towing on open deck trailer?

[Ted Idlof]

that looks awesome! the only thing i'd kind of be worried about is the front corners of the trailer look like they might poke through the tarp if they are stressed. Do you tow it with the tarp on or is that just for when it's parked?

Both the cockpit cover and the full tarp are secure and tight enough for towing. The elastic cargo net minimizes the tarp "slapping" and I also put a blanket over the car to keep the tarp off the paint. As for the corners, the tarp's tight enough that it doesn't chafe. But I may still put some foam over the corners. I'd tow with it all the time if it wasn't 30 minutes of work to put on. (I'm 1/4 of the way home in 30 minutes).

One other thing about open trailers (if this wasn't said above), have a full deck to avoid spray and crap coming up from below. Add your own plywood if you have to.

[JonV]

Being the "King-of-Cheap",

You think you're the king of cheap? Ha!




I've done a lot of work to get the trailer balanced and functional, so it doesn't look as bad now as it does in the pic, but that is my tow pkg.

The new "king of cheap"

[rhoffman]

anyone towing their formula car on an open deck / flat bed type trailer? i'm about to get a car and thought an open deck trailer will be cheaper and easier to tow, and i won't have to upgrade my tow vehicle (toyota tacoma v6 w/ tow package).

even if you are not doing this, any recommendations for or against would be great.

An open trailer is a lot better than no trailer at all

Honestly, over many years, I've had open and enclosed trailers. While enclosed is really nice, open works just fine. Better towing fuel economy, and everyone on the highway gets to see your cool car! Get a cheapy party tent (like from Walmart) and you've got cover at the track from the elements.

My father in law was a national contenter in F Vee many years back and used a station wagon and an open trailer (for that matter he did his own engines on the kitchen table). There are plenty doing it this way, good luck.

[Jonathan Hirst]

Very little steel on my SV, mostly aluminum & fiberglass.

+1 for the SV owners. My 2001 SV650s tops the "most fun" list in my garage.


Jonathan

[Purple Frog]

Scott is correct, he does have me beat in the "King o Cheap" category when it comes to trailers.

But, having been too cheap to sleep in HI Express, I did haul my FC on an open trailer for four years... behind a Nissan Quest.

One advantage to open trailers is that when you slow down for small towns all the kids do know you are hauling a real racecar, not antique furniture or lawn mowing equipment.

Nothing terribly bad about open trailers. I suggest they have a splash panel in front of the race car. Probably doesn't need to be more than 18" high. Add to that a sealed bottom on the trailer, and you'll eliminate 90% of the grime from hauling down the highway in mixed weather conditions.

I rolled my car up on 2x6s that formed raised rails on the trailer floor. That way i could get all the canopy poles under the race car. Also, i picked up a pickup truck bed tool box and mounted it above the splash panel at the front of the trailer. It carried a lot of "stuff". Much of the other stuff was in Rubber Maid plastic boxes we dropped in between the wheels of the racecar. I had a tire rack that crossed the trailer above the cars cockpit. Everything on the trailer was designed with keeping the proper tongue weight.

I have come to believe that if you plan on racing on a budget for many years, it might be wise to spend a bit on building an efficient trailer. That investment in doing things 'light', will pay off if you don't need to buy some 350 diesel dually to get the car to the track.

[Jim Nash]

I could not help but chime in on the "open trailers can work great" thread. I used the one shown for 10 years with never a problem. The storage box, refered to as "the frig", held a lot of stuff and covered the cockpit to deter vandels. I parked it many a night without covers etc and never had a problem. The aero might not be the best but it was very light.

Jim

[JonV]

I have come to believe that if you plan on racing on a budget for many years, it might be wise to spend a bit on building an efficient trailer. That investment in doing things 'light', will pay off if you don't need to buy some 350 diesel dually to get the car to the track.

Absolutely true. The biggest problem I have with towing with the VW is tongue weight. I may have to invest in the optional and heavier rear springs to carry the extra weight this year.; although that remains to be seen since I am putting a heavier MC engine in the back of the car and that might create a better balance. Other than that, the car does amazingly well towing down the road, and I have no problem maintaining 70-75 mph. In fact, it is easier to maintain that speed than it is to maintain a lower speed.

350 dually I don't need no stinkin' big gas guzzling truck

[Tom Duncan]

I was in your same situation about this time last year. I could afford (and had a place to put) an enclosed trailer but I would have had to get a bigger tow vehicle (bigger than my 2005 Chevy Astro) and was not keen on the weight and size. The Astro is perfect for my work and non-racing travel, so I was really trying to feel OK about an open trailer. I had been towing a CF for 19 seasons with the classic lightweight single-axle "Penny" (for "Pennysaver") trailer with great success. The only problem I had with it was I would forget it was there.

It was way to narrow for my new FF (98 Van Diemen), and it was well used when I got it 20 years ago, so it was time for a change.

I chose what's refered to as a "utility Trailer", 2 axle, with brakes. Like this one:




( http://www.bigtextrailers.com/tandem_axle.html )

The second axle is nice security, plus it has electric brakes, more security, and it can be also be used as, well, a utility trailer. It's like a flatbed (wood all the way across), but has rails along the front and sides. I liked the idea of 'containing' whatever was inside these rails, being tool boxes, awnings, gas bottles, and of course the car itself. I covered the front and part of the sides with galvinized sheet steel (get custom made with rolled edges from heating and AC shops) to keep at least some of the dirt/spash off the loaded surface and to have someplace to put all my stickers. I got a 16 footer, so I could play with the balance (tongue weight, via position of car) a bit and have some room to put additional items onto it. I mounted two 20" vertical posts made from ordinary iron water pipe with threaded ends and a flange mounted to the floor in front of where the front wheels of the race car sit. Each holds a front and rear tire (wheel slips over post), retained with a threaded end cap on top. In front of that is an area about 1.5' x 7' (to the front rail) that holds the awning, set-up bars, and the fuel bottle in one corner. I have never liked carrying fuel in a container inside a closed vehicle.

I bought it brand new, and the base price was about $1700 as I recollect. I did add ramps, a foot for the jack, a spare tire and mount, as well as the wiring for the van, but those things are optional.

The trailer weighs about 1500 pounds empty, all-up weight is probably about 2800 pounds, well under the limit for the Astro and your tow vehicle.

When you shop for utility trailers they invariably come with a one piece wire mesh 'ramp' hinged at the back, stored upright when towing. A better air brake there is not. I managed to find one trailer on the lot (in red, no less!) that didn't have said air brake...at $100 cheaper! I spent the money (and more) on these lightweight aluminum ramps...:




( http://www.pacwesttrailers.com/Oxlite/ridemower.htm )

...that you can lift with two fingers. They are curved to help with loading.

I added a fabricated 'tailgate' to the trailer that slips into the horizontal slot along the rear lip and is retained by two clips at the corners. Even though the car is secure, I just couldn't stand having that opening back there!

I too thought about how neat it would be have all the spares and tools in the trailer so I wouldn't have to schlep them, but if you use some sort of sealed plastic container scheme its just not that much trouble. I have 8 of these boxes, 4 each fit between low rails bolted to the trailer load floor, between the race car wheels. They get stored in my garage just a few feet away, on shelves facing out of the garage and towards the driveway. It takes maybe 5 minutes to move them all. A small price to pay to not have to spend the money on an enclosed trailer, ($4000 minimum, used), spend more money on a tow vehicle ($8000-$12000 minimum), and not have all that weight and size to be responsible for.

As to a day or two with the race car on the trailer and outside the garage, just put a tarp over it and bungie the corners. How long are you going to leave your racecar in an enclosed trailer?

We will now be towing with a 26' motorhome (spent $$$ on a tow vehicle anyway, didn't I? ), so the back-up camera is a must. They can be had for less than $100, and they work great. Wireless, very easy to hook up.

The rig ends up being quite bitchin, the blue race car with the yellow wheels sticking up in the center of the red trailer, surrounded by the support material. You can play with that "yes, its my car, I drive it, and you don't" sort of thing with others on the road...

Tom Duncan
RF98-EVOII Van Diemen FF #27
San Francisco Region, SCCA

[Brian]

"How long are you going to leave your racecar in an enclosed trailer? "

Most winters my trailer stores minimum one race car, bodywork from three cars, between 3 and 8 sets of wheels and tires, two pit scooters, and all of the various stuff that has somehow become indispensable at the track, like the little welding bottles, the canopies, the lawn furniture, etc...

Open trailers are great if you only have one race car, or tons of storage space, or aren't a notorious packrat... I have two, actually - but I love my enclosed trailer for a bunch of reasons!

Brian

[Charles Warner]

Brian is spot on. An enclosed trailer can easily make economic sense and certainly makes loading/unloading much easier and far less time consuming. Having to load and unload a daily driver van or truck is such a pain. And, the first time it rains on a cold day at the track you will be able to sell space inside your trailer, especially if you have a torpedo heater going. It always seems to work out that you need to do some sort of intricate work just about the time it starts to blow. Much easier inside a waterproof shelter with heat and lights. Throw-up canopies just don't cut it and are usually more of a liability when it rains.

Someone is advertising a nice sized outfitted trailer for $4500. Well worth the investment IMO unless you only go racing a couple of times a year.

[RussMcB]

+ 1

My enclosed trailer is always filled with something. In the winter time it has body work, wings, wheels, tires, toe gages, etc., ...

It's really nice having that extra room for storage.

[T644HU05]

The biggest drawback to an enclosed trailer with everything stored in it...everything gets stolen at one time.

[Chas Shaffer]

My feeling has always been to buy the best trailer you can afford. Enclosed and light (aluminum) is best, then enclosed and heavy (steel) then open but the key is don't let it stop you from racing. If all you can afford is a small open trailer then go for it. When I started I used a livestock trailer for two years. We had to pressure wash it clean every time we used it to haul the car. Over time I worked up to bigger and better trialers.

We took a lot of abuse when we'd show up but we didn't care, we were racing!

[Tim FF19]

I can only imagine what kind of damage a horse could do to a front wing

[Scott Gesford]

I wish I had a picture of my first tow rig from my dirt racing beginnings. It was a 1950 something ford pickup with a chevy motor and auto trans. It would do 100+ but tended to weave around a lot going to the races. The wipers were vacuum powered so if you didn't go fast enough they didn't work. Great memories.

Chas, who's the skinny guy in the driver's suit? I know, I should talk. You should have had a driver's suit made to look like bib overalls.

[Chas Shaffer]

Chas, who's the skinny guy in the driver's suit? I know, I should talk. You should have had a driver's suit made to look like bib overalls.

Those were the good old days.... dairy farmers turned racers. I never checked the fire rating of my carhartt's. I guess I got fatter once we stopped getting up at 2:30am to milk the cows.

Someone should start a thread on first race cars and first tow rigs.

[KevinFirlein]

good to see a picture of the real Charlie. Its still a better trailer then the flatbed Bert showed up with last time he raced

[Alan R Guibord]

When my son and I started out, we had an old open trailer. The first weekend we learned, the hard way, that it needs to be connected to the car before you load and unload it.

[racer27]

When my son and I started out, we had an old open trailer. The first weekend we learned, the hard way, that it needs to be connected to the car before you load and unload it.

Who has not done the tetter totter thing, with the small open trailer? I know one guy who pulled his car up with a remote winch, trailer came up and rolled forward right into the back of his SUV...

[Jon Jeffords]

Who has not done the tetter totter thing, with the small open trailer? ...

Guilty as charged. Not once, but twice. First time with a shifter kart, second time with a FF. Both times were due to being in a mad rush with an insufficient amount of sleep. Still have the dimple in the back of the '91 Explorer as a badge of honor.

[SSpiffytoo]

Here's my solution to the ramp drag problem; I put a simple linkage on that allows me to fold the ramp. I actually did drag tests using the %load output from the OBD2 computer in the tow car, at 60 the drag reduction is ~10% and at 70 it's ~20%. Better, at 70, the PCM doesn't go into "enrichment" so the mixture stays at 14.7:1 instead of 12.2:1.

Normal:



Folded:

[Beartrax]

Nice job with the folded tailgate. I borrowed a trailer like that to pick up a garden tractor. Towing that "parachute" of a tailgate cut the MPG on my Audi A4 in half.

[Eric Cruz]

Who has not done the tetter totter thing, with the small open trailer? I know one guy who pulled his car up with a remote winch, trailer came up and rolled forward right into the back of his SUV...

Haven't done quite that, but I did pull away from my paddock spot at Summit many years ago without first securing the car to the open trailer. The shudder when the car high-centered on the back lip of the trailer alerted us to the problem. There were few people left in the paddock at the time, but fortunately, and with great embarassment, we were able to get some volunteer help to lift the back of the Zink and push it back onto the trailer. Haven't done such a thing since, but I imagine it would really make a mess inside my enclosed trailer....

Best regards,
Eric

[Dave]