How to: attach jeep to trailer?

[willies45]

I have a trailer that I made for my jeep and it has the heavy rings in front and rear of each tire and then I strap over each tire with a ratchet strap. Then because as every one knows the wind never blows in Wyoming to keep body whip down I run a strap through a D ring on the front and the rear bumper. There is no movement to the front or rear or side to side this way.

 

[Maverick]

Here ya go 6000lb Vehicle 1000lb Trailer
85mph-0mph in 180ft

Vf^2=Vi^2 + 2a(x2-x1)

0Mph=85mph^2 + 2a(180ft) so a= -43.17 ft/s^2

F=ma
F=(7000lb)(43.17 ft/s^2)
F=9392.70151339 lbf*

So in this case the 10k straps would suffice. Plus I would imagine that the 10k rating is the "working load" not the "breaking strength" of the straps. I bet they can actually hold closer to 12-15k before breaking...
*(Assuming uniform deceleration, ignoring jerk/impulse)

I like Kurt's nubers the best!

...but I'm wondering why you use 7000lbs when you state the rig weighs 6000 lbs....and I want a 1000lb trailer, that'd be kewl! My rig weighs between 4500 and 5000 loaded. My trailer is around 1500 lbs, but that's irrelevent.

Using your hard earned math, I'll insert 5000lbs for my rig's weight:
F= 5000lbs x 43.17 ft/s^2= 6707 lbf* (*same assumption as Kurt)

I use a 15K# strap at each corner of the frame near the axles, angling out slightly to the corner of the trailer. It doesn't move or bounce. Since I have a shackle reversal, if I were to strap my front axle forward, it'd pull until the shackles got tight, which would be bad. I used to chain the rear axle and strap the front, but 4 straps is just so much quicker.

I don't cross the straps because there's a smaller verticle component at the point of attachment. The opposite would be going straight down...and I don't do that either, there's little horizontal control that way. Because of where I hook on the frame relative to the point on the trailer, my straps end up around 45*+/- 10* (just eyeballing it). I get the benefit of crossing the straps without the liability.

In the end though, using plenty of strap or chain, in multiple locations, in multiple directions, to a properly sized trailer behind a properly sized tow rig is what's important.

YMMV.

(now, how 'bout stick vs slush?)

 

[cruiseroutfit]

... My trailer is around 1500 lbs, but that's irrelevent..

Good catch...

 

[72Pony]

I don’t think it matters if your ebrake works or not as long as you have it tied down well. As you can see allot of people go with the ratchet straps, another option is chains and binders. I have both , but I have always used log chains and binders around the front and rear axle. I think this is the fastest and safest method.

 

[ut4x4Bronco]

I was wondering if the cop's have stoped any body for violations when towing? What can they give you a tecket for?

Here is my Bronco loaded up on the trailer. My tires are on the passenger side (drive over) fenders. The fenders are much longer than my wheel base.

 

[ut4x4Bronco]

Here try this, that photo attch thingy dosent ever work for me.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/adl00/detail?.dir=66e9&.dnm=cef9.jpg&.src=ph

 

[Unimog]

Just a point about the "bobble headed" syndrome. It's probably not an issue tying down the axles if the vehicle is on a big flat bed that weighs 2-3 times what the vehicle does. On the other hand, if you have a 6000 lb vehicle on a 2000 lb trailer pulled by a rig that doesn't weigh much more than the entire trailer load, I would increase the safety by attaching to the frame and sucking the suspension down.

 

[Crinco]

1. SLOW DOWN, if you ARE doing 85MPH then don't be surprised when your trailor passes YOU. Just because you can do 100 with your chiped diesel, doesn't mean you should.
2. Your tow rig should weigh more than what your towing. If it doesn't then ask yourself when going around corners, are you turning or being turned? Everyone will have a diffenet opinion about this, this is mine.
3. Avoid running into trees and overpasses.
4. Maintain and always inspect your equipment and your load.
5. Avoid making lists like this at all costs.
6. I knew a guy once who swore to me he had never strapped down his rig on his trailor in his life. I told him he was crazy, he said I was not the first to call him that and he drove away. Morol: some people over-do-it and some people under-do-it. I am in the middle somewhere. He will likely be killed, crushed by his rig when he slams on the brakes to avoid a deer or something one night.

IMHO, straps are fine for rigs up to around 5000 Lbs., but if your rig weighs more then concider using chains. AND replace your straps every year, they get much weaker with age and weather.

 

[Maverick]

I was wondering if the cop's have stoped any body for violations when towing? What can they give you a tecket for?

Here is my Bronco loaded up on the trailer. My tires are on the passenger side (drive over) fenders. The fenders are much longer than my wheel base.

Hey, nice bronco! when I read your post, I had visions of a nightmare I saw getting pulled into moab a couple years ago (actually, saw this a few times) where a rig too wide for a trailer was sitting with the pass side tires up on the rails, loading the trailer quite unevenly.

Yours looks ok, though just barely far enough forward. Ever weighed your bronco to find out what the front to rear bias is? Getting 10% of the trailer weight up on the tongue might be tricky.

Brett

 

[Meat_]

Here try this, that photo attch thingy dosent ever work for me.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/adl00/detail?.dir=66e9&.dnm=cef9.jpg&.src=ph

wow those are some long fenders

You might need a bit more tonge weight, as long as you are aired down (at least a bit) I don't think you'll hurt anything other than the paint sitting between the fenders.

 

[MoabUSA1]

Straps

Like some of the other people have said whatever you use to tie down your rig If you are on a long trip just check everything each time you stop for fuel. And do not Tailgate at 85mph

 

[Chevycrew]

I use the x method with straps, tie to the axles only. My toyota has a ton of stuff but limited droop. I would have to kill my leafs to get the suspension sucked down enough to limit the movement.

 

[bikerkd2002]

or you could just go to home depot

 

[benjy]

I'm a noob to tying down a vehicle to a trailer, so I'm looking for some feedback on how I tied it down this afternoon.

The guy we bought the trailer from included two chain binders and chains, so I figure we might as well use what we have.

Here's the front axle, I just wrapped it around the pumpkin once.

The rear was a little trickier, and I'm guessing I'll have to redo it. With the brake lines and ARB line it seemed impossible to do it like I did the front. The hard brake line is so close to the diff that I would have to pry it up to get the chain between it. Instead I brought it under the axle tube, up over the diff, then back down and under the axle tube... bad idea?

 

[SAMI]

That looks similar to how I would do my 4runner. I used a chain in the rear (since i feel braking forces are more critical, and greater than forces from acceleration), and a huge strap up front. Or, just two straps if that's all I had.

I think you should be fine with how you've got it. As mentioned previously, always check and re-check your load everytime your stopped.

 

[chadschoon]

benji just go under the axel on both sides and up over the pumkin. if that makes any sense

 

[mbryson]

I do the same as you did. I don't have any kewl pics, though.

 

[cannoncrawler]

I think you should be fine with how you've got it. As mentioned previously, always check and re-check your load everytime your stopped.

I think this is about the most important thing. After a few miles of Driving I almost always have to take up a link in my binders, No matter how tight they were to start. The just seem to settle.

 

[mbryson]

I think this is about the most important thing. After a few miles of Driving I almost always have to take up a link in my binders, No matter how tight they were to start. The just seem to settle.

I'm with you. I load up the Jeep, drive over to get fuel and while fueling take up what little slack there is. It's worked well for me.

 

[LT.]

Some chain binders just became illegal here in New Mexico. The ratcheting kind are still approved but the cam buckle type are not no longer legal. I guess somewhere along the line there have been enough folks who did not tie the handle down, the lever came up, and released the load. I saw that you had a ratchet type on the rear. I was unable to determine the kind you had on the front. Just something to think about.

LT.