Hey guys, I need some fairly quick tips or advice on how to strap a truck onto a trailer. I was thinking of using my straps and going around the axle with a loop, then having one hook on the side of the trailer and one hook on the front. This would be for the front of the truck. Then for the back I wasthinking of just looping it around the axle and strapping it onto the sides. Like I say though, tips and advice appreciated!

 

I would use at least 2 come alongs also. You need to have something that will tighten down and be strong. you don't want the truck bouncing around or moving front to back. It will loosen the straps up in no time..

I have used my brothers 2 wheel dolly with the web straps that hold the tire down and they do loosen up. I always use a come along for extra safety.

 

I have hauled with as little as 2 straps or chains but would rather have 4.
I try to get 2 in front crossed pulling forward and 2 in the rear crossed pulling back.
Ratchet straps or chains & binders will work.

 

I have hauled with straps, chains, and a combination therof... one rule, always pll straight against the opposite tie. The problem with wrapping the straps like that is that they won't pull tight properly, and also chaffing. When using straps, you really should have the axle straps with the covering to protect them, and then you attach the ratchet straps to them. ( you could also do a short chain around the axle instead, some ratchet ties have chains on the end of them) As stated, you would do best by 2 straps each corner pulling diagonal. Many times I use a chain on the rear, and ratchet on the front. If you think about it, the ratchet straps are rated for 10,000 pounds. If your truck is 6000 pounds, when you hit the brakes hard, that truck weighs the equivalent of 12,000 pounds. Acceleration like that with a trailer isn't likely, so you need your most strength on the rear. I haven't had an issue of straps coming loose if I did it right. I have had about as much trouble with chains as I have had straps. It's a rule to check them regularly to see if they have come loose, no matter chains or straps. Every time you stop, you do a walk around to check your load, just like the professional truck drivers do. With chains though, you have a bit more flexibility on where to hook, how to hook and such, no issue with rub through.You can attach the chain on one corner, wrap around the axle, then cross the chain to the opposite corner. You can't do that with straps. My preferred method is chain on the rear, crossed corner to corner, and ratchet on the front, but I don't always do it that way, I do use all chain and binders as well. It depends on the load, the trailer, and how the hookup are going to be done. I have yet to loose a load, I don't intend to start. I've been hauling vehicles for 20 years now...

 

Excellent advice guys thanks alot! Its appreciated!

 

Like fellro86 said, 4 chains is better than two.
But, if you have two chains and tighteners you shouldn't have any problems. I find that backing a vehicle on a trailer rides smoother than driving it on forward. Most of the weight on the vehicle is on the front, and it is sitting over the trailer axles instead of the weight being on the tow vehicle. If the truck has a receiver hitch you can loop the chain around the hitch frame or around the rear axle, just be careful of the brake lines. The front of the truck you can go around both spring shackles (leaf springs) or if it has a solid front axle, loop it around the axle. You could also go aroung the frame rails where the bumper attaches to, but I never liked doing it that way. Hope this is some help to you.

 

You have to watch the backing on vs. driving on forward, some trailers don't do too well that way, and you get into a fishtail at speed. I had that happen with my dad's trailer. Picked up a dead car from an auction, and the only way I could get at it was to load it backwards. I was doing fine, no wiggle or anything until I came down a big hill and it nearly broke loose at 60 mph, not a fun sensation. Luckily, I was alone on the road, as I took both lanes to keep it under control. I would suggest just centering the load over the axles over loading backwards. You don't have to pull all the way forward. My rule of thumb is generally where my butt is on the seat goes center between the axle. If you get too light on the hitch, but heavy on the tail, you can get a situation like I described. That trailer has to be loaded forward, or you can't safely go over 45 mph. My trailer can go either way, but you still need to keep a good amount of weight on the hitch. Only about 10% of the weight (on rear hitches) of the trailer and load needs to be on the hitch. Some have even gone to the point of using scales to be sure they have that amount on the hitch, I just basically look at how hard the truck squats, a little is good, a lot is not.

 

I'd compress the suspension by attaching to the frame

 

i run 2 axle straps in the rear to "D" rings on the corners of the deck, and a winch in the front with "J" hooks to the lower control arms, just like on a rollback wrecker. pull the winch tight, and go. also, i always level the load front to rear over the trailer axles. i have been towing this way for over 20 years and never had a problem or anything loosen up.

 

I have pulled many, many vehicles on trailers and never had a fish tail problem with a vehicle backed on the trailer. That usually happens when the vehicle is too far back on the trailer. There are many things that cause fish tailing. It may have been a short wheel base tow vehicle, maybe the manufacturer of the trailer didn't put the axles in the right place ( I have ran into that before). When the front of the vehicle is sitting over the axles, the rear of the vehicle, depending on the vehicle, should be almost all the way to the front of the trailer. I have done it with anything from a chevy lumina to a 1-ton pickup, bumper pulls and goosenecks. And, I have tried it forwards and backward on various terrains and speeds to test which way works better. Bumper pulls are really touchy about getting the weight distributed right. Everyone to their own.

 

Yup.... You're talking about a bigger trailer then we are. Just a plain ol' one car trailer in the 16' to 18' range with axles roughly in the center, usually works better with the truck driven on forward.

 

My dad's trailer is about 16', 14' deck, so not much adjustnment room. Mine is 20', so I can load it however I want. But it does kind of defeat the purpose if you have to get the vehicle all the way forward to make it work. Some of the old cars I haul, that makes for an issue with the overhang getting close to the truck. Gooseneck trailers aren't nearly as touchy. With this gentleman trying to learn, it was just a point I felt needed to be stated. Loading forward, I tend to be able to center the vehicle on the trailer, and don't have to worry about anything more than that. I have never had issues hauling with the vehicle forward, but have had with them backwards. The vehicle that gave me the fits most was a 70's Buiick Lesabre, big ol' boat. Had some vans loadeed inside that were a bit unsteady as well, since they were heavy on the tail. Since we have hauled for years, we know what to expect, and what to do about it, but to someone new, they don't, and I felt it important they know about some of those kind of problems that can arise.

 

Again thanks for the good advice and experiences. I ended up loading it on forwards onto the trailer, making sure the weight was properly positioned over the axles. I strapped it down ove the front and rear axles, the front strap pulling forward, and the rear strap pulling backwards. I checked my straps numerous times and overall did ok. I did start to slightly fishtail if I brought it over 60 mph, so I just kept it under that and was fine. I kind of assumed I started to sway a little because i didnt have any swap bars on my trailer, but I probably didnt quite have the weight on the trailer exact eh?

 

Sounds like you did good.
Sway bars might have helped, I don't know.
I have never used them in over 40 years of pulling trailers but a lot of younger guys insist you shouldn't pull ANYTHING without them. I usually can fix handling problems by adjusting the load on the trailer if I need to.

 

Probably could have moved it just a little bit more forward, and it would have trailed better, usually the sway indicates a little too much weight on the tail, or not enough on the hitch, but if it held 60 it was pretty good. Most car trailers don't have sway bars, just load levelers sometimes. I too never use a sway bar, have the capability to, but the sway bar is rusted up solid. (my trailer is a reworked Winnebago camper frame)