Mugenlude

How is everyone fastening their EF's to a trailer? I'm fairly new to the whole trailer thing, I've done some reading, but generally new to this.

Attachment points and some pictures would be great, but anything is better than nothing.

itellyawhat

i strapped the 2 steel pieces under the front bumper and the rear tow hook. Towed for 4 hrs. to VIR and did fine.

.RJ

Dont use the tow hook for anything more than a short tow - its real flimsy, its on a small plate spot welded to the floor - it will rip out.

kedwards

I agree with RJ.

Keith, who straps around the rear axle, but has a different rear suspension...

Todd00

EF's are a piece of cake. 2 tow hooks on the front and the 2 hooks on the back on both sides.

Unless you removed those 2 hooks for the ST rear swaybar...which I don't think would be legal anyhow.

Lo-Buck EF

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Todd00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">EF's are a piece of cake. 2 tow hooks on the front and the 2 hooks on the back on both sides.

Unless you removed those 2 hooks for the ST rear swaybar...which I don't think would be legal anyhow.</TD></TR></TABLE>

you can actually put the towhooks back with the ST bar
i use the 2 front and 2 reat hooks as well. always works fine.

STS_Underdog

One hint that may help you out. I had a big problem with straps loosening up every time I towed the Civic. I finally figured out that I was pulling the straps too tight before I would ratchet them for the final tightening. The straps need to go all the way around the barrel of the ratcheting mechanism at least on time, otherwise there isn't enough friction and the strap will slip against the smooth metal of the barrel. Since I started doing it this way I haven't had any problems with loosening.

Todd00

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Lo-Buck EF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

you can actually put the towhooks back with the ST bar
i use the 2 front and 2 reat hooks as well. always works fine.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, you can put them back with the ST bar...but some folks leave them off who don't trailer their cars.

j-rho

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Todd00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yes, you can put them back with the ST bar...but some folks leave them off who don't trailer their cars.</TD></TR></TABLE>Must be the same types that aren't worried about being protested at Nationals either...

Kamin

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by STS_Underdog &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">One hint that may help you out. I had a big problem with straps loosening up every time I towed the Civic. I finally figured out that I was pulling the straps too tight before I would ratchet them for the final tightening. The straps need to go all the way around the barrel of the ratcheting mechanism at least on time, otherwise there isn't enough friction and the strap will slip against the smooth metal of the barrel. Since I started doing it this way I haven't had any problems with loosening.</TD></TR></TABLE>

and to add to that make sure you crisscross the straps

going paralell you can still get side to side movment and have them loosen.

i wish i had more input as to where to strap the car down but i dont even own a honda but just for ***** and giggles i use my 2 front tow hooks and hood the lower control arms or the wheels in the rear.

ZUL8R

we strap through the wheels on our civic.when we tow the Accord, karl prefers the tow hooks. neither has been a problem

Chris Sawatsky

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ZUL8R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">we strap through the wheels on our civic.when we tow the Accord, karl prefers the tow hooks. neither has been a problem</TD></TR></TABLE>

do you mean you wrap a nylon strap around the wheel spokes? is that recommended practice? seems to me that it might be a bit rickety

Mugenlude

Thanks for the replies everyone. I was planning on just using the tow hooks, guess I was right.

Part of me didn't feel completely content w/ the rear tow hooks for some reason, but I feel better now.

rex_boy

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris Sawatsky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

do you mean you wrap a nylon strap around the wheel spokes? is that recommended practice? seems to me that it might be a bit rickety</TD></TR></TABLE>

I use two front tow hooks and nylon tow straps through the wheels, have done this for years no problem. back is really light on a CRX. Plus in gear with Emergency Brake up.

APEX CRX

also depends on how long of a haul it is, I've heard most people would prefer to tie down through the wheels so the chasis can move around naturally instead of strapping the car down by the hooks and compressing the suspension

nonsense

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by APEX CRX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">also depends on how long of a haul it is, I've heard most people would prefer to tie down through the wheels so the chasis can move around naturally instead of strapping the car down by the hooks and compressing the suspension</TD></TR></TABLE>

I saw a guy from Moton talking about just that on that Sports Car Revolution show. He said that the wheels should be strapped and not the body.

Jeremy D. Swain

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nonsense &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I saw a guy from Moton talking about just that on that Sports Car Revolution show. He said that the wheels should be strapped and not the body. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, that's correct, it's horrible on the suspension to stay under load for hours at a time. When you strap through the wheels, the car is stationary, but the suspension is still allowed to move freely, and not be in a bind.

STS_Underdog

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jeremy D. Swain &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Yes, that's correct, it's horrible on the suspension to stay under load for hours at a time. When you strap through the wheels, the car is stationary, but the suspension is still allowed to move freely, and not be in a bind.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sounds good but wrong. The following was posted by Lee Grimes (aka Mr. Koni NA) in another towing thread here https://honda-tech.com/zero...age=2:

When the shock is not moving, it is building no force no matter where it is in position. It is when the shock is moving up or down that it makes force and the seals are used. Movement stops then wear stops.
Definitely tie off to the body of the car if you can so you immobilize the suspension and the weight of the car is as one with the deck of the trailer. This way your springs and shocks are not working as you drive along. The best example that I can think of is for a drag racer since his races are short and his car is softly sprung. If he makes 200 passes in an active season of racing, he will have essentially driven 50 miles combined. On the otherhand, his car may have ridden for 2000 miles on the trailer to and from events during the year. If he ties to the tires, suspension or axle, then his suspension has worn for 2,050 miles. If he ties to his body/sprung weight, his suspension has worn 50 miles.

If at all possible, tie off to the body of the car and you will save wear on the shocks , springs and bushings. When I was a kid and my family raced Formula Fords in the mid-'70s, we had a Ford van nosed cub truck and we kept the car inside the cube box. Before tying it down, we set the frame rails on 4x4 wood blocks so the weight of the car was hard to the deck and the suspension was neither moving nor loaded. That is ideal but tying to the body is the next best.

If nothing else, if you have to make an emergency manoeuver when driving, if the weight of the car is one with the trailer weightthen it will respond quicker and cleaner. If you have two suspensions working (trailer and car), then you have multiple masses in motion and more risk of trouble or delay.

nonsense

Yeah I guess that Moton guy was stupid or something. What does Moton know about race car suspension anyway.

Maybe the Moton guy was lying about the shock damage so he could sell more shocks?

I'm not saying that Lee is less credible, but there are obviously two opposite opinions from two people who know what they're talking about, so I guess you decide what one you like.

STS_Underdog

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nonsense &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I'm not saying that Lee is less credible, but there are obviously two opposite opinions from two people who know what they're talking about, so I guess you decide what one you like. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Guess so, I know who I trust

Mr Hammond

If you think about it in a common sense sort of way, it makes sense.

You lower the car off a lift the suspension is compressed. It stays that way. You removed say 500lbs from said car, the shock height is changed. Add 500lbs to said car, shock height is lowered. Seems to make sense to me. If I compress the shocks maybe 1/2" or so when towing, what's the difference then my big *** sitting in the car?

I'll go with Lee on this one.

Kamin

seriously

lee's explination makes perfect sense. and ill take an explination that makes sense vs "because moton said so"

Jeremy D. Swain

Strapping to the frame, but using the wooden blocks makes perfect sense to me. That being that the car is stationary, and the suspension isn't compressed. IMO I don't understand how compressing the shocks can be good for them.


I say all this from years of riding dirtbikes, and of course you trailer them everywhere you go, instate or out of state, we always used "fork-savers" A simple plastic device put in-between the front tire, and the top fork mount, so you could tie the bike down, but the fork weren't compressed. It was very easy to blow the fork seals by compressing them for hours at a time.

Mr Hammond

We are not compressing the shocks down to the bumpstops here. We are talking maybe 1/4" - 1/2" ride height change.

tom91ita

thanks for digging up lee's comments. i also like your comments regarding the wood blocks. sort of best of both worlds.

as to dirt bikes, not really the same since many pratically bottom out the front suspension when tieing them down from what i'd seen from days of old when my bother raced them (believe me, my brother was more of a bother).

as to if the "stock" points are adequate or a good method:

aaahhh, that is what the OEM uses to deliver their cars. if there was any substantial risk for damage, they would not do it this way. why would they effectively risk damaging every single car delivered for potential warranty issues?

i know that our cars are considered somewhat more delicate but they are still production based cars with street worthy components.

and i would not use the rear jack point for even a short haul. they are made for "compression" type of forces and not "tensile" type of forces. i have seen more than one car with the rear "floor pan" area pulled out because someone used that.

oh, and use some quality straps with the snap ring end and not the harbor freight style ones with an "S" hook on the end.

tom