[rickblake]

Hi

Towing a lightweight trailer 350kilo with a 1970 mg midget on top 700kilo behind RV

Need the ratchet straps but not sure what strength required and wether I need 2 or 4 of them. Also not sure best way to use them to safely hold car in place. Any advice on how many, from where and how much and how strong and how to use them greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Rick

 

[olley]

Hi Rick I use 2.5 ton straps, two go over the front wheels, the third goes across the back over the tow ball. Its a Nissan Micra so just under 1 ton.

Olley

 

[short-stick]

Strap the wheels, not the car chassis. This is because the wheels won't bounce up and down but the car will on it's springs and you don't want to stop it doing that normally!
The straps I see them using are usually 2inch wide webbing.

 

[Pudsey_Bear]

Take a look at recovery vehicles, we can all see it in our minds eye how it should be done, but seeing is much better.

Most use 2 straps on diagonal wheels but 4 is not uncommon, as already said strap the wheels only not the chassis, there is a device (see below, I googled it for you as it was easier to explain that way) which slides along the strap, so that it goes behind the wheel and as the strap is tightened it squeezes the wheel and pulls it down, some are made of steel, but you can get some made of the strap material.

See this set on Ebay item No = 190309443434 just search for it

the 4 x short straps go on the outside of the wheels, after threading the loose end of the strap through the loops at both ends creating a circle (sort of) the wheels goes in this bit, hook one end to the trailer, then around a wheel, then back to the trailer and tension, fasten trailing ends out of the way job done, Simples


Kev.

 

[Rainbow-Chasers]

To be safe you need wrachet straps and chokers. The wheel goes in the loop and then to the trailer on each wheel. This will hold the vehicle down and also stop backward and forward motion as well as sideway crawling.

Putting the strap over the top of the wheel is dangerous as it will not secure vehicle from moving and will work it's way loose from the motion. Over wheel strapping is only suitable for front suspend or dolly where the wheels are in a cradle, and the strap secures them into the cradle - this is only deemed safe for temporary recovery though, as has to be checked at least every 2 hours.

You can loop a wrachet to make a choker, which is the old way of doing it but it does pre wear the strap but as you won't be using them often that would not matter. The strap would be effectively 10 to 2 on the wheel and that will hold down, and if the worst happens as you wiggle or whatever, the car won't go anywhere!

Important thing here is, you are responsible for that load and anything that happens because of it - so make sure you are safe!

 

[106559]

Agreed. Barrel hitch the wheels and chock them. If you tie down above the wheels the suspension bounce will rub through the restraints and make a mess of the bodywork.

 

[120094]

This is how I tie down my Smart. Ratchet to the centre.

Brian

 

[rickblake]

Thanks for help

Hi all

lots of good tips thanks

Re the smart car photo. Are you using 4 straps?

cheers

rick

 

[darach]

Hi
I did recovery work for over 30 years, only one way to go, the same as the smart car, 4 straps with a loop round the wheels. It takes 2 minutes extra time to fit to save any accidents.
Derek

 

[106559]

This is how I tie down my Smart. Ratchet to the centre.

Brian

Posh barrel hitches, very effective. Great if you can afford them, if not barrel hitches with ropes does work. Becoming a lost art roping and sheeting.(thanks be to the wee man,it used to kill me.)

Regards, Derek.

 

[Rainbow-Chasers]

Good example from Brian there! Always use four and you will never have a problem! The chokers are a little low for IVR standards, but lets not be picky! lol! :lol:

(Only reason to have them slightly higher at 10-2 is that they can work loose if halfway down the wheel or below, and they can also chafe on the axle/damage brake pipes.) But having said that, it is alot safer than having less or a poorly strapped down car - so well done! Nice to see people doing it properly!

But a fine example - the benefit Brian will get from doing that, and i hope he never does benefit from it for his sake, but should there be an accident, or the trailer swerve or jack-knife - the smart will stay exactly where it is! Also means he won't get any grief from VOSA! :lol:

 

[quartet]

ditto

Hi
Have dragged my smart for thousands of miles and it is always as solid as a rock. I bought some short straps with metal loops at each end( which i assume is what people call chockers on here) from ebay for about £20 a set. They fit in seconds. Takes all the worry away about your load
Barry

 

[TJ101]

Our recovery staff are not allowed to secure by wheel straps alone

90% of our recovery work is for vehicle over 2 tones, landrover, Volvo etc,, and all must be tied down via the chassis/Factory lashing points etc 4 x 2.5 tone ratchet straps

Only even "lost"one, years ago, A 110 Defender due to suspension bonce and wheel straps only

 

[Rainbow-Chasers]

Our recovery staff are not allowed to secure by wheel straps alone

90% of our recovery work is for vehicle over 2 tones, landrover, Volvo etc,, and all must be tied down via the chassis/Factory lashing points etc 4 x 2.5 tone ratchet straps

Only even "lost"one, years ago, A 110 Defender due to suspension bonce and wheel straps only

How bizarre! IVR do not allow that, and most of the clubs do not either - mondial are particularly fussy! The maximum they allow is a loose winch rope attached to brothers - they state that the chassis transport points are not suitable and must never be used!

Keep changing their minds! lol!

 

[KARTMAN]

Our recovery staff are not allowed to secure by wheel straps alone

90% of our recovery work is for vehicle over 2 tones, landrover, Volvo etc,, and all must be tied down via the chassis/Factory lashing points etc 4 x 2.5 tone ratchet straps

Only even "lost"one, years ago, A 110 Defender due to suspension bonce and wheel straps only

I agree, I prefer to secure by using ratchet straps to the chassis or suspension. By securing the wheels only, the car, in my opinion, will bounce around on its suspension and lean when cornering and make it unstable. The wheel straps seem an idle/quick method of securing.
If you look at cars on a multi deck transporter, they are fastened by the chassis to stop the bounce and from contacting the upper deck with the roof.