How/ where do you strap your E30 on your trailer?

[dirty30]

I have a 16ft open deck car trailer that I have used a few times since I purchased it but oddly enough haven't had an E30 on it yet. I know some places sell eyelets for the rear lower shock bolt but what about the front? Should I go left and right off my tow hook? If I criss-cross my rear straps using those eyelets wouldn't they want to bend from having so much load coming from the side? Any help here would be greatly appreciated. I even thought about driving my car up on the trailer and playing around with it in the driveway but its just too damn cold out right now!

[ZM Blue Devil]

the rear.. the eyelets on the shocks like you noted, we use and sell the Rogue ones… a cleaner design.
the fronts depending on the wheels, the wheels(if you can get the ties around it, the wheel specific ones, some wheels the design/spoke to small to get the tie in) or the tie down hooks right in front of the control arm bushings.

[ELVA164]

I've never tied an E30 down, but our process for all the race cars is to loop a strap over the top of the lower control arm between the shock/strut and the upright. It holds the car tight, won't put a side load on the tow hooks, and is fairly accessible.

[TobyB]

The factory hold down points work pretty darned well if they're intact.
Pull the front ones forward, the rear ones backwards, and you're done.
Either a small gated hook or a shackle does the deal.

But I'm a firm disbeliever in the 'cross your straps' technique-
I just see a lot of shortcomings with no real gain to that method.
<flame suit on>

And while an E30 has enough strength in its control arms (unlike a 2002, the previous race car)
why stress them so much?

that's just me.

t

[aventari]

Straps through the wheels on all cars, let the suspension do the work over bumps.

If you strap down the tow points you need to jack down on the suspension hard and I feel that's harder on everything.

I also don't like the shock eyelets as those are under single-sheer loading

And never criss-crossed, I think that's a bad idea personally as you should not see significant side loading unless you're already crashing and flipping the trailer over.

Unfortunately I bought a 14' trailer and it's the perfect size for an E30, but it's too short for anything much bigger

[dirty30]

I also don't like the shock eyelets as those are under single-sheer loading

This is what I was really sketched out about. I think I'll invest in some good quality wheel straps and just use them front to back (non criss-crossed). I had my dads E21 on the trailer a few weeks ago and I always stop a few miles down the road and check my straps whether I'm taking trash to the dump in the pickup, hauling a car on the dolly or the car trailer. To my surprise even after really cranking down on the straps criss-cross style I had a little play in the rear probably from the car shifting fore/ aft and letting the straps stretch a little (they were new). Levent, I've been looking at those garagistic eyelets but I like that you have personal experience with the rogues. I'll check them out tonight.

[Ryan1212]

I just made my own version of the garagistic rears out of 1/4" plate and a hole saw/drill, and then use wheel nets on the front wheels.

On the rear I run 4 straps, 2 straight, 2 crossed.

I only use the strap on the tow hook to the front of the trailer to hold the car while strapping it down.

[78kona]

For the rear I use these. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g7974/overview/ Just wrap the axle part of the strap arond the subframe. Easy to get to once the car is on the trailer. Just reach up in front of the rear wheel. This method does not put any stress on trailing arms like the shock eyelet or the wheel method. I never cross them because if one ever comes loose, they both will. For the front I use something like these http://www.mscdirect.com/product/572...&026=-99&025=c I hook them to the factory tie points in the fender well, just behind the front wheel.

[dirty30]

I never cross them because if one ever comes loose, they both will.

This should have been really obvious to me but it never even crossed my mind until you said something! Thanks for the input.

[Boris3]

FWIW in the front I run ratchet straps from trailer d-rings to the factory tie down brackets on the front frame rails. In the rear I run ratchet straps from trailer d-rings to padded axle straps looped over the rear subframe. Straps crossed in front, straight back in rear.

Picked up strap set from Apex Performance

http://www.apexperformance.net/prod-962.htm

[R3Z3N]

I load my car backwards, so the jack points on the rear lower shock bolt will not take load in a crash, but instead the cars front tie down will.

as seen here (though later moved the car rearward on the trailer for proper tongue load.)

[djjerme]

I use a tow dolly, so I am screwed no matter what happens on the way to the track. But the wife is happy (she never wants a trailer parked at the house..)

[dirty30]

I also have a tow dolly but have had cars "slip" the tire straps before on tight turns (parking lot entrances etc) I've always felt confident on the highway with a dolly though. One thing that always bugged me about the dolly is the vehicle you are towing has to be 50% road worthy.

[Lance Racing]

The factory hold down points work pretty darned well if they're intact.
Pull the front ones forward, the rear ones backwards, and you're done.
Either a small gated hook or a shackle does the deal.

But I'm a firm disbeliever in the 'cross your straps' technique-
I just see a lot of shortcomings with no real gain to that method.
<flame suit on>

And while an E30 has enough strength in its control arms (unlike a 2002, the previous race car)
why stress them so much?

that's just me.

t

I've been doing it like this for 12 years now. No issues.

[dinanm3atl]

Front is the holes on the "frame". Criss-crossed. Then put on eyelets to the rear shock. Criss cross. Doneski.