How to load and strap a car on a car hauler
Drive the car up centered, with the engine end toward the front so the tongue stays heavy. Set the parking brake, then secure the car at both front and rear with four straps, one to each corner, using wheel nets, axle straps or factory tie-down points. Use rated straps whose combined working load limit is at least half the car's weight, and re-check tension after the first few miles.
Key takeaways
- Use 4 straps, one per corner. Federal rules for commercial haulers require front and rear restraint.
- Combined working load limit (WLL) should be at least half the car's weight: 2,000 lb for a 4,000-lb car.
- Engine end forward on a front-engine car, centered side to side.
- Strap to tires, axles or factory tie-down points, never to tie rods, sway bars or brake lines.
- Re-tighten after the first few miles and at every stop.
What do I need before I load the car?
You need four rated straps, a spotter, and the car's weight checked against the trailer's payload.
Our 20' car hauler is a Big Tex 10ET-20: 7,470 lb payload, 9,990 lb GVWR, six 5/8-inch D-rings, stake pockets down both sides, a cleated dovetail and stand-up ramps. Check your car's curb weight against that payload first, and check the combined weight against your truck in the tow checker.
| Gear | Why |
|---|---|
| 4 ratchet straps with wheel nets or axle straps | One per corner, so the car can't move forward, back, sideways or up |
| WLL tag on every strap | Rate straps by working load limit, not break strength |
| Gloves and a spotter | The spotter watches tire placement on the ramps |
| Wheel chocks | For loading and unloading on any slope |
Our car hauler comes with ramps and straps.
How do I drive the car onto the hauler?
Hitch up on level ground, set the ramps to the car's track width, and creep up with a spotter.
- Keep the trailer hitched to the truck, in park with the brake set, on level ground.
- Set the ramps in line with the car's tires and lock them in place.
- Line the car up straight. Have the spotter stand to the side, never in front.
- Drive up slowly and steadily, without stopping halfway on the ramps.
- Stop with the car centered side to side and the engine end toward the front. On a front-engine car, that keeps weight ahead of the axles.
- Put the car in park (or in gear), set the parking brake, and stow and pin the ramps.
Federal towing guidance warns that too little tongue weight can make a trailer sway, and an unbalanced load can make the tongue rotate up suddenly. If the truck's rear doesn't settle at all once the car is on, pull the car farther forward. Check it against our tongue weight guide. Your vehicle's manufacturer ratings and manual always win.
Rent the 20' Car Hauler
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See prices and bookWhere do the straps go?
Strap to the tires, the axles or the factory tie-down points, at all four corners.
For commercial haulers, 49 CFR § 393.128 requires a car to be restrained at both the front and rear with at least two tiedowns. Straps over or around the wheels must stop sideways, lengthwise and vertical movement. Straps attached to the car's structure must use mounting points designed for that. It's the commercial standard, and it's a good one for anyone. We use four.
| Method | Where it goes | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheel nets or basket straps | Over the tire, to D-rings ahead of and behind it | Most cars. The suspension moves freely. | Fit the net squarely on the tread |
| Axle straps | Around a solid axle or lower control arm, hooked to a ratchet | Trucks and older cars | Keep clear of tie rods, sway bars, brake lines and ABS wires |
| Factory tie-down slots | Hooks into the slots built for transport | Cars that have them | Only the points listed in the owner's manual |
Run each strap out and away at an angle, so it resists sideways and lengthwise movement at the same time. Front straps pull forward and out. Rear straps pull back and out.
How tight is tight enough?
Tight enough that the car moves with the trailer as one piece, without bottoming out the suspension.
Federal cargo rules set the combined working load limit of your tiedowns at no less than half the cargo's weight. For a 4,000-lb car, that's 2,000 lb of combined WLL. Read the WLL on each strap's tag. Break strength is a much bigger number, and it's the wrong one to use.
Ratchet until the strap is firm and the tire or suspension compresses slightly. Don't crank so hard that the car sits on its bump stops. Over-tight straps can damage suspension parts and loosen over bumps as the car rebounds. Tuck in loose tails so they don't flap and fray.
The most common strapping mistakes we see:
- Two straps instead of four. The car can pivot around the strapped end.
- Hooks around sharp edges. Webbing cuts on stamped steel. Use axle straps or soft loops.
- Straps running straight down. They stop bouncing but not sliding. Angle them out and away.
- Twisted ratchets left unlatched. Close each ratchet handle fully so it locks.
- Straps hooked to the trailer fenders. Fenders aren't tie-down points. Use the D-rings and stake pockets.
What should I check once I'm on the road?
Stop after the first few miles, then at every fuel or rest stop, and re-check every strap.
- Straps settle as the car rocks, so re-tighten early.
- Look for straps rubbing on sharp edges. Pad them or re-route them.
- Make sure the car's hood, trunk and doors are latched and nothing loose is inside.
- Safety chains should cross under the tongue with a little slack and never drag.
In Maryland, a trailer over 3,000 lb must have brakes. Our car hauler has electric brakes on both axles, so a working 7-way and a brake controller aren't optional. If the trailer feels wrong at pickup, our Road-Ready Guarantee means we swap it or refund you.
How do I unload it?
Reverse the steps, on level ground, with a spotter and the truck in park.
Chock the trailer tires if there's any slope. Set the ramps and pin them. Release the rear straps last, so the car can't roll forward. Back down slowly in a straight line, with the spotter to the side watching both front tires. Coil and dry the straps before you return them, since wet webbing stored in a ball mildews and weakens. If you're picking up from Manheim in Elkridge or an online auction, our auction pickup guide covers the paperwork side. Book the car hauler when you're ready.
Questions
Should a rear-engine car face backward?
Position it so most of the weight sits ahead of the trailer axles. For most cars, that means engine forward. For a rear-engine car, check the tongue before you leave.
Can I use cheap ratchet straps from the hardware store?
Only if the WLL on their tags adds up to at least half the car's weight, and the hooks fit the trailer's D-rings.
Do I strap a car with the parking brake on?
Yes. Leave it in park or in gear, parking brake set. The straps do the real work. The brake is backup.