Towing

Seeking some advice. I am going to pick up 2 57 Buicks. Taking 2 18 foot trailers and 2 SUV's capable of the tow rating. The drive is about 7 hours each way.

I need to know if 10,000 lb straps are good to use or if we should use chains and boomers? The straps would be much more convenient and more reasonably priced.

Thanks

I believe that the DOT requires two devices that are each capable of two and one half times the weight of the object being secured.

4 10,000# straps on each vehicle will be more than sufficient. We have hauled heavy antique cars more than 150000 miles using that method with no problems yet. Check them every couple hundred miles and all will be well. Strap around the axles or A-arms and pull them frog's butt tight.

I have pulled many a mile using the straps. I do X cross the backs to keep the butt of the car from jumping/moving. I also use axle straps (short lengths of strap with a protective sleeve) also. I use four straps, and keep the winch rope with axle strap on the front also. So I guess that is a total of five.

I use 4 straps, each with 10,000 lb rating on both the strap, and at least that much on all mechanism and hooks.

I "X" cross tie on both front and rear -- you will hear many differing opinions -- like some body-parts - everybody has one !

I've trailered for over 50 years - never been sorry that I've exceeded requirements - never had to apologize for coming up short. You cannot be too careful - protect your load, your tow vehicle and trailer, and ME - I'm out there on the road too!

Good luck.

All good advice. I would never trust one strap front and back, the two straps assure the car won't go anywhere. I don't cross the straps, if you go with Restorer32 advice on the "frogs butt tight" the car should never move. Marty's towed to the moon and back, though, so his is good advice too.

ALWAYS check your straps. Here's why. When I was living in Nawlins (Marty land), I had a 57 Thunderbird on an open trailer, towed by a 1973 Cutlass. Thunderbird was loaded back end forward, and I secured it with chain and binders.

Parked it in my apartment parking lot, had a good night's sleep, then started to hit the road the next morning. Hopped in car, took off, oh, wait, let's pull into that K&B drugstore, hit the brakes, WHOOMP....what the....

Someone had stolen the chains and binders in the night. The Thunderbird ended up with differential on the trunk of the Cutlass. I didn't check the tie downs, just took off assuming all was well.........

QUOTE: 4 10,000# straps on each vehicle will be more than sufficient. We have hauled heavy antique cars more than 150000 miles using that method with no problems yet. Check them every couple hundred miles and all will be well. Strap around the axles or A-arms and pull them frog's butt tight.<!-- google_ad_section_end --> UNQUOTE

Based on my experience you've used some tremendous amount of gas in your tow vehicle, haha. Coming back from Louisville my 2007 Suburban got 6.9 mpg.

As for straps, I believe in overkill. I cross two in the back and run two straight ones to the back and do the same thing in the front. As a friend once said, "you don't have to be crazy to fool with old cars, but it sure helps." Haha

Actually we tow with a Dodge Turbo Diesel and regularly get 14 mpg using my automatic and a bit more using Son's 6 speed. Still adds up to a lot of fuel over the years. Used about $425 in fuel hauling a car to a show in Florida and back to PA.

My step-son,50+ will ask my advise and then do the exact opposit or what some nut case tells him. Got to the point I just say if it suits you Pat it tickles me plum to death. We both towed a car to VA. in 1996, he borrowed a trl.and the straps.for his. I also use 4 10000 lb. straps and hook all 4 to the frame front rear,and yes I x-cross front and rear. Pat shows me the straps he has and I tell him Pat, those are cycle straps you need straps like mine and I show him what they are and where to buy them. He buys two. I say Pat you need 4. go get 2 more. The next morning I meet him on the highway with my trl. Pat, did you get the straps like I told you?? He tells me no, said the guy that loaned him the trl. laughed at him when he showed him the straps I told him to get and wanted to know if he was tieing down a house,so he took the first 2 back and was useing the loaner straps. He ask me to check his load. I told him if your happy it suites me,lets hit the road.Ten miles down the road mama puts me on a guilt trip so I pull off and open his trl. Two of the stupid straps he was useing had snaped and his car had slid almost into the wheel well. I had extry straps with me so we repositioned his car and locked it down with my straps. Did he learn anything?? I doubt it.

4 10K straps and you could drive to the moon and back. I vote for cross tied and I like to go a bit tighter than a frogs butt. I go more for a gnats ass stretched over an oil drum.......................Bob

Bill always crosses the back straps no matter what we have hauled from a Legends racecar for eleven racing seasons to the Jeep Liberty we hauled in December to my step-daughter in Mass.

I managed to find a transport company to ship both cars for $1000 through a company called ship.com. It was great, you place a bid price and companies compete. Everyone was quoting $2200.

They use a 45 foot trailer with a beavertail. I would have had to take 2 uv trucks with trailers on the 7 hour drive.So I would have spent more than that on gas, trailer rental, and hotel.

I recommend the site if anyone needs transportation.

They were very helpful, followed up with a call, and more than 8 carriers bid.

Hi- can you copy and paste the website address please...I can't find a ship.com....thanks

uship.com