Tie down those wheels

[warwick]

just when I thought i had it undercontroll:confused: This morning I took a dirt bike for a rego slip and as the mechanic was 3 k's away and coppers circulating like flys on dead meat I trailered it. Cool :ayyy: I put it back on the trailer and had the front wheel in the front catcher the rear in the channel and tied down with a strap side of trailer round and round the wheel and ratchet tightened to side. Although i put the tailgate up I did not secure the wheel/tyre to the rear bar.
I allways cart my track bike this way and never had a problem:thinking:
Today I did not take the bike off the trailer however I did have to take the belt off to get the bike started and check lights etc:storm: thats when my trouble started I left it in neutral and re-belted the bike up. only 3 k's so did not worry about secureing the wheel over th tailgate. Driving home I see the belt is loose in 1/2 k...... :( re tighten all seems fine......... home and the bloody bike has nearly fallen off, what had happened is the wheel has turned on the shiny channel because it was in neutral and the belt has slipped around and loose.:storm:
Now i was lucky the belt did not have time to drop off the rail and completly free itself and I was not driving at night for a longer distance.:eek::eek:
So this weekend I am getting a tyre tie down .i have heard people having problems with them also. I am going to revise my tieing and back it up with extra:ayyy::ayyy:
So a question to you all. Do you trailer your bikes in gear and have you ever considered the jolt transferr of the bike damageing the gearbox?????? or if its in gear and tied down tight it doesnt move and no damage.
I think along the lines of the later and feel it was my fault to leave the bike in neutral. :pisslaugh::pisslaugh: so that is why from now on I have the most tie down straps holding my trackie . I hope this may remind us all to tie on tight:ayyy:
Cheers Chris .

[Mr.Ed]

Completely unrelated and does not answer any of your questions (since I don't even have a trailer!) but I once drove off with the bike on the back of the ute resting only on the sidestand. And then I had that moment where you realize what you've done and must control the imense urge of smashing your right foot on the brakes!!!! hahahaha

Luckily I noticed it in less than a block and I drove off pretty slowly 'cause I was trying to make a phone call (and they say mobiles are dangerous... ha!) so I just pulled over and fixed everything. :)

[RUSSELL]

the tyre downs are awesome, not worried about the box, it takes a lot more of a hit everytime from the lights

[blackzook]

I never have my bikes in gear, ever, you could brinell the gears or the bearings.
I have done over 100,000ks with bikes on the back or in trailers and if tied down properly have never had a problem.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b397/blackzook/DSC00794.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b397/blackzook/DSC00796.jpg

Also I have never had a problem with fork seals from the compression of tie down straps.

[dadat178]

I just learnt a new word, brinell ...

[mike-b]

Lol...i was just about to ask if it damages the forks seal due to prolonged compression while trailering. I know with dirt bikes they have a release valve for tgat reason.

[Mr.Ed]

I just learnt a new word, brinell ...


+1!! Now to find an opportunity to show it off...:p

[blackzook]

This is the term in its current application.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brinelling

It is fairly common problem for gearboxes (cooling tower or mechanical drives) transported while locked in place.

[phillmac]

I leave bikes in neutral as tiedowns do their job well. A tyredown at rear for insurance if a ratchet strap fails it still won't move. Sometimes the tyredown has failed and found loose on arival back home. Not sure why, Put rings in good possie slightlly forward of axle. I would go the strap type next time instead of metal type. With both ends tied I don't ratchet down the forks too much incase.

[phillmac]

One of my boat trailer bearings once brinelled from sitting too long with heavy boat I found a crack in the outer ring which roller must have made from preasure and I never heard of brinelling

[Busta]

I find that if I spend the time tying them down properly then it's usually trouble free trailering. The bikes are usually left in neutral unless I accidentally knock the shifter whilst tying it down, but I don't see the problem with leaving it in gear, i'm sure clutch starting is no better for the box.

One thing I've learnt is not to use an 'underhook' on my ratchet straps. First time I used an 'underhook' I didn't even think there would be any difference, however upon leaving the cafe on the way to the track in the morning, I looked in my rearview to see that the gixxer had gone missing. It seems that the underhooked ratchet strapped popped off with trailer flex and sent the bike onto it's side (it was still in the trailer.. phew!).. now it's always 'overhooked'.. for the roadie it's 1 strap for each caliper bracket (tied to pull the bike forward and outward) and a tyre-down on the rear. For the dirtbike it's 1 strap for each fork (up near the triple) using a fork block, and 1 ratchet strap over the rear to hold it down. The trailer has no channels, just a tyre-chock up front that locks the bike upright.

[warwick]

[QUOTE=Busta;353926]
One thing I've learnt is not to use an 'underhook' on my ratchet straps. . It seems that the underhooked ratchet strapped popped off with trailer flex .. now it's always 'overhooked'..
Under hook over hook? feel like I'm back to my teens batteling those bra hooks :confused: and I came away with red face then too. :o I take it you are talking to the hooks that slip around and link back into a ring, not the straight g hook as on the cheeper ratchet straps. Sometimes i go around the bar and over the strap rather than just hook on the tie bar.
Any way thanks for the heads up.:ayyy: i will keep it in mind.
Funny how everything is running well and the New Year is Herelded in and its opp's I DID NOT SEE THAT COMMING :rolleyes: Most likely allways there just been lucky :o;)
Cheers Chris :)

[warwick]

I hope they dont fight but they are ready for tomorrow:ayyy: I think I need a bigger trailer ......... no they recon a tight fit is a good fit:o
http://i808.photobucket.com/albums/zz8/warwick_bucket/DSCF1814.jpg
http://i808.photobucket.com/albums/zz8/warwick_bucket/DSCF1813.jpg