How much clearance????

The cars rise up? I've hauled cars exclusively for 40 years and I've never witnessed or heard of this. Matter of fact, aerodynamic & wind tunnel visual flow testing disproves this. If anything (and even if it were, it would be so minute it could not be measured by the eyeball), there would be a downward force on the rig while inside a tunnel situation.

Don't want to hijack Cornish' thread so I'll just hope for the best for whatever car carrier you were following through that tunnel. Hopefully he didn't scrape tile. I've been everywhere, like Johnny Cash, but I ain't never been in that tunnel where you saw that happen...and in my early years long ago, I have actually rode in the car over the cab across the Pennsylvania turnpike. Every bridge and tunnel looks like you're gonna get your noggin clipped it's so close. Thankfully they didn't rise or lift.

 

Try using your elbow to the end of your fist.

 

"If it ain't an arm (length) - it'll probably do harm !" Old saying.

 

An another thing .... people always used to say to gauge clearances with your tie-down bar ...... If you had a bar length between whatever, you were good ..... that's changed thoo because strap trucks use a smaller bar then the old ones because you don't need the torque on the winch like with chains ..... just sayin...

 

A tie down bar that's a lot!!! I have a 387 with dual stack and a Wally mo 7 car and if I put a suburban up there at a 45 degree angle I usually have about 8 inches of clearance or so between the stacks and the back of the suburban and a foot between the bumper and the deck plate on the semi.

 

Yes, a bar is alot. A whole lot ! Better safe then sorry. If ya got it, take it.

That said thoo, really, I have run very close as well, and different equipment make all the difference in the world. IE - A Sterling Cottrell High Rack Stinger turns better and has much closer clearances then a Volve Cottrell Quick Loader Stinger ..... huge differences between the two .... I guess it all boils down to the operators comfort level ... or simply waiting for the 'crunch' noise that tells you ' OK, That didn't work .... note to self: ........... '

 

I'm not gonna argue with you on that speed loader. My first few loads I messed around in the parking lot before I left turning tighter and tighter slowly and getting out and looking. Like he said everything loads different!!!

 

for turn clearance it depends on type of unit your hauling you can get some alot closer then others
Example one has rounded bumper and one has square
Also if your referring to the room between the top you got to watch dips in road as it will smack it if you are close.

 

Good luck and have fun!