<VV> Trailering / Tie-down

[Sethracer at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/9/2006 8:12:28 AM Pacific Daylight Time,  
n556p at yahoo.com writes:

Here's a  question for you "been there - done that" "experts".
I'm about to take a trip to pick up a new (to me) 'Vair.  What is
the  best way to tie-down a late model onto a trailer?  What are the
best  places to attach the tie-down straps?  I've not done this before. 
The  trailer I'll have available to me is a tandem-axle that's long
enough so  the rear wheels of the 'Vair should sit about over the rear
trailer  axle.  I'm assuming that this should give reasonable  weight
distribution without having to load the car backward.  The trip  is
about 500 miles each way.
If you don't want to  waste bandwidth on such a "newbie" question,
feel free to respond to me  off-list.  Thanks in advance.
Phil  Raker



Phil - When I trailer, I use four ratcheting tie downs and four ring loops.  
The "ring loops" are short pieces of Nylon strapping (maybe 24") with a 
rubbery  cover over it and a sewn ring at each end. On the front, I slide the ring  
loops over the lower control arms - near the front spring, rings aimed  
forward - And attach one of the hooks on the ratchet through both  rings. That way 
the hook is easily accessable for attachment and removal. The  other hook on 
the ratchet is attached to the trailer ring far forward. On the  rear, I use the 
loop over the lower strut rod (The lateral steel link between  the 
differential and the trailing arm) with the rings gathered together and  aimed toward 
the rear) the ratchets hook through the rings and to the rear  towing hold-down 
eyes on the trailer. While attaching all of this, the car is in  gear on the 
trailer, with the parking brake on. After all four tie-downs are  Just snugged, 
I take the car out of gear and remove the parking brake. At that  point I 
tighten up the rear ratchets which, in effect, pulls everything tight  and the 
car slightly toward the rear of the trailer.  I do not cross the  ratchets, I 
realize that some folks do. I always tow out of gear, and usually  with the 
parking brake off. (I do cross the safety chains between the  trailer and the tow 
vehicle) During a trip, I generally check the tightness of  the ratches 
whenever I stop. This is in case a tire goes down which would loosen  the ratchet. 
 
Just one further note, Corvairs, like almost all cars built to sell in the  
US, and maybe elsewhere, have tie-down slots built into the subframes. These 
are  small, elongated holes that are located and designed to allow the standard  
Auto-carrier truck tiedowns to be attached. If you could find those, you 
could  use those slots for your tie downs. - Seth Emerson