Trailering Suggestions

[Olitho]

I have left mine in gear for two years and probably about 40 tows mostly to tracks one to five hours away.

What is the issue of leaving it in first?

[Subdriver]

Originally Posted by Olitho

I have left mine in gear for two years and probably about 40 tows mostly to tracks one to five hours away.

What is the issue of leaving it in first?

The car will bounce against the drivetrain with every bump in the road which I really imagine can't be good for it. I tow mine with parking brake on and tranny in neutral.

Though the topic is pretty well beat to death, I too trailer using T-hooks and 10,000 lb capacity straps.

[Olitho]

Originally Posted by Subdriver

The car will bounce against the drivetrain with every bump in the road which I really imagine can't be good for it. I tow mine with parking brake on and tranny in neutral.

Though the topic is pretty well beat to death, I too trailer using T-hooks and 10,000 lb capacity straps.

Thanks Sub:

That is what I thought you would say.

So when will your wheels be fixed so you don't have to trailer it around the track at the next run-offs?

[BoomerangJ]

Originally Posted by gonzalezfj

I agree with your well-written reply, except for the above point. Tying a car down by the wheels is NOT good advice.

GM has thoughtfully provided four tie-down points in the frame of the Corvette. These points are specifically designed to tie the car down during shipment, and in fact are what is used by the car haulers when they deliver the car to your dealer.

If your acquaintance snapped chains using this method, the chains were simply not strong enough for the job.

Use 10,000 lb straps and T-hooks, cross the straps front and back and tighten them to the point that the suspension is compressed in the Vette (this usually means as hard as you can). You will not deform or break the tie-down holes in the frame.

Never had a problem in over 100,000 miles of Vette towing.

Frank Gonzalez

Frank-I have no doubt that you are correct with this response. Couple that with the fact that GM provides these tie down holes in the frame and ships the new ones that way it it the way that I would do it. It does seem to make sense if the suspension is loaded enough to prevent bouncing and slack.

However I am still curious. I drove roundtrip from Austin to Dallas this weekend and passed ~1/2 dozen cars being hauled and every one of them was retained with the tire straps. None were retained by tie downs to the frame. Is this unique to modern Corvette's? Or is the frame tie down method the right way to tie down a car to the frame? One of the car haulers I passed had new lexus cars on it and they were tied down by the tires.

After thinking about this frame method and if compressed it seems the car would be more stable and the shocks may take a less of a beating? Again just curious if anybody has the rational for the two different methods I would love to heart about it. Not challenging Franks assertion above-in fact if I had to trailer a Corvette tonight I would follow his advice and tie down to the fram.

[Olitho]

Originally Posted by BoomerangJ

Frank-I have no doubt that you are correct with this response. Couple that with the fact that GM provides these tie down holes in the frame and ships the new ones that way it it the way that I would do it. It does seem to make sense if the suspension is loaded enough to prevent bouncing and slack.

However I am still curious. I drove roundtrip from Austin to Dallas this weekend and passed ~1/2 dozen cars being hauled and every one of them was retained with the tire straps. None were retained by tie downs to the frame. Is this unique to modern Corvette's? Or is the frame tie down method the right way to tie down a car to the frame? One of the car haulers I passed had new lexus cars on it and they were tied down by the tires.

After thinking about this frame method and if compressed it seems the car would be more stable and the shocks may take a less of a beating? Again just curious if anybody has the rational for the two different methods I would love to heart about it. Not challenging Franks assertion above-in fact if I had to trailer a Corvette tonight I would follow his advice and tie down to the fram.

The big problem with the tire "bonnets" so to speak, the straps that go around the tires, I have not found any of them big enough for my 305 series race tires. The one I don't use any more are too small. It is really hard to get them wrapped around the tire and because they are too small they would usually slip off before I reach my destination.

[Wicked Weasel]

I dont think there is anything really wrong with the tire bonnets, but the t-hooks IMHO are much easier to use and safer since when they are locked in they are not going anywhere.

I did asked around before switching to the t-hooks and it seemed that all the guys that were very experienced with towing used the t-hooks.

I also tow with ebrake on and in neutral which was also a suggestion.

[soldmystang]

Originally Posted by Wicked Weasel

I dont think there is anything really wrong with the tire bonnets, but the t-hooks IMHO are much easier to use and safer since when they are locked in they are not going anywhere.

I did asked around before switching to the t-hooks and it seemed that all the guys that were very experienced with towing used the t-hooks.

I also tow with ebrake on and in neutral which was also a suggestion.

10K straps with t/j hooks in nuetral. saves the tranny from abuse. i was at VIR this past weekend also. a bunch of Z06's, most i have seen lately.

[soldmystang]

try saferacer.com for GForce 10k straps. best selection of lengths i have been able to find.

[soldmystang]

FYI. pictures are up.