Trucks, Trailers, Towing and Misc Accessories

[tknaz]

Hey, Sam - sorry I'm not the guy you're talking about(I'm in Tucson) but thanks for the welcome anyway.

[mockingbird812]

Your most welcome !! So, you're saying there is more than one Tom Kelley in AZ?!!

[Canuck]

I have done some long hauling with my cars,4 major trips totaling 18,000 miles. I have always used the method of control arm for the front end and axel loops crossed over at the rear. Additionally I use two straps to hold the frame at the rear.
All of this works well and created minimal movement.

Paul

[RamAirDave]

Sometimes we use the hole in the frame, most times around the LCA mounts. Depends on the car and the angle to the D-rings in the floor.

Axle straps around the rear axle, then ratchet strap from there to the D-ring. Same in the front. Axle strap around the LCA, ratchet strap to the floor. Never had one cut through, or show any signs of doing so.

We wrap all axle straps with microfiber towels to avoid any paint marring. If we hook to the hole in the frame, the hook gets wrapped with one.

Crank all the straps down as tight as you can. Then after you leave the shop/house, fill up, grab a drink or whatever, get a few miles for everthing to shift and settle, crank 'em down again. We usually pull over on the entry ramp, then each time we stop for something. They stay tight, but doesn't hurt to check.

The X tie-down is fine, we usually only do it when we're hauling one that's on a body cart since casters are more likely to move side to side.

[BARN FIND]

[ QUOTE ]
Rob is right about cinching the car down tight to eliminate suspension travel. If you have an expensive set of shocks like a set of QA1's or maybe even a rare set of NOS factory ones, it can wear them out after many trailered miles. This can even be proven by feeling your shocks with your bare hand immediately after stopping at a gas station or something. They will be warm or even hot to the touch meaning they are going through many cycles of rebound & compression. I picked up on this while trailering my Drag Radial shootout car many miles a few years ago. While I would cinch down the frame in the front, I still used axle straps (crossed!) in the rear but with the knob-adjustable QA1's, I would turn them to their stiffest setting for trailering and then soften them back up for the track.

[/ QUOTE ]

So, you are saying that your 3500ish pound car riding on/in your 3000-8000 pound empty weigh "suspended and damped" trailer would get the cars shocks hot and wear them out?

[markjohnson]

Well Ray, since I have to explain myself to you, I'll type this slow so you can understand. When you set-up a Drag Radial car that has close to 900 HP, and trying to put that down to the ground on a 275-60 tire that has less than 9 inches of tread contact, the suspension is a VERY important part of it. A loose, free-working front suspension with 6-cylinder coil springs and 90/10 shocks is a different animal than your average car. Any bump in the road and you can just feel that car back there bouncing up & down changing the tongue weight. Hot shocks? I once attended a drag race suspension seminar where it was explained that the highway trip on that trailer was the equivalent of THOUSANDS of 1/4 mile passes. There's no need to cycle that suspension and expensive race shocks that much. A trick I learned from some NHRA Stock Eliminator buddies was to stick a 6-inch block of wood under the front crossmember under the motor and then cinch down the frame of the car againt the wooden block. This, in essence, makes the car & trailer act as a unit. As far as the rear, just turning the shock dial to the stiffest setting for the trailer ride worked fine. Still awake?

[tknaz]

Sam - yep, that's what I'm saying.

[ORIGLS6]

I do the double & triple check too Dave. And for anyone who thinks a ride in an enclosed trailer is cushy, .............try it some time yourself! We moved some furniture a couple of years ago and I rode in the trailer to "watch" the fridge and china cabinet.

And a little spin on the topic; don't EVER load a front engine vehicle (Corvairs and VWs excluded) in/on a trailer backwards!

[CamarosRus]

Elsewhere on this site is new thread about a truck/trailer towing accident where the ball broke etc etc.

I'm interested in reading opinions on towing my open/flat bed car trailer when NOT using the load equalizing hitch.

(I think my 2 5/16" Load Equalizing set up is rated at 10,000lb)

I currently have a 3" dropped/offset ballmount with 5000lb rated ball mount and 2" 5000lb ball..........towing a loaded open trailer that weighs in excess of 5000lb.

What should I have for equip ?????

(NOTE: The above is NOT talking about my enclosed
trailer using 2 5/16" ball and gear)

Thanks

[Canuck]

Chuck and others.
I always use my equalizer bars whether the trailer is loaded or not. I just sinch them up a little lighter. My trailer weighs about 3300 pounds empty so the more contact point with the truck the better. Lat yaer I changed the GM installed hitch with a Putnam 16,000 pound hitch and thsi past summer I started using a Hensley Arrow on my 28 Ft Airstream.
I have not done a long haul in with my car trailer in the past 8 months but will be using the Hensley on that trailer in the future.

Paul