types of anchors for towing vehicles on flatbed

[Mudraga]

I'm going to be looking at buying some "proper" anchoring devices for towing my '69 Bronco on a flatbed trailer. I've been simply using 3" ratchet straps, but I'd like to have some dedicated chains made up so I don't have to mess with the straps anymore. I'm curious about the different types of devices used to apply load to chains. I've seen the type that lock with a leverage action, and I've seen the type that look to have a chain pass through them and ratchet down. Which is better for my application? Also, I'm weary about using a single chain/strap at the front because if it goes out, there is nothing to keep the truck from rolling off the trailer other than the tranny being in gear. How do other people tie their vehicles down?

[LMJD]

If it was me, I'd use 4 3/8" chains (grab hooks on each end) and plain old conventional binders. Very quick and very safe. I use those heavy duty ratchet straps for hay, etc, on my flatbed, but I agree, they're a pain and not the handiest way to go for tying down a vehicle.

[Albin]

I use 3/8" Grade 70 chains and rachet binders in the rear, one 3/8" chain and one rachet strap in the front (I have tiedowns welded on my axle so I don't have to use axle straps) for my '85 Toy 4Runner. On longer trips, I also have 2 rachet straps on the sides to control body roll.

Here's where I got my rachet binders: http://www.awdirect.com/awdirect/catalog...&linkid=400

DOT requirements for <10K lb vehicles is two tiedowns in the front and two for the rear. If you're only using one, good luck keeping anything of value after an accident and the lawyers and courts get done with you.

Al

[mndorf]

5/16" chain, grade 7 should be plenty for a Bronco. Lever action binders are fine but they take practice to do them effiently and not pinch your fingers.

Bruce

[NickKent]

Ratchet chian binders are very nice, and easy to operate.

[ProDriver18]

A four point tiedown is the best way to go on a vehicle, one chain/binder at each corner.That'll make about any law enforcement officer nod in approval.
When I put a vehicle on my flat trailer I want it to stay put and not have to worry about it no matter what kind of road I'm on or if I have to make a panic stop because of something happening in front of me.
If you're going to have dedicated chains for the Bronco then you can have them made up in shorter lengths and won't have to deal with excess chain to tie up. 3/8ths is plenty, ratchet binders are nice but more expensive than the lever type. If you chain the Bronco down by the frame or suspension instead of by the axles the ratchet binders are more forgiving and won't pop open if the suspension flexes causing momentary slack in the chains while going over rough spots. Myself, I chain them down by the axles, pulling down and forward with the front set and down and backwards with the rear set and let the body "float".
You've got the right idea about securing your vehicle to the trailer. In cases like this it's always better to take a couple of extra minutes for the extra chains and be safe.

[Kanman]

Why are you wanting to get away from straps? Chains get nasty dirty, hot and cold are heavy, noisy to drag around and there is no neat way to store them. Straps have an elastic effect and are a little more forgiving for towing a vehicle. Chains are 100% rigid.

Before making up your mind either way. Order a catalog from Aw Direct they have the biggest selection of "made up" chains straps and related items I have ever seen.

You should always secure both front and rear of vehicle. Having the chains/straps pulling away from each other or towards each other like / \ or \ / either way is fine. Just so long as they pull against each other. Never like this | | wrong \ \ wrong / /

<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre> Correct / \ \ /


Wrong | |
Wrong \ \
Wrong / /
Wrong | /
Wrong | \ </pre><hr />

[tta583]

I, myself, use straps. Have had good luck and don't plan to change. I do admit when I bought my first set I asked a lot of folks about them as I did not trust them compared to a good, solid, chain.

I will say the straps do tend to have a lot of excess to deal with. I use the longer "trucker" ones as opposed to the shorter ones (of the same material and ratchet mechanism) sold by trailer and speed shops for use on car trailers. I thought about cutting mine down then burning the ends to keep them from fraying but decided to roll up and zip tie the excess so I have the length there should I need it for something else. Doing this made it a no brainier to switch them between my 24” enclosed or my 18” open car trailers. I just made sure I had enough un-zip tied length to secure either car on either trailer. I store them (actually 6 straps, 2 axle straps, and various other goodies) in a heavy plastic (not a flimsy Rubbermaid deal) tote that I picked up at Sam’s Club. I got one with a bi-fold hinged door so I did net have to worry about tracking the lid. The tote has some weight to it but nothing like it would be if it was full of chains and binders. I have had no noticeable “elastic” effects out of my straps but I will admit that is based on perceived tension before, during, and after a tow. I guess a better way to put it is that I have not noticed them stretching and going slack on the long haul. They may be a little elastic (stretch and retract) under load but I have never noticed anything moving around. Yes, you do have a little more maintenance in that you have to watch for them fraying and pay attention to routing. If something on the car or truck rubs on them they could fray and fail at that point.

When I was looking a straps vs. chains I did pick up what I thought a good tip on the cam style chain binders. Some guys were making sure to lock them so the handles all pointed toward the back of the trailer. This kept something from snagging them (shrub, bush??) and pulling them open. They also favored wire wrapping the levers as additional protection to keep them closed. I want to say they were off road guys so they did not necessarily always have their trailer in a parking lot or on paved ground and away from something that may snag the trailer.

[Blue Water Runner]

I use race car ratchet straps and axle straps that I bought from Northern Tool. They are expensive but they work well. I welded eight d-rings to the trailer in locations that would be easy for the straps to snap on to. I cross my straps in the back and run the straps straight on the front.

Here is a pic: CLICK HERE

[Kanman]

To clarify my elastic statement. I did not mean this in a negative way towards straps. During the event of a rough ride such as a pot hole or an emergency braking situation. A chain can shock load itself and snap. Where as a strap can give just a little bit, it would be hard in a tow situation to shock load a strap.

Any decent brand of strap will have wear indicators. Usually red threads that become visible and show through when damage has occured. When you see more than a couple of red threads it is time to replace the strap.

With chains and boomers you will also want a cheater pipe of some sort to get proper tension on the chain. Go easy as it is very easy to over boom with a 3 foot cheater pipe. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/phoney.gif[/img] Good for busting out a few teeth too lol. You will also want to be aware of the load rating on your D Rings. You can quite easily over load those with a boomer as well.

[Albin]

Not sure I agree with that:
3/8's Grade 70 chain has a working load of 6600 lbs.
2" strap, typically used for racheting straps, has a working load limit of 3300 lbs.

I'll take the chains any day.

Trailering 4x4 vehicles poses another risk: That of the limp wristed, self-indulgent libtard environazi taking it upon himself to "protect the Earth" by cutting your straps while your rig is sitting in a parking lot. If those people will burn down houses in the name of their "cause", a couple of 2" straps won't pose a whole lot of problem for them. 3/8's Grade 70 chain does.

Al

[Dubco1]

If the idiots will cut the straps they will remove the chains just the same. No difference in an idiots thinking. He is also the same idiot that will pull the release on your fifth wheel just to watch you drive off and drop the trailer...

The biggest problem is the guy that is towing and doesn't take the time and good sense to walk around the truck and trailer to give it a safety check before hitting the road anytime they stop for any reason. Tires, straps, chains, hitch, safety chains, trailer plug, etc, should all be observed before you move. If some jack a$$ has tampered with anything it will be seen if you are looking.

I have a friend that pulled a double drop for years. His number one safety item was a box of chalk. Plain old school teacher chalk. He would mark the deck for every item he had on the trailer and go 40 to 50 miles, then stop and check his load. He didn't have to think about whether that item had moved or not. It would be obvious at a glance.

If you aren't looking, you aren't towing safe. And I agree with Kanman a chain can and will shock load. Its all about fatigue... If you have been dogging down the chains correctly they aren't going to last forever. Its not going to happen very often, if ever but there is always the unknown next event...

Heres a question about towing vehicles. Especially race cars. Do you tie the car down by the frame and dog it down until it wont move or do you tie the car down buy the axles and let the suspension work?

Just curious, as there are a million thoughts about how to do this.

FOMOGO

[Albin]

Not sure how you interpreted my remark on libtard cutting straps on 4x4 towed 4x4 vehicles to me not checking my loads, but whatever.

I use binders and chain. Assuming a libtard can ever figure it out, loosening a binder is a lot more work than a simple swipe with a knife or razor box cutter (preferred tool as reported by Jeep clubs out of CA). My worry is not about the cutting of a strap and me not seeing it; my worry is cut strap(s) and not having enough spares to replace them while on the road.

Personally, I chain the rear to the axles with two crossed chains and two binders, two chains to the front axle plus another two straps to the frame on the sides to control body roll. As you commented, there are as many ways to do it as there are people; a 6 page thread on Pirate4x4.com with hardly anyone agreeing with anyone else proves this.

Al

[tta583]

As I mentioned before I sit on the strap side of the fence.

In terms of spares I keep 2 with me at all times. Of my 6 (total) straps 2 of them have integrated axle straps. The 2 spares I keep are “generic” hook end trucker straps. I also keep 2 stand alone axle straps. This way I can configure the spare for any position on any vehicle on any trailer. If I need a rear strap I pull out the generic strap and an axle strap and go to town.

As to cost. Well, I pay around $13 a 25’ strap at Sam’s club. These are the same 10,000lb breaking (I think it was) 3,300lb working load straps I could get from my local trailer shop for twice the cost. I also looked around online (Summit, Northern Tool, trailer suppliers, and tie down and retainer specialty shops) and locally to not find a better price. No one, at the time, even came close in cost. I compared apples to apples as best I could (breaking and working loads). I did not pay attention to length as auto shops, like Summit, generally sold shorter straps as they were “special purpose” for auto trailer use. No need for the length. I also carry a couple of 3/4 inch wrenches so that I can flip the hook on the ratchet as I need to fit a given trailer or car.

As to strapping them down, oh man the opinions flow fourth on that one. My cars are rather low so I don’t have much of a choice in terms of hooking to the frame and trying to bottom out the suspension. I can not get the vertical travel on my trailer decks. I end up locking the wheels down and letting the suspension work, when I can. On the T/A I go over the axle in back and hook into the lower control arm up front. On the Fiero, well there is no solid axle out back so I go to the engine cradle. Up front I hook to a body brace in the floor. For now it works but as I trailer it more I may re-arrange.

Oh, and yes, I check everything on every stop. Sometimes I stop just to check the straps. I learned a lesson when my T/A moved in its trailer once. Thankfully nothing was damaged. 4 wheelers actually cause me the most concern. 1 in the bed and 3-4 on the deck makes for a lot of tie down. Just more potential points of failure/worry.

[Jimmy3336]

I prefer chains and ratchet binders but I haul tractors, loaders and mini track hoe's. I think the real key is to pull it down tight and PAY ATTENTION no matter what you use, stop and check it to make sure it hasn't shifted or moved on you and take care of your straps/chains don't use something that is stretched or fraid