I will be loading the Evo on my trailer for the first time tonight to head to the track tomorrow and wanted to get some recommendations on the best places to tie the car down.

I had the back of car up on jack stands last night and found some t-hook slots just in front of the rear tire by the jacking location. Are those the ones everyone uses? As far as the front, I haven't found any place yet that looks correct but again I haven't had the front up in the air. Am I just missing them? About where are they located?

Also, I will be using these T-hooks

Thanks

 

I use straps around my lower arms front and rear. You're not really supposed to tie down the chassis of the car when towing although everyone seems to do it. The suspension is supposed to be left unbound. If you have a really expensive suspension setup, strapping to the chassis is a god way to ruin the dampers.

jeff

 

Thanks for the reply. You know, I have always heard the opposite. I have read and people have told me that if you tie a car down by the suspension you can A: bend the arms and B: it wears out the shocks faster because of all the movement it undergoes while being towed.

 

this has been gone over many times in many places... and no one ever agrees.

but if you think you can bend a-arms with tie downs, on a car that can pull 1g in corners.. youre mistaken.

use what you feel is best.. on my race car i use t-hooks in front and a-arms in the back.. because the front is so low.. on the evo i use the a-arms.. crossed in the front.. straight in the back.

take it out of gear.. dont set the ebrake.

 

The front ones are behind the front tires and inboard a little from the sides of the car. You'll see them once you stick your head under there.

Also, be carefull with the t-hooks on the driver side rear of the IX... there are some hard lines running there (didn't look hard enough to see if they are brake or fuel) but you don't want to kink those suckers.

Corey #89 STU

 

On the contrary, I have a set of M3 rear control arms I can show you. Remember these are aluminum arms and are design to take forces only in certain directions.

Thanks for the advice guys. I think I got it strapped down ok in the dark using 4 t-hooks straight in the front and crossing the rears. I'll check it again in the morning as well as when I get to the site and see how it does.

 

I hook through the hole in the A arms up front, and to the hook in the rear.

Now with the new trailer, i strap through the wheel, around the hub and back. (IE: pulling forward on the front, and back on the rears.). Works fine, and if you're worried about pulling a wheel off, or anything like that, you're nuts.

 

Ok, I took some pictures of the way I towed the car this weekend.





I was unable to find two of my t-hooks so I used my axle straps on the rear subframe. Overall I wasn't completely satisfied with the way it towed because each time I got to my destination, two of the straps had come just a bit loose. I'm sure it was because I didn't cross the straps in the rear and the yaw of the car moved the axle straps around a bit.

The next time I'll use t-hooks in the rear and either go straight back or cross depending on where the hard lines are (thanks Corey). The front strapped down great so I keep using that location.

Now regarding the issue strapping down the suspension that Jeff brought up, if you see in the first picture the suspension is hardly loaded downward even though it is strapped down very snug. I seriously doubt I would ever bottom out the suspension during a hard bump and cause any shock damage.

 

Where do you get these t-hooks?

 

yea i'm interested also

 

I got all my stuff, including the straps, from http://mrproducts.com/

 

I also use M&R for all my straps. When they get a little ragged, you can send them back and they will re-web them for you for small $$$.

Corey #89 STU

 

Good to know. I just wonder how long you can use a set of straps before you need to have them re-done. Mine are from May '04 according to the hole punches on the label.

 

I just drove 12 hours with the body strapped down and then 12 hours back with the straps through the wheels.

In my experience it was better strapped to the wheels. With it strapped to the wheels the straps stayed tight and when the trailer took a bump the car damped the trailer. Things where more in control.

I think when you strap to the sprung weight of the car all of the weight and energy is transfered to the springs and shocks of the trailer, therefore putting more stress. Also as the car wants to bounce as well the straps don't stay taut and slowly loosen. We stopped every 150 miles or so and the straps were not rock solid, however when we strapped the wheels, it stayed taut for the entire trip and the trailer was easier to drive.

In your case since the angles of the straps are so acute, I don't think you would have the same problem, try the wheels or the A-Arms next time and let us know.

 

The car looks good, SE? How do you like the B'stones?

We towed to Topeka a few times, 9,000mi, using tow hooks - no issues.