Winching the Cobra into a trailer

[Kramer]

Can anyone give me a thought about how you winch your cobra into an enclosed trailer? How do you hook it up to the car...backwards or forwards. what do I hook the winch to..etc, etc.

Thanks,

Kramer

[601HP]

Mine:
a. One 2' long double ended-axle strap around each lower control arm, front of the vehicle.

2. Each axle strap is then connected by a shackle to one end of a 3" x 6' double-ended woven "Tree Saver" recovery strap.

3. Winch line is connected to the center of the woven recovery strap with a shackle, which creates kind of a triangle appearance.

My trailer has a factory-supplied winch mounting unit built into it.

David

[eric johnson]

How about one of these...http://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/product/224/TieDowns

You'll still need the axle straps.

[patrickt]

... and if you have the outboard braked rear, hook your strap up right here:

[Kramer]

Patrick - I was thinking the same thing......

A couple quick questions:

1. Does everyone load the car front first or back first or does it matter?
2. I am guessing no one uses the rollbar or the front jack pads as a way to connect the winch cable/rope?

FYI..I am just about to order a trailer (wells cargo) so if you are reading this and there is something I just shouldn't live without when I order it, can you please let me know.

Thanks.

[601HP]

eric johnson:

I like the bridle you showed. I'll probably purchase one of those to use instead of the Tree Saver strap and 3 shackles I've been using.

David

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Kramer

Patrick - I was thinking the same thing......

A couple quick questions:

1. Does everyone load the car front first or back first or does it matter?
2. I am guessing no one uses the rollbar or the front jack pads as a way to connect the winch cable/rope?

1) You first try loading the car from the front and then realize it's a bad idea. You then try from the rear and see that it is easier. There are two dangers involved: 1) Scraping the car against the ramp; and 2) The chain or strap marring the car itself.

2) I have pushed the car (with two other guys' help) up a ramp via the roll bars. Pushing or pulling the car via the roll bars (remember I have two) I think is pretty safe, but if your winch is located down low then the strap will mar the car if hooked to the roll bar. If the winch is up high four or five feet then pulling it via the roll bar from the rear would make sense to me. Most winches that I've used are way down low or on the floor -- then you use that hook in the picture I posted.

BTW, I wouldn't trust the jack pads for pushing or pulling -- they're only cosmetic jobs.

[SSSammy]

Kramer, most of us in TX drive 'em into the trailer nose first. The only time you need a winch is if you're broke down. And there is usually enough help around that you can get a couple guys to push you up in your trailer.

We cross the tie downs in the rear, but not the front, I think due to the steering rack. Use the 2' axle straps and a ratcheting tie down, or a tie down with built in axle strap.

You'll find lots of advice here about tongue weight, but the idea is to play with the fore/aft location of the car to get the right tongue weight on the hitch. If your tongue is too light, the trailer willl sway a lot.

Get a weight distributing hitch and sway control for your SUV. If you have an F250 or equivalent, then these are optional. I had to play with three different "L" shape draw bars to get one that would lower the ball enough from the rather high Escalade (Tahoe) hitch receiver. You want the trailer to be level when hooked to the truck/SUV.

I suggest two 5000# axles instead of the 3500# ones I have on my Pace. That would get the frame height of the trailer up a couple more inches and lessen the tendency to drag the rear end on bumps and dips. And get the 16" wheels, same reason. The risk to this is ramp might be too steep. Some folks have to use boards under the ramp to make the approach angle shallower so the oil cooler scoop doesn't drag.

I got the rear leveling jacks. That way you can drop the trailer at an event and still drive the car up into it without the truck attached. These also act as skid plates in my case. Get some heavy wheel chocks.

I didn't go for all the tool cabinets, so I had some E-track put on the front bulkhead so I can strap my roll around tool chest in there for track days. See below:



If you are going to use your SUV, stay short on the trailer. 20' is fine and will give you plenty room in front for extra wheels/tires, tools, ice chest, etc. You could go down to 18', but that is as short as I would go on an enclosed unless you go to a Serpent. The longer your overall length, the more difficult the thing is to park and maneuver in hotel lots and gas stations.

Sam

[patrickt]

Now that's a nice trailer. Kramer, driving it in is the way to go if it's a reasonably low ramp. Although when I blew my clutch linkage the flatbed couldn't get around to the back of me so I had to stick it in gear and start it up by cranking it in gear, fly it up the ramp on to the flatbed, and then kill the engine and hit the brakes before I went in to the back of truck's cab. Talk about a dumb a$$ move, but the alternative was to winch it up from the front and the strap was going to scratch up the front of the car. So of course I risked the entire front of the car instead.... Fortunately, I got it right on the first try. If you can drive it in, do it; if you can't, winch from the back.

[ack fia]

Why Not Just Drive It In? I Do It All The Time And Never Had A Problem. My Trailer Is An 8' X 18' So It's A Little Narrower But Still No Problem.
See My Gallery For A Picture.
Pat

[eric johnson]

It's nice to have the winch as a backup. If you have a problem at a track day or similar, it's a godsend. With my GT40, it's a necesity as you can't drive in and get out with the coupe and door arrangement. Most of us winch in backwards...

[mln385]

The one time I needed to winch mine in because I snapped the axel on the 1/4 mile I winched from the front. The BDR'S have tie downs welded into the frame back and front.

Marc