Tie down strap damage

I just bought a new impreza hatchback. I have 2 pungo 120’s with J mounts on my crossbars and i’m wondering how much damage i will be looking at with the tie down straps on the front and back of my car. I wasn’t sure if this was discussed before.

Thanks

I don’t have any damage
Front and rear tie down ropes do not touch the body. Put tie loops on either side of the hood for the front. Tthe back end sticks out past the end of the car

thanks
so when you say around the hood, it won’t touch the hood? sorry i use to have jeep and trailer and never needed to worry or care. Thanks again

Yes - loops come out side of hood
You can buy or make loops of strap material that screw into the engine compartment near the edge of hood/fender. Works quite well. Saves the front of the vehicle from damage caused by rope rub.

Pop the hood
Tie a loop of rope around something structural in each front corner. Close the hood with the loops sticking out if the crack.



If you had to, you could probably do the same for the trunk, but I don’t have a problem with the rear.

thanks again
Thanks again and sorry if you have answered this before, but i couldn’t find that question any where. thanks for the idea’s

No problem
Ask away with any question

Here’s a Few Illustrations…
…of hood loops:

http://www.pbase.com/ozarkpaddler/image/151379885

http://www.pbase.com/ozarkpaddler/image/140851525

http://www.pbase.com/ozarkpaddler/image/154836035/original

For me
It’s not the damage to the car body. But my Body I have been hooking to the frame. Yes my car has a frame. 2005 crown Vic police interceptor. This tip will save me lots of pain and struggle. Easy to make and install too. I have an extra strap. I tried to drive away with my straps still hooked to frame at at the Appleton locks paddle last year. And wrecked one in front of 190 paddlers. Embarrassed noooooo. :slight_smile: and then I will see the strap and not hurry off to the shuttle parking lot and do that again.

Thanks very much all.

pad with an old t shirt
I have webbing loops bolted to the frame under the front of the hood, but mine stick out from the front not the side and they could rub on the paint - I just put a piece of old cotton T-shirt between the webbing and the hood - there is enough tension on the ropes that the cloth never has shifted or blown off

I try to keep cars at least 10 years and
over 200k miles, so I just ignore rope and strap damage. I won’t ever trade or sell a car, they go until they die.

Originally,

– Last Updated: Mar-23-15 12:13 PM EST –

I made up 4 small metal plates and bolted them underneath the car at the four corners. I hooked the bow and stern ropes to them and used a few inches of foam copper pipe insulation to stop the ropes rubbing against the car...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7614/16880922696_b6daa3d828_b.jpg

Then I realized just how much easier it is with straps under the hood, and two loops of rope just behind the rear hatch. No more fumbling underneath the car and the straps and rope loops just hide away when I'm not using them. I used Thule straps (but others make them too) and some old braided rope I had...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7654/16699525017_4e5cd43426_b.jpg

I've had no damage from the ropes at all.

Tie down
I just bought a piece of clear soft plastic tubing, approx 30", from Lowes and fed the tie down rope through the tubing and tied to the hook. The tubing now becomes part of your tie down system. You can position the tubing anywhere along the front end of the vehicle where your rope may contact the surface of your car. If there is some flexing in the rope it is contained within the tubing without rubbing against your vehicle. In addition to, it works for most vehicles so if you throw your kayak on your buds roof you won’t have to worry about rub damage to his vehicle’s surface. I think it works pretty good plus a cheap fix. Haven’t had any issues and have been rolling this way for a few years now.

details on tie down
a short article with pix: http://gnarlydognews.blogspot.com.au/2009/12/diy-tie-down-anchors-for-modern-cars.html