A few towing & tie down questions

[witz323]

I plan on loading my '04 on an open trailer this week and had a couple questions regarding proper tie down locations. Is it possible to use the rear control arms and front wheels as tie down locations? Are there better locations? Will I need anything aftermarket? I do not currently have any aftermarket tow hooks installed.

 

[George Farris]

There are 4 oval holes in the frame rails that are best to use. Two up front and two in the rear.

We use "T" hooks up front and "C" hooks in the back - those are cross-tied.

The Viper is so low up front, we got the T hook straps made at Mac's Custom Tie -Downs- they are not adjustable. We roll the car forward, install the hooks, and roll it back until the belts tighten.

Since each trailer is different, you will have to measure how long the straps should be.

BUT, to answer you question - we have used the control arms in a pinch.

 

[steve911]

Look up "R" hooks on the net. Those are what is used for transport. They go into the angled oval slots ahead of the front and behind the rear axle. Be sure and cross the straps on each axle. (i.e. left front frame to right front trailer, right front frame to left front trailer etc). My cars are lowered and I dont have problem using ratchet straps on either.

Steve A.

 

[JonB]

I plan on loading my '04 on an open trailer this week and had a couple questions regarding proper tie down locations. Is it possible to use the rear control arms and front wheels as tie down locations? Are there better locations? Will I need anything aftermarket? I do not currently have any aftermarket tow hooks installed.

DANGER ! Those Aluminum A-Arms from 1996-2010 can BEND if you use them for tightly-ratcheted tie-downs !

I bet Mr Farris did that in his OLDEN days w/ Gen One, Cast A-Arms!

You can also use CHAINS at one end if you have an issue as Geroge did... the hooks insert in the large-link tow-chains but if used up front can contact the fascia underside. CROSS at least one pair of tie-towns.

 

[Matt M PA]

I'd agree to using the hooks and the factory installed slots in the frame.

However, I would not agree with crossing the straps. I have been trailering since 1995 and was told by an old school trucker that crossing the straps is not what to do. He expained something about raising the center of gravity, etc. I'd also figure that by crossing the straps you are placing more side to side pull than wanted.

My trailer has the standard rings in the floor and when I tighten my cars down, the straps come slightly outward to the tie downs. To each their own....but I've never crossed straps after the older trucker gave me the lowdown. Heck, it was so long ago that I don;t even remember what all he told me.

 

[JonB]

I just loaded a Viper this weekend. CROSS ONE PAIR OF STRAPS....the shortest. Leave the longest pair straight. If you X both of them, they cancel one another out. This process will not let the car get "slippy or tippy" on rough or badly / dangerously off-camber roads. Its just an extra safety measure to help maintain the load-center in adverse conditions. Or, if the trailer wheels whack a curb in adverse conditions. Or Imagine the trailer 'tipping' at a dangerous near-rollover angle. The high-side tires could slip. THAT is when and why the Xd straps could matter.... adverse conditions or events.


I will never forget: a newbee in the WA club drove 300+ miles to PIR-Portland with a rented U-haul trailer. He drove his Viper up, put it in gear, set the brake, and drove to PIR. NO STRAPS AT ALL!

He was showing off to the Security Guard at PIR by doiing a burnout with his tow-rig, and he LAUNCHED the Viper off the back of the trailer! "Two Wheels Hanging" It took about ten panicked owners to re-load that car...

 

[HLN A55]

Crossing straps is important to maintain the position of the car on the trailer. If you don't cross the straps, and hit a bump or something of the like to upset the trailer, the car may in fact "hop" over a few inches on the trailer. I've always crossed my straps and have towed my Viper halfway across the country without issue.

 

[351carlo]

I just loaded a Viper this weekend. CROSS ONE PAIR OF STRAPS....the shortest. Leave the longest pair straight. If you X both of them, they cancel one another out. This process will not let the car get "slippy or tippy" on rough or badly / dangerously off-camber roads. Its just an extra safety measure to help maintain the load-center in adverse conditions. Or, if the trailer wheels whack a curb in adverse conditions. Or Imagine the trailer 'tipping' at a dangerous near-rollover angle. The high-side tires could slip. THAT is when and why the Xd straps could matter.... adverse conditions or events.

I don't wish to argue, but I believe you're mistaken. The physics show that you'd want lateral support both forward and aft the center of the vehicle

 

[boy wonder]

Do not forget to take the fender off the trailer before you open the car door. Its easy to forget but if ya do it once you will never forget again.

Robin

 

[plumcrazy]

Chains are what I use to tow as they will never stretch. If you have a tight fit, stretching is bad. And all the machines I've ever seen trailers have always had crossed chains. So that's what I do.

 

[JonB]

Crossing straps is important to maintain the position of the car on the trailer. If you don't cross the straps, and hit a bump or something of the like to upset the trailer, the car may in fact "hop" over a few inches on the trailer. I've always crossed my straps and have towed my Viper halfway across the country without issue.

EXACTLY ! If all 4 straps are in a straight line fore-aft, the car can bunny hop left or right on rough road.

I think 351 Carlo is sayin' to Cross both pairs ? xoox
Vs what I do which is cross ONE pair: xoo=

I agree that 2 parallels are less secure =oo= if the car hops or tips

If you look at the XXs, if the trailer tipped drastically, theoretically the Xs could both un-cross. With one parallel = pair and one X pair, they would fight each other from crossing the parallel, or uncrossing the X.

Note: If you get to the point of proving these theories you are in deep doo-doo beforhand!

 

[JonB]

Do not forget to take the fender off the trailer before you open the car door. Its easy to forget but if ya do it once you will never forget again. Robin.

Quite a few trailers these days do NOT require the fender to be removed. Sloans and Pace America are 2 examples...but make a point to check door clearance bevore its too late!

 

[TowDawg]

If you are going to use chains and T-hooks for the frame holes, you can technically cross or not cross them. JUST MAKE SURE YOU DO THE SAME IN THE FRONT AND BACK. I mean DO NOT cross the front and not the back or vise-versa.
Mac's also makes some really nice loops for the wheels.
http://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/product/266/All
There's a bunch of different lengths depending on your needs.

 

[plumcrazy]

pfft, with a name like that, we are supposed to trust YOU on towing ?

 

[past ohio]

I remember a Viper guy when he opened his trailer at Nashville, next to my trailer, he let go with a big yell !! Seems that he had his straps only parallel, and the car was actually crossed inside the trailer and NO where did the car actually contact the trailer walls BUT there looked to be a big problem getting the car out of its "katy-wonkered way"...we looked at it for several minutes then we used the low aluminum car jack I had in my trailer, and we carefully lifted the front and carefully rolled it to the side to straighten itself inside the trailer, then we also had to do the rear section as well, after we had the car straight it was easy then to use his on-board winch ...the car had no damage but I think this was a big learning experience for all of us there that day...I am a believer of crossing....especially the rear because the rear is closet to the side wheel wells on an open or enclosed trailer...my $.02

 

[351carlo]

EXACTLY ! If all 4 straps are in a straight line fore-aft, the car can bunny hop left or right on rough road.

I think 351 Carlo is sayin' to Cross both pairs ? xoox
Vs what I do which is cross ONE pair: xoo=

I agree that 2 parallels are less secure =oo= if the car hops or tips

If you look at the XXs, if the trailer tipped drastically, theoretically the Xs could both un-cross. With one parallel = pair and one X pair, they would fight each other from crossing the parallel, or uncrossing the X.

Note: If you get to the point of proving these theories you are in deep doo-doo beforhand!

Yes, cross both pairs. The trailer could not tip drastically enough to uncross both sets of straps. In order to do that, one side of the vehicle would have to pass through the center of the trailer by half the width of the vehicle, (IE The car would have to be able to stretch all 4 straps 36"s without failure).

If you cross only one side of straps, you only provide lateral support for the weight that side supports. Normally this is enough, since even in the rear you're not truly connecting the lines in perfect parallel and your tires still provide some lateral support on the steel surface. It is not however preferred.

 

[TowDawg]

I personally don't cross most of the time, but it also make a big difference where your anchor points are.
As long as the anchor points are well outside of the wheelbase of the car (ie, at the outer edges of the trailer), then the straps are all pulling outward and the car can't move.
If the anchor points not very far outside of the wheels, then you definitely need to cross.
99% of the time my car has gone anywhere and not been driven there, I either borrow a rollback (very wide anchor points) or my friend's HUGE enclosed car hauler which he has installed anchor tracks all over and allows for a million different configurations.

 

[JonB]

Yes, cross both pairs. The trailer could not tip drastically enough to uncross both sets of straps. In order to do that, one side of the vehicle would have to pass through the center of the trailer by half the width of the vehicle, (IE The car would have to be able to stretch all 4 straps 36"s without failure).

If you cross only one side of straps, you only provide lateral support for the weight that side supports. Normally this is enough, since even in the rear you're not truly connecting the lines in perfect parallel and your tires still provide some lateral support on the steel surface. It is not however preferred.

Im going to concede your point, and thanks. After decades of towing with one X, I will now plan on crossing both pairs of tie-downs when long enuf to be possible.

 

[Viperless]

I used to tie my '09 down with j-hooks on the front in the frame slots, parallel straps. I still tie the rear down using the slots in the frame and cross the straps. I've towed tens of thousands of miles without incident this way. I will look into crossing the front as well but the splitter makes it a challenge to tie down as it is. Can't use j-hooks anymore and the holes in the bottom of the frame are not reinforced.

As Jon said, NEVER put a ******** the suspension or through a wheel. You can if you're careful, wrap the strap or an axle strap around the control arm brackets on the frame. I've done this but it's ******* the straps. A sleeve on the strap or some other way of protecting it will help.

 

[SoCal Rebell]

I've towed my Viper dozens of times to and from the track, I've done trips as long as 3,000 miles round trip. I used "R" hooks in the frame slots and 4 10,000 lb. tow straps. I crossed both of them and the car always towed perfectly, not a single incident, even when I blew a trailer tire the car didn't budge.

 

[JonB]

SoCal..... you just remidned me, this towing topic and R hook, J hooks, T-hooks etc was a hot topic on the OLD C+D forum. I had some pix of early-mistakes, where the bare ratcheting hook ends deformed and even tore the frame slots of my 93.... Gotta Use Auxiliary Hooks!

 

[Mopar Steve]

This has been discussed many times in many forums. many people have successfully hauled their cars with tie-downs both straight and crossed. There are many reasons why people justify crossing the straps, but straight is the best way to go.

Let me explain.

With the straps crossed the car cannot move, this is true. Also with the straps straight and tight the car cannot move either. Example, pull a rope tight between both hands, now try to move the middle, cant. If the straps are straight and one strap fails, the car is still secure front and rear. It cannot move under acceleration or braking, it cannot also move side to side. If it is secured with the straps diagonally and one strap fails, the car is no longer secure front or rear and is totally free to move in any direction.

The "R" hooks are the way to go and both ends pulling straight.

I know some will argue this, everyone has to do what they are comfortable with, but play with some string and a diecast and you will see what I mean.

 

[JonB]

This has been discussed many times in many forums. many people have successfully hauled their cars with tie-downs both straight and crossed. There are many reasons why people justify crossing the straps, but straight is the best way to go.

Let me explain.

With the straps crossed the car cannot move, this is true. Also with the straps straight and tight the car cannot move either. Example, pull a rope tight between both hands, now try to move the middle, cant. If the straps are straight and one strap fails, the car is still secure front and rear. It cannot move under acceleration or braking, it cannot also move side to side. If it is secured with the straps diagonally and one strap fails, the car is no longer secure front or rear and is totally free to move in any direction.

The "R" hooks are the way to go and both ends pulling straight.

I know some will argue this, everyone has to do what they are comfortable with, but play with some string and a diecast and you will see what I mean.

In BOLD above, you re-reminded me why I cross only one pair: In case an X strap loosens! They do relax, and should be checked enroute.

Fact is, I have SEEN cars with dual-straight straps "hop" to one side, and mash their sidesills, esp Gen 1, where the otlet sticks out more. The X stops the lateral hopping that can happen on rough road, or curb-hits. It only needs 2-3" to mash a sill. The car CAN move laterally with dual-straight, tight parallel straps. And one X virtually prevents it at that end.


I got out my hotwheels and rubber bands, but need more hands!

 

[HLN A55]

So what we learned is that the best way to strap it down is to do all of the above.

 

[351carlo]

So what we learned is that the best way to strap it down is to do all of the above.

Close!

The best way to transport a Viper is to DRIVE IT!

 

[Sonoman]

So what we learned is that the best way to strap it down is to do all of the above.

Well, for track days with my motorcycles or shifter kart I do the four straps PLUS secure the rear wheel(s) to the trailer to prevent any "bunny hopping". Hmmm, this could work for cars as well, if the trailer had suitable provisions. Getting a wide stance with the straps where they connect to the trailer has been key for me, not only outside the wheelbase front/rear, but out to the side as far as practical.

 

[Cobraken]

Dang! Now I have an image of Jon B. playing with hot wheels

 

[Viperless]

The "R" hooks are the way to go and both ends pulling straight.

Yes, R hooks in the frame slots, not J hooks. I got my terminology wrong in my previous post.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[93VIPERBOY]

Jon you are correct about why gen 1 should be x strapped. I have had my car slide sideways before I started to X strap the back. Never has a problem since.

 

[witz323]

Thanks for all of the feedback everyone. I'll be loading it up this afternoon, then driving from Milwaukee, WI to South Haven, MI for a track day at Gingerman, then on to South Bend, IN for an autocross at Tire Rack.