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10-26-2016, 09:26 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ONTARI - ARI - ARI - O!
Posts: 134
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Whether to go strapless
I have a car tow dolly. Last summer (2015) my neighbour, who is a professional driver, and after listening to me bitch about getting the 'baskets' onto the front wheels, gave me a pair of single straps. These are the ones that have a hook at one end, two black plastic / rubber tire locators that keep the straps aligned to the tires and the other end goes into the ratchet for tightening.
I dragged our car all the way from Canada to Florida and back with several trips during the summer. Now I am hearing whispers that these 'single' straps may not be safe for a car dolly. I must say that they have never moved off their location on the tire, have never loosened, have never let the car move on the dolly and have slept pretty well.
So here is the question; Are these single straps safe for a dolly or should I try to improve my vocabulary and use the baskets?
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CALL US ON CB - CH-13 AND DON'T FORGET TO WAVE!
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10-27-2016, 04:16 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,317
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Do you have a steering dolly ?
I know that there is some side stress on my straps and the tires move around, while doing sharp turns. It may be the long overhang of my MH and the short car but I like the single loop basket straps I use.
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10-27-2016, 09:06 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ONTARI - ARI - ARI - O!
Posts: 134
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Thanks Twin' I have two sets of Baskets but find the singles so much easier to install. Being basically fat and lazy I like the singles better but I sure don't want to watch the car 'cartwheeling' down the median either!!! I have never seen ( in about 5000 miles of towing) any indication that there was any side to side effect on the straps. Maybe I am allowing myself to be 'hurrahed' into the baskets?
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CALL US ON CB - CH-13 AND DON'T FORGET TO WAVE!
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10-27-2016, 09:18 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Nor'easters Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Freedom, NH
Posts: 1,520
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I find this topic interesting, as I also hate putting the basket straps on. As far as your car cartwheeling down the median, do you safety chain your car to the dolly?
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Fran, Mary & Zoey (silver Cocker)
2017 Thor Axis 25.5 "RUV", Ford E-450, V10, 6 speed
2016 Chevy Sonic LTZ Auto Hatchback 4-down
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10-27-2016, 09:22 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 930
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I think i understand the question. I guess the only thing i would add is and this assumes i am understanding the strap. If for some reason you lost pressure in the strapped tire with a single strap over you could lose the hold capability of the car to dolly. I had a flat on one of my front tires this summer and had to put the donut on to get it on the dolly and home to replace the tire. Needless to say the donut was not near as big as the normal tire and i was thankful for the basket straps to secure the front to the dolly for towing.
I realize the chance of a tire going flat while strapped to the dolly are slim, but......
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10-27-2016, 09:40 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 439
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I would like to see a picture of the installation. IMO, basket straps are the safest on a dolly given they contain the tire and side loading during turns is absorbed by the "Basket" webbing. Would a sudden avoidance maneuver cause the single strap to disengage from the tire allowing the vehicle to depart the dolly? I suspect the well meaning neighbor offered straps used with OTR Car Haulers where the vehicle is strapped with all four tires on the trailer.
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Steve n' Tammy in a 2003 Fleetwood Bounder 32' on a Ford F53 Chassis and a V-10 gasser pulling a 2020 Pacifica on a EZE Tow Dolly
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10-27-2016, 09:46 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,317
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I'm guessing that you are using straps similar to the ones in the first picture.
I use straps similar to the ones in the second picture and have no problem placing them over the tire.
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10-28-2016, 06:39 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ONTARI - ARI - ARI - O!
Posts: 134
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ROCKWOOD - Yes, that cartwheeling thing can really mess up a paint job! I don't safety chain, principally because the car is very low and I can't get my hands in behind the wheels to find anything solid enough to chain to. Great. Now I have something else to worry about . . .. .. . .. .
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CALL US ON CB - CH-13 AND DON'T FORGET TO WAVE!
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10-28-2016, 06:42 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ONTARI - ARI - ARI - O!
Posts: 134
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Dennis - Hmmmmmm. OK. NOTE TO SELF; add possible flat tire to list of things to worry about. I hadn't thought of a flat as I can't remember the last time I had one on any of my vehicles. Of course, I will go out this morning and find all 16 of them as flat as pancakes!
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CALL US ON CB - CH-13 AND DON'T FORGET TO WAVE!
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10-28-2016, 06:49 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ONTARI - ARI - ARI - O!
Posts: 134
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c92vette - You're right. My neighbour is a professional driver and he drives a car transporter all over the place. I suspect that in all but the most violent manoeuvers, the baskets themselves don't actually accept much lateral force. When you think of it, you would have to distort the webbing a hole lot before the tire would actually lean into the basket. At that point, I wonder if the car / dolly / motor home would not already have passed the point where it (they) too were not involved in an unrecoverable incident? There are three tie down points with baskets of course and that logically makes them a little stronger but . . . . ..
( I know. I sound like I am trying to talk myself into keeping the singles.)
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CALL US ON CB - CH-13 AND DON'T FORGET TO WAVE!
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10-28-2016, 06:56 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ONTARI - ARI - ARI - O!
Posts: 134
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Twinboat - I use straps similar to the first set, but without the ratchets. The end of the strap without the hook, goes directly into the ratchet on the tow dolly.
My problem with the baskets is that they are nearly impossible to install on my car (95 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible). There is so little room behind the tire, (between the tire and the shock tower / spring) that it is quite a job getting the baskets in place, and being unable to actually see that area, I am never sure that the inside basket strap is n place. I have had several experiences with it, where I have limbered the car, driven for a while and then checked the baskets, only to find that the inside strap had slipped up and the whole basket was now loose around the tire ( insert heart attack here). I have never had one of the single straps come loose over four 2500 mile trips to Florida and back.
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CALL US ON CB - CH-13 AND DON'T FORGET TO WAVE!
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10-28-2016, 07:23 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 387
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Hello troonorth I would not recommend with out the basket strap. If you look up a post I posted ---(tow dolly ouch)--- you will see in the photo's of what happened to my dolly this past spring using a single strap to hold my toad . but if you chose to don't say I don't warn you. Be Safe..
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10-28-2016, 08:49 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Nor'easters Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Freedom, NH
Posts: 1,520
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TROONORTH
ROCKWOOD - Yes, that cartwheeling thing can really mess up a paint job! I don't safety chain, principally because the car is very low and I can't get my hands in behind the wheels to find anything solid enough to chain to. Great. Now I have something else to worry about . . .. .. . .. .
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For easy to use safety cables, search on twinboat threads. I'll try to paste something here (if it works!) The thing in the middle of the hoop is a stick holding it up.
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Fran, Mary & Zoey (silver Cocker)
2017 Thor Axis 25.5 "RUV", Ford E-450, V10, 6 speed
2016 Chevy Sonic LTZ Auto Hatchback 4-down
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10-28-2016, 09:00 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,317
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rockwood27
For easy to use safety cables, search on twinboat threads. I'll try to paste something here (if it works!) The thing in the middle of the hoop is a stick holding it up.
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I can snap and unsnap the loop, to the spring hook, with one hand, without kneeling.
I figure after the crash, the car may be gone, but I'll still have the front tires.
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