Securing on a Trailer..

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sarca

sarca

I upped my wrenchin skills, now up yours!
10 Year
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onsc4x4.com
My beloved huz bought a trailer last week - just for Jane. He's committed to the 40 as much as I am.

After a stressful day at work, I came home to discover these added to the bumperettes. He says they are just for securing the 40's rear on the trailer.


Without offering any of my opinions on this - (and without insulting the man of my dreams, please :D ) How good or bad of an idea is this?
janes bumperettes.webp

For your consideration SOMEONE mightve suggested (after the fact) that the bumperettes were a poor choice for hanging them on and that having anticipated trailering Jane - he probably couldve hung the D rings on the bumper itself (in place of the bumperettes) with reinforcement...

What say you guys?:popcorn:

janes bumperettes.webp
 
A couple zip ties, safety pins, rubber bands and you are set :p




That's not how i'd secure a 40 to a trailer, but then I prefer the overkill approach on everything.

Are you securing it in any other way than now it is shown in the picture??

All i've ever done is secure the front and rear axles of the vehicle on the trailer
 
Last edited:
For clarification - He is going around the axle too.
 
Securing to the axles will be sufficient to hold the vehicle. Securing to any point above the springs will have a tendency to loosen and pop off given the right bump in the road.
 
Front and rear axle. I normally cross the rear
 
No way would I trust the bumperettes as a tie down point. In a collision, I do not believe what is pictured would retain the 40 on the trailer.

The debate about tying down a vehicle being trailered is ages old with the two sides being tie the frame down (compress the springs) and tie down by the axles or wheels. I fall into the second category.

The key is at least 4 separate tie downs. On a solid axle rig with a simple suspension, I go with J hooks and/or axle straps. I use custom length (for the application) fixed straps on the front in order to position the rig at the same spot on the trailer every time (for weight / balance) and ratchet straps on the rear. Typical loading process is:

  • Pull forward on the trailer far enough to ensure I can hook the front up and set parking brake.
  • Place J-Hooks under axle and attach front straps to trailer.
  • Get back in rig and back up slowly to snug front straps.
  • Shut down rig.
  • Place J hook or axle strap with abrasion guard around rear axle.
  • Attach ratchet end of strap to trailer, crossing straps and snug slightly.
  • Shift rig into neutral and release parking brake.
  • Cinch down straps tight, then put rig in gear and parking brake on.
  • Secure excess strap on ratchet ends

I have been towing off road rigs for almost 20 years and a boatload of miles and this system has never failed me. Crossing the straps on the rear helps prevent the rig from walking side to side on rough roads.

For IFS rigs, I use a wheel strap through the front wheels.

Mac's Tie-downs are what I prefer. Additionally, the site has some good info about good and bad practices for tying a rig down.
 
Can I mention one key point about putting straps around the axles .


Make sure you do not crush your brake lines please. Unless you really want new brake lines. I just got done replacing a line on a fj62 because of this for a customer. And he had not had it towed while in his possession .
 
^^ Good point. I've been doing it so long I forgot to mention that. On a J--p I used to have, I custom bent some hard lines so the J-hook was easier to place without crushing the metal line.
 
elkaholic said:
^^ Good point. I've been doing it so long I forgot to mention that. On a J--p I used to have, I custom bent some hard lines so the J-hook was easier to place without crushing the metal line.
Click to expand...

I did the same thing on my 40 axles so I never have to worry about it.
 
Pics of the J hook configuration would eliminate a lot of guess work Elkholic.
 
shipmag ... I do not know if I have any pics of that configuration in use. I can probably pull out some straps and J hooks, but at the moment, I do not have a hard core rig that gets trailered. Let me know what you are looking for and I'll see what I can come up with.
 
krzyabncanuck said:
Can I mention one key point about putting straps around the axles .

Make sure you do not crush your brake lines please. Unless you really want new brake lines. I just got done replacing a line on a fj62 because of this for a customer. And he had not had it towed while in his possession .
Click to expand...

That's exactly his reasoning for using the bumperettes.. generally he over secures towed vehicles..he is worrying about the old brake lines..he has some ideas. We shall see..thanks for all the awesome advice!
 
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