Securing a 944 to a trailer

[iplagolf]

Hello, I'm leaving the mid-west and moving to Louisiana Saturday. I'm picking up a new car hauling trailer tomorrow and would like some suggestions as how to secure the car on the trailer for the trip. I have one tie ring on the front left and none in back. My one idea is to get four two inch nylon ratchet straps, protect the wheels with towels, thread the strap(s) through the wheels and secure them to each corner of the trailer. Does anyone have a better idea? Thanks, Fritz

[homer944]

That will work fine. Make sure to check on the tie downs every now and then and tighten down as necessary.

Rear tie downs would be better and can be had for $30 for the pair. Believe someone on here or on RL was making them.

[9FF]

I strap through the wheels at the front and through tie-down eyes mounted at the bottom of my rear shocks. You need to tie-down using unsprung weight only so don't use the toe-hook points etc and you should be good.

[racer]

What kind of car hauling trailer? ie, Uhaul rental? some rental trailers have limited ways to tie a car down, and most will come with wheel "covers" that wrap the tread of the wheel and secure the car this way.

If you go with your plan, suggest crossing at least the rear straps (ie, making an "X" when viewed from behind the car).

Check the straps after an hour or 100 miles... some reasonable interval to ensure the car isn't moving on the trailer.

[iplagolf]

Crossing the rear straps is a good idea. Have done that before with a friends rock crawler. I don't know the brand of trailer, but I will post a picture tomorrow when I get home. I stopped into the local barber shop today, guy knows everyone in town. The place was packed and I asked Dave if he knew anyone with one for sale. There was a customer who said he bought one a few years ago from a dealership just south of the Kentucky/Indiana border. Called them and after telling the owner what I needed, he said he had several, gave me the prices, and I told him I'd be down Wednesday morning. U-haul wants $380.00 plus tax, plus $$ for insurance, plus tax, so I figure $450.00 to rent or more. I'd rather buy one. Thanks for all the come backs, post the pic's of the trailer tomorrow. Fritz

[FrenchToast]

I think typically if you're going to cross them you want to pick one end to cross, one to not. I.e. if you cross the rears, don't cross the fronts. This is what I have heard. I am not a trailering expert by any means! Maybe somebody else can chime in on that one.

Looks like you have an '85.5, your car should have come stock with two black towhooks behind the bumper, one on each side. That said they do tend to disappear.

I recommend checking the straps once within the first one to five miles. They will settle in quickly, especially if they are new. Check them frequently if they are brand new, i.e. every twenty minutes there after. If they 'settle down,' then you can probably just check them every 100 miles as 'racer' said. Be sure to leave your car in neutral out of gear when it is all strapped down, even on a full, non 'tow', trailer. The rocking back and forth for miles will cause stress on the gears. Also release the handbrake. However it is a good idea to use the brake and/or gear when you first position the car on the trailer, so the car doesn't roll off the trailer while you get the straps (I use a block behind a wheel too for added precaution). And before you drive it on, make sure your front spoiler wont drag. You may need blocks as a 'step.'

And, make sure your trailer lights work!

Good luck with the move, and have a safe and enjoyable drive!

[porschetub]

Crank it down hard on the tie-downs and make sure you don't have too much weight or too little on the tow ball,balance the car position on the trailer and your tow will be smooth,have a good move .

[9FF]

"Looks like you have an '85.5, your car should have come stock with two black towhooks behind the bumper, one on each side. That said they do tend to disappear."

It's not advisable to tie-down at the toe points. The body is sprung weight so will bounce up and down and put a lot of strain on the straps. Tie down using the unsprung areas of the car only, wheels and bottom suspension mounts are good, any part of the body is bad including tow points.

[GorillaFoot]

Somebody please explain the logic of hooking to unsprung weight... Our cars came from the factory in GERMANY, across the Atlantic and then to points N, E, W & S, using factory tie down points- not the wheels. On my 1989 951, the factory had steel plates attached by 3 bolts in the stow bins behind the rear wheels. In the front, plates held in by 2 bolts. And then there are those holes that come down from the undercarriage, which are all meant to put in T-hooks for additional hauling options.

The car is not strapped directly downward to the deck. Due to the angles and length of the straps, the car does have the ability to bounce a bit, but not so much to disturb the haul. I also have no fear the the alignment issue when I arrive.

Also, straps are supposed to stretch a bit. Otherwise, we would be using thick chains.

What am I missing? The factory tow points are OK for traveling thousands of miles, but not to the nearest track?

[9FF]

Cars that are transported by the manufacturer generally have spring blocks fitted. These are solid blocks fitted into the coils of the springs that are removed by the dealer on arrival. So tying down by sprung weight isn't an issue.

A car on a trailer will bounce on it's springs as much if not more than the vehicle it's on. If you tie-down the body the straps will flap about on every bounce and then a lot of stress gets put into the straps on every rebound. Things get nasty fast. If you tie-down using unsprung weight the straps stay where they are.

[GorillaFoot]

There are a few holes in the answer... NEXT!!!!!

[emoore924]

If you tie-down the body the straps will flap about on every bounce and then a lot of stress gets put into the straps on every rebound

+2 on that. I have years of towing experience and you tie down to the wheels or non-moving parts of the suspension or you risk loosening, cutting or undoing of the straps from the car bouncing around. Not the tow hooks.

I put my straps through the wheels. The straps have special sleeves on them to protect the straps from cutting. Watch out for the calipers and the tire valves.

Cross the straps. They need to be tight but not redonculous tight.

Put the e-brake on but most folks leave the car out of gear.

You need at least one spare and a jack that can lift at least one axle with the car on the trailer..., oh and a lug wrench that fits the trailer lugs. A set of those reflective triangles aren't a bad idea either, or a partner to watch down the road who yells "RUN" when someone drifts off the right side of the road while you're trying to change a tire...

Be sure you have approx 10% weight on the tongue or you risk sway and braking problems.

Make sure the tow vehicle and trailer are LEVEL when on the hitch and loaded properly (10% tongue weight). If not the car is improperly loaded and/or you have the wrong drop on the hitch. Torsion bars aren't a bad idea either if they're available.

You need a decent brake controller, one that progressively varies the braking force, and brakes that work and are properly set for the load.

Be sure your trailer tires are inflated properly. And your lights need to work too. All of them.

Good luck.

[iplagolf]

Long, long day. Will read all the threads and post pic'c on Thursday. Killer trailer. nite, nite...Fritz

[porsche4life]

You guys that say to tie on unsprung weight are asking for trouble... I've pulled a 944 thousands of miles tied down on the factory plates. If you tie to the body, make sure to get the springs compressed, and I've never had an issue....

And I've got an automotive engineer that will back me up on that....

[Capt Squid]

I have towed a 944 Spec race car all over the western US for a number of years. Most of our group uses 4 ratchet tie downs with straps that go through the wheels. A few cross the straps and the rest of us use an anchor point on the corners of the trailers. I was run off the road once and the car on the trailer did not move. Use 4 tie downs and block the front wheels.

[iplagolf]

Hello...Long day yesterday. Here is a pic of the new trailer. I didn't buy one with a dove tail. Wasn't going to spend the extra $100. I have extra long ramps and dragging is not an issue. The stuff on the trailer is a motorcycle lift for the back of the RV. I'm leaving it in storage here. My tow vehicle is a class A motor home with a Ford F650 frame and a Triton V 10 engine. I am going with straps through the wheels, crossed at the back. I added lifts to the rear axles on the RV when I bought it and keep them inflated to 80 psi when I haul the motorcycle on the rear lift. The bike is approx 700 lbs. It should handle the tongue weight just fine. I have a spare, fix-a-flat and a compressor on board. Just a side note, didn't fuel up yesterday, big mistake. Gas jumped .20 a gallon. I put 62 gallons on board this morning...That should almost get me where I'm going. The V 10 does very well for MPG, much better than my old 454 Chevy in the Southwind...As always, thank you! I might not be getting on as much in the next few weeks, don't know what the Internet situation is in Monroe, LA, but I'm sure there are Wi-Fi areas. Again, thanks. Fritz

[emoore924]

You need to document your trip! Take pics and let us know how you make out. (If I knew you were pulling with an RV, I'd recommend a rear camera too, with the 650, you need to make sure the trailer and car are still back there )

[iplagolf]

I have a rear camera, sound too. Glad I had it on the trip to pick up the trailer or I'd never seen, (or heard) the police officer who was trying to pull me over. I have a 30 day permit to move the RV, he didn't see it, will title and plate it in LA. I'll take pic's and a running dialog of the trip. Fritz

[tlechner]

Towed my 924 in/on all sorts of trailers. Never in gear - and don't have E brake.
I go with a tow hook and chain in front. Two straps crossed at the rear.
U never have to worry about tension in the front (or straps breaking and rolling off trailer).
the best part about this is once you get perfect position you can mark the chain - and pull it tight with the rear straps.. presto- it's right every time. I even put the excess strap closed into the hatch. (no chance of 25 ft of strap flopping around in the breeze behind)
Throw your trailer spare in the hatch or in in your vehicle.
Don't ask me how i know all this - lets just call it "experience".

[Pete R]

Originally Posted by tlechner

Throw your trailer spare in the hatch or in in your vehicle.
Don't ask me how i know all this - lets just call it "experience".

Dude, 13 bucks and it stays on

Trailer Spare Tire Carrier