How best to tie down an RTL in a toyhauler RV?

[RichardOWold]

Hi All,

I am hoping someone has a remedy for my predicament. I have an 18 RTL. I carry it in the back of my 44' toy-hauler. I have tried various methods of securing it for travel on the Americas bumpy road system. I even went so far as spending $10k for better suspension on the toy-hauler. It helped but the Spyder would still move around.
I recently used 9 ratchet straps with soft loops to try and keep it from bouncing around. The result was the bike stayed in one place but the steering shaft below the handle bars bent. Now I am faced with total plastic disassembly to replace the upper steering shaft.

I suspect the main issue is there is no way to tie down the Spyders suspension. I use 3 straps on the rear wheel. 3 straps on each front wheel. 1 strap on each floor board, and 1 to each handle bar side.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or experience hauling Spyders in an RV?

Please, help me!

Richard Wold

[Stache]

Would these help?

http://www.lamonstergarage.com/tie-down-rings-1/

[Owatonnaspyder]

I have a 42 ft Grand Design Momentum that we haul 2 Spyders in. We drive one in forward to one side and back the other one in to the other side. I have only tied down one front wheel and the rear wheel on each as it is difficult to get the wheel next to the wall. I found that if you wrap the ratchet strap around the wheel and tire and then tighten they do not move. I had an issue with them moving side to side and this stops that. I also found out that my ratchet strap tend to loosen over time. I am purchasing new heavier duty straps to correct this. The Spyders weigh around 1000 pounds and when they start bouncing the force is much greater than that. I am purchasing straps rated over 5000 pounds to reduce them from loosening up. I think average 2000 straps do not have a strong enough ratchet to hold the weight.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Hi All,

I am hoping someone has a remedy for my predicament. I have an 18 RTL. I carry it in the back of my 44' toy-hauler. I have tried various methods of securing it for travel on the Americas bumpy road system. I even went so far as spending $10k for better suspension on the toy-hauler. It helped but the Spyder would still move around.
I recently used 9 ratchet straps with soft loops to try and keep it from bouncing around. The result was the bike stayed in one place but the steering shaft below the handle bars bent. Now I am faced with total plastic disassembly to replace the upper steering shaft.

I suspect the main issue is there is no way to tie down the Spyders suspension. I use 3 straps on the rear wheel. 3 straps on each front wheel. 1 strap on each floor board, and 1 to each handle bar side.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or experience hauling Spyders in an RV?

Please, help me!

Richard Wold

Hi, I discovered this method years ago ..... it's what professional auto haulers ( like for Mechum auto auctions for very high priced cars use ) .... use heavy duty Ratchet straps over the tires ( in-line with tread ) .... I only use one over the rear tire but you can use two or three.... one does the job though ..... you do need to bolt foldable rings on the floor - in front of the tire and at rear then tighten snug ..... I also put wood rails down ( screwed into floor, alongside both front tires .... this will prevent any side movement if you only use a strap on the rear tire .... I have pics of my set-up for my Truck in one of my Albums ...... others have posted this set-up here ..... do an advanced search ...... Mike

[pegasus1300]

I tie mine down in a 7 x 14 foot trailer with one tie down thru an eye bolt on the bottom of each front shock and 1 tie down thru the rear wheel. It hasn't moved yet. I hauled it from Provo Ut to Yuma Az. on some pretty bumpy secondary roads and it didn't move. Same from Provo to San Diego. Tho that was all freeway. A picture of how you tie it down might help us to give you suggestions.

[CopperSpyder]

The over the tire with a strap is the best method to hold your Spyder in place and not cause any damage. Look at this thread for some photos and ways to set up also do a search on the subject. https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...+trailer+strap

[P.W.]

You asked for the best way to tie your spyder down...Here it is, at least I think so anyhow.
Not the cheapest ....but rarely can you use the words Best and cheap in the same sentence.
Try this place they'll have something that will work for you....
www.macscustomtiedowns.com/

P.W.

[Peter Aawen]

Hi All,

I am hoping someone has a remedy for my predicament. I have an 18 RTL. I carry it in the back of my 44' toy-hauler. I have tried various methods of securing it for travel on the Americas bumpy road system. I even went so far as spending $10k for better suspension on the toy-hauler. It helped but the Spyder would still move around.
I recently used 9 ratchet straps with soft loops to try and keep it from bouncing around. The result was the bike stayed in one place but the steering shaft below the handle bars bent. Now I am faced with total plastic disassembly to replace the upper steering shaft.

I suspect the main issue is there is no way to tie down the Spyders suspension. I use 3 straps on the rear wheel. 3 straps on each front wheel. 1 strap on each floor board, and 1 to each handle bar side.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or experience hauling Spyders in an RV?

Please, help me!

Richard Wold

Hi Richard, the bit I underlined is WORST POSSIBLE THING you could do!!

The Spyder's suspension will look after the Spyder, after all, it's designed to do EXACTLY that, only with a load on board! (You! & maybe a Pillion! Plus some gear too!!)

Basically, you really don't need to worry about tie-ing down the Spyder's suspension, you only need to worry about tie-ing down it's wheels!! Lock the wheels in place using the 'Ratchet strap cinched down over the tire in line with the tread/circumference' method BlueKnight911 suggests, which IS the preferred method used by the majority of professional auto haulers for road, rail, & air transport all over the World, and once you've locked the tires in place, nothing else is going to move anywhere! Just DO NOT tie down the foot boards or handle bars or anything else that's being carried by the Spyder's suspension!! That's just asking for trouble, and significantly increases the chance of damaging &/or breaking something off!! Lock the WHEELS in place, and leave the Spyder's suspension to look after itself, just like you do when ryding it!

And to do this properly, you don't even need to massively tension the ratchet straps; just tighten them up on the tires & the slight increase in air pressure inside the tire this produces locks them down solidly! As BK mentioned, for most conditions, simply securing one end with a ratchet strap cinched tight on the wheel/s should be enough, but if you are REEEAAALLY worried about your Spyder moving, there's nothing to stop you from cinching down both front tires & the rear - it ain't gonna move ANYWHERE then!! Adding those 'Guide Rails' he mentions outside the wheels is generally considered over-kill for actually securing the vehicle in place, but it sure helps you to line things up perfectly while your getting it all in place, so that the ratchet strap goes over the tire tread in the middle, and they can also remove ANY possibility of the Spyder twisting from side to side & damaging steering arms etc.... altho a Heavy Duty Ratchet Strap cinched tight over the tread with a 'D-ring' immediately in front & behind the wheel is probably going to do that anyway!!

You can get kits to do exactly this - they generally have a fixed connection point up front & a track with a moveable pin behind, then a couple of feet of track that's secured to the trailer deck with the ratchet part of the arrangement connected to the far end. This means you simply roll the wheel along the track until it hits the front 'D-ring', slip the strap over the wheel & under the fender, secure it at the front, fit the pin into the closest position behind that you can, then hook the ratchet onto the far end of the track & cinch it all tight so that the strap sorta makes the shape of a capital 'P' lying on it's back with the wheel filling the bulbous gap of the 'P'.... Does all that make sense??

Whatever you do, just DON'T try to tie down the Spyder's suspension.... not unless you want to break things!! The only way that is ever likely to be truly successful is if you COMPLETELY compress ALL the travel in the Shocks and Springs, or replace them with 'cut to length' steel bars!! This is because if there's ANY compression left in the suspension, and you hit a bump or pot-hole big enough, that spring/shock WILL be able to compress that little bit more, make the strap loose for a bit, and then the rebound will subject the strap AND the vehicle to a MASSIVELY INCREASED Shock Load!! And THAT is what causes things to bend & break!! If you're lucky, whatever you break'll be something replaceable on the vehicle; if you're unlucky, it could be the frame or something else irreplaceable on the vehicle, or it could be the strap itself, leaving you with an unsecured vehicle ricochetting around in or off your trailer!!

Sorry about the epic tome, but you did ask!

[Deanna777]

Hi, I discovered this method years ago ..... it's what professional auto haulers ( like for Mechum auto auctions for very high priced cars use ) .... use heavy duty Ratchet straps over the tires ( in-line with tread ) .... I only use one over the rear tire but you can use two or three.... one does the job though ..... you do need to bolt foldable rings on the floor - in front of the tire and at rear then tighten snug ..... I also put wood rails down ( screwed into floor, alongside both front tires .... this will prevent any side movement if you only use a strap on the rear tire .... I have pics of my set-up for my Truck in one of my Albums ...... others have posted this set-up here ..... do an advanced search ...... Mike

Run a strap over the rear tire, (in the center of the rear tire,) so it does not scratch the Tupperware, and underneath the center of the spyder, and secure it to the front of the trailer. Your spyder will not move.

Deanna

[SpyderAnn01]

We were hauling 4 RTs in a 29’ enclosed trailer and we ran a strap through and then around the front wheels and then out to the side and one through and around the rear wheel. The trailer was equipped with E tracks which was nice, you use special ratchet straps that hook into the tracks. We never had an issue with this system, before strapping then in this manner it was suggested that we run a strap around the floor boards which we did and we had 3 straps cut through completely.

[Wmoater]

I have a fuzion fifth wheel with only an 11' garage. This is your answer. I had the same problem. My tie downs are not even close to being straight with any wheel. and I refuse to to go through the wheels and mess up alignment. I made this exact contraption but with aluminum. I bought the two wheel extensions from them. Take a look at this sight. It is the same a snowmobile tie down hooks. There is a picture showing a Spyder strapped in. You can view the videos on youtube also. Take a look at these tie downs. I actually think they are better than superclamps. You paid some $70000 for a toy hauler, $400 is a drop in the bucket. I also have a snowmobile trailer that I run my Spyder in on small trips. That I tie down over the wheels like suggested and they never move. But check this site out for your toy hauler. It is top notch stuff. Very well make and will work in any toy hauler garage.

https://www.boltiton.com

Click on the sport bike pictures the Spyder is the second one.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

We were hauling 4 RTs in a 29’ enclosed trailer and we ran a strap through and then around the front wheels and then out to the side and one through and around the rear wheel. The trailer was equipped with E tracks which was nice, you use special ratchet straps that hook into the tracks. We never had an issue with this system, before strapping then in this manner it was suggested that we run a strap around the floor boards which we did and we had 3 straps cut through completely.

This would have been avoided ( the cutting through of the straps ) had done it the way myself and Peter Aawen explained ..... Rubber tires cannot cut through Straps ...... Mike

[Wmoater]

I will agree with BlueKnight. I only stap over the rear tire and as long as its centered it will not cut. I have hauled mine a ton in snowmobile trailer and it never moves and have never hurt the strap. No way will rubber tire cut a strap. I even use a cheap $15.00 heavy duty 15' strap from Walmart. I can see it breaking going around boards.Just go over the tire.

[MeudtPG]

If you can find a set of Spyder Super Clamps (no longer made but still out here) get them.
TRAILER CHOCKS FOR SPYDER.jpg

[SpyderAnn01]

This would have been avoided ( the cutting through of the straps ) had done it the way myself and Peter Aawen explained ..... Rubber tires cannot cut through Straps ...... Mike

Mike, we didn’t want to tie them that way but were told to do it and the result was cut straps. We never had an issue running straps around the tires. I was telling my experience with strapping to floorboards as this was mentioned by the OP as a possibility.

[triplethreat]

The over the tire with a strap is the best method to hold your Spyder in place and not cause any damage. Look at this thread for some photos and ways to set up also do a search on the subject. https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...+trailer+strap

In reference to the link you posted.....member "bensonoid" .....that is the exact method I use also. The straps I bought hook directly into the E track and the roller is placed behind the front wheel. I have this setup for both my 6 x 10' utility trailer and my 44' Grand Design Toy Hauler. Spyder doesn't move.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Mike, we didn’t want to tie them that way but were told to do it and the result was cut straps. We never had an issue running straps around the tires. I was telling my experience with strapping to floorboards as this was mentioned by the OP as a possibility.

Ann, unfortunately ... bad advice is all to common generally as well as on Spyderlovers about certain things like tires and today about " how to strap down a spyder "........ I'm sure when BRP put their strapping method into the manual, they had no idea what professional Auto haulers do. .... and I wasn't commenting on WHY you did it the way that could cause the straps to fail ..... Mike

[GOZFST]

I use Mike's method, I haul our Spyder back and forth in a small enclosed trailer 2 twice a year from SD to AZ. One large strap over the rear tire into Etracks and the front tires go into ATV wheel chocks. Doesn't move around like it did before I switched to this method.

[billybovine]

I had Super Clamps Spyder Chocks. They worked well but stolen along with my trailer. On my new trailer. I installed E-track in line with the front wheels. Have a pair of E-chocks. They clip into the E-track when hauling the Spyder and removable when not. Then a strap over front tire. Works very well. I do nothing to the rear tire. See no need.

[Gwolf]

[Mazo EMS2]

I had Super Clamps Spyder Chocks. They worked well but stolen along with my trailer. On my new trailer. I installed E-track in line with the front wheels. Have a pair of E-chocks. They clip into the E-track when hauling the Spyder and removable when not. Then a strap over front tire. Works very well. I do nothing to the rear tire. See no need.

Refer to post #19 from BillyBovine.....and the pics he posted:

I don't have the track system shown here, but I do use a tie down directly in front of and directly behind each tire as shown here. I use a 7x14 utility trailer and I bought heavy duty toe down rings that I could place where I need to on the trailer deck. All it takes is 3 straps and 6 tie downs and you're good to go. I DO tie down all three tires in the same manner shown here on the fronts.

[RichardOWold]

Stache,

Looks like a good idea. Currently out of stock but I will probably order a set when they are in stock again.

[RichardOWold]

Owatonnaspyder,

Were you at Sumter Oaks in FL this winter? I remember a couple with 2 Spyders in a toyhauler. You must have a really smooth riding unit if they stay put with just 2 straps. I use a 10k strap for the rear wheel and 5k for the rest.

[RichardOWold]

Thanks to all of you responders. I am going to try the over the tire and removable blocks around the front wheels to prevent side to side movement.

I have e-track forward and behind each tire. I have to use a winch connected to the bikes trailer hitch to pull the bike into the trailer backward for it to fit. I always leave the winch connected as a backup just in case a strap breaks.

Richard

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Thanks to all of you responders. I am going to try the over the tire and removable blocks around the front wheels to prevent side to side movement.

I have e-track forward and behind each tire. I have to use a winch connected to the bikes trailer hitch to pull the bike into the trailer backward for it to fit. I always leave the winch connected as a backup just in case a strap breaks.

Richard

Something to consider .... when BRP designed that tow-hitch, they knew the trailer they were going to pull Should only weigh 400 lbs. maximum - LOADED !!! .... can that hitch tow a higher weight ... Probably ...., however 1200lbs. is 3 x's the rated weight., and the tow cable ( I believe ) will be at an Angle to the Hitch bolted to the swingarm ... the Hitch was also designed for a Tongue weight of only 40lbs. .... because you are moving 1200lbs. the pressure at the tongue is going to be Hugh .... I think 20 x's ( conservatively ) what the hitch is designed for ..... if you can Only load the spyder backwards I can't think of any safe way of towing it in ...... When I loaded my RT into the back of my Toyt., it climbed a 10ft ramp that required 28 inches of lift ..... I made a traction surface from a 26ga. length of sheet metal that I had dimpled ( 100's ) with a large nail.... I could and did load my RT up that ramp in the pouring rain - it Never slipped ..... good luck with this project ..... Mike