Trailer NO NO!!

[Dick W.]

A couple of things in the attached photo are big NO NO's when towing. One is a car cover. Your car is always covered in dust and the wind blowing the cover, as you go down the highway, is like very fine sandpaper on your paint. If you tow with an open trailer, either leave your car uncovered or purchase a towing cover. Years ago we were at the Corvette Expo in Knoxville and someone came in with a covered car. I cannot remember where they were from but I do remember they were from out of state. The whole front of the car looked like it had been sanded with 1200 grit paper

Second thing is the long straps in the rear. They will allow the car to move laterally. Preferably X the straps and make them as short as possible to prevent movement.trailer no no.jpgnono.gif

[Kevin G.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

How about Saran Wrap Um?

[Kevin G.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

Always be certain to tie your load securely BEFORE moving the tow vehicle!

[Stuart F.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

FWIW; my son tried using "Shrink Wrap" on his 08 PC for our trip up to Indy last May. He applied it only over the front end and around the flip back side mirrors to help against splash back of sand and grit. It proved to be more trouble than it was worth (putting it on and taking it off), and was proved to be unnecessary. On the trip back, we loaded the car in a hurry due to an impending thunderstorm, and he drove all the way back tp Florida with it that way. It looked none the worse for wear on arrival here than at Indy.

Stu Fox

[Clem Z.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

A couple of things in the attached photo are big NO NO's when towing. One is a car cover. Your car is always covered in dust and the wind blowing the cover, as you go down the highway, is like very fine sandpaper on your paint. If you tow with an open trailer, either leave your car uncovered or purchase a towing cover. Years ago we were at the Corvette Expo in Knoxville and someone came in with a covered car. I cannot remember where they were from but I do remember they were from out of state. The whole front of the car looked like it had been sanded with 1200 grit paper

Second thing is the long straps in the rear. They will allow the car to move laterally. Preferably X the straps and make them as short as possible to prevent movement.[ATTACH=CONFIG]39564[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]39565[/ATTACH]

i have been told not to "X" the straps because the car can flip over. maybe not a low car like a corvette but i have seen picture of a jeep that flipped on it side with the straps still attatched.

[Don L.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

But Clem, seems to me that if the rear straps are short and "X"ed, they would not allow enough slack for the car to roll, no?

[Thomas H.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

A couple of things in the attached photo are big NO NO's when towing. One is a car cover. Your car is always covered in dust and the wind blowing the cover, as you go down the highway, is like very fine sandpaper on your paint. If you tow with an open trailer, either leave your car uncovered or purchase a towing cover. Years ago we were at the Corvette Expo in Knoxville and someone came in with a covered car. I cannot remember where they were from but I do remember they were from out of state. The whole front of the car looked like it had been sanded with 1200 grit paper

Second thing is the long straps in the rear. They will allow the car to move laterally. Preferably X the straps and make them as short as possible to prevent movement.[ATTACH=CONFIG]39564[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]39565[/ATTACH]

Since the car is forward on the trailer, puts a lot of weight on the hitch. I would have tried to get the car centered over the wheels to balance the weight on the trailer. We had stops put on our trailer for the front wheels to keep the load centered.

As for "X-ing" the straps, I can tell you that when we first started racing, we did not "X" them. Once we did, the car seemed much more stable on the trailer. I never heard that it could lead to flipping as Clem mentioned, but then again, there is a lot I have not heard................

Tom

[Clem Z.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

But Clem, seems to me that if the rear straps are short and "X"ed, they would not allow enough slack for the car to roll, no?

if they are short but remember if one side of the car starts to lift that strap will loose the tension as it start to go over towards the side of the trailer where the strap is attached .

[Dick W.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

i have been told not to "X" the straps because the car can flip over. maybe not a low car like a corvette but i have seen picture of a jeep that flipped on it side with the straps still attatched.

It can do that with long straps. I usually have about two feet of strap between the car and attaching point. Sometimes less

[Tom D.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

What happens with an X arrangement when one strap comes loose? I suggest the car might migrate to one side faster. Of course, if there is a non-X arrangement, the car is free to migrate also - But perhaps not as much?

[William L.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

I only X the straps at one end of the car.

[Russ S.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

Since the car is forward on the trailer, puts a lot of weight on the hitch. I would have tried to get the car centered over the wheels to balance the weight on the trailer. We had stops put on our trailer for the front wheels to keep the load centered.

As for "X-ing" the straps, I can tell you that when we first started racing, we did not "X" them. Once we did, the car seemed much more stable on the trailer. I never heard that it could lead to flipping as Clem mentioned, but then again, there is a lot I have not heard................

Tom

Balanced on the trailer is a big NO NO. You don't need a lot of weight on the tongue but if you have it balanced with little weight on the tongue, you are very likely to get bad swaying back and forth which is very likely to throw the tow vehicle and trailer into a spin. It has happened to me. I didn't have a car on my 20 foot flat bed trailer but had maybe a thousand pounds of steel. I was going down a interstate about 70 MPH and without warning all of a sudden I had done a 180 right in the middle of the road and my steel kept traveling on down the road in the direction I had been going. Wasn't fun.

[William P.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

Balanced on the trailer is a big NO NO. You don't need a lot of weight on the tongue but if you have it balanced with little weight on the tongue, you are very likely to get bad swaying back and forth which is very likely to throw the tow vehicle and trailer into a spin. It has happened to me. I didn't have a car on my 20 foot flat bed trailer but had maybe a thousand pounds of steel. I was going down a interstate about 70 MPH and without warning all of a sudden I had done a 180 right in the middle of the road and my steel kept traveling on down the road in the direction I had been going. Wasn't fun.

I agree, you must have tounge weight or the trailer will sway . I always measure the hitch hieght before and after I load to make sure it is down a couple of inches . Believe me it is a scarry expierence when a trailer sways out of controll . It can happen without warning and if you survive you will be a lot more careful in the future .
This is the reason I won't lend my trailer out .
Bill

[Dick W.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

Look at the way heavy equipment is tied down. (don't pay attention to your local mover, look on the Interstate) If chains/straps are used, the are most likely X'ed. Federal regs require it to be secured to prevent lateral movement. Also require tie down points to be as close to the item as possible. Same with a car, if the straps are straight the vehicle can move side to side. X'ed, it cannot move.

I have hauled everything from a Cub Cadet to a 90,000# excavator. I am very particular as to how things are secured.

[Thomas H.]

Re: Trailer NO NO!!

I agree, you must have tounge weight or the trailer will sway . I always measure the hitch hieght before and after I load to make sure it is down a couple of inches . Believe me it is a scarry expierence when a trailer sways out of controll . It can happen without warning and if you survive you will be a lot more careful in the future .
This is the reason I won't lend my trailer out .
Bill

I probably didn't select the right word when I used "balanced". In fact after going back and re-reading my post, I told myself "I've got to stop typing before thinking". Sort of like thinking about what is going to come out of your mouth before opening it.

We never had a long trailer like the one Dick showed. Our first (shown below) was just long enough for the car. We bought one that was a bit longer a few years later. The heaviest part of the car is forward of the trailer wheels which placed the load on the hitch. Never had any issues towing it (especially after we got the Surburban with a 454 in it).