Welcome(me) to the world of towing. I just picked up a trailer and have been looking for the best way to strap the Jeep on top. I’ve searched far and wide for the best way, but like so many other things like the type of rigs we drive and tire brand we’re loyal to, it comes down to opinion, and a lot of it. I’ve now seen setups that have as few as three straps to one that had 8, that’s eight straps! Crisscrossed, straight, combinations of both, even some front to back setups I haven’t taken the time to figure out yet.

I’m looking for what our members are doing and what kind of experience led you to doing it the way you do it. If you have pictures even better.

My take...

4 straps, crisscrossed at each end, trailer to 4x4 frame. The X stops the load from slipping sideways.

Soda bottles make decent anti-chafe protectors. Don't last all that long but cheap. Fire hose is supposed to be excellent.
Or buy: http://www.awdirect.com/chain-sleeve-2-1-2-in-fits-up-to-7-16-in-chain-2-in-webbing-cordura-2-1-2/straps-sleeves-and-wear-pads/

Straps ALWAYS stretch and need to be re-tightened periodically.

Something like this http://www.awdirect.com/ba-grade-70-hook-cluster-w-single-t-hook-bapt/hooks/ is great if your frame has slots.

I never cross straps. I just use two forward and two rearward. In the front, my tie down points on the trailer are pretty wide into the corners, so there is an angle to the Jeep. In the back, it's pretty much a straight shot from axle to trailer.

Besides the 'X or no X' theories, there is the whole subject of frame tied or axle tied. I used to use axle front and rear, figuring letting the Jeep suspension work on the Jeep's weight will make life a bit easier for the trailer tires and suspension. More recently I've been using the YJ's front shackles, which are easier to access than the axle with the disconnect casting on one side and pumpkin on the other.

Thanks for your thoughts. And Don, thanks for all of your help with the trailer.

The only official looking article I found did not have the straps crossed. However, many of the folks I know do cross. Some both front and back some only the back, and as Don points out not crossed at all. I've tried it a few different ways now and have to say, I'm over thinking it.

I've read some posts that suggest axle tie down and give reasons like: not stressing the straps, straps are less likely to loosen, the vihicle can move with it's suspension and does not affect how the jeep is tied down.

Some posts suggest tying to the chassis: less movement of the towed vehicle also this is where most automotive haulers and wreckers attach to the vehicle using manufacturer made slots in the frame to attach to.

I think at this point my driving habits will affect things more than my choice of tow strap configuration.

Thanks Again

Don's front straps are angled out - a different way of achieving the same opposing forces as the X. Straight straps do not inhibit the sideways movement that can develop on bad pavement. Like I-95 I've seen my rig move on the trailer (after the straps loosen the X does not work). My fault for not stopping and tightening.

Axle & tire straps work on cars. Lifted 4x4's, well, some it works, some it does not. The difference is in the height of the COG and amount of flex in the suspension. My rig flops all over the trailer if it's not tied down tight. It's pretty scary to see. Ask the lady in the minivan that needed another couple of miles to build up the courage to try and pass again.

Think of the situation where, for whatever reason, you are making a 95% turn (ie at 95% of terminal velocity). The tow vehicle and trailer are tipped to the outside of the turn. Now let the tall, flexy, 5K monster on the trailer lean over. Think that will bring it over 100% ? Yup.

You can axle tie without X and never have a problem. But when there is a problem, even one you did not create, it's way better to be prepared as much as possible.


Thinking about tightening webbed straps... every 100 miles seems about right. At some point all the stretch will come out, but I haven't found it yet.

Straps in an X at the axles for me.
Front X formed by running the axle strap around the pig under the shroud that is welded over the pig (for an upper control arm mount), the other side between knuckle and upper control arm mount on that side. On the rear they go on the outside of the upper control arm mounts.

To get my toungue wieght right I need the rig far forward on the trailer, so the rear straps end up pretty long. The routine I have when I stop every couple hours is to idle the tow rig (letting the turbo cool down) while I carefully check the straps. The rear ones usually have a little slack in them no matter what I do. Its better when I load the rig the night before and check in the AM before leaving.

My COG is fairly low for a lifted truck and I'd rather let the suspension on the Jeep work. I'm paranoid about turns so I tend to take ramps and such pretty slow. Its never seemed scary but its a coil sprung rig so I think the track bars and sway bars help with the weight shifing into a roll problem Bob mentioned. I also don't think I want to ratchet my truck all the way down to the bumpstops each time I tow, which I'd have to do to prevent shock loading the straps if I frame strapped.

re. Planning to take turns slowly... setting up your rig for that takes control of the unexpected situation away from you. You need to be prepared for the times when you need to turn sharply & quickly; a child runs out, clueless cellphone drivers, other's sudden mechanical problems, kind of an endless list.

BTW, I don't strap it down to the bumpstops, just enough to tighten it.

Yep, the emergency turn thing might be an issue. With the sway bars hooked up, even with hiem jointed link set ups, the Jeep just doesn't seem to move around all that bad. I did have one bad incident on a highway on ramp where the tow rig started hydroplaning and the trailer started to come around in front a little bit, then all the tires grabbed at once and everything straigtened out real suddenly, it did not feel like a problem then, all the rubber stayed down. After I pulled over and cleaned my pants the rig seemed seem fine.

I worry about shock loading the straps by strapping down part way then hitting a big bump causing the Jeep's suspension to fully compress then bounce back onto the strap.

I know if you do a search in the towing and tow rig section of Pirate you will get huge amounts of info on this subject, including a lot of "strap versus chain" and "frame versus axle" flamethrowing wars, plus some actual regulations that seem to spply in some states.

Unless you strap your rig down with a total of sixteen connectors (four staps on axle, four chains on axle, four straps on frame, four chains on frame) someone will be unhappy.

Just use four solid connectors (i.e. not one frayed strap per end, for a total of two crappy straps, which I have seen) in a reasonable way and you should be fine.

One thing I do like about the X is this - with boats you want to configure your dock lines to be as long as possible (i.e. run the bow line way forward of the boat, and set of springers front to back, and a stern line from the outside cleat, not the inside). You do this becuase a longer line has more of a chance of absorbing a shock load like a rubber band than snapping under the same load. Longer straps will tend to pull and bounce back under the same load that will snap shorter straps.

I have read articles where some of the staff axle tie and others frame tie. With the pros and cons of both. Axle straping is more secure because the lossen very little if at all, but the jeeps reaction floating on the trailer is opposite the trailers suspension makeing it rough on trailers suspension. Frame strapping is rough on the jeeps suspension (don't know why) and the straps loosen quickly. With all this controversy I do both. My really good straps I use on the axles none crossed but angled out. I use a second set of truckers straps (BJ's $14.00 a piece Stated 20,000 lbs each) that I cross from my D-rings just snug enough so the jeep doesn't bounce and float on the trailer. These I have to retighten every time I stop.
Might be overkill but I feel safer. I don't need 4500 lbs flying through my back window.

Update:

To make set-up easier (and because I cut another strap) I changed from using 4 straps to 2 chains in front and the same 2 straps in the rear. The chains are not X'ed and run from the frame to the trailer in a straight line. The rear 2 straps are still X'd.

I expected to cut the looseness in half, doubling the distance before a re-tighten was needed.

Well the chains eliminated the loosening. I've towed half a dozen times now, and the straps never get loose!

I also got a pair of these from awdirect.com. Very heavy duty, no problem rubbing against the diff anymore: