Trailer tie down techniques for ACR E

[ACR PWR]

Hello Guys,

I'm looking to purchase a 20 foot enclosed trailer. I'm looking at ATC and Lightening trailers.
I would like to get a full E Trac system to secure the car but some of the models only come with D Rings.

For the guys that have D Rings how do you secure your Viper inside your trailer?
Through the wheels or secure the chassis somehow?

Once the car is lowered to track height I'm not sure how tough it will be to get under the car or just keep the straps away for the the body or carbon pieces.
E trac seems the best in my opinion.

Looking for some strategies before I make the purchase.
25537

You can see the D rings there....

[genVer]

I used D rings with my GTS but when I got the ACR-E they were all but worthless where installed. I put in 4 additional per wheel and now go over the tires up to the original D rings. This works well for me.

[13COBRA]

Why not just lay your own E-Track?

[Snorman]

I use Snapping Turtle wheel straps with the sleeve and also tuck a microfiber towel in between the sleeve and wheel. I also use four wheel chocks and the front tow hook is secured when I slightly snug the winch line and I also run a fourth strap to it and a front D-ring. I'm thinking of going to a set of front wheel bonnets, but not sure how easy it's going to be to put them on when the car is in the trailer.
Will probably put E-track in the trailer this summer.
25539
S.

[ViperGeorge]

On my open trailer I used axle straps through wheels with the soft bonnets on them. Worked fine. Even got the tie down straps in orange to match the car.

[ACRucrazy]

I called Macs and had a custom kit put together for the ACR.

http://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/product/pro-pack-premium-tie-down-kit-with-axle-straps/Tie-Down-Packs

8ft length strap
40" pair axles for the front wheels
48" pair axles for the rear wheels (40" wont work for the 13" rear wheels)
Direct hook ratchets.

It was about $275 or so for the set, showed up in a little over a week. Gave me no issues on the trailer home from Conner Ave.

[commandomatt]

Just went through this exercise as well

I have an ATC trailer with e-track.

Got some wheels straps with ratchets. Also some low profile carriers to bring the straps really close the e-track on the ratchet side. These parts from US Cargo

Also got some 2 piece, 131" race ramps in order for everything to clear nicely.

She's snug in there but extremely secure.

[ACR PWR]

I use Snapping Turtle wheel straps with the sleeve and also tuck a microfiber towel in between the sleeve and wheel. I also use four wheel chocks and the front tow hook is secured when I slightly snug the winch line and I also run a fourth strap to it and a front D-ring. I'm thinking of going to a set of front wheel bonnets, but not sure how easy it's going to be to put them on when the car is in the trailer.
Will probably put E-track in the trailer this summer.
25539
S.

Thank you Snorman,

You have a nice set up there.

[ACR PWR]

I called Macs and had a custom kit put together for the ACR.

http://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/product/pro-pack-premium-tie-down-kit-with-axle-straps/Tie-Down-Packs

8ft length strap
40" pair axles for the front wheels
48" pair axles for the rear wheels (40" wont work for the 13" rear wheels)
Direct hook ratchets.

It was about $275 or so for the set, showed up in a little over a week. Gave me no issues on the trailer home from Conner Ave.

Really nice advice.

Thank you... great photos too...

so no issues with straps digging into the car when tightened?

[ACR PWR]

Just went through this exercise as well

I have an ATC trailer with e-track.

Got some wheels straps with ratchets. Also some low profile carriers to bring the straps really close the e-track on the ratchet side. These parts from US Cargo

Also got some 2 piece, 131" race ramps in order for everything to clear nicely.

She's snug in there but extremely secure.

I thing the Etrac is the way to go..
Do you have any pictures of your set up?

What kind of ATC trailer do you have?

because of my toe vehicle I may have to get the 20 foot Raven

[ACRucrazy]

Really nice advice.

Thank you... great photos too...

so no issues with straps digging into the car when tightened?


The rear cleared without issue.

The front on one side it was close to the bottom of the ACR splitter so i just draped a moving blanket over the ratchet in case there was contact.

The reason one was close is because with the ACR wheels the axle straps only fit through the "big spoke opening" on the wheel. If the wheel was rotated just a bit more it would have cleared fine like the other side.

44" or 48s and I could have moved the strap to the next big opening back (thus bringing the strap down, if that makes sense) and have no issue.

Another note, at least 2 of the 6 ACR-E who did plant pick up used the J hooks on the frame for the front tie down. So that could be an option I guess.

http://blog.dupontregistry.com/dodge/largest-group-delivery-vipers-ever/

[Dave292]

The rear cleared without issue.

The front on one side it was close to the bottom of the ACR splitter so i just draped a moving blanket over the ratchet in case there was contact.

The reason one was close is because with the ACR wheels the axle straps only fit through the "big spoke opening" on the wheel. If the wheel was rotated just a bit more it would have cleared fine like the other side.

44" or 48s and I could have moved the strap to the next big opening back (thus bringing the strap down, if that makes sense) and have no issue.

Another note, at least 2 of the 6 ACR-E who did plant pick up used the J hooks on the frame for the front tie down. So that could be an option I guess.

http://blog.dupontregistry.com/dodge/largest-group-delivery-vipers-ever/

J hooks from Mac's Tiedown work great. Also, cross tie the straps and you can use the D rings.

[commandomatt]

I thing the Etrac is the way to go..
Do you have any pictures of your set up?

What kind of ATC trailer do you have?

because of my toe vehicle I may have to get the 20 foot Raven

I don't have any pics but will take some. I used this tie down set up for the first time a few weeks ago and while the initial load took a bit of time to make sure everything was good, after that, it was really straight forward.

I drove the car in rather than using the winch. It was definitely tight but I had a spotter, and she did a great job getting me between the trailer wheel wells. I have an e-track in the center as well, so its pretty cool to line the middle of the car up with this since you know you are centered

I have a 40' goose-neck. It's pretty tall in the back (even with the dove tail design) and that's why I needed to get the long ramps to clear

[BlueAdder]

I'm set up like such:

25548
25549
25550
25551

The e-track cost me some $120 shipped and the tie downs, same deal.
The ugly ass boards are there because the car is at track height and I was afraid that the car door wouldn't clear the escape door on the left side.
There are about 3" between the car and the wheel wells of the trailer. It's a tight fit but it works.
Since I don't always have someone to guide me, I have attached a bathroom mirror ($10) on the upper left of the front of the trailer, and I angled it so that I can see the front of the car and the wheel well.

[Snorman]

J hooks from Mac's Tiedown work great. Also, cross tie the straps and you can use the D rings.
I'm going to have to pay closer attention next time I have the car on the lift to see where to use J-hooks. I have a set of them from when I had my C7 Z06. I used them in the frame rails and that worked perfectly. I didn't think they had openings in the frame on the Viper for these.
S.

[ACRucrazy]

I'm set up like such:

That's what I would do if I was specing out a trailer! Very nice with the e-trac

[BlueAdder]

Hello Guys,

I'm looking to purchase a 20 foot enclosed trailer. I'm looking at ATC and Lightening trailers.
I would like to get a full E Trac system to secure the car but some of the models only come with D Rings.

For the guys that have D Rings how do you secure your Viper inside your trailer?
Through the wheels or secure the chassis somehow?

Once the car is lowered to track height I'm not sure how tough it will be to get under the car or just keep the straps away for the the body or carbon pieces.
E trac seems the best in my opinion.

Looking for some strategies before I make the purchase.


You can see the D rings there....

I should mention that my trailer is a 22' one. VENOM V has one that's 24' and it works really well. The 22' is good enough but 20' doesn't give you much room to play around.
Considering that the car is almost 15', once the car is inside, you can't put much of anything.

[Nemesis]

This has been my solution. Works fine.


I called Macs and had a custom kit put together for the ACR.

http://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/product/pro-pack-premium-tie-down-kit-with-axle-straps/Tie-Down-Packs

8ft length strap
40" pair axles for the front wheels
48" pair axles for the rear wheels (40" wont work for the 13" rear wheels)
Direct hook ratchets.

It was about $275 or so for the set, showed up in a little over a week. Gave me no issues on the trailer home from Conner Ave.

[pastohio]

I don't see any pictures with the straps CROSSED, when the straps are pulled parallel, the car can actually hop to one side of the trailer or the other....seen it happen many times...just my $.02....trailering a car is its own problems...also I believe in putting down 2 X 12 in boards to put the car higher in the trailer and able to get under the car for strapping..

[ACRucrazy]

I don't see any pictures with the straps CROSSED, when the straps are pulled parallel, the car can actually hop to one side of the trailer or the other....seen it happen many times...just my $.02....trailering a car is its own problems...also I believe in putting down 2 X 12 in boards to put the car higher in the trailer and able to get under the car for strapping..

With the ACR I couldn't cross straps in the rear because of the ACR Aero getting in the way and he front the ACR Aero getting in the way. If the car was a bit higher (on boards)I could. It was a buddies trailer so I made do with what I could and checked the car at every stop, including after a emergency deer avoidance situation in the middle of the night lol.

[GTS Dean]

I'm set up like such:

Thusly?

Grammar? Much.

Nicely done, BTW...

[ACR Steve]

Over the wheel like above using e-track . Never through the wheel it can mess up the alignment

[BlueAdder]

Thusly?

Grammar? Much.

Nicely done, BTW...

Hahaha touché.
I have an excuse though, English isn't my native language.

[TrackAire]

I don't see any pictures with the straps CROSSED, when the straps are pulled parallel, the car can actually hop to one side of the trailer or the other....seen it happen many times...just my $.02....trailering a car is its own problems...also I believe in putting down 2 X 12 in boards to put the car higher in the trailer and able to get under the car for strapping..

To solve that problem I have my D ring tie downs at the rear outer edge corner of the trailer. So when connected either to the rear frame holes or through the rear wheels, the straps angle outward of the car to clear the diffuser yet keep it from moving side to side. I learned this trick from a Competition Coupe owner.

Most trailer floors are plywood and sometimes not the thickest or best quality. Older trailers are also prone to having the plywood start to rot or delaminate due to water damage.
One key to remember is how the actual tie down points are attached to the trailer. It would be best if the D rings are somehow tied into the trailers frame but this isn't always possible. Since most D rings are just attached into the plywood floor with 4 (probably made in China) small bolts, you should at least have over sized metal backing plates that sandwich the plywood to the D rings and use quality bolts.

I understand putting down 2 x 12's to help raise the car up a bit, but if using wood screws to attach the 2 x 12 to the plywood, it isn't very strong....at least use bolts with large washers and go through the floor again with a backing plate to give it support and avoid pullout in case of an accident. It looks like BlueAdder did a nice job on installing his E track and 2 x 12's in his trailer. A lot of E track I've seen installed is held in place with cheap wood screws and not supported on the other side of the plywood floor. In a severe accident, those can either pull out or just break.

[Pappy]

In the rear I use safety chain "S" hooks with one end slipped into the front of the angle iron jack pads on the frame (in front of the rear wheels); then I hook my straps into the other end of the "S" hook. From there, I cross-strap the rear below the diffuser strakes to the rear trailer D-rings. In the front, I run 18 Inch padded axle straps over the frame rails on either side of the engine and hook my straps to those. I only have 1 inch of clearance from the fenders to the rockers, and after many miles of towing I have had no issues with the car moving sideways.

Pappy

[Nemesis]

I have hauled my Vipers in my open air trailers, single car closed trailers, stacker dual car on the floor and in the air trailers and my 53ft lift gate stacker trailer. I grab them at the wheels with the Mac Strap through the wheel setup and have never had a problem, period. My ACRE is set at track height, I just make sure the front end if the proper distance from the front D rings, the rear and doesn't matter.

[ACR PWR]

Over the wheel like above using e-track . Never through the wheel it can mess up the alignment

I'm going with an etrac system....

It just makes sense to me and I like how nothing touches the vehicle....only the tires