How To Secure Blazer To Car Hauler

[mcne2026]

I need to tow my '72 K5 and my '73 CJ5 (Not at the same time), so I purchased a 22' Tandem 5,300lb Axle Car Hauler. It has a wood deck and stake pockets and steel rings welded to the sides as attachment points. No tie down points are welded to the front or back. What is the best way to secure the vehicles to the trailer? The easiest way looked like putting a loop strap through the wheels and using a ratchet strap to the rings on the sides of the trailer. So the attachment point would be a little forward or behind and to the side. Would this work? Or, should I strap around the axle and then to the sides? Any advice is appreciated. I am going to tow for about 1,000 miles and over some serious grades, so I need a safe and reliable solution. Thanks. I have added a really bad drawing of what I was thinking.

[Burt4x4]

I like to strap the axels to the trailer. In that pic you can kinda see the ratchet straps. I bought straps that hook into the stake pockets and then I have axel keepers or 18" straps that wrap around the axels then the hook of the ratchet strap connects to that...works like a champ.
Some say to cross the straps so they pull opposite.

See the small straps in this pic, not the same as mine but similar, then the onther end is not a hook but a stake pocket hook, flat and wide hook made for a stake pocket.
I would try to keep the tiedown points infront and behind your rig, if you do go to the sides then use the cross method.

[Big J]

I'm one of those people who like to overstrap things. I'd get the welder out and put some attatchment points on the front and rear for sure. Thats the best way to strap a vehicle down. But in addition to the front and back like to strap each tire down to the sides. It wouldn't take much to put some brackest on there. If you bought the trailer new I'd go back to the place I got it and ask how much to put some on there if you can't do it. Good luck on your trip...

[vtblazer]

I hope your meaning 5300lbs per axle trailer.

So it's rated for 10K, right?

I wouldn't strap from side to side, go front to back.

As mentioned, get out the welder.

[mcne2026]

Yes, it is two axles, each rated 5,300lbs. No welder or welding skills, so that is not an option. Can I add some tie down points to the wood deck? I see some that are rated for 12,000 lbs. They have four mounting holes, so I figured four bolts all the way through the wood with big washers underneath. What do you think?

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by mcne2026

Yes, it is two axles, each rated 5,300lbs. No welder or welding skills, so that is not an option. Can I add some tie down points to the wood deck? I see some that are rated for 12,000 lbs. They have four mounting holes, so I figured four bolts all the way through the wood with big washers underneath. What do you think?

NOPE!
(just my opinion)

Find a way to secure front and back to iron.

There must be a lip or something you can get onto.

[Burt4x4]

Does the rear of the trailer have a "rub rail"?
Does the front of your trailer have stake pockets?
Goto OSH and get Keeper brand ratchet straps that are made for stake pockets, they work on rub rails too. Or get out the yellow pages and find a welder to mount some D-rings. Don't use the wood..I don't want to see you one the MSNBC internet news cast.

[Yukon Jack]

I agree with these guys - take your trailer to a local welding ship and have some proper attachment points added - you don't want a problem that could end in someone's death!

[vtblazer]

If this is indeed a car hauler, why doesn't it have provision's for hauling a car?

[Burt4x4]

Originally Posted by vtblazer

If this is indeed a car hauler, why doesn't it have provision's for hauling a car?

Right there VT is the question of the day

Safty first! Don't wana take out someones family on the Hwy

[mcne2026]

It has several D-Rings welded to the sides. I guess it was built more for securing it to the sides. I see many products sold to do it that way. Looks like it is not popular here, but it must be pretty common if it is sold so widely. Probably better for smaller vehicles. A note, I looked at over a dozen car haulers and none had attachment points in the front or rear. ALL are on the sides.

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by mcne2026

It has several D-Rings welded to the sides. I guess it was built more for securing it to the sides. I see many products sold to do it that way. Looks like it is not popular here, but it must be pretty common if it is sold so widely. Probably better for smaller vehicles. A note, I looked at over a dozen car haulers and none had attachment points in the front or rear. ALL are on the sides.

Side mounted D-rings would work well for those stap set ups that go over the tires I guess.

Your right though, trailers are built about as basic as they can get away with it seems.

Mine had nothing other than stake pockets when I got it either, come to think about it.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

http://www.hortontruck.com/estore.asp?cat=87#

[Big J]

Not sure but I think that there is a law in KY and IN that you have to strap front to rear. If you have an L channel tongue you can hook to each side of that in the front. In the rear maybe hook to the place that your ramps mount up. If you have folding ramps that is. If its just a lip then I don't know, lol....

Another thought is if your trailer is 22' long and you have pockets at the four far corners of the trailer. That it should be close enough to the front and rear to get some good leaverage on strapping it down. Strap from the corners to the axles and you should be good to go.

Any pics of the trailer? Might help.

[mcne2026]

Here is a good shot. I looked at a lot of web sites for towing companies and here is my final decision.

I will use axle straps and ratchet straps, all with a working load limit of 3,600lbs and a breaking limit of 10,000 pounds on the axles. Two front and two rear. They will be attached to the D-Rings on the sides. They should be far enough forward and backward to be in a good position. I am also going to secure D-Rings to the wood bed. The D-Rings are rated for 10,000 pounds and will be secured with four half inch bolts, each. I will use a 12" x 12" steel plate under the wood to distribute the stress. I found some ratchet straps that have ends specifically designed as frame hooks. I will use two front and two rear.

I would not go to so much trouble, but it is a 1,000 plus mile drive each way and the grades are HUGE and STEEP. Also some very rough roads.

[jorgensensc]

Just my opinion, But if you are going to go through all of the expense of metal paltes, grade 8 bolts, etc, wouldn't it be cheaper (and easier in the long run) to tak the trailer to a welder, (or better yet back to where you bought it) and have them weld in D rings front and back? I'm sure the place you bought it from could give you a great deal since you arethere customer and they want to make you happy. Offer to let them put there name on the side of your trailer if they do it for free. Just an idea.
Shawn

[Yukon Jack]

I think your plan sounds like it will secure the load well, course I'm no expert on that issue. I'm glad your giving it this much thought.

[mcne2026]

Originally Posted by jorgensensc

Just my opinion, But if you are going to go through all of the expense of metal paltes, grade 8 bolts, etc, wouldn't it be cheaper (and easier in the long run) to tak the trailer to a welder, (or better yet back to where you bought it) and have them weld in D rings front and back? I'm sure the place you bought it from could give you a great deal since you arethere customer and they want to make you happy. Offer to let them put there name on the side of your trailer if they do it for free. Just an idea.
Shawn

I purchased the trailer in Idaho and am now in CA. I checked the local welders and they all want at least $100 to $150 plus the cost of the D-Rings. Much cheaper to do it myself. Bolts and mount points are $35 for all four and I have the steel plate laying around the garage.

[Burt4x4]

Originally Posted by mcne2026

I purchased the trailer in Idaho and am now in CA. I checked the local welders and they all want at least $100 to $150 plus the cost of the D-Rings. Much cheaper to do it myself. Bolts and mount points are $35 for all four and I have the steel plate laying around the garage.

WOW that is expensive..check with a local trailer sales lot or company maybe you will have better luck. Are you in So. Cal?

[mcne2026]

I am in Buellton. About 40 minutes North - North East of Santa Barabara. Up in the mountains and not a lot of places to go. We only have one trailer sales company and they are mostly horse trailers. Anything else is well over an hour drive round trip.

[Burt4x4]

Ok ya you are way down there. Well good luck, the more straps the better

[Tynee]

Here's a question:
When you guys secure these, do you not secure to somewhere above the suspention and compress the suspention so that you get less bounce and therefor a better, more controlable ride? That's how we've always secured Hummvee's on my dad's 48' flatbed with a high center of gravity. Of course, with tow points on all four corners, they were easy to compress the suspention on, we just wrapped a 1/2" chain through each shackle and used a chain binder to ratchet them down...

[Burt4x4]

I have seen some guys do that but I never have, don't really 'feel' the rig bouncing on the trailer. I am perrty heavy and I useually cruz @ 60mph so...here is what I look like loaded up:

So between the camper weight and the trailer being a 10K (two 5.2K axels) it rolls down the hwy perrty damn smooth.

[vtblazer]

If you compress the suspension, you'll have stored energy to deal with.

On every bump, the suspension will try to do it's job and in doing so, transfer that energy into the trailer.

I say NEVER tie down through the suspension.

Not to argue with how you guys did it Tynee but I've seen a trailer bounce around way bad due to being bound that way.

Let the truck's suspension do it's thing, just like it was driving down the road.

[draggin37]

looks like you could use axle straps around the tongue of your trailer in the front with racheting straps back to the axle also with axle straps.

the back your kinda stuck with the D rings or stake pockets. could use axle straps there too.