Need Urgent Help - New Trailer

[spdrace11]

Do you guys with modern FF's (with almost zero ground clearance) use trailers with or without beavertails?

I have a new trailer on order and they are about to start building it. They fax'd me today and said with such low ground clearance I need to delete the beaver tail - and please confirm by tomorrow (thx a lot!) I understand the dimensional (theoretical) problem of the car hanging up on the "ridge" between the flat floor and the beaver tail slope - but surely the lower loading height of the beavertail is the better compromise.

What do you guys with modern FF's do?

Appreciate immediate comments from anyone.

Derek

[size="1"][ January 13, 2003, 07:35 PM: Message edited by: dereklola ][/size]

[uda]

I'm probably the last guy to give advice to you on this subject but I don't think I've seen a trailer without a beaver tail.
Many guys have to put boards on the back door to roll over and get the car off the ground a bit.
I've never used an enclosed my self.
Just for everybody's info what are you getting and how much?

Hybels

[Chuck Gillis]

Derek: Get the beavertail. I put my VD in the trailer and haven't yet had to do anything special and clearances run about 1.25 inches in the front and 1.75 in the back. Without the beavertail, you will spend a lot of time raising the front of the trailer, or spend a lot of money on long ramps. My transition ramps are 36" long aluminum diamond plate, hinged to the tailgate. Short and sweet. gm

[Keith Carter]

Get it. 100% not a question.

[Tonis Kasemets]

[quote]Originally posted by dereklola:
[b]Do you guys with modern FF's (with almost zero ground clearance) use trailers with or without beavertails?

Derek[/b][/quote]I would get it. One note...when I haul my Swift in a Wildside with a beavertail, the bottom *does* rub on the transition. It is minimal however, and I don't see it as a problem. On my tiny semi-open trailer, I just engineered ramps that fold out and do not require a beavertail. (Trailer is much lower to the ground however.) You should be O.K.

[Racer Bill]

One more point - be careful to make sure that
they don't put too severe an angle on the
beavertail. My previous steel, open trailer had
a short, steep beavertail, and even my Triumph TR-4
got hung up on the "hump" The Swift wouldn't even
come close. I had to make extra long ramps that
went all the way to the top of the hump. My new
trailer has a much shallower, longer beavertail,
and works fine with the Swift.

John

[size="1"][ January 14, 2003, 05:51 AM: Message edited by: R John Lye ][/size]

[Scotty Segers]

Get the beavertail. If the car rubs on the bottom, just build up the wheel tracks (with, for instance, plywood) to raise the car enough to clear.

[size="1"][ January 14, 2003, 07:08 AM: Message edited by: DaveW ][/size]

[spdrace11]

Thx all - seems to be general agreement with my first choice which was beavertail and add internal "runways" if necessary.

To the guy who asked "what?" - I'm getting an all aluminum gooseneck for a vintage (should say historic) F3000. And before you all say "Wow $$$$$$" - the whole outfit including trailer will come to about 1/2 what a late model FF would have cost me!!!

Again - thx all - Derek

[dude22]

Another thought, if you have some spare wheels you are not using (too beat up, questionable integrity, ugly, etc) you could mount some high aspect ratio street tires on them, and just use them when towing, or at the shop. The taller aspect ratio might get you a skosh more clearance, and you won't have to worry about trashing tires while towing.

[DS]

I agree with Rob's comments. I have a beaver tail hauler (18') Carson Hauler, I mounted a set of narrow street tires to an older set of wheels. This gave me extra ground height, worked perfect. Also, allows me to store the car on street tires, instead of the racing slicks.

Craig

[Don Becker]

I was at Lime Rock at a National event and saw what I think was a winged FA or FC. It had really big "bicycle" tires on it. They were not really bicycle tires, They must have been motorcycle tires mounted on a customized rim for storing and loading the car. It was very interesting.

[Scott Pinkney]

After you get the beavertail, find a local supplier for aluminum grandstad seats. Get a sufficient length to make 2 ramps that you can attach to the beavertail and you will not have clearance problems.