Best way to tie down Bronco on flatbed

[RonJones]

I’m going to be hauling my Bronco several hundred miles on my flatbed trailer. In the past, before paint and resto, I’d just chain down the axes and call it good. With fancy paint on them, I don’t want to do that now. How ‘bout strapping down to the front and rear D-rings with 10,000# rated straps and chocking the wheels with it in gear and emergency brake set? Suggestions?

 

[Slowleak]

I would be more comfortable using axle straps and hooking the chains/straps to them. They are cheap and you can wrap them in a towel or something soft if you are worried about scratches. I never have liked tying the suspension down.

 

[RonJones]

Good idea! I’ll get a few and see if I can figure out a way to wrap without buggering a brake line.

 

[chuckyb]

I have the axle straps, they are nice but I actually stopped using at the recommendation of someone who has hauled a lot of Broncos to customers on long trips.

The problem I have experienced with those short axle straps is that when you have multiple straps mounted at one point on the trailer and the truck being hauled, is that they tend to work loose as the load shifts, which leads to whatever is being hauled sliding around on the trailer or flat bed.

To prevent this, I have been using two long straps, one for the front of the trailer and the front axle, and one for the rear of the trailer and the rear axle. I start at one corner of the trailer by attaching one end of the strap then feeding the strap under the axle, across the back of the pumpkin, and then Around the other side of the axle and then attached to the opposite corner. Once you do this and tighten down the straps really good, they do not come loose due to the dual mounting points and the two straps being in tension with each other.

It’s difficult to explain but hopefully the pictures will help. Of course, with only two straps they better be thick and high quality, and you need to have super solid mounting points for the end of the straps. Also you need to take care to route the straps carefully so you don’t mess up your brake lines or anything else. Due to the clearance under our Broncos, it is a lot easier than with a car with a lower stance.

 

[Slowleak]

If you are going to tie down the pumpkins you really need two of these...

https://wallacewow.com/products/pumpkin-tie-down-strap

 

[chuckyb]

That's a nice pumpkin

 

[RonJones]

Axle straps or long beefy straps, any need for wheel chocks?

 

[Wrightracing]

I prefer the frame tow slots. On the frame is slots for a towing hook to go through the frame. I would use 4 of these on the 4 corner's so the Bronco does not move at all on the trailer. Also the hooks will not fall out if the strap comes loose at any time. Then I use a chain turnbuckle with a ratchet tighter and Clevis Jaw. These are rated at 42,000 Lb each.

David Wright

 

[Apogee]

To the OP, you want to be careful strapping to the frame and not the axle, as any big jounce of the trailer can cause the suspension to compress and you can lose tension on yours straps, drop hooks, etc. If you wanted to go to the D-rings on your bumpers, assuming they're tied into the frame well, make sure the straps have safety hooks on them so they can't drop out (or duct tape them to their attachment points for something close). It would be best to add at least a front and rear axle strap into the equation if you choose to go that route IMO.

As for chuckyb's post, I wouldn't trust just one strap per end of the vehicle...I'd leave that to the "professionals" with cars perched up on their flat-bed tow trucks with nothing but the parking brake set and a little motorcycle strap connected barely attached to anything. I get nervous pulling nylon straps across sharp, lumpy steel objects...especially only one of them. You can run your straps through anti-chafing sleeves, but for the expense, there are better solutions IMO.

Tire straps work well, in most cases, assuming your tires hold air, which can sometimes be problematic for wheelers. I personally have had good luck with short axle straps and then 10000# straps to those pulling forward/rearward. You can X them up if you like, and I've done it both ways with similarly good results where the vehicle didn't move at all from where I put it. I'm a big fan of Mac's tie-downs myself.

 

[RonJones]

What’s the downside to tightening up the suspension?

Using the R hook for Ford below and my existing load binders and chain, I could belt and suspenders it and do both, if there’s any advantage to it.

 

[Slowleak]

Axle straps or long beefy straps, any need for wheel chocks?

Check and see if your state requires 4 independent tie down points. Some states do. That means each corner would need a ratchet....going over the pumpkin with one long strap would cause a stink.

I had a car hauled from California once. The trucker chained it down and hooked into holes in the frame. The holes were practically peeled out of the frame from bouncing. That would be tough on the d-rings of a typical trailer.

 

[RonJones]

What’s the downside to tightening up the suspension?

Looks like I got my answer to that!

 

[Bajabrewer]

If you are going to tie down the pumpkins you really need two of these...

https://wallacewow.com/products/pumpkin-tie-down-strap

I want to know what gears are in that pumpkin?

 

[Yeller]

Google Macs Tie Downs. Their method is simple, strong and proven effective. Seen them survive severe accidents that destroyed the tow unit and trailer but the rig on the trailer is fine. No need to tie down the suspension or have wheel chocks. I’ve towed 100’s of thousands of trouble free miles towing with 4 straps tied to the axle, no need to cross them, strap it down and go.

 

[garberz]

Google Macs Tie Downs. Their method is simple, strong and proven effective. Seen them survive severe accidents that destroyed the tow unit and trailer but the rig on the trailer is fine. No need to tie down the suspension or have wheel chocks. I’ve towed 100’s of thousands of trouble free miles towing with 4 straps tied to the axle, no need to cross them, strap it down and go.

^^^^^ The best and simple advice right there!

Mark

 

[BUCKWILD]

AXLE STAPS ALL THE WAY, i HAVE PROBABLE HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES PULLING A TRAILER WITH VEHICLES ON THEM NEVER HAD ONE FALL OFF. 4 STRAPS ONE AT EACH AXLE END PULLINF BACK AND OUT, NOT CROSS STRAPPING. AND MACS ARE GREAT PRODUCTS. chuckyb it is required by law to have 4 tiedowns on a vehicle or equiptment

 

[RonJones]

Mac’s also shows this way to secure the vehicle; it probably requires 40” axle straps, but avoids possibly damaging brake lines by wrapping axles:

 

[69_Sport]

I've had great success using straps over the tires.

Not a fan of compressing the suspension.

Also not a fan of leaving the vehicle in gear.

If you think you need 2 straps, then use 3. Redundancy is your friend.

 

[Yeller]

not damaging the brake lines is not as difficult as you might think. Yes they do show that way of tying down and it does work but even with the most amount of care wheel scratches can and will happen. Fine on a track car that gets the crap beat out of it. Then there is the question is enough room to clear the brakes and no sharp edges on the wheel. I'm not a fan, seen the wheels spin and get the straps into the body and be loose letting the vehicle move.

 

[nvrstuk]

Wrightracing question. Those tie downs in the pic you posted are 42,000# EACH??? Maybe it's the pic but they look like they are 1" wide strap and the hooks are made from .125" steel bent into a hook shape at best. Just seems like a misprint. The racheting binder looks more than HUGE tho!

Like Yeller and Garberz said. Strap each corner with a axle strap (don't see how they can be too short-it's what so many of us use), go straight back to a secure spot on the trailer.

Do NOT use wheel chocks unless they are attached securely to the trailer somehow!!! If they fall off the rig and bounce along the road until they find a windshield- not good