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coil spring spacers while towing?

5K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  31ROC 
#1 ·
Manufacturer of coilovers told me, if you tow your vehicle for any length of time, and strap vehicle down at the axels, the "joy ride" could cause coilovers to "overbounce" and start to leak?
They suggested to install coil spring spacers between the coils to prevent this? Anyone heard of this?
I was told once the best place to strap vehicle to trailer is on axles and not to compress the suspension?
thanks
 
#3 ·
LOL.... I need to do a better job explaining!
the coil spacers are for the hotrod, which is being towed in a cargo trailer. Last time I towed it, I had little spots of coilover fluid under each shock in rear. I have a trip planned for a 6 hour towing trip, so I don't want leaks!
 
#4 ·
Aaaaaah now i get it

i'm wonder if your shocks are any good.. should not be leaking. but u can strap it down from frame. but... u really gotta strap it down. any bounce will shock the heck out of the tie down's and the last thing u need is a strap coming loose. hot rods don't come cheap..
i towed both of my Tbucket with axle straps and didn't have an issue and both had coil overs.. ya the bucket is lighter
 
#5 ·
I was always told if you're going to go long distances, to ratchet the suspension down snug; otherwise your rod is essentially driving the trip as far as the shocks are concerned. I might scour the Craig and RacingJunk for a set of used coilovers. Put the junk coils in for the trailer ride; switch em out for your nice ones at the venue.
 
#7 ·
I don't know who makes them, but I've seen round solid rubber pucks about 6-8" tall x 6" around made to go under the frame when you strap a car down on a trailer. Strap the car down tight on the pucks so the body can't move up and down on the suspension.

They keep the car from setting on the suspension so the suspension doesn't get a workout on your trip.

Pro race teams and traveling circuit racers always get the car off the suspension when on the trailer, other wise you wear out your expensive shocks and springs....and that's not good for on-track consistency.
 
#8 ·
the more reading I do on the web....the more I see people ratcheting down their straps to the car frame, in order to collapse the suspension and keep it from bouncing while on the trailer???
Maybe this is best method for hauling?
 
#9 ·
When I tow my rock crawler truck with coilovers I chain the axles to the trailer then run a strap side to side and pull the chassis down. Not necessarily for the coilovers sake but because the huge bouncy truck makes the trailer handle like crap.



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#10 ·
If that cause's the shocks to go out.. Buy a better shock.. I been hauling cars for years that way with no problem at all.. I strap the axles down and let the car do the same thing it would do driving it.. The shocks was made for that.. Never heard of this until now.. If you strap the body down, The car takes even more beaten.. If you have any fiber glass parts.. They may start to crack in places.. I would let the shock's do their job..
 
#11 ·
When I was younger and towing a trailer with our SCCA car the trailer didn't have a suspension. The car had all the suspension that was needed. We didn't tow across country but we towed to every race and never had a problem.
Shocks wear out and need to be replaced occasionally but that is true for a lot of mechanical equipment and certainly part of the game.
If your trailer has a suspension then your car is only experiencing a small part of the road while being towed. Tying the axles down should not hurt your suspension at all.
 
#12 ·
I have heard the complaint that towing a race car to races was putting more wear on the shocks than actually racing it was. No matter how good your shocks are, why wear on them when you don't have to? Trailers can be a pretty rough ride back there especially rearward of the axles. Cinching the car down at the frame tight enough so that there wouldn't be any slack allowed over bumps seems to be the preferred method of many folks.

I don't know how there could be a spacer that would fit into coils that would stop movement and not allow jumping off the top of them over bumps. I suppose I'd have to actually see what they were talking about.

'Cause I was lazy and there really was no place to hook on the frame, I just tied to the axles last time I towed a car. When I got home after a lot of curvy bumpy roads the heavy, softly-suspended car was about an inch-or-two off to one side from where it started and I've got a nice little dent from where the rocker panel hit the side rail of the trailer. I noticed also that the trailer was a bit more squirrelly than usual too.

My race-car-that's-not-actually-a-race-car has loops welded to the frame, which I tie to forward and rearward at a down angle and crank on pretty tight. Seems to work.
 
#13 ·
Never broke any shock's on ANY of the cars I trailered.. And I have trailered MANY.. for MANY YEARS..:D

I stick to the old saying.. If it isn't broke don't fix it...:DI will never do it on mine..:nono: (Cinching the car down at the frame ) As far as the car leaning after trailering it.. That's a first for me.. :D

Be very careful Cinching the car down at the frame and not letting the car ride like it was built to ride...I have seen guy do that and end up with stress crack's all over the body.. Be very careful !!!:nono:

Do shock's wear out.. Yes they do.. They are made to take a beaten...
 
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