A new concept in wheel chocks

[dirt dame 561]

I recently used my new toyhauler for the first time last month, and had some issues with how to tie my bike down nice and neat. I used one of the wheel chocks from my trailer wedged in front of the front tire of my TE. Then I put some cargo in front of that, just in case the chock and bike decided to move. Everything stayed in place pretty well, as it was a relatively short and gentle journey to and from the campground. But it got me thinking....I could attach some non-skid material to the bottom of a wheel chock and it would work much better. I didn't really want to attach chocks or chock anchor points to my toyhauler floor, so a non-skid design seemed like the ticket. I was wondering why nobody had invented a design like this before now, and then I saw this on the internet. It's a bit pricey, but if it works as well as the ad claims, it would be just what I need.

http://wheelchockpro.com/

[TrophyHunter 15]

Looks like an interesting concept but have never seen 'em in action (or inaction). I don't know how many tie down points you have, but I ran a tie down across the 2 rear points and then one from that tie down to the rear wheel...then cinched the front down. Avoided the floor mount chocks that way and completely secure. We did that with 4 bikes all the way to Sedona and back...zero problems.

[ADV Bum 205]

Mimi I was having trouble with my front tire sliding on the vinyl flooring. I used a cheapie metal wheel chock from harbor freight $6.0 and screwed it to a 2 x 12 x 20 piece of wood. Then stapled old innertube rubber on the bottom to prevent sliding. Cheap and no issues since using them.

[SteelRain 0]

This is not a "new" idea. In my race hauler I had two similar rubber blocks that pinched the front wheels front and rear on a track system similar to the Utilitrak setup in my truck. It was a little more expensive but allowed ability place bike nose to tail or in different areas of the trailer due to weight placement. (if I was carrying only 2 bikes the weight would over the wheels, if 4 then evenly spread)

I like the cost of this idea, and I too have been wondering about a better chock system for the bed of my truck that is not permanent and is cheap enough not to worry about.

[dirt dame 561]

And of course, snooping around the Chocks Styx website, we find that he's a local guy, in fact he's in Escondido.

[TrophyHunter 15]

A "pinched" system on a track sounds much different than that presented. Great for organizing bikes as you mentioned but much more permanent than Mimi's find.

Let us know how it works if you go with it Mimi.

[SteelRain 0]

I see this as a evolution of the concept. Though I curious about the "super sticky base", my solution would have been to buy two chocks for the back of my track and make an adapter for my lower utilitracks.

I am waiting on a Mimi's review before I spend any cash (especially since this would be cheaper and easier). If it works well and take some serious weathering, I am sold.

[dirt dame 561]

And of course, snooping around the Chocks Styx website, we find that he's a local guy, in fact he's in Escondido.

Now, I think he has joined the forum as well.

[simicrintz 177]

Hi All-

My name is Bruce and I do own the wheel chocks (Chock Styx) that dirt dame (Mimi) mentioned. I wanted to thank Mimi for the mention (I do not know her, even though we both appear to live in the same town!). That was very cool and appreciated.

I currently ride an '08 Honda XR650L, and have been a two wheel rider since the late 70's (I started out on three wheelers first but graduated to an XR500 in early 1980. Glamis was my first stomping ground, but I spend most of my two wheel dirt time (just recently sold my XR400R-sad day) at Ocotillo now). My wife rides as well (CRF150F most recently) and has spent many miles on the back of the 650 with me in Arizona (where her Dad lives part time), and we enjoy our two wheel time.

I hope to contribute as well as learn some things on this page. I was unaware that it existed, so I am glad I found it. We have quite a big group that goes to Ocotillo and other areas quite often, so I will be mentioning this site to them as well.

Thank you again for having me, and a big thank you to Mimi again for the mention!

-Bruce

[simicrintz 177]

Oh yeah; 35 years riding and I get a "Total Noob" handle?! Wow, way to knock me back down to earth

-Bruce

[dirt dame 561]

Welcome to the forum. When you have posted a whole bunch, you'll loose that noob handle. In fact when you post enough, you'll be able to pick whatever you want for a handle (within reason).

I intend to try your product when it's available and share my findings on the forum.

[dsfox 0]

Mimi I was having trouble with my front tire sliding on the vinyl flooring. I used a cheapie metal wheel chock from harbor freight $6.0 and screwed it to a 2 x 12 x 20 piece of wood. Then stapled old innertube rubber on the bottom to prevent sliding. Cheap and no issues since using them.

I like your ingenuity mike...I might try that!..and Welcome to the Site to Bruce also!!!

[simicrintz 177]

Looking forward to loosing the Noob tag ASAP But it does keep me humble!

Thank you for the welcome, dsfox!

[bigwvjumper 0]

Howdy neighbor! Welcome to the SDAR!

Looks like I'm going to be adding a set of Chock-Styx to my Christmas list.

[simicrintz 177]

Howdy neighbor! Welcome to the SDAR!

Looks like I'm going to be adding a set of Chock-Styx to my Christmas list.

Thanks for the welcome! This looks like a real friendly place; hope I can add to it!

I'm hoping for lots of people with the Christmas list idea! I'm pretty sure I can provide free delivery in Escondido too!

Thanks again for the welcome!

[bigwvjumper 0]

Maybe you can ask Randy "KTMrad" if you can bring and demo your Chock-Styx at the next SDAR meeting.

[bikeslut 1]

Looking forward to loosing the Noob tag ASAP But it does keep me humble!

Thank you for the welcome, dsfox!

welcome... I read the link, but this will stay put in a regular truck bed without a rhino lining, etc? It wont slide even with the corrugated bed?

I am about 3 weeks from installing a drill-in chock to the bed of my truck for the proverbial 3rd wheel (uh... that would be YOU Aaron)

anyway- i'd love to hear some first hand experience on this from somebody

[SteelRain 0]

welcome... I read the link, but this will stay put in a regular truck bed without a rhino lining, etc? It wont slide even with the corrugated bed?

anyway- i'd love to hear some first hand experience on this from somebody

This is one of my questions also. Though I am lucky enough to have the UtiliTrak on the sides, front, and bed of the truck so I may have a few more options that most.

Having these at the Next meeting would be great! I will volunteer a truck and bike for a demo. If Bruce could make it to the DD that would be a great place to demo them also (though there may be sponsor issues involved with that one)

[simicrintz 177]

Thanks guys. I didn't really design these for truck beds, but I am interested in seeing how well they would work in this application as well! The prototypes work well on my garage floor, and amazing on the floor of a toy hauler, but I've yet to try a truck bed. The foot is pretty wide, so there is the possibility that it could catch a couple ribs in a bed. I'd like to try it on a painted bed and a rhino lined bed. Only one way to find out, right?!

When is this meeting that you speak of? I'd have to look at the schedule to see where I am and what I'm doing, but I would certainly attempt to make it. Getting some real world testing and questions makes for the ability to provide honest answers! My testing on toy haulers allows me to answer those questions easily, but you guys are taking it places I haven't gone yet!

Just couldn't bear to drill into my toy hauler and had to design something better. Let's see if it works for expensive truck beds as well! Hopefully I can get the answers before anyone has to by a rigid mounted chock or drill their floor again!

[bikeslut 1]

well, let me offer this... a board that is a flat surface for your chock to "grip" and not allowing the chock to slide forward.

That was an option for my chock too... just mount it to a removeable board

[bigwvjumper 0]

Thanks guys. I didn't really design these for truck beds, but I am interested in seeing how well they would work in this application as well! The prototypes work well on my garage floor, and amazing on the floor of a toy hauler, but I've yet to try a truck bed. The foot is pretty wide, so there is the possibility that it could catch a couple ribs in a bed. I'd like to try it on a painted bed and a rhino lined bed. Only one way to find out, right?!

When is this meeting that you speak of? I'd have to look at the schedule to see where I am and what I'm doing, but I would certainly attempt to make it. Getting some real world testing and questions makes for the ability to provide honest answers! My testing on toy haulers allows me to answer those questions easily, but you guys are taking it places I haven't gone yet!

Just couldn't bear to drill into my toy hauler and had to design something better. Let's see if it works for expensive truck beds as well! Hopefully I can get the answers before anyone has to by a rigid mounted chock or drill their floor again!

Watch for the posting under Upcoming Meetings, looks like maybe Jan 2012?

[bikeslut 1]

Thanks guys. I didn't really design these for truck beds, but I am interested in seeing how well they would work in this application as well! The prototypes work well on my garage floor, and amazing on the floor of a toy hauler, but I've yet to try a truck bed. The foot is pretty wide, so there is the possibility that it could catch a couple ribs in a bed. I'd like to try it on a painted bed and a rhino lined bed. Only one way to find out, right?!

When is this meeting that you speak of? I'd have to look at the schedule to see where I am and what I'm doing, but I would certainly attempt to make it. Getting some real world testing and questions makes for the ability to provide honest answers! My testing on toy haulers allows me to answer those questions easily, but you guys are taking it places I haven't gone yet!

Just couldn't bear to drill into my toy hauler and had to design something better. Let's see if it works for expensive truck beds as well! Hopefully I can get the answers before anyone has to by a rigid mounted chock or drill their floor again!

well; dirt dame HAD a pick-up, and it sounds like she is local... maybe she could let us know

barring that- I'll be glad to let you know... want my address?

[Spyder 2]

Bruce,

hello and welcome to the forum.

I feel I must interject something here. Please, add on your website to tie down the back of the bike or at least, tie the wheel so it will not move side to side.

I have, unfortunatly, probably carried/towed bikes for more miles than I have ridden them. And, like you, do not want to arrive at the destination with a broken lever, fuelly mess and smells, scratched up bikes, or holes in trailer, etc. Trailers for one, have the tendancy to sway a whole lot more than a trucks, bounce differnetly, and do not take bumps as well. My bikes are all over the 350# mark. The heavier the bike the more the forces act on any restraint system. I watched a video yesterday of a fork lift raising and droping a bike on a trailer using a roll on wheel chock. The bike stayed on the trailer, sure enough, but it moved ever so slightly in one direction even with a pair of tiedowns attached. Multiply that by the number of bumps and sways per mile, eventually the back end will slip around, causing the bike to lean. Add more bumps and swaying and the bike ends up in a precarious position.

I really like the idea of your wheel chocks and NOT having to drill holes all over a Toybox, Toy Hauler or even a truck bed. And they may be fine on short trips with lighters bikes without a second set of tiedowns attached on the rear. I, however, would never attach a vehicle, whether 2, 3 or 4 wheeled, without a four points system.

Yes, I learned the hard way and bounced a bike or two out of a flat trailer. NOT FUN! I make a point of making checks at random stops now to make darn sure nothing moves!

I want to see this work because having multiple options for restraints lets you vary positions according to weight and where it is placed in a trailer. Seems one never carries the exact same load the exact same way for differing trips.

You may consider browsing through the Toy Hauler section of RV.Net to see other ideas or even ask for some critisism on your ideas and products. Do you make the chocks only one width? Will it work on heavier bikes like cruisers? Or even side by sides?

You have a good idea. I do hope you make it work!

S

[dirt dame 561]

well; dirt dame HAD a pick-up, and it sounds like she is local... maybe she could let us know

I still have a pick up truck (you know, the one with shot ball joints)....it just doesn't go anywhere anymore besides to haul the trash down to the curb once a week.

[simicrintz 177]

Thank you again everyone for the comments/suggestions. I really do appreciate them and have always felt that a second set of eyes or another opinion is always valuable.

I will keep my eyes peeled for the January 2012 meeting info. I would like to try and attend that, if possible. I may have to offer a "platform" to widen the footprint for truck use, or a board might work just fine, like bikeslut suggests (I'll get back to you on the address/testing offer!). And I agree with your concern about having the rear secured, Spyder (I kind of took it for granted that folks would do that, but I think adding to the site makes good sense. Thank you). Big bike chocks are coming next, but it will be a while yet. We would like to get through the holidays and desert season before moving on to the road bikes, so hang in there! The challenge of the dirt bikes was designing the load of the bike/wheel and distributing it across the footprint of the chock, as much as it was design. Once we had the perfect combination and angle to maximize the load, we could work on design. That will hold true with the bigger/heavier bikes as well.

I can't believe that you guys let dirt dame have a truck with bad ball joints, and then give her grief on top of it! You all should be ashamed of yourselves I'm thinking we should form a work party and go take care of that for her!

Thanks again for all of the comments and suggestions (and keep them coming)! We are making these here in the good ol' USA, so we want to make them the best we can and keep the jobs on our own soil! Input like this helps us to do the best we can!