Towing ?

I just added floor mounts more forward to the front of my trailer so that I can pull from the front (cross tie) when tying down. Prior, the front of the car was directly over the floor mounts.

What is the preferred transmission position of the tied down door car when towing. Park, neutral or doesn’t matter?

Never done anything different that put them in Park. Had plenty of transmissions open and never came across any problem from it. I have always figured if parking pawl can hold a 4000-5000 pound sedan on a hill then sitting in the trailer strapped down is a lot less strain for it.

I winch mine in so it's always in neutral.

Always in park. Probably less chance of it getting away in case something else fails. Hope you put something substantial under the floor where you put the new mounts.

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Hope you put something substantial under the floor where you put the new mounts.

Same 3/16” thick 6160-T6 plate and 6k lb floor mounts Featherlite used.

You definitely want it in park. Put it in park AFTER it's cinched down.

If you put it in park before you cinch it down powerglide, you could possibly break park (rooster).

I know someone who watched his roll off an open trailer 70 mph, on camera.

If you can picture that.

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Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
If you put it in park before you cinch it down powerglide, you could possibly break park (rooster).

Has a th400.

I winch mine in, tie it down, put the stabilizer under it, then put it in park...learned the hard way ONCE.....raised the nose of the trailer, pulled the stabilizer, pulled the tire straps, winch wasn't hooked up.....car was in neutral.....well you get the idea.....fortunately it didn't roll far....

Always put it in PARK after it is tied down good.

Ok, so been using enclosed trailers for almost 25 years now and never put a car in park until I built my stacker. The car on the lift goes in park so I can raise it to put straps on. I've also hauled my golf cart in trailers for 20+ years without ever tying that to anything. So you don't have to put it in park.

for what its worth I always put it in park and strap it down. you want the car positioned on the axles so it balances out the trailer. I cross the backs and only one on the front. Car never moves and I tow 2.5+hours each way to every track. Glide in my car. I would never leave the car in neutral that is asking for a nightmare if something breaks or comes loose. I am sure you would feel it moving - but by then the damage is done.

Two weeks ago I had a kid in a small car back into the corner of my trailer. Luckily it hit the hinge and damaged his car more than the trailer. But even with the trailer at 12k and Super C motorhome, it was a decent jolt. So I am sure you would feel the car slamming back and forth.

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Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
You definitely want it in park. Put it in park AFTER it's cinched down.

If you put it in park before you cinch it down powerglide, you could possibly break park (rooster).

I know someone who watched his roll off an open trailer 70 mph, on camera.

If you can picture that.

Explain how load on the park pawl changes the load on the rooster comb? It's a rod pushing the pawl in double shear.

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Originally posted by Mike Nitzsche:
Ok, so been using enclosed trailers for almost 25 years now and never put a car in park until I built my stacker. The car on the lift goes in park so I can raise it to put straps on. I've also hauled my golf cart in trailers for 20+ years without ever tying that to anything. So you don't have to put it in park.

Had a buddy last year...somehow the parking brake got released on the golf cart. ended up beating the h e l l out of the front valance of the race car with the rear seat step.

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Originally posted by Mike Nitzsche:

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
You definitely want it in park. Put it in park AFTER it's cinched down.

If you put it in park before you cinch it down powerglide, you could possibly break park (rooster).

I know someone who watched his roll off an open trailer 70 mph, on camera.

If you can picture that.

Explain how load on the park pawl changes the load on the rooster comb? It's a rod pushing the pawl in double shear.

I always put this in park after I had it cinched down. One time I forgot, when I went to unload it, I pulled it out of park and it popped. The next week when I raced it, I didn't make it past the first time run, it had cracked the rooster, the lever was spinning in the rooster.

That's why I said you could possibly break the rooster.

I always put the car in park, after I cinch it down.

This is how I learned to pay more attention.

I leave mine neutral after winching it in because I can't get the doors open enough to reach the shifter.

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Originally posted by inferno camaro:
I leave mine neutral after winching it in because I can't get the doors open enough to reach the shifter.

I just roll the window down before winching it in.

Most dudes I know with cars like yours hang the door on the wall, before winching the car in.

I've pulled off the highway thinking I forgot to put it in neutral, to check.

I jack knifed a open trailer years ago, towing it with a 71 Plymouth Duster, the car stayed on the trailer, I won't tow a mile, if it ain't in park.

Lexan and screwed in, mine don't roll down. Guy before used to take the door off and the fender has a big ass crack/busted spot from the door hitting it when lifting it off. The shape of these cars door can't lift off without hitting unless I also loosen the front end. I do leave the winch hooked with a slight amount of slack, and wheel chocks are in place.

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Originally posted by Mike Rietow:

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Originally posted by inferno camaro:
I leave mine neutral after winching it in because I can't get the doors open enough to reach the shifter.

I just roll the window down before winching it in.

Most dudes I know with cars like yours hang the door on the wall, before winching the car in.

I've pulled off the highway thinking I forgot to put it in neutral, to check.

I jack knifed a open trailer years ago, towing it with a 71 Plymouth Duster, the car stayed on the trailer, I won't tow a mile, if it ain't in park.

I always tie the heavy door car in Park. Always start at the front and roll the car forward a couple clicks on the ratchet strap. Then tie it good and tight from the rear.

The dragster I always leave in R/N. Years ago I forgot I’d untied it and drove about 20 miles with the car in Neutral and no straps, but the chassis stabilizer was still in place and the car didn’t move at all.

I have considered tying down the front of the dragster too as bad as Illinois roads are. A few times I have gotten to the track and the right front wheel was resting in the trailer step recess, and one rear tie was off.

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Originally posted by Lenny5160:
I always tie the heavy door car in Park. Always start at the front and roll the car forward a couple clicks on the ratchet strap. Then tie it good and tight from the rear.

The dragster I always leave in R/N. Years ago I forgot I’d untied it and drove about 20 miles with the car in Neutral and no straps, but the chassis stabilizer was still in place and the car didn’t move at all.

I know a guy who happened to look at his trailer monitor as his door car rolled out of the back of the trailer at 70 mph.

He said he watched it do several donuts on the highway, never hit anything. Luckily

I'd imagine forgetting can get ugly quick.