Where to put trailer tie down hoops?

Looking for ideas on how/where to put some type of loops/hoops under the front of my 68 charger to hold it to the trailer. I guess I will just use some saddle straps around the rear axle housing., but can't think of a good way to hold the front. I hate to add even a small amount of weight to it but I'm thinking of welding or bolting some type of shackle like below to the K-frame or somewhere under the front. I know someone has a better idea. Show some pics if you can. Appreciate any help..

My plan is 3 hoops welded to the "k". Think of those shackles with the eyelets removed. Look at the hoops on an old trailer hitch or the back of a Honda.Just have to make sure the weld is deep!

View attachment 298702I purchased 2 trailer tie down brackets from Mancini Racing and unbolted my front bumper bracket, slid the bumper bracket bolt thru the Mancini brackets and tightened down the bumper bolts again.
Litewweight and strong...and they have a hole in the bracket big enuf for your trailer tie down strap hooks.
Yes, I used an axle strap before I had my DANA installed. On my DANA housing I had the fabrication shop weld a big tab onto each side of the axle housing to slip my tiedown hooks into...much easier than putting on the axle straps each tim. (you have to look closely in the picture of the rear end housing to see the axle tie down tabs that are welded to the housing on each side)

I use the summit tie down kit
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mtd-511218/overview/
I tie the rear down in front of the axle and place my strap over top of the leaf springs and pull backwards to tie downs in the floor of a enclosed trailer. I always cross my ratchet tie downs, everyone has their own opinion.
The front is hard to explain I would need to send a picture to you but my car is not here at this time. I cross these also and place a strap up an over the k member.
Good luck.

I have a similar summit strap kit also.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cmb-29-0012

Load & Unload. Enclosed trailer , hot & humid and late to leave. 68 yrs. old and two titanium hips. What to do ? I fabed up two loop brackets that mount to the Cal-Trac mounts. I use a steel hook with a spring loaded safety clip attached to a 3/8" chain. The chain runs in an X to & through the rear loops with another hook on the other end. This chain stays with the trailer and is pre-measured. As I winch the car up the ramp It's easy to crawl under and attach the hooks. Then winch in until tight. Same place every time and no ratchets to F with. The front has a K member welded loop and I have a similar chain up front. This one is also pre=cut with hooks but it has about 10" of slack that I take up with a chain binder. Then I can back off the winch a tad to protect it and go. This system has worked flawlessly and saves me the agony of ratchet straps that seem to always tangle and loop an loosen during the haul. It allows the car suspension to work going down the road. (easier on trailer) Biggest asset is ease of the load & unload. Same position every time. Has never moved in flight. Dave

Would prefer 4 tie down points than when used the suspension in pulled down to the deck.That way the suspension of the deck handles the beating instead of the suspension of your car. Especially if you have good shocks!!

You can also tie the car down with straps over each tire.

I found these boat bow eyes. I originally just wanted to have something in the center to wench the car into the trailer. It's advertised as having a 16,000 load strength. I bolted it into the hollow portion of the K member. Easy to hook to, works great and could be used to cross tie the front down.

I've seen the tie down straps that go over the tires and that would seem to me to be the best method. That way you're not compressing your suspension. I would consider that for my front but I'd have to buy the tire type straps for that because I don't know if I would trust just regular straps over narrow front tires. And I'd have to add more anchor loops on the trailer so that's probably not happening. What about going thru the front wheels? I'll be running billet street lite wheels (I think) but not sure about the room between the front brake disc and wheel. Wonder if that could mess up a wheel somehow?
I kinda like the boat eye idea or maybe a hoop welded right there.

I transport many high end cars on a regular basis.Most of them I have no choice other than straps through the wheels.While driving,you would be amazed at how they bounce and the rear tires actually bounce off the deck on bigger "bumps". That why I recommend compressing your suspention a little,otherwise it's like driving your car where your going and amplifying the beating of your shocks.

Duda said:

I use the summit tie down kit
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mtd-511218/overview/
I tie the rear down in front of the axle and place my strap over top of the leaf springs and pull backwards to tie downs in the floor of a enclosed trailer. I always cross my ratchet tie downs, everyone has their own opinion.
The front is hard to explain I would need to send a picture to you but my car is not here at this time. I cross these also and place a strap up an over the k member.
Good luck.

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In Maryland, it's the law that the straps be crossed when trailering a car. It's also the law that rear straps pull rearward and front straps pull forward. Believe it or not, some folks don't.

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daytona kid said:

What about going thru the front wheels? I'll be running billet street lite wheels (I think) but not sure about the room between the front brake disc and wheel. Wonder if that could mess up a wheel somehow?

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If you are going very far (100s of miles), it will likely mar the finish...maybe not severely, but it will.

Ok I know I'm going to hear it on this one. I tie down through the wheels, thats it front and back...have done so forever and towed from the West Coast to the East every year for car events....use 2" heavy duty straps.....

I tie mine to my welded ladder bar suspension rears and the front I tie it to the frame in 3 places including the winch strap. total 5 points.

I liked to tie my down in a couple of ways over the front &/or rear tires strap type baskets then a tab in front & rear to take some of the bounce out of the chassis, with a big rig 21" truck tire tube under the chassis rails inflated for long road trips cross country especially it takes some of the stress off tube chassis cars especially, it's good for a reg. car too...

I put the recessed 2" or bigger D rings {use regular ratcheting type straps} in/on the trailer floor {pref. with a solid brace near/below it to bolt to} in front & rear of both front & rear tires, close to where the car is usually parked, I had adjustable ones on a rail down both sides of the floor in my Featherlite trailer too, but you can mount/put them permanently them where you want, so you don't have to have long *** straps fighting with the extra length/strap all the time...
I also put a tab on the front of the k-Member to pull the car in {winch if need be} & mainly to tie it down in front, to help load the suspension some too...
In the rear I tied it in 2 places under the rear axle area & went over the axle tube, rear shocks were pretty stiff...
you could tie it down with tabs on the frame in the rear too, if you think it moves too much or it's putting too much wear & tear on your shocks/rear suspension, that's partially why I did the truck tire tube under the chassis, to help keep it from bouncing...
I did that for 20+ years never had a car come lose, never had a problem with bending lite race wheel either that way...

If any of that makes any sense...

I've seen a bunch of different ways to tie the m down, that's what worked best for me,
I put about 25k miles min. a year on my ol' tow rigs, hauling my door cars & altered all over the country for decades... & Hardly any now...LOL

Summit has some inexpensive ones click on the photos it will have prices & part #'s
I didn't use either of these brands just an "example of the type I used"...

they range from $35 ec. to $200+ for a pair, depending on what style/brand...

The Mac's 360* tie downs recessed loops look good price kind of $30+,
convenient to be able to tie from different angles
the others are relatively cheap $8-$20

Do you do anything to protect your shocks from over working durning towing?

I tie mine down in front to loops welded in the K-frame with the straps crossed. This pulls down on the front suspension. Tie downs are about 4" in front of the bumper. I have loops attached to the rear ladder bar mount bolts at the axle. (you can see the lower bolt. the loop is on the outside) The leaf spring cars have a loop on the lower shock mounts. The anchors are about 4" forward of the rear bumper. I use ratchet straps (always crossed). I don't worry about the rear body being tied down as the cars shocks are set nearly full stiff. A second set of straps could be used to pull down straight vertical in the rear if desired.
Doug

DVW...Your car is so nice it makes me sick...LOL

I've hauled mine a few times but guess I don't see the need for any hold down mounts? A strap around each side of the rear axle and around both sides of the K member and your done?

747mopar said:

I've hauled mine a few times but guess I don't see the need for any hold down mounts? A strap around each side of the rear axle and around both sides of the K member and your done?

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Don't want to mess up the paint on the K-Frame or axle.
Doug