Run of the mill 28 ft. trailer pulled by a F250. Would it be better to pull the dragster in or back it in? If I back it in I can use the front tie downs I have for the door car and only have to add two more to put straps over the rear tires. If pulled in I will have to put 4 tie downs at the rear for the straps. I'm new to the long car game and just trying to figure this out before the weekend.

My vote for back in

My trailer always towed better with the dragster backed in....I could also leave the nose on when backing it in.....

I backed mine in.

Both can work. It depends what else you want to put in with it. One thing to keep in mind is if you don’t have cabinets or other weight in the front of the trailer and you pull it in you could end up with not enough tongue weight and have the tail want to wag the dog.

Some guys will back the dragster in, stick the nose against one of the walls and drive a golf cart next to it.

You will probably need to jack the front of the trailer up a fair amount to have clearance for loading.

It would also depend on what floor style you have in the trailer. If it is a beaver tail floor, you will need boards to drive up on to keep the frame from dragging across the floor or getting stuck.

You may also need longer ramps/flaps going onto the rear trailer door.

I got the tie downs put in so I can back it in. I figured that would be the easiest way for now . the trailer has L shaped lower cabinets. The dragster is 205 wheelbase so that will help on loading.

Depends of how much tongue weight you need or can handle. Towing with my motorhome, I nose it in because the long wheelbase motorhome doesn't need any extra tongue weight. When towing with my extended cab pickup, it tows much better when backed in.

Backing in is best for the car itself while towing. The negative is, it is a pain in the azz to do by yourself.

Have used a roller lift for the front of the car and a winch with remote to pull the car in by yourself. This one may look ugly but this style with the swivel on top and having 4 wheels made it super easy. It will sit without you having to hold the handle. I think someone actually made it from a shopping cart. LOL

must have adequate tongue weight

How are you tying down a dragster?

It's yellow for a reason. lol

I pull mine in forwards....I have enough other stuff in the trailer to balance it out, and have never once had an issue with it like that...

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:
How are you tying down a dragster?

D-ring in front and behind each slick, run a strap over each slick and crank it down.

Chassis stabilizer bladder under the seat area, inflated to raise that area of the car an inch or so.

quote:

D-ring in front and behind each slick, run a strap over each slick and crank it down.

Chassis stabilizer bladder under the seat area, inflated to raise that area of the car an inch or so.

Thats what I'm doing but with out the bladder until I can get one . For now I'm using two 2x6s screwed together and wrapped in carpet under the seat that fits snug and tightens up more when you crank the straps down.

quote:

Originally posted by Lenny5160:

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:
How are you tying down a dragster?

D-ring in front and behind each slick, run a strap over each slick and crank it down.

Chassis stabilizer bladder under the seat area, inflated to raise that area of the car an inch or so.

On the front you just tie the chassis to a D ring?
I've got a 28' trailer and have thought about a dragster, don't have D rings in the right places to tie one down like that.

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:

quote:

Originally posted by Lenny5160:

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:
How are you tying down a dragster?

D-ring in front and behind each slick, run a strap over each slick and crank it down.

Chassis stabilizer bladder under the seat area, inflated to raise that area of the car an inch or so.

On the front you just tie the chassis to a D ring?
I've got a 28' trailer and have thought about a dragster, don't have D rings in the right places to tie one down like that.

No, the front gets nothing at all.

Just add some rings; no big deal. I always have a steel backing plate beneath, but don't worry about having them tied into the frame. I have to have at least 20 rings in my floor (53 foot trailer), towed a lot of miles since 2002 with it and never had a D-ring issue.

For D-ring support C-purlin works really well. I do tie it to the frame but instead of welding it I use a piece of angle iron welded to the purlin so that it just slip fits between the trailer frame cross pieces and then bolt it in. Never had a problem.