Danville first autox

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2015 8:41 am

Aaron Buckley wrote:

I like the concept of a long 5th wheel trailer.

I like this idea as well.

Andrew Jonell · **Joined:** Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:43 pm **Posts:** 1350

Vincent Keene wrote:

Aaron Buckley wrote:

I like the concept of a long 5th wheel trailer.

I like this idea as well.

Is this analogous to saying that "I like the idea of German engineering"? Concept vs reality and whatnot.

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2015 9:35 am

Vincent Keene wrote:

Aaron Buckley wrote:

I like the concept of a long 5th wheel trailer.

I like this idea as well.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/grd/4926197660.html

Seems like horse trailers might offer something? They have viewing windows, already have some dividers for organization, and there are plenty of them on the used market.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/grd/4924799579.html

Lookie, an awning!

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2015 9:37 am

That's a damn good idea Scott. - AB

Karl Shultz · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:58 pm

Just one suggestion, based on prior experience, for whatever the new event rig ends up being: be careful to not buy something that's really terrifying or awful to drive. It doesn't have to be great, but try to avoid terrifying.

Jordan Normark · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2015 1:30 pm

Scott Johnson wrote:

Seems like horse trailers might offer something? They have viewing windows, already have some dividers for organization, and there are plenty of them on the used market.

We could save on porta-potty rental too, just stock up on wheat straw

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2015 1:37 pm

Is it just me or does buying a 5th wheel truck and a trailer seem not very cost effective?

One nice side effect of having a 5th wheel trailer is that it could potentially hold the bus driver's car depending on size and setup.

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2015 2:15 pm

The beauty of the truck and trailer is that if the truck breaks down, is getting another useful truck can happen quickly and requires no organization or setup changes to the timing setup / storage of equipment. A good trailer should last us a lifetime if maintained properly. When a bus is setup and needs to be replaced, it's many weeks of work transforming the new bus to fit our needs.

Forget all of this talk about equipment, when are we going to see results from the autocross? I thought our new website setup was good, so what's the issue with finding a place to post the results? :sing:

- AB

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2015 2:21 pm

JamesMilko wrote:

Is it just me or does buying a 5th wheel truck and a trailer seem not very cost effective?

One nice side effect of having a 5th wheel trailer is that it could potentially hold the bus driver's car depending on size and setup.

Not just you. I see it as a tow vehicle that has no other use. At least a shuttle bus can be home base for T&S AND pull all the gear around.

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2015 2:26 pm

I don't see the reason to not buy something built for the purpose. Shuttle buses are designed just for that, to be a shuttle bus. While they can tow, they aren't designed for that. Karl's comment on making it "not terrifying" to drive also backs up my recommendation for a truck and a 5th wheel trailer. Of all trailer situations, this is by far the easiest towing setup.

Another nice piece of the truck is at the end of the event it's unhitched and you drive around and pick up all of the cones and deliver them to the trailer that continues to pack up while that's done. - AB

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

The current bus isn't the least bit terrifying to drive. The older one, maybe, although I thought that was overblown.

I kind of like the idea of a trailer as homebase though just because of the flexibility it offers.

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2015 2:50 pm

Aaron Buckley wrote:

Another nice piece of the truck is at the end of the event it's unhitched and you drive around and pick up all of the cones and deliver them to the trailer that continues to pack up while that's done. - AB

NCR and (IIRC CCR) do it this way. Seems to work well, esp for ferrying cones, workers etc.

Aaron, results have been posted since just after lunch. Thanks Noah!

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2015 2:58 pm

Steven Carter wrote:

Aaron, results have been posted since just after lunch. Thanks Noah!

Thanks. Didn't realize!

- AB

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2015 3:30 pm

No worries!
Got the results notification via facebook. Who knew it would be useful for something besides threads about trophygi--- :stick:

RickyBeam · **Posted:** Wed Mar 11, 2015 5:33 pm

Aaron Buckley wrote:

When a bus is setup and needs to be replaced, it's many weeks of work transforming the new bus to fit our needs.

Indeed. I cannot imagine the current bus setup was done in a weekend. And it wasn't done in a manner that would be easy to move.

I like the idea of a "T&S Hut". However, the notion that one would be able to put a car in their with all the equipment... not likely. Look at the existing trailer. There's no way to get a car in there with all the other equipment, and that's not even all of the gear. We'd have to get Very Good(tm) at packing, or get a trailer that's twice as long. (Class C tow limit is 10,000lbs, btw.)

Aaron Buckley wrote:

Shuttle buses are designed just for that, to be a shuttle bus. While they can tow, they aren't designed for that.

See Also: our previous bus -- the NYC Metro Handicap bus. The rear axle is too far forward for stable towing. Power and braking, it really didn't notice the extra mass, but at 60+ is the trailer would wag the dog, so to speak. The current club bus is very stable at highway speeds (I've had it to ~75 -- down hill, nobody in front of me -- with no worries.)

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