Trailer Tie Down

I always use the front bumper and the rear hitch bkt. holes in the side by the diff.

Ditto.

2 on the front bumper, normally don't worry about the back, if I'm going shorter distance.

I usually go through the wheels on the front and either to frame or hitch on the back depending on if trailer or truck bed.

:clapsmilie:Front bumper and rear tow hitch loops. I use these:

? TRAILER KITS :: 2" BIG DADDY'S PREMIUM TRAILER KIT - POWERTYE AMERICAN MADE TIE-DOWNS AND ACCESSORIES

I like their newer clip they now have because the one's on this particular strap bent fairly quickly. The flat hook can be a PITA sometimes with the clip bent trying to get the loop on it. What I like is you wrap the strap around the connection point, connect the sewn loop into the hook and connect the other hook to your trailer. I don't have to worry about the quad shifting or bumpy roads causing the standard tie dow hooks to come lose because the strap lost tension.

Oh yeah and for those who don't want to scratch you mud machines :th_smilieroflmao: you can get the wool strap covers!

I guess I'll stick with what I'm doing. Sounds about the same as you guys have said you do. It just seems like it makes the trailer top heavy so I was concerned with the bike tipping on tight or sudden turns. But I suppose as long as I put enough preload on the suspension it should have enough down pressure to hold it in place.

You should never tie off to the bumper or any part above the shocks. It's difficult to compress the suspension enough so that when you hit a bump the shocks don't compress and lossen off the straps. I tie off to the front a arms and from the receiver hitch back down. If I have it on a trailer or am travelling longer distance I'll run two more to the front and two more to the back from the center of the quad on the frame.

It might be a bit overkill but it sure as heck aint coming off enven if you flip the truck upside down and shake it.lol..

The manual for the 2nd gen bikes it shows the bar that slick1ton is using on the front as the tie down point and the 2 spots on the rear hitch. Here in Ontario you need a strap on each corner or you could end up with an insecure load fine. I use one from each corner of the bike pulling down and out to the corners of the trailer and it never moves

I go from the front corners of my F150 box and put the hook of the ratchet straps thru the two FRONT slots of the footrest area and BACK to the box Eye, then crank them tight. Rear is from side to side, up over and across the tires and back down to other rear eye. Plus one quick release strap: truck rear receiver, over quad receiver hitch and back down to truck receiver. I haul DOWN on the rear GRAB bar and pull the strap tire.

Slick1ton said:

Keep in mind that your strap on the front if pulled straight down wont keep your bike from rolling back and forth and will work your rear straps loose. I did mine the exact same way a couple times and realized that my rear straps were always coming loose. You have to "pull the bike apart" to strap it securely.

I used to pull my wheeler all the way forward and pull the front down, this didnt work. I now have to leave a little space (1' or so) between my front tires and my tie down point to get the "stretch" factor i need. And i could actually use a little more trailer, i may have to take my divider out.

Hope this helps in any way.

**Edit** Note: my strap isnt tied to bumper, but my excess is.

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My concern is mainly the rolling effect. I've got a 5' x 8' trailer and with the front tires pressed against the front rail of the trailer I can just close the back gate with no rubbing. Definitely going to need a bigger trailer but if the shoe fits...

I'm an Outside Plant Engineer for a rural phone company in Upstate NY and NYS DOT requires that anything we are loading on a trailer have a minimum of four tie downs as well as a separate tie down for each hydrolic implement on the machine. That works great on an excavator that is designed to be tied down but our bikes give very few spots to make a good attachment when securing it to a trailer.

I would never tie down my machine at any point above the suspension. Unless you tighten the straps down enough to pretty much bottom out the suspension, you run the risk of the machine shock loading the straps and breaking them if you hit a big bump. Leaving the suspension heavily and continually compressed for a long trip isn't good for the suspension.

Ideally, I would like to have tie down points right next to each wheel and secure the wheel to that point.

Currently, I hook my straps to the top part of the wheels and run the straps from the front wheel to the rear of the truck and the rear wheel to the front of the truck. The body of the ATV moves around as I am driving down the road, but the wheels stay locked into place. In my F350, I don't feel the shifting weight of the ATV, but your mileage may vary if you have a lighter truck.

I check tension on the straps after 5 miles and again after 10 miles, then at every stop.

- bsd

Google "wheel bonnets".
Best way to haul if you have a dedicated trailer you can mount floor anchors in the ideal spots.

Winch to the floor.

2006 Outlander 800
2007 Honda FourTrax 450 Trail Edition
2007 GMC Canyon 3.7 4 inch lift on 33s
2002 Yamaha TTR125

I run through the wheels as well. I've never had a strap come loose even once since doing it this way. The bike doesn't even move.

Just make sure if you ask your wife\girlfriend to pull the bike off the trailer she knows she still has to undo the front straps.... She left some nice black rubber marks on the trailer before she realized she was still tied down

LouisianaJake said:

I run through the wheels as well. I've never had a strap come loose even once since doing it this way. The bike doesn't even move.

Just make sure if you ask your wife\girlfriend to pull the bike off the trailer she knows she still has to undo the front straps.... She left some nice black rubber marks on the trailer before she realized she was still tied down

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Sounds like it could be a good time if you don't tell her

I did my homework here where I live regarding toeing and hauling ATVs on or in your pick up. I went to the MTO site and learned how. I still tie all four corners down. The front I go over side wheel to a-arm to bottom of my trailer. Then at the back I go to rear housing and hook on there,go to bottom of trailer pulling ATV towards the back of trailer. I do the similar type of tie down while ATV is in back of my pick up. I feel vary confident with my set up, but like I said do your homework and check with your local highway regulations. Then there won't be any worries about fines from your local MTO or Highway regulators in the US.

I go through the wheels to. Through the front wheels to back of trailer. Through the back wheels to the front of trailer. Make sure you put some kind of chaffing guard so the wheel does not cut through the strap. I used the leather upper of some old work gloves.