Looking to buy a trailer and need feedback.

[Jimmy N.]

... the car can’t role forward because it’s strapped in the rear and the closed ramp in the rear is about 6” behind the furthest thing on the rear of the car which is the chute. Not really a lot to worry about.

In a static situation you're perfectly fine. Sudden acceleration or braking changes things.

Serious ratchets tie a 1500+hp car down on a dyno and don’t loosen up if done right.

Again, while there's now a load on the straps, it's nothing like the forces of getting rear ended or running into something.
Not sure what the deal is with with an enclosed trailer, but with an open trailer four tie downs is a legal requirement.

I'd guess that the rules are the same, but what they can't easily see passes I suppose. If you go back and look at the photo of the green Jeep you'll notice that each wheel is secured separately, and while that's all the law requires I also added the lasso straps on the rear tires, partially for added lateral stability.

Anyway, like you I put most of the emphasis on the rear tie downs, but that doesn't mean I would skimp on the front ones.
Ideally a trailered vehicle sits in the exact same spot on/in the trailer after a rollover. Yours would not.

 

[jonx96]

Parking brake? Lol. I leave the front attached to the winch and ratchet strap the rear until tight. You will find that after some travel, the straps will loosen up some. Every so often…. I stop to check and just a touch of the button on the winch remote forward tightens it right up.

I didn't even think of that benefit. So you don't even tie the front down just leave it on the winch?

 

[Jimmy N.]

So you don't even tie the front down just leave it on the winch?

Hey, it's one of China's finest winches (surely it just happens to be very affordable despite its superior quality).

But what scares me even more is the Chinese synthetic winch rope. This after recently have read up on those, before buying one for my Warn winch, for a trailer.

And that winch will NOT be used for holding anything in place. It'll be there for getting inoperable vehicles onto the trailer, which will then be properly tied down.

 

[fumanchu182]

Tested winch, rock solid. Getting the front to rear charging kit as the flat four, won’t give it enough angry pixies. Bus bar for battery already in place.

The following connector goes from the front of the trailer to battery tray.

From what I can tell this was a cannibalized 1500 amp jumper cable set. They run about 60 on ebay. Theory is undo the nuts on the clamps and attach to truck battery up front. Would run it along the left frame rail and route to the hitch from there leave some extra feet to cross over, when done i would fold the cable and store in the underside. The wireless remote is nice!

 

[TraxMoe]

If I need more than 3500 lb pulling force to get it back in the trailer, It's probably going to the junk yard or is totaled. Sometimes you need to cut your losses and walk away

 

[Jimmy N.]

If I need more than 3500 lb pulling force to get it back in the trailer, It's probably going to the junk yard or is totaled. Sometimes you need to cut your losses and walk away

Or, buy an inexpensive snatch block and you'll have twice the pulling power, and at a slower and more controllable speed.

 

[SilverBillet]

If I need more than 3500 lb pulling force to get it back in the trailer, It's probably going to the junk yard or is totaled. Sometimes you need to cut your losses and walk away


View attachment 90304

A pulley on your cable like this @TraxMoe will double your capacity. It will shorten your cable by 1/2 because you have to attach the hook on your cable back to the winch. I used to attach it to the winch mount but you’ll have to figure that out. The pulley (often called a snatch block) is hooked to your vehicle. I used to have to extend the snatch block with a tow strap because the doubled up cable was too short to reach the front of the car. You may have to pull it up part way and remove the tow strap and reconnect the winch cable if you have to extend the cable to reach your car. My old Superwinch came with a snatch block for the purpose of doubling the capacity if needed.

 

[DavidKFla]

If I need more than 3500 lb pulling force to get it back in the trailer, It's probably going to the junk yard or is totaled. Sometimes you need to cut your losses and walk away


View attachment 90304

I think there's a winch plate located there?

 

[fumanchu182]

@Marc W i believe explained it best that using a winch to get your car on the trailer is the way to go, I have to agree. Plus mine has a wireless remote so can easy peasy monitor where it is over the wheels.

If I need more than 3500 lb pulling force to get it back in the trailer, It's probably going to the junk yard or is totaled. Sometimes you need to cut your losses and walk away


View attachment 90304

 

[DavidKFla]

@Marc W i believe explained it best that using a winch to get your car on the trailer is the way to go, I have to agree. Plus mine has a wireless remote so can easy peasy monitor where it is over the wheels.

A winch is something that's on my option list for my trailer, especially if something breaks.

 

[jonx96]

Thats on this for a tow hook? Car would have to be brought in backwards.

 

[DavidKFla]

Thats on this for a tow hook? Car would have to be brought in backwards.
View attachment 90364

Doesn't Petty make them for front and rear?

 

[jonx96]

Doesn't Petty make them for front and rear?

This Is for front and rear. But Id be more interested in the rear I think
TBA Machine Bolt On Tow Hook (Demon/Hellcat) HC-TOW-HOOK - Beefcake Racing
Also Im assuming the car would still pull in straight mounting on the sides like this? Or would you have to hook to both right and left sides to pull in straight?

 

[Jimmy N.]

Also Im assuming the car would still pull in straight mounting on the sides like this? Or would you have to hook to both right and left sides to pull in straight?

It would want to turn to the side a bit, unless the winch is offset the same as the tow hook.

But it's easy enough to move the pulling point of the winch with two snatch blocks. Or just one, if letting the fairlead take care of the first 90 degree turn.

 

[fumanchu182]

This Is for front and rear. But Id be more interested in the rear I think
TBA Machine Bolt On Tow Hook (Demon/Hellcat) HC-TOW-HOOK - Beefcake Racing
Also Im assuming the car would still pull in straight mounting on the sides like this? Or would you have to hook to both right and left sides to pull in straight?

Im looking at these as well. The fronts would be attached to what they call a bridle, https://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/collections/all/products/bridle-121936, rears would also use this. What in worried about is if it will push up on the front splitter or damage bumper. In the rear I have the cradle lockouts so adding another shim in there is ot something I want to do. I have seen people use the hole on the spring link.

 

[jonx96]

Im looking at these as well. The fronts would be attached to what they call a bridle, https://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/collections/all/products/bridle-121936, rears would also use this. What in worried about is if it will push up on the front splitter or damage bumper. In the rear I have the cradle lockouts so adding another shim in there is ot something I want to do. I have seen people use the hole on the spring link.

I think that's the route I will go. To avoid that. may have to get the front tires on the ramp.

 

[Speedy!]

I've been looking for an easier way to tie the car down. We have been running straps through the wheels but it's kind of a PITA and messes up my plastidip too. I've thought about trying some of those straps that go over the tires but wasn't sure how well they worked or if you have to have special attachment points on the trailer? Greg's just has 4 D-rings bolted to the floor at each corner and some slots on the sides. It's an open trailer.

 

[DavidKFla]

I've been looking for an easier way to tie the car down. We have been running straps through the wheels but it's kind of a PITA and messes up my plastidip too. I've thought about trying some of those straps that go over the tires but wasn't sure how well they worked or if you have to have special attachment points on the trailer? Greg's just has 4 D-rings bolted to the floor at each corner and some slots on the sides. It's an open trailer.

Does your straps have a sleeve over them to protect your wheels?

 

[Jimmy N.]

I've been looking for an easier way to tie the car down. We have been running straps through the wheels but it's kind of a PITA and messes up my plastidip too. I've thought about trying some of those straps that go over the tires but wasn't sure how well they worked or if you have to have special attachment points on the trailer? Greg's just has 4 D-rings bolted to the floor at each corner and some slots on the sides. It's an open trailer.

Straps over the tires work really well, especially if there are tread grooves for the rubber pieces on the straps to grab onto. If not, like with slicks, wheel nets are probably a better choice.

Either kind needs one anchor point right fore and aft of the tire. The center ones are "stationary" and the straps go up vertically from the anchor, then over the tire and down to a "roller". By using a roller, the strap can then go out horizontally to past the end of the car, where it's easy to operate the ratchet.

So three anchor points per wheel, and it's generally easiest to use E-track for them.

 

[jonx96]

Straps over the tires work really well, especially if there are tread grooves for the rubber pieces on the straps to grab onto. If not, like with slicks, wheel nets are probably a better choice.

Either kind needs one anchor point right fore and aft of the tire. The center ones are "stationary" and the straps go up vertically from the anchor, then over the tire and down to a "roller". By using a roller, the strap can then go out horizontally to past the end of the car, where it's easy to operate the ratchet.

So three anchor points per wheel, and it's generally easiest to use E-track for them.

I'm not sure how they would work without an E-track