Winching into the trailer

[Dusk Blue Z]

I am looking for the way to winch a 69 Camaro into a enclosed trailer, the car has a stock front spoiler. Any special tricks or tools to do the job with out any damage?

Mike

[PxTx]

I like using my tow tabs. Heck, I even use them to tie down. Beats laying on the floor!

[Dusk Blue Z]

Paul, thanks for the great idea but tow tabs are not an option.

Mike

[wheelhop]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pxtx</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I like using my tow tabs. Heck, I even use them to tie down. Beats laying on the floor! </div></div>

I wouldn't recomend you tie down to the tow tabs. Your suspension
will still spring up and down on bumps and loosen up your straps.

I know, it's happened to me. Luckily I caught it in time before any damage.

[PxTx]

Well, the winch helps to compress the suspension once the rear is strapped but point taken.

[PxTx]

The E-track stuff is pretty nice. Probably the best choice but a bit tough in an enclosed trailer.

http://images.uscargocontrol.com/3374-wheel-strap-with-etrack-fittings_1_640.jpg

[Bill Rose]

The only solution I can think of, is to attach the winch cable to the bumper bracket somehow.

[Vern B]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dusk Blue Z</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am looking for the way to winch a 69 Camaro into a enclosed trailer, the car has a stock front spoiler. Any special tricks or tools to do the job with out any damage?

Mike </div></div>

I have my winch mounted in the front of my trailer. I tie the car down by hooking to the front of the frame on each side through the two large holes on the very front of the frame. I winch from one of those points also. I don't have spoilers, so I have no issue with winch cable clearance. If you have an issue with the cable clearing the spoiler, rig a tight cable from two tie down points across the trailer from side to side. Run your winch cable under that and it should give more cable clearance by keeping the winch cable close to the floor. I think that should give you enough clearance on the spoiler. If not, you may have to look for a winch point lower and further back on the frame.

[Dusk Blue Z]

Thanks Bill and Vern.

What I have done so far was pull a bottom bumper bolt and replace it with an eye bolt. I then winch very carefully as to not tweak the bumper. There is nothing lower than the spoiler in the center of the car. I was thinking about trying to offset the winch to pull off an A arm, but I am not sure that would work given the width of the spoiler.

I thought I would ask here, as someone must have a good way to load a Camaro without ripping the spoiler off the car. I know the correct answer is to just drive the car, and if I survive Legends Judging that will be the plan.

Mike

[rubbinisracing]

Get the winch control with the long lead. Or better yet, get the remote control kit for your winch, I have warn remotes in my trailers, and then you can operate your winch from any position. Then you can stand beside the car and steer, sit inside, or from any position, and operate your winch. For clearance with low slung cars, I stand on or put downward pressure on the winch cable close to the auto and hold the cable away from vehicle. It doesn't take much force to move the cable safely out of the way on a rolling car. I even winch them out using a snatch block attached to a recessed floor swivel tie down at the rear of the trailer when forced to park on a reverse incline. Just remember to put a wheel chock in a position to stop the car before it rolls down the ramp and out the back.

[L78M22Rag]

Can you run longer straps and hook them up to the rearend... still rolling the car forwards? With that much length, there would be enough flex in the straps to have someone guide the straps to keep them clear of your spoiler.

Perhaps the easiest would be to roll the car in backwards, but I'm sure you've thought of that.

[PeteLeathersac]

Would wheel dollies under the front wheels hold the car up for spoiler clearance also roll Ok on your ramp and transitions plus could you leave them in place while strapped on the trailer?
Some dollies are available w/ larger wheels if necessary also if all clears you could perhaps modify each dolly w/ a small ramp to roll the car onto them instead of jacking it up?
As for the hook location, it may be worth fabbing a hook that fits inside the subframe crossmember bottom hole w/ angle and eye flat forward to hook the winch lead to?

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/hmmm.gif
~ Pete

[Plowman]

x2 on that for fabbing a hook down{ like &quot;r&quot; and &quot;s&quot; hooks} from sub-frame so you could hook winch cable too.

[Mayhem]

Forgive the crude drawing, but how about designing something that makes a triangle and comes out
just beyond the edges of the spoiler and &quot;Y&quot;s into the winch cable? Just a thought.
That way you are pulling from both sides, outside of the spoiler, to a center point at the winch cable.

http://blueicehouse.com/n5ssi/winch.JPG