Yesterday test fitted the Touring on the trailer I picked up in May. After beefing up the ramp/gate and needing to take the T to the car show this weekend at the state fair I needed to "test" that it will work as I thought it would. It passed with flying colors. It is a 16 foot PJ a 2005. The gate now has 4 extra sections of thick wall tubing and will go to the powder coater the week after next as he's running behind and so I had to reinstall it to use it. Two pics to fallow. I do have one question: Having a "farm boy" help me some times he just happen to be over when I put it on the trailer and helped me strap it down, he asked if I wanted to put a twist in the straps. The first time I heard of doing this was a couple months ago and having never done this I didn't. What do you all think about twisting the straps?
The theory is that the twist acts as a spring to keep the straps tight. Look at every strap professional truckers use to tie down loads. You'll never see a twist. That's my take on it.
Twisting straps on normal straps that go over a load and are running perpendicular to the direction of travel will prevent them from flapping in the wind. There should be no reason the twist them on the T tie downs because they are nearly inline with the direction of travel.
A note on the placement of your T on the trailer. Make sure that the car is as far forward as it can be without exceeding the weight on the hitch. If it is placed so that is balanced on the trailer axles, it is much more likely to fishtail down the road and be much more unstable it quick maneuvers.
Jim
Stan's pretty close to right on this one. As a former lowboy driver with over a million safe miles under my belt, I can tell you there are only two reasons a trucker will put a twist in a strap. The first is, he accidentally puts one in and is too lazy to change it. The second is when he notices through his mirror that a long strap is vibrating a lot. In that case, he might put a twist or two in in to change the aerodynamics and stop the vibrating. In any case, you won't need to worry about it with your Model T.
I see some folks that cross the straps, any comments on that?
Jim, the weight on the tongue looks light but because of the short wheelbase of the Jeep it has 150-200 lbs of tongue weight on it. The drop of the front of the trailer is about an inch. If I was to use the Jeep on a regular basis the hitch would get about 2" more drop to it as it's a bit high from level. Stan and Eric that was the rthinking I needed to keep doing what I've been doing for the last 25 year. Thanks
Jerome, It is hard to look and guess exactly how far forward a car should be located on the trailer. As stated above, you need some tongue weight. To little will cause the trailer to move around to much. If it is unstable, try moving it a little forward.
I have more than one car and find that the different body styles require different locations. If I am going more than a very short distance, I will hook up load equalizers and an anti-sway bar. They help even with a correct size tow vehicle.
The twist in straps is typically used for lighter straps that develop wind chatter at speed. Heavier straps are not as prone to this, hence the truckers not generally using the twist. However, the point remains, if you do develop chatter, the vibration is not only annoying for noise, but will cut your straps or damage your load or load cover. I always use a twist on the loads I put on my lumber rack, as the straps run perpendicular to the vehicle travel and howl like hell at 45+. But if the chatter is not going to be a problem, I prefer to lay the straps across the load nice and flat with no twists.
Same idea for wind whip on tarps. Steve Jelf suggested going over the tarps with chicken wire before strapping. I like using old carpet remnants. It keeps the wind from beating your tarps to death and kills the noise. You can get old throwaway carpet at any flooring store and just toss it when you are finished with the mission.
Do not let the tail wag the dog.Bud.
Headed for Ocean Shores in a few minutes with 2 other T buddies!
1915 P/U with 1915 drive train.
That dually sure tows nice.
Looks like the front straps go to the axle or the perches. Wouldn't they be better attached to the frame cross member ?
Bud, if you tie the T down around the frame you are fighting the suspension. A tight tiedown at rest will be loose when the car bounces over road irregularities. I think it is better to allow the car to move on its suspension. This is what the tyrenets the pros use will allow.
Jerome, if you had a bar across the trailer, up to which you could run the front tyres, you could tie the car down without the risk of pulling the wishbone ball out of the pan. Those long, forward orientated straps will stop your car going backwards on the deck, but the shallow angle will not tie it down very well.
Just my observations, having to negotiate roads not up to US Interstate standards.
Allan from down under.
Good eye Allen!Can we say sling angle. Even a 2x6 screwed to the deck makes a good stop for the right place every time.Bud.
Jerome, it looks to me as if you are using open hook straps. In my opinion that is dangerous. In a heavy stop you risk having a strap slack enough to come off. You find out about the loose strap when the car gets tweaked or comes off the trailer. I feel you should only use a closing hook. Also I don't trust those bent wire hooks to stay bent!
I've towed a lot with closed hook straps, enough to feel good about using them... But since wheel nets and E-rail is so inexpensive I now tow exclusively with them. They go on quicker and easier than straps and are safer and easier on the car. That is they are safer if you get nets with closed hooks!
IMHO, TH
Thanks guys for the input. All is well, it pulled like a dream, and the T didn't move a bit. I like the idea of the closed hook and will change those out before I get to towing any length. I am using the straps you run around the axle on both the front and rear springs, this way no strain on the axles.