How to bring home Fzj80. (1 Viewer)

[michaelshin]

I Am looking at a 96 Fzj80 base model tomorrow for a possible purchase.
I have a 14 foot dual axle flat bed rated for 6000 lb. that I use to transport my small kubota tractor around and using 09 tundra with air bags on the back as a tow vehicle.
I have heavy gauge chains and binders with post holes and D rings around the trailer.
I have not transported a vehicle before and not sure about where to put 4 chains to secure the LC.
Should I put two chains on both axles?
I am going to put the transmission on neutral and leave the transfer case on HI.
The particular LC does not have lockers.

I have tried the search function but may be I am using wrong key words.
Because the drive is over mountains, I want to be extra safe.
I am using Tekonshe P3 brake controller with electric brakes on the trailer.

I appreciate your wisdoms.

 

[Kernal]

With your trailer will all the wheels of the 80 be off the ground, nothing turning??

 

[CruiseOrlando]

Chains can go on axles for sure.

There are tie-down points on the front under the bumper of stock 80's. Might be too far forward depending on your setup.

 

[michaelshin]

Oops. Its 18 foot trailer.
so front has attachment under bumper on both sides?
On the rear axle, I will put some padding where the chain rests on the axle and just avoid the parking btake lines?

 

[jynx]

Chains or straps on axles only. You want to let the suspension on the truck cycle while it is on the trailer. Two tie-downs on each axle, strap in a cross pattern. Left chain to right tie-down and vice-versa. I would pad around the axles if you don't have any straps. We hauled a 4runner I bought a 150 miles to where it sits now. Can't remember but I believe we left it in park. With the axles strapped tight, the wheels can't turn and leaving it in gear will also help keep things from moving.

If you tie down the body/ frame, you are compressing the suspension and a good bump might put slack in the chains and then the suspension will unload hard and might cause something to come loose. Your tractor has no suspension so you can crank it down tight, if you crank down on the coils you are storing alot of energy in each corner that a bad bump might let loose.

Using the tie-downs on the frame is ok as a backup, but I wouldn't recommend using them for much else during the trip. Axles are the way to go. Outside axle coil mount to opposite side tie down both front and rear should do.

I hope someone with more experience chimes in, but that has worked for me.

Hope everything goes well.

 

[michaelshin]

Great info folks. I will cross chain each axles and stop every few miles to check. The road unfortunately has many winding curves. I am sure I will be letting people pass at every chance. Will need my energy tomorrow.
More I think, more I worry.....

 

[neal0124]

I drive tractor trailers. I used to haul construction equipment, water trucks, tractors that kind of stuff.
Get the truck on the trailer put it in park and set the parking brake. Then chain the cruiser by its tow hooks on the chassis. Do it in a criss cross pattern, left side of chassis to the right side of trailer/right side of chassis to left side of trailer. You want the trailer hook points farther out from the trucks tow hooks. Doing it this way keeps the truck from shifting side to side or back and forth. Crank the chains down tight and load the suspension slightly. Stock cruisers weigh over 5000 pounds, you aren't going to be racing with a trailer or hitting bumps hard enough to need to worry about the truck bouncing around/off. I drive the speed limit on crappy Los Angeles freeways with a wood decked flat bed trailer. I pile my 20' chains right in the middle of it and they've never bounced or slid off.

 

[michaelshin]

I will post pics tomorrow.
That is if the rig is as they described.
Thanks alot.

 

[itbrokeagain]

Fwiw I tow my 80 all the time. The front chain I go from the axle to the front of the trailer. The back I put the chain around the pinion and hook it to itself. I run it straight back to a d ring I welded to the back of the trailer. I have a flip type binder on the front and a ratcheting binder on the rear.

Sent from my Nexus S using IH8MUD

 

[michaelshin]

Fwiw I tow my 80 all the time. The front chain I go from the axle to the front of the trailer. The back I put the chain around the pinion and hook it to itself. I run it straight back to a d ring I welded to the back of the trailer. I have a flip type binder on the front and a ratcheting binder on the rear.

Sent from my Nexus S using IH8MUD

Thanks.
what do you set your parking brake, tranny, transfer at during the tow?

 

[michaelshin]

I may have found a vehicle that suits me better, a 97 with lockers. Smile.
This might give me time to get some proper axle straps...may be some Mac tie downs?
By the way, I met a nice mudder at a Toyo dealer in Ukiah, California, anyone know his tag on the forum?
His name is Rob with an awesome 80!

 

[rockrod]

When I used to tow my crawler jeep, I strapped it down by the frame, not the axles.

Cross the straps over and suck it down to the bump stops. Your load will stay much more stable and you wont have to deal with the truck leaning out on the curves. It will essentially be a big box going down the road.

 

[Slowerthanu]

I tow a different rig almost on a weekly basis (64 Cadillac, 1937 Chevy truck, my fj40, 2001 discovery II, 53 Chevy etc.). I tie every single one in a criss cross by chassis. Two of the above vehicles are on air bags so I let all of the air out first.

If you load up the suspension properly it will be very stable.