Topic: Tie down brackets

[68 S Code]

Looking to finish off the underside at the rear and want to install tie down brackets. Question is does the bracket go in the outside or the inside of the frame rail and does the head of the bolt go against the bracket or does it go on the opposite side and the nut faces the bracket? I saw this somewhere but looked at the body and chassis manuals and couldn't find it today.

[TLea]

Brackets go inside of rail between exhaust and rail. I think bolts typically go from outside pointing toward middle of car. I can check later

[68 S Code]

Tim if you can verify it would be appreciated.

[RogerArrick]

I have a 68 c-code coupe, 289, single exhaust.
There is one tie-down bracket.
Looks like the muffler shop used it to mount the exhaust at one point.

Apparently it goes on the INSIDE of the frame rail?
That would mean that the tie-down hole is towards the center of the car, not the rear.
Correct?

[J_Speegle]

The brackets typically were installed on the gas tank side (inside the rear leaf spring) side of the rear frame rail

[RogerArrick]

Just realized there are 2 tiedown brackets on my car.

So, they go on the inside of the frame rail, but which direction do they face?
I can see wear in the eyelet holes where the hook was.
Were the cars tied towards the center of the car or to the back?

Here's what they look like:
http://www.musclecarresearch.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/product_list/tie-downs-short.jpg

[Bob Gaines]

They are tied down from the back . The eyelets are towards the rear. Bob

[RogerArrick]

This is a little confusing because the bracket leans one way, but the eyelet is 90 degrees from that.  This original bracket shown in this picture is from my 68 SJ coupe.  It shows hook wear on the eyelet in the logical place, but if the cars were tied down from behind the car (not towards the center of the car) then these brackets should be mounted so they lean towards the center of the car.  Clear as mud?

[Bob Gaines]

Secured from the back is the typical scenario. I have never seen a original unmolested tie down bracket set installed backwards (eyelet facing front)on purpose.  Maybe others have different observations. Bob

[RogerArrick]

Maybe the bracket was mounted so the eyelets were towards the rear of the car, but it was tied down with the chains towards the center of the car.  That would explain the hook mark on my brackets.

Here's an example of a car hauler where one or more cars had to be tied down that way:

http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/pix/trucks/morton/2009/may_mail/cd/dsc_0102_0031.jpg

Here's another example:
http://static.socialgo.com/cache/202689/image/483.jpg

It looks like none of these cars here had chains that went from the rear to behind the car, or from the front to beyond the front of the car, but instead were tied towards the center of the car.

Just curious, no biggy.

[J_Speegle]

Depends on what type of transportation we're discussing - rail or road transport. At least on San Jose cars you will typically find that the round holes in the frame in front of the rearend were used to tie the vehicle down at some point I believe.

Do have a rail transportation manual (printed by Ford for the rail companies) around here somewhere.

[J_Speegle]

This is a little confusing because the bracket leans one way, but the eyelet is 90 degrees from that.  This original bracket shown in this picture is from my 68 SJ coupe.  It shows hook wear on the eyelet in the logical place, but if the cars were tied down from behind the car (not towards the center of the car) then these brackets should be mounted so they lean towards the center of the car.  Clear as mud?

Those single exhaust brackets, when installed, do appear backwards with the larger part of the bracket towards the front of the car but the slot angling downward and rearward for their intended usage

Fair number of pictures to support this installation

[RogerArrick]

This is indeed a single exhaust car. 

The bracket on the right was indeed attached to an exhaust bracket with a bolt and rubber isolator, but I figured that was done by a muffler shop later.  Are you saying that's what it was for?

My car has brackets on both sides, angled towards the front of the car - that's correct huh?

Anyone have a pic of a concours car with that shown? 

[J_Speegle]

The bracket on the right was indeed attached to an exhaust bracket with a bolt and rubber isolator, but I figured that was done by a muffler shop later.  Are you saying that's what it was for?

Guess something like this 

My car has brackets on both sides, angled towards the front of the car - that's correct huh?

Anyone have a pic of a concours car with that shown?

Don't keep or collect restored cars typically - IMHO can't trust what you see. Here are a couple of 68 San Jose single exh (including the one above) to illustrate. Passenger side so it will also show the exhaust bracket

[RogerArrick]

That's EXACTLY how mine are.  People keep telling me my car probably changed and isn't correct but most of the time it ends up being right.  This car sat in a storage container for 20yrs, and it still had the shocks and muffler I put on in 1979.

Thanks a bunch.