Windshield Tie Down Strap

[Doug]

Hi guys.  I have not been on the site in months.    Glad to be back.  Hope you are all doing great.   I need some fast help.  I am towing my jeep on a trailer 500 miles.   For the first time, I plan to do it correctly with the windshield folded down.   Problem is I have a new windshield strap from walcks and for the life of me, I cannot figure out the proper way to run the strap ends through the buckle.  Does any one have a close up picture of the proper way to run the straps through the buckle?   I am leaving tomorrow morning at 10 am.   Thanks and glad to be back on here.  
Your friend.  Doug.

[calvinhunt]

Hi Doug,
 ï¿½So good to see you back. �Yes, it's been some time. �Hope all is going well. �

 ï¿½Sounds like you must be heading to Georgia for some Jeeping. �Enjoy your trip. �
 ï¿½
 ï¿½In an attempt to assist you with your question I dug out my old original windshield strap buckle. When I got my Jeep the frayed and weathered strap was still dangling from the grille footman loop. �The strap was shot but I saved the buckle. �Because I haven't yet made a new strap the buckle is still unfinished. �

 ï¿½I am assuming that Walck's new strap is a reproduction of the original. �Rocketeer surely has original pics and a Willys bulletin or two (hope he does, would be great to see), but in case he doesn't get to it in the short time available before you depart I offer the following:

1. Route the free end of the strap underneath then up and behind the teeth slider bar.


2. Route the strap back down through both pieces of the buckle in front of the teeth of the teeth slider bar.


3. �Pull snug. �This pulls the teeth into the strap sufficiently enough to hold it in place. �


Now, please allow me to add my 2 cents-worth here. �I would only trust the strap, the buckle, and the footman loops to secure the windshield while traveling on country roads or four-wheeling in the rough, not at highway speeds on a trailer. �When Carl (Carlsjeep) trailered his Jeep to Utah from Kentucky he added an additional strap across the windshield from side to side. �I can only imagine the damage that would occur if the windshield flew up at 60 MPH or more. �I've seen the beautiful paint on your Jeep but believe you could protect the paint and add another strap. �You could haul the Jeep backwards. �

I carry a strap that has a buckle with a spring-loaded cam with teeth for when I want to lay my windshield down while Jeeping. �It's not original, but it works well and I don't leave it mounted when I'm not using it. �

[Bob W]

X2 with Calvin, don't trust just one strap to hold the windshield down!

[Gunslinger]

X3 on that, I use a windshield strap from an M38 on mine, it has a nice heavy duty buckle.  But that is just for the off roading and bombing around town.  I did have the windshield pop loose on a trailer one time and fortunatly all i did was bend the bows.  Straightening them is a whole nother topic.  I use the Carl method when trailering, add an extra strap.  Safety is cheap.

[Carls_jeep]

I don't use a buckle strap on my windshield, I use a doubled rope and a special knot to hold it down. I can get it tighter and release it easier. Besides, the rope looks more country on my Jeep. When trailering it I use a ratchet strap from fender to fender across the window just in case. I also put a piece of luan plywood on the inside surface of the window to keep rocks from the road from breaking the windshield.

[Gunslinger]

Good Ideas all, I was looking at New life canvas, they have a bag that goes over the windshield, canvas by the look of it, tis about 100 bucks.  

[Carls_jeep]

A local upholstery shop can make one for much less.