Towing car?

[mugen_ctr]

Anyone had experience with towing cars on a trailer?

planning on towing my car to workshop in months time, an dont wanna call tow truckie as i know they charge me an arm n leg to get where i wanna go...

basically i need the low downs on how to strap the car down properly and securely, as ive personally seen cars fly off a trailer because, scary stuff lol

cheers

[curtis265]

I've seen wheels and tow points strapped down, that's probably all you need.

You'd also need a trailer designed to carry the/a vehicle so it'll have the appropriate anchor points

[connorling]

pull the car as forward as you can on the trailer.
try to have the front of the car fcing forward because more weight on the front of the car, and you want all the weight in the centre of the (car+trailer), otherwise you will fish-tail. (happened to me)

also if you do get into fish-tailing, do not counter it or brake hard, just slowly accelerate or slow down, and dont counter steer it.

in regards to locking the car on the trailer, leave the car in gear and handbrake, leave the anchor on and tie the wheels to the trailer.

Anyone had experience with towing cars on a trailer?

planning on towing my car to workshop in months time, an dont wanna call tow truckie as i know they charge me an arm n leg to get where i wanna go...

basically i need the low downs on how to strap the car down properly and securely, as ive personally seen cars fly off a trailer because, scary stuff lol

cheers

[Riced_Civic]

i use 3 straps and tie the car down from the wheels and keep the winch in the OEM tow hook for extra safety.

[mugen_ctr]

cheers guys, once i get the trailer ill look into it more in depth

[dougie_504]

Just strap the tyres down and keep the handbrake on.

Make sure it's strapped to prevent the car hopping both forwards and backwards. I've made a booboo before. Only strapped the car to prevent in going backwards. Had to slam on the brakes later and the car came flying forwards and ended up half sitting on the tow bar pretty much. Just missed the boot lol. Sucked big time, lesson learned.

[mugen_ctr]

Just strap the tyres down and keep the handbrake on.

Make sure it's strapped to prevent the car hopping both forwards and backwards. I've made a booboo before. Only strapped the car to prevent in going backwards. Had to slam on the brakes later and the car came flying forwards and ended up half sitting on the tow bar pretty much. Just missed the boot lol. Sucked big time, lesson learned.

very close call lol, but good tip :)

[trism]

Dont strap it down via the body, like tow hooks etc etc

You want to strap it down via the wheels/lower suspension arms.

By doing this the body of the car will still move around, ie bounce with bumps etc, and itll stop the car creeping around on the trailer.

Use either 4 short straps, one on each wheel, or 2 long ones, for front and back.

[connorling]

Dont strap it down via the body, like tow hooks etc etc

You want to strap it down via the wheels/lower suspension arms.

By doing this the body of the car will still move around, ie bounce with bumps etc, and itll stop the car creeping around on the trailer.

Use either 4 short straps, one on each wheel, or 2 long ones, for front and back.

good point!

[connorling]

Just strap the tyres down and keep the handbrake on.

Make sure it's strapped to prevent the car hopping both forwards and backwards. I've made a booboo before. Only strapped the car to prevent in going backwards. Had to slam on the brakes later and the car came flying forwards and ended up half sitting on the tow bar pretty much. Just missed the boot lol. Sucked big time, lesson learned.


u didnt have handbrake on and leave in gear?

[azn_k3nt]

Man the amount of money you spent on hiring a trailer (assuming you are hiring) can sometime cost more then a private tow truck :/ don't go for those massive franchised tow truck companies.

You live in Melbourne there's a shit lot of private personal towing guys, just away.

[mugen_ctr]

very useful advice guys thanks... ive read bits here an there, an it seems strapping it down to the tire is the only way to go

an yes there are many private towers around here, but when u needa tow more than 50kms away, im looking at 200 minimum for one way, an if the car decides to let go at the tuner, (i hope not LOL), with a trailer at-least than i can still tow it back home

[azn_k3nt]

wow so far :/ alright look like a trailer wins here...too bad my neighbor got rid of his tow truck, would've asked. Good luck

[dougie_504]

u didnt have handbrake on and leave in gear?

Handbrake on. No engine/gearbox. Strapped at the front to stop it rolling backwards.

Hit the brakes and the car 'hopped' forwards on the tyres.

[p3akin]

hand brake, winch the car and one strap across the rear wheels. thats all you need.

[Drifter995]

What we did with the race car:
Put the car right in the center of the trailer (so it sits evenly on the trailer, not causing the ass end of the towing car to dip down... it's a commodore, it doesn't handle it well) Then handbrake on, in gear, strap onto the wheels/ suspension. If you strap onto the body, when it hits a bump it'll go down. When it goes back up, it'll hit the strap, and snap it. An extreme example, but stranger things happen with trailers. If you keep it on the suspension, the straps keep the car down, and the body can move like normal, without stressing the straps when it goes up and down. Strap the front AND the back. Can do each corner if your paranoid, like me.
Bad description, but it works. I do everything I can, cause I don't want an '85 bluebird coming through the back window of the commodore...