Newb tire trailer questions

Diane Hall · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2005 3:28 pm

Cosby - Size is personal choice. I have a Miata I towed it with. If I got anything bigger than 3x4, it would have been bigger than the car. :lol:

jimpastorius wrote:

Now, the real arguement...tool box on the front or rear of the trailer?

Depends on which way it hinges... I broke the top on my trailer box forgetting to latch it good once. Flipped right open in the wind.

When I later redid my trailer to hold 6 tires (so I could have spares at HPDE events), I mounted it to the back so I couldn't try to rip the dang thing off again by forgetting to latch it down. :banghead:

As to AAA, the only time I ever called them, they wouldn't come and get me since I couldn't give them a cross street on a highway. (Duh!) So no, I don't really see the value of AAA. :roll:

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

Check sccaforums now that the season is over, there are usually a few that come up.

RobLupella wrote:

If you get one, upgrade to the larger wheels than standard.

Not necessary. Check Scott and Eric's discovery that several hours of highway speeds on the way to Ft. Myers that the bearing caps were at ambient temperature when they checked it with a pyrometer.

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2005 3:46 pm

Wes Eargle wrote:

Check sccaforums now that the season is over, there are usually a few that come up.

RobLupella wrote:

If you get one, upgrade to the larger wheels than standard.

Not necessary. Check Scott and Eric's discovery that several hours of highway speeds on the way to Ft. Myers that the bearing caps were at ambient temperature when they checked it with a pyrometer.

I got the small wheels and it works fine.

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2005 3:58 pm

I liked having the box on the back. You are usually going in and out of it all through the day. Saves stepping over the trailer tongue. In trailer lore, it is bad luck to step on or over the trailer tongue.

The downside, when taking tires on and off, the trailer togue can flip up and smack you in the ....

Which is worse a little bad luck or....

Diane Hall · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:17 pm

Or just has to be mindful of how many wheels are removed from the trailer before re-weighting with the wheels they are being swapped with, or putting jack stands under the trailer to hold it steady so you don't crush stuff with the trailer tongue. :lol:

I had the smaller wheels. Never had an issue with bearings burning out. Had bearing buddies and pumped grease in at least once a year, and before long hauls. Eric got me into the habit of checking the temp of the bearing area of the wheel at stops to check for potential issues. I even do it with my car trailer sometimes, though admittedly not at every stop.

Diane

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:18 pm

jimpastorius wrote:

I liked having the box on the back.

I initially put my toolbox on the back for a few reasons.

1) I wanted the extra tongue weight.
2) The tires I was using "fit" the space better on the front.
3) The box is easier to access from the back, as Jim said.
4) I could add more lights to box if it were on the back and add more bling.

Jeff Eng · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:36 pm

Here are a couple of links that might be helpful in building your trailer, if you can not find one used.

http://www.hodgeman.org/talon/autocross_trailer.htm
http://www.mainstreet-data.com/trailer/

Jeff

RobLupella · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2005 5:42 pm

Diane Hall wrote:

Or just has to be mindful of how many wheels are removed from the trailer before re-weighting with the wheels they are being swapped with, or putting jack stands under the trailer to hold it steady so you don't crush stuff with the trailer tongue. :lol:

I had the smaller wheels. Never had an issue with bearings burning out. Had bearing buddies and pumped grease in at least once a year, and before long hauls. Eric got me into the habit of checking the temp of the bearing area of the wheel at stops to check for potential issues. I even do it with my car trailer sometimes, though admittedly not at every stop.

Diane

I have the small wheels too, and have not had problems, but I have heard so many people say to upgrade, I thought I'd pass the advice w/o qualifying it :oops:

Keith Vail · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2005 5:55 pm

My trailer has the smaller wheels and I have had no problems with it. It made the trip to Maggie Valley and back without any problems and that was mostly cruising at 70-75 mph on I-40.

BretLuter · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2005 6:53 pm

Les Davis wrote:

Rich Anderson wrote:

Do you not have a backseat? If you do, the money saved by not buying a trailer and receiver can be used for more tires.

You should watch the episode of "Fifth Gear" that address items placed in the back seat and what happens in the event of an accident before making that reccomendation maybe. I personally would rather avoid having a 40 lb wheel/tire hit me in the back of the head going 50 mph, let alone four of them.

Holy crap!! If a 40 lb wheel/tire will hurt, what about a 200 lb passenger???? Guess I've been risking my life all these years without knowing it.

Seriously though- I'm sure everyone would agree that loose stuff in your car can become dangerous projectiles in an accident- but there's risk in everything, I guess you just have to do a risk/benefit analysis here and decide for yourself.

OK, I have to get off the computer now, I read somewhere that the monitor puts out harmful rays that can damage my eyes, not to mention that this chair does not exactly have the best lumbar support- I'd hate to have to blame thscc.com for my impending back surgery!! :wink:

Bret.

Les Davis · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 2:04 pm **Posts:** 2059

BretLuter wrote:

Les Davis wrote:

Rich Anderson wrote:

Do you not have a backseat? If you do, the money saved by not buying a trailer and receiver can be used for more tires.

You should watch the episode of "Fifth Gear" that address items placed in the back seat and what happens in the event of an accident before making that reccomendation maybe. I personally would rather avoid having a 40 lb wheel/tire hit me in the back of the head going 50 mph, let alone four of them.

Holy crap!! If a 40 lb wheel/tire will hurt, what about a 200 lb passenger???? Guess I've been risking my life all these years without knowing it.

Seriously though- I'm sure everyone would agree that loose stuff in your car can become dangerous projectiles in an accident- but there's risk in everything, I guess you just have to do a risk/benefit analysis here and decide for yourself.

OK, I have to get off the computer now, I read somewhere that the monitor puts out harmful rays that can damage my eyes, not to mention that this chair does not exactly have the best lumbar support- I'd hate to have to blame thscc.com for my impending back surgery!! :wink:

Bret.

That is why they have seatbelts in the back seat as well. Yes indeed an unbelted passenger in the back seat behind you can do some serious damage to you. And if you get into any kind of front end collision with 4 unsecured tires in the back seat behind you, you are unlikely to walk away uninjured, your chances of injury are dramatically higher. I'm not some kind of "safety monger", just bringing up a reality that alot of people don't think about. And its not like accidents never happen on the way to/from autocrosses, I've heard of several in my years with the THSCC.

PJ Aspesi · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2005 8:13 pm

yes!

what class are you running?????? :twisted:

CosbyWood · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2005 9:12 pm

Great information!! Thanks to all of you (even Kevin :lol:

) Now to put it all together and hope that Santa is good to me.

If not, I'll buy it all myself. :twisted:

Oh, Ryan, I want to get another set because I don't want to spend the cash on a set of "good" street tires and drive them off the wheels in 6 months instead of getting another set and using them for the track. That goes for you to Kevin.

Maybe after I do this for a while I'll get a bug up my arse and go with some R compounds. But for now, this will do nicely.

Oh, PJ, STX :twisted:

Chuck Frank · **Posted:** Sun Oct 23, 2005 9:52 am

"Standard" tire trailer: 40x48" utility trailer kit from Northern Tool or Harbor Freight depends on which has them on sale/in stock when you go to buy. I'd recommend the 12" wheels for the few $ extra, but then we drive long distances with ours. The 12s also raise the trailer 2" higher off the ground so you don't drag the rear going over speedbumps. Height better matches the hitchball height on the D'lan hitches most of us use IMHO.
HD plastic toolbox from WallMart ~39.00 Look for the greyish plastic one with the grid on top.
Partial sheet of exterior grade 1/2" plywood to fit inside section of trailer where the toolbox mounts. ~ doz 5/16" x 1-1/4" stainless steel bolts with flat washers, lock washers, nuts (or nyloc nuts and skip the lock washers) to mount plywood and box.
More on assembly/accessories to come...

Kevin Butler · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:33 pm

Definitely get the model with 12" tires. The bearings will see less rpm's. Tool box in the front - the only way to go. With the box in the back, you'll have negative tongue weight if you want to tow without tires. I'd hate to imagine what it would be like to pull a trailer that was trying to lift the rear of the car. Bumps would really suck.

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