Securing my Samurai in my toyhauler

My very first toy hauler was a Carson similar to yours. Personally, I wouldn't trust those Carson tie downs. A couple of mine pulled right out during a hard-stop (thank goodness my primary tie-down was an e-track!!). I was only hauling a 1,100 lb. jetski. If they were installed like mine, they're simply held down with small self-tapping screws. D-ring ratings are meaningless unless they're properly secured. Also, big difference between securing a d-ring to a cross-member and the frame itself.

Although you mentioned you're not fond of e-tracks, that's what I used. I anchored them to the frame itself (not a cross-member).

In your pics you only show straps tied from left/right and right/left. IMO, left/right movement is the least of your worries. Do you have any straps placed underneath, positioned fore/aft, to prevent forward movement in the event of an all-out emergency stop?

Also, I'd highly suggest using secured chocks on all 4-wheels.

Good luck!

That should work fine. Make sure you don't smash your brake lines when you strap around the axle as mentioned.

Alright, got some more info today. I found the factory D rings online and they say they are for 1200lbs. Does not specific if that is working or breaking. If thats working limit, then they are close to what I need but I don't feel comfortable with them.

Against better judgement I shoehorned the Samurai in the trailer and took it for a test ride just around town using factory hooks and new 2' straps, went to the dump and had everything weighed. Trailer sticker says it is 3600 lbs and total with Samurai and camp gear loaded I was at 5640 on the scale, and a total of exactly 12000lbs with truck, trailer, Samurai, and most camping gear. So that puts the Samurai somewhere right around 2k lbs.

Everything went OK, I stopped short a few times to see if everything would hold and it did and Samurai didn't even shift a little.

I think I should add 2 D rings near back center to tie down rear axle to that. And Use the rear side ones and tie down at tow bar as shown below (So 4 straps in rear, to in front). I'm trying to find some d rings to upgrade too that are NOT recessed (I don't want to cut huge holes in the floor), and have a nice footplate like the ones I already have, and mount them with bolts and fender washers, not tec screws.

I should also get a weight dis./anti sway hitch I think.

You're getting the general ideas. Smart move on the D rings. The ones I got from e-trailer were 11,000# rated for a dollar or two more. 2" straps and grade 8 bolts good idea! The factory tec screws are a joke, should be better than that for what you pay for a trailer. My bigger worry was always a panic stop or accident and having enough holding power to not tear up the inside of the trailer when things went gunny sack.

Thank you for everyones replies, I picked up some 2" straps yesterday and I think I will go with upgrading the D Rings, rather than e track. Do you thing these rings bolted to the steel angle iron cross members will be sufficient? I would use grade 8 hardware but want to make sure the cross members look strong enough.







The original D Rings are tec screwed into the frame as well.

E track is good for 6000#. Definitely upgrade the "D" rings from the usual light weight to as heavy duty you can and make sure they are tied to steel frame. What you will find is you get a lot of bounce with the car riding at the rear of the the trailer and it gets magnified from the spring of the trailer and the spring of the car and it gets real hard on straps and any kind of tie down point. Chains are harder on tie down points when the car hits the end of limit and there is no give so it transmits to your tie down points. Straps give some, but the areas where it is looped and sewn around the hooks will begin to show failure early. Tying down by the tires is easy, but adds to the bounce factor because the suspension of the car will be unrestrained. To really restrain it, go to solid frame points, let some air out of the tires, tie it down as tight as you can, then air the tires back up. I hauled a Suzuki Sidekick in my WW CL 4005 from coast to coast and the interstate highways where the worst for bounce and pulling stuff apart. Paved roads were easier on equipment. Don't go light duty on floor parts or straps, it will pay in the long run.

Muddydogs wrote:
... Not sure the weight of this vehicle ...

Stock form about 2200 lbs. Full armor (steel skid, EXO Cage, SPOA w/YJs, winch) between 2600 and 2900 lbs.

Wayne

westernrvparkowner wrote:
Dang, this thread is not nearly as interesting as I thought it would be. I read the subject line and though you had taken personal protection to the next level and actually carried a live Japanese warrior with you. Oh well, on to the next post.

Border Guard: "Sir, is this your Samurai?"

Truckers use eTrack all the time, but you need to fasten it securely to be effective. That's a challenge if many Toy Hauler garages. I placed my eTrack on the edge, where the ATV tires would rest. That way besides securing it I had the weight of the RV keeping it down too.

Hauled lots of pickups on a flatbed trailer by chaining over the axle, just make sure there are no brake lines between your chanin and the axle. You either want to try and pull the load apart by pulling away from the vehicle on each end or squashing the load together by pulling toward the middle of the vehicle on each end.

Not sure the weight of this vehicle but I would say you will have to do a serious upgrade to the D rings. Any time I've hauled a vehicle I've used heavy chain and chain tensioners as there are a lot of force when the vehicle suspension starts bouncing around on bumps.