as a unit, instead of just tying the car wheels down, is the way to go, so for longer tows, I use the front hooks as described above, and in the rear I have short axle straps looped around the outer ends of the rear subframe crossmember, then hook a ratchet strap to them.

They end up being relatively long runs from these points to my D-rings, which probably reduces the "tied down" effect I’m after, but I feel empowered to crank harder on the ratchets when I know they are hooked into the most solid non-moving pieces of the car.

I know a lot of people cross straps, but to me it doesn’t make sense, especially in the rear. If one strap breaks free you have the remaining strap trying to drag the car sideways and, to the extent it succeeds, loosening the tension at the same time. Sounds like a double-bad idea.

#6

BMP sells a plate that mounts to the rear lower shock bolt. I am pretty sure the front frame loops were created to tie the cars down during shipping from the factory. They are pretty darn sturdy.

#7

The problem with those frame loops (and I knew this when wrote my earlier message, just forgot momentarily – got in at 3am last night, up for work at 6:30am) is that with the geometry of the trailer, the straps rub against the steering linkages.

#8

Will they still rub if you cross the straps?

#9

I’ve found the easiest and fastest way to tie down my race car is to clip into the stock tie down loops just behind the front tires for the front of the car. for the rears, I purchased tie down loops that use the exsisting bolt that mounts the rear shocks to the trailing arms. Dave Ellingsworth at interiawerks makes them. No wheels straps required with that method

#10

Dave needs to add a spec e30 page to his website! Hard wading through that p-car stuff.
cheers,
bruce

brain wrote:

#11

it’s best to just email him directly with your part request…His website is really just a place holder

#12

Does anyone have contact info to get the loops that attach to the lower shock bolt?

Thanks Jason

#13

Is this what you’re looking for?
http://www.factory3performance.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=239

#14

Or…

You could get the ones I got from VAC Motorsports. They are “on sale” for $39.95. Down from what I paid - $47.95. Or - just buy them from Chuck for $16.95.

Damn you Chuck! :slight_smile:

In all seriousness - get them from Factory 3. And get the under panel from them at the same time.

Not to thread hijack - but the “floor plate” you sell - is that Spec e30 legal? I can’t find anything in the rules that went either way - and you know the default. Also - what is it made of - steel or aluminum? I love the setup with the underpanel - don’t have it in yet (waiting on the exhaust before buttoning up down there) - but shipping and instructions were first rate!

#15

Just a bit of help - the stock rear bolt is 65mm. The plates I have are 5mm thick. After I lost a bolt on the track (yes, it was exciting), I replaced the stock bolt with one 5mm longer 33-32-1-094-603 - about a buck each at the dealer. Now I have the same engagement as stock - and one less worry on the track. The bolt is an E46 M3 rear trailing arm bolt. Hope that helps!

#16

Now that’s a good tip. I just removed the washer and put the old bolt in place on top of the tiedown. I’d better get some longer bolts also.

I can’t believe you can get anything from a dealer for less than a dollar;)

John

#17

ctbimmer wrote:

[quote]Is this what you’re looking for?
http://www.factory3performance.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=239[/quote]

I highly recommend these. I use these and the frame loops for the front. And I do cross straps…as it helps prevent side to side movement of the car on the trailer better than a straight tie down…or so they taught me in the Army.

:side: