my old Kanoe Kar is going to the junk yard this week.as a replacement I bought a 2006 ford focus wagon.nice car from a lady who used it to drive to work at the UofM and her kids to day care.it made runs up to Big Fork because her husbands pick up truck used to much gas.so it's a car I can trust.
the problem I just discovered this evening is the lack of tie down points.
it came with a roof rack they used to carry a cargo pod and my old rack straps work with it. so anyway I might of found metal bars of some sort in the back I can run webbing thru for the rear crank but the front of the car is all plastic!
I got under for a good look around but I don't see any place where I can set a hook for the front cranks.all my other Kanoe Kars had nice solid tie down brackets in front and round bracing rods in the back to run a strap across under the car.
any ideas??

Open up the hood and find a bolt on each side right by the opening of the hood and bumper. Remove the bolt and install a hood strap and put the bolt back into place and tighten. You can leave them in all the time, just tuck them under the closed hood when not in use. They sell them online or most places where they sell canoes. They are just called hood straps or tie downs. I have seen them in a store by where you live, REI in Bloomington. You can also make them out of 1" polyester straps, just heat a nail and burn a hole for the bolt to go through, add a washer to the strap.

Savage!!! that's it!! i'll make it a project tomorrow.

Here is what the straps look like. I use a different brand for the front and then also made my own for the back of my Subaru for the hatchback door.

Not intending to pick on ya Dave, a site search is always a good way to get answers, canoe tie downs.

butthead

Another option is to take a short length of rope maybe 12-18 inches long and tie the ends together tightly. Pop the hood of the car and lay the circle of rope you made over the hood latch so that the latch is in the middle of the circle and so that part of the rope is sticking out past the hood so you can grab it when the hood is closed. Close the hood so its full latched and then pull the rope tight. The rope loop sticking out from under the hood should give you a secure place to tie off to as its held in place by the closed hook latch. Works for trunks as well.

The other option is you can take the circle of rope you created and pop the hood of the car and loop the rope under a section of the car frame and then loop the rope back through itself. Lay the remaining loop over the side of the car so that its exposed when you close the hood. You can usually do one on both sides of the car.

Its essentially the same thing as the store bought tie downs that you put through a bolt they are just the DIY version and are easy to remove. I've had outfitters use both of these methods when renting canoes in the past. Worked well.

quote OldFingers57: "Here is what the straps look like. I use a different brand for the front and then also made my own for the back of my Subaru for the hatchback door. "

+1 I just ordered two sets for cheap off Amazon.

If you have webbing and grommets, this is an easy DIY project. I made them for my old Explorer and they worked great.

I have at 2002 Ford Focus wagon. I tried the straps, but the bolts under the hood just go through sheet metal and the bolt almost stripped, so I just took two 18" pieces of rope and found a hole to run it through on each side and leave a loop of rope sticking out of each side of the hood. I just check the rope periodically to make sure it's good. I love the two front tie downs on my 18' champlain. Keeps the front of the boat solid.

Ice..good info on the Focus and the sheet metal problem.i'll check that out before I install any straps.

another method from a contributor on another canoe forum straps with hose instead of bolts for underhood tie down

might be good for "flimsy" attachment points

quote yellowcanoe: "another method from a contributor on another canoe forum straps with hose instead of bolts for underhood tie down


might be good for "flimsy" attachment points"

That is what I made up for my rear hatch on my Subaru Outback. Just used some webbing and some clear thick hose.

I have the under hood straps on my Jetta wagon. After reading this thread I cut some rope, threaded a small pvc coupling on it and tied the ends together. I then layed it in under the hood where the latch is. No problem closing the hood and now my tie down will be in the center of the car instead of on both sides of the hood. With the straps on both sides the tie downs were always in my line of sight. This way works much better and no drilling or unbolt,bolt required.
~JOE~

quote joetrain: "I have the under hood straps on my Jetta wagon. After reading this thread I cut some rope, threaded a small pvc coupling on it and tied the ends together. I then layed it in under the hood where the latch is. No problem closing the hood and now my tie down will be in the center of the car instead of on both sides of the hood. With the straps on both sides the tie downs were always in my line of sight. This way works much better and no drilling or unbolt,bolt required.
~JOE~


"

I've thought about placing mine right in the center of the front of my hood too. Although having them on each side prevents a lot of side to side wiggle when passing trucks or in windy conditions. I am looking at trying some Thule Portage Canoe carriers to see if they would eliminate the side to side wiggle more and thus I could use the single middle tie down.

Ooh, Ooh, I've got this!! I have a focus. I do it like this. Back is a little different but you can adapt.