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Trailering tips...

Ken

Gone but not forgotten
Joined
Jan 30, 2001
Messages
8,236
Location
Hermosa Beach, CA
Corvette
1987 Z51 Silver Coupe
I have to share this with everyone, and not everyone will want to look into a thread called "Wanna Trade?", so I stuck it here: Trailering Your Corvette. That way it has a post of its own. ;)
 
I saw this the other day, but I forgot about your trailer quest, Ken. Anyways, this reminds me of the time my father witnessed someone towing their pristine '55 Mercury. My father said it was one of the nicest cars he's ever seen, but unfortunately, the driver of the pick-up was too eager to make a right turn. He didn't slow down enough and screwed everything up. My dad said the sight of seeing the whole combo tossed on it's side was rather heartbreaking as the weight shifted too far. What was worse he said, was seeing the beautiful 'ol Merc roll over two times after it broke from the tie-downs. The driver was unhurt physically, but he was crying like a man who had to shoot his own dog. Sometimes physics and stupidity really suck! :(

--Bullitt
 
Great article. Much of what he wrote is what I went through in the decision process.

It makes me feel really good about my purchase decision based upon my towing needs.


Thanks for sharing Ken.
 
Great article! Well thought out and goes into good detail about the trailer...

Just finished refurbishing my Dad's 5,000 lb rated 'ulility' trailer. He is a train nut and owns a speeder so all this info applies...

Thanks Ken.
 
One thing I would add, is that article is dated somewhat by recent technology. As far as the Diesel engines go, with the intro of the new HD Duramax series of G.M. trucks, I would rank them as Chevy, Ford, then Dodge in terms of power, reliability, etc.

Also, since this article has been written, G.M. introduced a new series of auto transmissions based upon the 700R4 platform. My 95 Dually has the larger heavier duty overdrive version. It is a very strong and dependable unit.
 
Here is the rig, hooked-up and the Vette's inside. (click it)


Now maybe if somebody with experience securing a C4 for transport would speak up, I'd appreciate any tips before I hit the road in August.

I am currently using the area around the lower shock mounts at the rear, and on the bracing to the frame horns at the front, to secure the vehicle. Is there a better way? There isn't much under there to hook onto. ;)

Also, I can't think of a weigh-station anywhere nearby, although there are probably many, how do I determine when I have approximately fifteen percent of the load on the tongue? My bathroom scale doesn't go that high! :L

_ken :w
 
You look like a real pro now. Nice rig.

Nope, I don't have any better suggestions for you. When I tie down my 90 I used the rear frame horns just between the bumper and spare tire area, and I use the front X member hooks. The bottom center deck is open, so I have a little more room to kind a climb under and hook it.
 
69MyWay said:
You look like a real pro now.

I've been telling people that I may not be a professional, but I'll go out looking like one. ;)

... I use the front X member hooks.

If you mean the hooks used from the factory, there is no such animal on mine; they must have disappeared before I got it. :eyerole

_ken :w
 
Nobody else has any tips for loading a C4 onto a trailer and securing it?

_ken :booty
 
Open Trailers

Just my opinion, but, I prefer the open trailers so everybody else on the highway can see what I'm pullin' ! Get lots of looks from 8 year olds to 80 year olds :upthumbs and sometimes :crazy and sometimes :j just depends.

Ken, I use the factory tie downs located on C4's in all four corners of the frame. I can't belive that they have been removed! Basically look behind each wheel for a "slot" hanging down from, but attached to the frame. It's what the transport people used to transport new Vette's from the factory to the dealers.

That is a good article.
Thanks,

Maybe now I can convince my wife that I need a new "Dura-Max" diesel engine in a new 1-ton crew cab pick-up! :SLAP
 
Thanks Tom, I found 'em. ;)

Good luck on your new truck purchase, if you can talk her into it that is. :L

_ken :w
 
I guess I should point out here that a guy on the NCCCNet told a story of how his factory tie-downs started breaking at the spot welds, after a few years of using them as places to secure his Vette. He started using the T-hooks from AW Direct, a supplier to the service industry, such as towing companies and road crews. Cool site! :cool

Now, if I could only find holes big enough to accept the "Ts"... Corvettes just HAVE to be different! :L

_ken :w
 
"T-Hooks"

Hey Ken,

Dave, at R & D Racing (yea! that's THE guy :eyerole ) uses the "T-hooks" you are talking about. I'm not sure what he attaches them to on the car? Of course he has one of them "cease-fire" vettes, so who knows?

98% of the vettes I see being trailered, use the factory welded on hooks. Maybe the guy over on that "other forum", overtightens the straps! Just a thought, you want them tight, but not so tight that the straps are like banjo strings!

Maybe Dave will chime in here!

Me-> :SLAP <- Dave :L
 
Re: "T-Hooks"

fastglass95 said:
Dave, at R & D Racing (yea! that's THE guy :eyerole )
Me-> :SLAP <- Dave :L

Thanks Tom, I couldn't remember who gave me that "heads-up" on the factory mounts, but at least Dave wasn't the one who told me to use the half-shafts! :eyerole

:L I haven't seen you two go at it in a while; I was beginning to wonder what's been going on there, Dave's been visiting here very little lately. :confused

_ken :w
 
"Load-Distributing Hitch"

Ken, One more tip, get a "Load Distributing Hitch" if you can! They do work great! You can really transfer a lot of the tounge weight to the front axle of the tow vehicle. It still does not make any sense to me about how it works, but it works!

No, I do not have one.

But, I've pulled the previously mentioned "DAVE", of R & D Racing's trailer with my tow vehicle (his trailer has the weigt distributing hitch system) and the differnce is very noticeable.
 
Yeah Tom, I installed a weight distributing hitch as well as an anti-sway device. I know it's a little bit of overkill, but it's better to be safe than sorry, eh? Thing is, with the Featherlite trailer being so light, when the car is not on the trailer there is no weight on the tongue to speak of, so I have to remove the distributing hitch when it's empty. :L

_ken :w
 
Ken,

I don't think that the anti-sway is overkill at all. I know people that find them necessary on multi sled snowmobile trailers. Much lighter than a car and enclosed trailer. Of course those guys usually try to get from Indiana to northern Michigan in 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. :eyerole

Have you considered the tie downs that go over the tires? They look like the hot setup to me. Wheels can't move, the car still rides on it's suspension and you aren't hooked to anything that can bend or crack with repeated use.

Tom
 
Tom, Dave, I refer to the anti-sway device as being "overkill" in the sense that seeing as I have the weight-distributing hitch, the anti-sway device isn't necessary. At least from what I've been told. ;)

_ken :w
 

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