Trailering your Jeep

Mumblewood

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 9, 2019
Messages
917
Location
Renton Wa
Just curious on how other people who trailer their Jeeps on how you tie it down.
I’m always looking for different, faster, easier ways to load my Jeep on the trailer. The group I wheel with all seem to have different methods like straps or chain. Axles or frame. Over tires with straps or baskets. Cross or straight.
Currently I use axle straps connected to chain and binders, the front go straight and I cross the rear (last time I didn’t cross the rear I rubbed both rear shocks and blew out the seals) and sometimes straight back depending on what’s all in the trailer and where the Jeep is sitting
I’m also looking since I have to replace my axle straps due to wear.
I also am a believer that there is more than one correct way to tie down a rig so I’m not looking to start any arguments on this subject as I’ve seen threads like this go downhill real fast. Just looking for new better ideas.
Here’s mine

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My personal favorite is axle straps, chains and ratchet binders vs the lever binders although both work well. Like you cross strapping or straight all depends on what else I have on the trailer at the time. I like to cross when ever possible that way there is no chance of the jeep sliding sideways.

I like the idea of tire net straps just not as practical, they are pretty limited as to what you can use them on.
 
I usually don't cross because I have other crap on the trailer. I use axle straps too, that way I can feed them under the rear brake line. On the front (if I remember right, the TJ sits over the winter) I feed the axle straps though the bottom shock perch. I don't use chains though, I use 10k straps going to my tie downs.

Never felt comfortable tying down by the frame... I watch it bounce all day long in my rearview.

Edit: One thing that I do which I think is a good idea (if you have a better one please share) with these straps at the tie down point is to make sure you fasten them somehow to the D-ring. You can see here in my pic that the straps I have are an open hook (D-ring under my daughters blue bike), so God forbid something shifted enough on the road that hook can come off. After I ratchet it all down I clip on some large open chainlinks through the D-ring and the back part of the strap hook to make sure they can't separate if the straps slack.

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No frame.

Many years ago I was told that unsprung weight is the only part to tie down. The reason it even came up was someone ran a strap over the handle bars on his dirt bike which finished off his front forks. I don't really know how old or worn they were when it was loaded but at least one side was completely out of fluid and wouldn't hold any when they got wherever they were going to ride. That story was followed up by saying any suspension should be left to do it's job no matter where it is, which made perfect sense to me back then and still does today.
 
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No frame.

Many years ago I was told that unsprung weight is the only part to tie down. The reason it even came up was someone ran a strap over the handle bars on his dirt bike which finished off his front forks. I don't really know how old or worn they were when it was loaded but at least one side was completely out of fluid and wouldn't hold any when they got wherever they were going to ride. That story was followed up by saying any suspension should be left to do it's job no matter where it is, which made perfect sense to me back then and still does today.

I did that to my Harley towing it from Florida to Cali... And no dealer in Cali or Nevada had the part to fix it. I basically towed my bike cross country and back for no reason.
 
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If you cross the rears, and one of those straps loosens or brakes, there will be no tension to keep the Jeep from moving forward on your trailer. I know opinions vary, but the general consensus is to not cross.
That's boils down to how far back you anchor the straps from the vehicle. I never just go side to side. I do a bare minimum of a 45 degree angle.
 
For trailering I generally try to do short strap runs, crossed as close to 45 degrees as possible. I have two different sets of HD vehicle ratchet straps I use, blue and yellow, that are attached only to the axle tubes. The set below is one I've used for years.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BT0JJAM/?tag=wranglerorg-20

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When I bought my Jeep I trailered it home on a UHaul trailer. It had basket straps for the front tires and only a safety chain that could not be tightened for the rear axle. The basket straps were too short for the 33" tires. We had to air down the front tires and use other straps to compress the tires so we could get the basket straps into the ratchet mechanism. Had I known any of this I would have brought my own straps. It did just fine and did not move at all.

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After 20 years of commercial truck driving, I always refer to the commercial regulations.
In Canada the most popular choice is crossing over steel chains with boomers.
And that is pretty much what I always do.

Tying down a Wrangler is pretty simple. Tying down a Porsche is another matter.
 
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That's boils down to how far back you anchor the straps from the vehicle. I never just go side to side. I do a bare minimum of a 45 degree angle.
Any angle back or forward from the axle to the tie down anchors increases the chance of compromising all the restraints in the event of just one loosening. The more angle, the greater that effect becomes.
 
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After 20 years of commercial truck driving, I always refer to the commercial regulations.
In Canada the most popular choice is crossing over steel chains with boomers.
And that is pretty much what I always do.
If I gave you a 7' wide x 12' long x 6' tall rectangular box on a flat bed trailer with attachments at each corner 1' off the deck and gave you the task of restraining it with two straps that have one connection at the box and one at the trailer, how would you arrange them? No strapping over the box, it is too fragile.
 
No frame.

Many years ago I was told that unsprung weight is the only part to tie down. The reason it even came up was someone ran a strap over the handle bars on his dirt bike which finished off his front forks. I don't really know how old or worn they were when it was loaded but at least one side was completely out of fluid and wouldn't hold any when they got wherever they were going to ride. That story was followed up by saying any suspension should be left to do it's job no matter where it is, which made perfect sense to me back then and still does today.
Surprisingly, you have described an effect that all who use the axles for tying down experience and never pay it any mind whatsoever.
Hey, lets take our nice suspension joints, hook onto what they are attached to and then try to rip them out from under the rig with straps ratcheted down as tight as we can possibly get them. Yeah, you know, that isn't enough torture, lets go bounce it down the road at 70 miles an hour and see if we can really induce some wear.
 
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When I was looking for my tj I talked to a couple of u-haul dealers and they would not let me haul a Jeep. No eceptions.
 
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When I bought my Jeep I trailered it home on a UHaul trailer. It had basket straps for the front tires and only a safety chain that could not be tightened for the rear axle. The basket straps were too short for the 33" tires. We had to air down the front tires and use other straps to compress the tires so we could get the basket straps into the ratchet mechanism. Had I known any of this I would have brought my own straps. It did just fine and did not move at all.

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UHaul actually has it the closest to the best way you can do it of any I've seen so far.
 
If I gave you a 7' wide x 12' long x 6' tall rectangular box on a flat bed trailer with attachments at each corner 1' off the deck and gave you the task of restraining it with two straps that have one connection at the box and one at the trailer, how would you arrange them? No strapping over the box, it is too fragile.
2 chains, 2 boomers, never go over the load, from the load, to the deck, 1', across the deck thru the deck tie down, up to the load tie down point. Boomer it on the deck. Done daily in the oilfield.
Works well with Seacans too.
 
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When I was looking for my tj I talked to a couple of u-haul dealers and they would not let me haul a Jeep. No deceptions.
I've checked the website a few times and after selecting the tow vehicle and vehicle to be towed (a Jeep) it says it is approved. Obviously the straps on the U haul trailer I had were not made for 33" tires but I got it to work, barely.
 
2 chains, 2 boomers, never go over the load, from the load, to the deck, 1', across the deck thru the deck tie down, up to the load tie down point. Boomer it on the deck. Done daily in the oilfield.
Works well with Seacans too.
You'll have to draw a picture. (I worked in the oilfield, little of what they do translates to what we do)