• g-lib
  • Rookie Driver
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  • Registered: 2010-09-25
  • Posts: 7

Topic: Tow Strap Mounting

So our team is preparing a '95 Cadillac seville lemon but we're not sure the best method of making our tow points. It looks like the strongest point in the rear is the suspension support (Number 1 on the attached picture) and there is something similar in the front. Both points are inward from the edge of the car so I figured a strap would be best. The problem is it seems as if all the top straps I've found have bolt in brackets (http://www.ioportracing.com/Merchant2/m … gory_Code=) and I dont know how we would bolt them to that support. What are those straps usually attached to?

Is there any type of strap that can be looped around a support such as this so that pulling on it only makes it tighter? Would that be a legit way of towing? Thanks for the help.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y135/Blackmesa5/Lemons/rearsuspension.gif

  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 526

Re: Tow Strap Mounting

What are your bumpers mounted to?
Usually there is a anchor point directly behind the bumper.
Sometimes it is considered a Tie down point for trailer-ing the car.
If there isn't anything close to the bumpers, you can weld a plate to the body 4"x4"x3/16"and bolt the strap to it. If there is a solid area more towards the front or rear you can bolt tow straps there.
You biggest concerns are that you want them easily accessible for the Emergency workers but you don't want too long of straps that can either rub or get caught in anything, or ones they have to crawl under the car to get to.
I am not well versed in the K-Body style of the Seville. Good luck with you build.

Team: V-Ram/Altamont Team: Knights of the Round Track/Reno/Buttonwillow/Thunderhill Team: Death Mobile/Sears 2010/Thunderhill/ChumpCar  Spokane/ MSR Houston/Buttonwillow/Sears. MRolla Project /Reno
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3 Reply by Mulry (edited by Mulry 2010-09-25 12:56 PM)

  • Mulry
  • Mulry
  • Ayatollah of Rock-n-Rollah
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  • From: Dallas, TX
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 4,607

Re: Tow Strap Mounting

g-lib wrote:

Is there any type of strap that can be looped around a support such as this so that pulling on it only makes it tighter? Would that be a legit way of towing? Thanks for the help.

Just get the adjustable strap and remove the bolt-in piece and just loop it around your support like you would your shoulder belts around the harness bar.

Probably 50 other companies make these too. Good luck.

Pat Mulry, TARP Racing #67

Mandatory disclaimer: all opinions expressed are mine alone & not those of 24HOL, its mgmt, sponsors, etc.
  • g-lib
  • Rookie Driver
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  • Registered: 2010-09-25
  • Posts: 7

Re: Tow Strap Mounting

I have to look again at what the bumper attaches to. On first glance that suspension bar was the only think I saw that "looked" solid. If nothing else presents itself, we'll probably end up looping the strap around as you suggested, I just wasnt sure if that was approved. Thanks.

  • Mulry
  • Mulry
  • Ayatollah of Rock-n-Rollah
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  • From: Dallas, TX
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 4,607

Re: Tow Strap Mounting

It's approved until it pulls something off the car, at which point the approval is void until you find a new semi-solid thing to mount it to. Wash, rinse, repeat. smile

Pat Mulry, TARP Racing #67

Mandatory disclaimer: all opinions expressed are mine alone & not those of 24HOL, its mgmt, sponsors, etc.
  • From: Gilbertsville, PA
  • Registered: 2009-12-22
  • Posts: 3,251

Re: Tow Strap Mounting

I used stainess cable choked around bumper supprts.  then a loop outside the bumper cover.  Easy and free, if you've got cable laying around.

Silent But Deadly Racing-  Ricky Bobby's Laughing Clown Malt Liquor Thunderbird , Datsun 510, 87 Mustang (The Race Team Formerly Known as Prince), 72 Pinto Squire waggy, Parnelli Jones 67 Galaxie, Turbo Coupe Surf wagon.(The Surfin Bird), Squatting Dogs In Tracksuits,  Space Pants!  Roy Fuckin Kent and The tribute to a tribute to a tribute THUNDERBIRD/ SUNDAHBADOH!
  • From: Craphole, NJ
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 517

Re: Tow Strap Mounting

TeamDFL's pile o' tow straps

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/6083/92040793.jpg

http://www.ducttapemotorsports.com/
http://www.teamdfl.com
"I can see it now, a pile of nickels and all the glory of being a real race car driver."
Prepping the Red wReck for the 24 Hours of Lemons

TeamDFL's Website

  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,640

Re: Tow Strap Mounting

Unless you do something really wrong, your car will still be able to roll if being pulled with the tow strap, meaning not much force will be on it, so the bumper support is probably sufficient.

The Homer: Powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball.
  • From: Central Indiana...Noblesville
  • Registered: 2010-09-17
  • Posts: 32

Re: Tow Strap Mounting

How about just bolting a section of chain to the bumpers...easy cheap and effective!

Don't worry about things you have no control over!

Captain Morgan's Rumrunners
Central Indiana
  • From: Choctaw, Oklahoma
  • Registered: 2009-11-12
  • Posts: 2,145

Re: Tow Strap Mounting

How about just bolting a section of chain to the bumpers...easy cheap and effective!

At MAM we were sitting in the stands near the end of the race and heard a crash behind us. We turned around and saw this Mustang...
http://www.murileemartin.com/LO10/Omaha_LeMons-174.html
...with the front clip torn off and still attached to the tow vehicle.

Sorry, I don't know the team name.

11 Reply by Hoonatic Racing (edited by Hoonatic Racing 2010-10-06 08:57 AM)

  • From: Houston (Spring) Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 1,624

Re: Tow Strap Mounting

I saw this on a "real" race car saturday at Coffee & Cars.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs386.snc4/44961_569775195804_202301066_32732033_1480613_n.jpg

Yes that is rebar and angle iron.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Hoonatic Racing's Website

  • ronman
  • ronman
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
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  • From: Orlando, FL
  • Registered: 2009-09-15
  • Posts: 1,842

Re: Tow Strap Mounting

What's wrong with that?

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