Thread: LR Transport Advice

I tend to agree with HUE166. I have towed race cars on trailers over most of the eastern states and to/from the NT and have never put the vehicles in gear. If the hand brake works on the rear wheels, then maybe apply it, but not if it is on the back of the box (eg. series Landies). If the vehicle is tied down correctly using wheels, suspension, etc. then it should not move. The rest of the car should be free to move on it's own suspension. A 2nd safety chain can be applied if required although this should not take any tie down weight off the primary gear and don't use the trailer winch cable to secure the vehicle.
Leaving the vehicle in gear has the risk of damaging gearboxes. Professional transport companies use simple chain/webbing slings over wheels to hold cars down.

attached pic taken at pickup in Cairns for trip back to Bundy. 2A had 2 individual straps at front and single at rear. An additional (non-tensioned) safety chain was fitted to back up the single rear hold down.

Paul

Originally Posted by pop058

I tend to agree with HUE166. I have towed race cars on trailers over most of the eastern states and to/from the NT and have never put the vehicles in gear. If the hand brake works on the rear wheels, then maybe apply it, but not if it is on the back of the box (eg. series Landies). If the vehicle is tied down correctly using wheels, suspension, etc. then it should not move. The rest of the car should be free to move on it's own suspension. A 2nd safety chain can be applied if required although this should not take any tie down weight off the primary gear and don't use the trailer winch cable to secure the vehicle.
Leaving the vehicle in gear has the risk of damaging gearboxes. Professional transport companies use simple chain/webbing slings over wheels to hold cars down.

attached pic taken at pickup in Cairns for trip back to Bundy. 2A had 2 individual straps at front and single at rear. An additional (non-tensioned) safety chain was fitted to back up the single rear hold down.

Paul

If the car is properly secured it will not be rocking, in or out of gear. As I have stated, being in gear is a secondary security, in case of primary failure. I will stand by my method, it has served me well over 100s of thousands of kilometres.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

If the car is properly secured it will not be rocking, in or out of gear. As I have stated, being in gear is a secondary security, in case of primary failure. I will stand by my method, it has served me well over 100s of thousands of kilometres.

concur and ditto

any vehicle should be restrained primarily by its anchorings.

on a series I go round the front and rear diff with chains tightening the rear first then hammering a pair of wheel chocks into the front tyres before pulling the front chain in.

If Im going long distances then I also lower the tyre pressures before loading adn once everythngs tied down and lashed pump them up again for that little extra pressure.

parking and any secondary braking device activated (where possable) and with the auto in park OR the manual in a low gear.

inlets and exhausts should be covered.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

any vehicle should be restrained primarily by its anchorings.

on a series I go round the front and rear diff with chains tightening the rear first then hammering a pair of wheel chocks into the front tyres before pulling the front chain in.

If Im going long distances then I also lower the tyre pressures before loading adn once everythngs tied down and lashed pump them up again for that little extra pressure.

parking and any secondary braking device activated (where possable) and with the auto in park OR the manual in a low gear.

inlets and exhausts should be covered.

If turboed, with external inlet.

rules are there to be questioned or as they say "for the abolute adherance of fools and the guidance of wise men"

I have found that with SWB vehicles like 80" it is best to put them on backwards. The bulk of the weight ends up over the trailer wheels and the rest of the vehicle provides a weight biase towards the front of the trailer.

Heard about the zipper effect?

Why would you want your secondary strap/chain to be loose? The only thing I can see happening is that the load can work on one set of straps unhindered by the secondary, once through that can build up momentum and hit the secondary set. Divide and conquer is another term that describes that approach.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

If turboed, with external inlet.

on any external vent or engine aparture.

the logic for it being the same for turbo or not.

Most engines have some valve overlap and air flowing through from vehicle dynamics can draw moisture and bad air through the engine occasionally in the wrong direction.

With a turbo this can spin the turbocharger over while its not receiving oil from the engine. Ive heard and debunked the story that the engine can be made to start by the pressure created in the system from towing. While a little air can flow through the valves when they are on the rock a few degrees of movement on the crank takes them off the rock and the airpath through the engine is closed. Internal friction and compression on the next cylinder stops the engine real quick. You then face the problem of there being no fuel coming from the injectors on a diesel and no spark for the petrol.


shrouding the radiator is also a good idea.


Loading backwards is sometimes preferable depending on the weight distribution. If you cant get the downforce or axle weights right loading forwards its time to load backwards or reconfigure the load.

A huge thank you to the people who have posted here - you've all been extremely helpful...

I'll let you know how it goes