Smart to TH tiedown

[chief916]

Well... just pulled the trigger on a 2015 Smart Brabus...in Alpharetta GA.  This trip should give us an idea as to what we will be up against in August when we head out for Sturgis.  Seven and a half hours away.  DW planned it so and I just drive.  So far I have 8 1k ratchet straps and wheel chocks... hopefully that should do it to secure the vehicle.  Probably should throw some 5k chains in with it.  I'll think about that , not unless there are those of you out there who have had some compelling experiences to relay on.  I'll post  when we get back.

Ben

[billr]

Tie the wheels and tires only not from suspension. No real frame avail anyway. 

On the trucks we use car hauler straps over the tires to points on bed. You’ll need to see how it lines up for you. 

Have seen guys use tie downs through spokes in wheels. 

5k chains or any chains not req. 😳

4 straps and you should be fine. Enjoy!

[chief916]

5 minutes ago, billr said:

Tie the wheels and tires only not from suspension. No real frame avail anyway. 

On the trucks we use car hauler straps over the tires to points on bed. You’ll need to see how it lines up for you. 

Have seen guys use tie downs through spokes in wheels. 

5k chains or any chains not req. 😳

4 straps and you should be fine. Enjoy!

Thank you sir.

[mr. cob]

Howdy When I tie the Smart Car down in my toy hauler, I just use tie down straps that go through the wheel and then clip to the rings in the toy hauler floor.  Been doing it this way for the last two years, 30,000 miles with no problems.  I am really looking forward to getting the deck built on the back of the Pete, so I can carry the Smart Car on the truck and get the full use of my toy hauler garage again.

Dave

[sclord2002]

I prefer the over the wheel straps with the rubber tread blocks as opposed to the basket straps. Just my personal preference. Have fun with your new Smart.    Charlie

[hone eagle]

Iam with Charlie ,the wheel baskets were always finding ways to lose tension - straps not so much.

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

If your referring to securing to Smart Car inside a Toy Hauler I do the same as Dave. One ratchet strap through the front tires and one through the rear tires. Both are secured with the D rings on the TH floor. Been hauling it that way for four years no problems.

” Happy Trails”

Chiefneon

[mr. cob]

Howdy All,

In my Toy Hauler the way the D rings are located I couldn't use the baskets if I wanted to, or the straps that go over the tires, by far the easiest way for me is to use strap through the wheels.

That said, I will be using the strap winches and the straps that go OVER the tire with the little rubber blocks on them to tie down the Smart Car when I load behind the sleeper on the Pete.  A question for those of you who use the straps that go over the tires, where did you get them and did they come with short straps the only ones I have seen come with straps over 12 feet long, lot of wasted strap that has to be cut off and paid for when you buy the setup.

Dave

[hone eagle]

US cargocontrol     they sell the rubber blocks in box sets- with or without straps 

[mr. cob]

16 minutes ago, hone eagle said:

US cargocontrol     they sell the rubber blocks in box sets- with or without straps 

Howdy hone eagal,

Thanks for the company name, found them on the web I'll call them Monday.  What width of strap do you use, when using the over the wheel straps?

Dav e

[Hewhoknowslittle]

I got mine from discount ramps. Less than 90.00 for all 4 over the tire with rubber blocks. I love mine and in my winter trip over 6,000 miles the never came loose. But if you want baskets I have a set of 4 used a couple of times for sale 70.00. 

Roger

Edited March 25, 2018 by Hewhoknowslittle

[billr]

3” straps. Us cargo for mine too. Cut off excess strap. Burn ends. 

Been using over tire straps with the rubber blocks for 10 years. 

[mr. cob]

1 hour ago, billr said:

3” straps. Us cargo for mine too. Cut off excess strap. Burn ends. 

Been using over tire straps with the rubber blocks for 10 years. 

Howdy Bill,

I can only see 2" and 4" strap winches listed at US Cargo control, did you find 3" winches or do you use another method of tightening the straps?

Dav e

[RickS]

I purchased wheel straps that I use for the SC in the TH'er from this company. I also used their L-track that works very well.

[billr]

9 hours ago, mr. cob said:

Howdy Bill,

I can only see 2" and 4" strap winches listed at US Cargo control, did you find 3" winches or do you use another method of tightening the straps?

Dav e

Sorry they are indeed 2”. 

http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Towing-Auto-Hauling/Wheel-Straps-for-Auto-Hauling/Car-Carrier-Strap-w-Swivel-Hooks-Fixed-Rubber-Blocks-Rat_2

 

[rickeieio]

We used to haul the smart in the T/H, but this last trip I finally got around to loading on the deck.  Holy Cow, there's no going back.  No more crawling around, fishing straps through wheels or under the car to get a decent pull to the tie down points.  Now it's all done from the ground, in far less time.  Plus, it makes more room for bikes, and keeps them clean.

We use the 2" straps and tread blocks, except on one wheel, where there's not room, so a 1" strap w/ ratchet there.

[rdickinson]

2".  Cage had to be enlarged.  450 tires were 22" diameter and 453's were 24". 

Shown here is 450.

 

Extension plates for chocks to accommodate longer 453. Slots allow for flexibility of placement including twisting if car is loaded slightly crooked.

 

 

Extensions to A frame to prevent both pulleys from hitting.  A frame needed to be stood off the truck more.

 

This is the older shorter car. Even with a 2x6 to space the frame out more, it was still an issue.  There was plenty of Kevlar cable to go to a double line pull.  It is slower but less jerky.  The new car has a hitch in which I put a snatch block....A marine pulley.  Cable goes thru the pulley on the  car, and back to the A frame.

1" thick OSB boards to allow car to go over the deck edge without ripping off underbody parts.  Same can be accomplished by blocking up the dirt end of the ramps by 2-3" and putting a pce of angle iron in the ramp hinge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2018 by rdickinson
typo

[noteven]

Using the L - track & strap like the auto carriers would leave you with a few tie down points on the deck for securing other stuff when not smart hauling...

[mr. cob]

2 hours ago, billr said:

Sorry they are indeed 2”. 

http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Towing-Auto-Hauling/Wheel-Straps-for-Auto-Hauling/Car-Carrier-Strap-w-Swivel-Hooks-Fixed-Rubber-Blocks-Rat_2

 

Howdy Bill,

Thanks, for the clarification.

Dave

[RickS]

Rick....I agree with you strapping down the the car in the TH'er is not as much fun as the the deck.    The L-track that I installed in the TH'er has made it possible to tie down anything that fits in there. The original D-rings were a compromise.  I use the wheel straps on the Polaris RZR 1000 SxS and the wheel baskets on the SC on the deck. It is also easy to tie down our motorbikes in the back with the L-tack since it offers a multitude of hardware that attaches to it.
Also, noticed the the straps from Cargo Equipment are 30% less than the ones from US Cargo. I have no affiliation with either company but being in the wholesale parts business 30% is the margin we set for our retailers on this kind of stuff. US Cargo could be buying from the other company and make the 30% margin. IMO

[Jack Mayer]

I've used baskets for years. But no longer will use them, and we will no longer supply them with our beds. We will use either over the wheel straps with tire blocks, or more likely, through the wheel tie-downs. Personally, the through the wheel ones will be the ones I use. 

The baskets are too hard to place properly on 453's and they are more prone to movement or coming loose. Because they are harder to put on, I've seen many - and I mean many - "dubious" tiedown efforts. The other methods are more reliable for most people. 

Don't get me wrong, the baskets work fine if properly handled.

My opinions, only.

[mr. cob]

15 minutes ago, Jack Mayer said:

I've used baskets for years. But no longer will use them, and we will no longer supply them with our beds. We will use either over the wheel straps with tire blocks, or more likely, through the wheel tie-downs. Personally, the through the wheel ones will be the ones I use. 

The baskets are too hard to place properly on 453's and they are more prone to movement or coming loose. Because they are harder to put on, I've seen many - and I mean many - "dubious" tiedown efforts. The other methods are more reliable for most people. 

Don't get me wrong, the baskets work fine if properly handled.

My opinions, only.

Howdy Jack,

I am now using the through the wheel type of tie down when carrying the Smart in the toy hauler, I am ready to buy the nessisary parts to tie down the Smart on a truck bed, do you have any photos of the through the wheel tie downs being use to secure a Smart to a truck bed, maybe I can save some money using what I already have.  Thanks.

Dave

[mike5511]

On 3/24/2018 at 9:54 PM, Hewhoknowslittle said:

I got mine from discount ramps. Less than 90.00 for all 4 over the tire with rubber blocks. I love mine and in my winter trip over 6,000 miles the never came loose. But if you want baskets I have a set of 4 used a couple of times for sale 70.00. 

Roger

Those straps came with two looks like? The four pack is currently out of stock on their web-site. You must of caused a run on them!!!!

[RickS]

https://www.cargoequipmentcorp.com/car-and-truck-hauling-tie-down-straps/wheel-straps