Trailers and Miatas

David Spratte · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2004 3:59 pm

So, the hitch went on a couple of weeks ago. If there's a tenth ring of hell it involves projects with "handle nuts". Not hugely irritating, but certainly not somehting you want to indefinitely.

So now it's trailer time. I'm planning on getting the HF 12" wheel deal. I have the following questions:

Lights? Do I need to wire them up? If so, any suggestions on where to tap in on a NA Miata?

Registration? Does a utility trailer need to have a tag on it?

Mounting Tires to the trailer? What's the best way?

Anything else I should look out for?

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

This one is only $375

Maybe it's a little too much trailer for a Miata?

Found on triangle.forsale today, though, if anyone's interested!

1 1/2 TON MILITARY CARGO TRAILER M105A2

- SINGLE-AXLE,
- AIR-OVER HYDRAULIC BRAKE WITH MECHANICAL PARKING BRAKE.
- TRAILER CAN BE TOW BY TRUCK WITH PINTLE HOOK.

- EMPTY WEIGHT: 2750 LBS GROSS WEIGHT: 5750 LBS
- CARGO AREA: 21"H X 77"W X 105"L
- OVERALL LENGTH 166 1/2" AND 83" WIDTH

GREAT TRAILER FOR LANDSCAPE OR HAULING BUSINESS.

Located in Raleigh, NC
Price: $375

Photos at links below:
http://www.mindspring.com/~cpquest/Trailer_1.jpG
http://www.mindspring.com/~cpquest/Trailer_2.jpG
http://www.mindspring.com/~cpquest/Trailer_3.jpG

eMail questions to cpquest@mindspring.com

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

David Spratte wrote:

So, the hitch went on a couple of weeks ago. If there's a tenth ring of hell it involves projects with "handle nuts". Not hugely irritating, but certainly not somehting you want to indefinitely.

So now it's trailer time. I'm planning on getting the HF 12" wheel deal. I have the following questions:

Lights? Do I need to wire them up? If so, any suggestions on where to tap in on a NA Miata?

Registration? Does a utility trailer need to have a tag on it?

Mounting Tires to the trailer? What's the best way?

You need a tag and to do signals (the latter in an ideal world, naturally). Here's a good link for you: http://www.mainstreet-data.com/trailer/

Diane Hall · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2004 4:51 pm

You'll want lights. Mine are wired into the rear lights of the car. I have running lights and brake lights, but no turn signals.

Mine had a plate and was registered. There are people that don't, just don't get pulled.

My trailer came with tires mounted on wheels. I'm no help there.

If you are mounting a box on it, mount it such that if you leave it unlatched, the top will blow "down", not "up". Ask me how I know this. Back of trailer, top hinges up like >.

If you do the usual 4 tires in a row across like ||||, be sure to get some PVC pipe or some kind of padding for the edges of the trailer where your tires sit. Mine were forever with lines of yellow paint on them (from rubbing on the |_ of the trailer. Going to carrying them stacked (so I could take 6 with me) solved that problem.

My favorite feature of the tire trailer... When I got home from an event, when I unhooked it, I was unpacked. When I was getting ready for an event, I hooked it up and I was packed. I loved it.

RobLupella · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2004 6:16 pm

What Diane said

My trailer has lights and turn signals. You need to buy a $35 light harness thingy (Damn if I can remember the name) from Pep Boys. There is a discussion on Miata.net about how to wire. It is not too difficult. :wink:

Diane is correct about the PVC. Also you need one to mount through your wheel centers. the standard aluminum Miata wheels use 1 1/2 (hmmm or is it 1 1/4") damn memory fades as you age.

Expect gas mileage to plummet. With 8 tires, the trailer and the loaded car my mileage goes from 30 to about 17mpg. Damn, I can get a Suburban and get that gas mileage. :stick:

Good Luck.

Diane Hall · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2004 6:50 pm

Hum... I still got 30+ hwy with the 4 tires, a full box, and the car with assorted stuff in it. As did Eric Peterson. (At least we were dead on with gas stops all the way to Topeka). I'm surprised your mileage went down, unless it was due to the weight of the 4 other tires you were carrying. :brow:

I never mounted a piece of PVC through mine. I used an overly complicated system of bungee cords and tie-downs. I bet the PVC would have been easier. :banghead:

Adam Ligon · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2004 6:56 pm

Yeah as mentioned technically you are supposed to have lights and a tag. I have towed many a trailer without either and never had a probalem. Also there is a general rule that as long as the person behind you can see your cars tailights you are good to go.

As for the lights, $35 adaptor? Bah its called a $5relay and $1 worth of wire, just don't let Pat near it :lol:

. While i am sure you can do it, if you want any pointers LMK I am working all day saturday at the house on various car projects. What's one more :?:

David Spratte · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2004 7:27 pm

Thanks eveyrone.

Don't know that I'm going to try and get it all done tomorrow. (If not I'll have to call in the support vehicle.) But certainly by Sanford.

Might give you a shout tomorrow Adam, have to see how everything else goes.

Jeff Eng · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:01 pm

Just another suggestion, but have you thought about one of these?
http://www.tiretail.com

I just got one for my miata and it seems to work pretty well, although it does attract some attention.

Jeff

Dale Schendel · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2004 11:07 pm

The tail is cool, may have to get one made(or make it myself for the corolla

George Bright · **Posted:** Sat Apr 24, 2004 1:49 pm

Adam is half right. It takes not one but two relays. Here is a simple 5 wire to 4 wire converter. By using a separate 12 volt source you do not cause the turn signals to blink at different rates under different conditions.

David Spratte · **Posted:** Sat Apr 24, 2004 4:46 pm

Jeff Eng wrote:

Just another suggestion, but have you thought about one of these?
http://www.tiretail.com

I just got one for my miata and it seems to work pretty well, although it does attract some attention.

Jeff

Thought about one of those, but with a co-driver was looking for a bit more room to haul stuff. And, like Diane said, I think it'll be good to have all my auto-x stuff on two wheels to make packing easy.

Chuck Frank · **Posted:** Mon Apr 26, 2004 9:53 am

If you don't want to build your own, you'll need a wiring converter for the car. CarQuest has the best prices. I used a "powered" one for both our cars, it is wired directly to the battery and isolated the trailer wiring from the car wiring. A powered unit has the advantage that if the trailer wires short out, it won't take the car's computer with it.
We stand our tires up across the back. I put in a heavy eyebolt in place of the bolts at the center and rear crossmembers. A piece of schedule 40 (heavy wall) PVC pipe thru the center of the wheels with a steel cable and two ratchet tie down straps thru the pipe. A lock for each cable end locks the tires for security, the two tiedowns are hooked to the eyebolts and ratcheted snug. A third tiedown strap is threaded thru the rims and around the tops of the tires tieing them all together at the top so they don't rock side to side. We are very pleased with this tiedown system. We tow our trailer all over the country the last three years and have never had the tires loosen at all. To protect the tires from the sharp edge on the rear crossmember, slide another section of pvc pipe between the frame rails at the rear and fasten in place with two stainless steel worm drive hose clamps thru the two slots in the rear crossmember be sure to put the clamp screw underneath. Another tip: turn the rear spring mounting bolt around so the head is on the inside and the nut on the outside to avoid accidental sidewall damage. We use 4 keyed alike locks, two for the box and two for the cable thru the tires so we don't have to fumble around looking for the right key, especially in the rain. Keep an eye on the fenders around the mounting bolts and the mount for the tailite/license plate. Both have a tendency to vibration crack.
We removed our fenders and replaced the taillights with rectangular ones for a boat trailer and a flexible license plate bracket below the left one. Solved both problems (no, the tires really dont throw much water spray) and narrowed the overall width of the trailer to inside the wheels. Keep extra tailight and marker bulbs with you, the vibrations and bouncing eats bulbs. Northern tool sells a "J" shaped handle for the tounge that makes it much easier to move the trailer around. Diane's idea of mounting the box with the hinge to the front is good if you are the absent minded type, but makes getting in and out of the box a pain. We do a "preflight walk around inspection" before leaving, checking all tiedowns, locks, the hitchpin, safety chains, and wiring plug/lights, and recheck them at every stop as well as touching the wheel hubs to make sure the bearings aren't getting hot.

Diane Hall · **Posted:** Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:35 am

Chuck Frank wrote:

Diane's idea of mounting the box with the hinge to the front is good if you are the absent minded type, but makes getting in and out of the box a pain.

If the box is mounted to the front half, I'd agree. But mine is on the back half.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:55 am

The wiring converter is the way to go on a Miata. Being directly powered by the battery at the rear of the car is safer for the car's electronics and makes the trailer lights much brighter too. My trailer lights are WAY brighter when hooked to the Miata vs. my Cavalier w/o a direct wire converter. My trailer has a few more lights (see the pics) than most so it matters to me. :shock:

All the other trailer designs I've seen are much like Chuck's using straps, cables, or whatever to secure the wheels. My method while more elaborate, is IMO much easier to use. I unlock the pad lock, slide out the security rod and that's it. I took special care to design the rod the correct diameter to just barely pass through the center bore of the wheels to eliminate up and down travel. Take a look at these pics.....

http://www.bradiscool.com/solosportraci ... iler_1.jpg
http://www.bradiscool.com/solosportraci ... iler_2.JPG
http://www.bradiscool.com/solosportraci ... iler_3.JPG

The vibration problem that Chuck is talking about regarding the bulbs was solved using "grommet mount" lights in my toolbox. These are used on semi trailers which bounce quite a bit as well. The oval light is mounted inside a rubber grommet (friction fit) and allows it to absorb shock better. BTW, the ones in the pics are the old incandescent-type that I've replaced since with the new cool LED kind...more bling-factor! While I don't travel as much with mine as Chuck and Donna, I haven't replaced a bulb in over 5 years using these lights.

Some sort of support for the tongue (like my kickstand-type) will make your life easier. I bought mine direct from the manufacturer for $20 and it bolts right up to the factory holes.

Like I said before my setup is more elaborate, but not *that* expensive. Mine was expensive because I used aluminum diamond-plate (read: more bling-factor) but the same can be accomplished much cheaper. We built Ryan's trailer using basically the same design for half the price.

Like Diane said, it's pretty darn nice to just hook-up the trailer knowing all your stuff is packed and ready to go every time. In my case the benefits out weighed the costs 10 fold.

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