Z-5 Towing Straps

[Fman]

I have been using these straps for towing with the Z-5 and they have been working great, towed 3.5 hours to Shasta at 70 MPH with no problems. They are 1" straps, purchased from REI. Easy to use and remove... nice thing is you dont have to drill into your tower, and it holds it in 4 corners rather than just two like the Z-5 trailering kit.

[tg0824SSVGG]

Travis,

I have the ones from Z5 -- just never drilled the tower, so they are in an envelope on
my dresser.

Leaving on a 500 mile tow tomorrow morning! Did you take the cover off, or leave it on?
I always take it off for that length of trip -just curious what you did?

Todd

PS: about the shower thing? The pump is bad, they are sending me a new one - but
it won't be here in time for my powell trip, oh well - water there is near 80, don't really
need it like I did a few weeks back here with 62 degree water.

[thescott]

Z5 sent me the set that you're supposed to drill into your tower to use...I'm not cool with drilling into the tower though, no matter how small the holes. I'm doing the same thing you are FMAN and it works great.

Todd - I used to take off the entire canvas for longer trips. But the guy I talked to at Z5 told me you don't need to take off the whole thing, just remove the web thingy. Since I never use the web thing anyhow, I just leave it off all the time now.

[Fman]

Travis,

I have the ones from Z5 -- just never drilled the tower, so they are in an envelope on
my dresser.

Leaving on a 500 mile tow tomorrow morning! Did you take the cover off, or leave it on?
I always take it off for that length of trip -just curious what you did?

Todd

PS: about the shower thing? The pump is bad, they are sending me a new one - but
it won't be here in time for my powell trip, oh well - water there is near 80, don't really
need it like I did a few weeks back here with 62 degree water.

Todd,

I always leave the canvas on, have had no problems.... just make sure everything is buttoned down tight (straps to hold cargo not flopping around). These straps work great, the entire rack does not move a bit. Have a great trip to Powell! 80 degree water... NICE! make sure and snap some pics.

Cheers!

[tg0824SSVGG]

Great guys - I never use the web thingy either, don't even know where it is!

I bought 4 straps -- but I think the ones for the front are too short ... (and it's 18 miles
one way into town from my house -- no time to go back).

I am going to leave the cover one this time, I always have taken it off too, but it's a
bit of a hassle sometimes. (don't even ask me about the first time, where I put
the Z5 under the cover - tied it down so it wouldn't move, and it tore the HE!! out
of stuff inside - never do THAT again - was so pissed).

Todd

[jonyb]

I used to leave the fabric material on my cargo rack until I noticed that it was getting holes in it from where it was rubbing on the tubing. Now there's about 5 holes in the fabric that will do nothing but get bigger over time.

I take the fabric off everytime now.

[KG's Supra24]

If i were going to be driving longer than say an hour, I'd take it off. Of course from prior conversations, mine seems to be different. Mine just buttons on like a boat cover.

[Fman]

I used to leave the fabric material on my cargo rack until I noticed that it was getting holes in it from where it was rubbing on the tubing. Now there's about 5 holes in the fabric that will do nothing but get bigger over time.

I take the fabric off everytime now.

John, if you take it in to an upholstry shop and get it fixed now, it probably would not cost much and would save the canvas. Fortunately for me, since day one I have towed with it on and just was looking at it today and still looks good as new.

Only downfall to towing with it on is the bugs pelt it and its a little bit of a PIA to clean it.

[jonyb]

John, if you take it in to an upholstry shop and get it fixed now, it probably would not cost much and would save the canvas. Fortunately for me, since day one I have towed with it on and just was looking at it today and still looks good as new.

Only downfall to towing with it on is the bugs pelt it and its a little bit of a PIA to clean it.

Easy for you to say. There are no upholestry shops here. When I took my boat to the dealer earlier this year I bought 2 new seat skins for where the tower supports fell, and I expected them to replace them. Guess what? they're still in the box, they say they don't have an upholestry person. Well neither do I...... If it's not restoring an OEM interior in a 1964 Lincoln these people here don't know what to do.

[Fman]

Easy for you to say. There are no upholestry shops here. When I took my boat to the dealer earlier this year I bought 2 new seat skins for where the tower supports fell, and I expected them to replace them. Guess what? they're still in the box, they say they don't have an upholestry person. Well neither do I...... If it's not restoring an OEM interior in a 1964 Lincoln these people here don't know what to do.

Got any pictures of the damage to the top? I have yet to hear of anyone having any problems with trailering damage, not that its not possible just wanted to see where it started tearing.