I got my trailer used from Charlie Davis - I think it's a Ford utility
trailer from the mid-80s. As far as I know, it's not made anymore.
For tire trailers, there are basically two ways to go. Cheap or
expensive. Cheap is the way that most people go - get the Harbor Freight
trailer frame (if you can, get the one with the bigger, 12" wheels), then
build a rack for your tires and bolt on a big box for the rest of your
junk. Randy has a pretty nice setup, and so does Scot Zediker, Harold
Olson, Craig Boyle, and Dennis Armstrong. Your best bet is to wander
around the paddock at the next few events - I'm sure you'll get a whole
bunch of ideas of what to build.
If you're willing to pay the bucks, you can get a prebuilt trailer - here's
one that looks pretty nice <http://www.southsporttrailers.com/track.html>.
Jim
At 10:26 AM 10/9/2001 -0700, Clifford Richardson wrote:
>Sounds like a project. I'm not too creative when it comes to building stuff.
>You could point and say do this and do that, but left up to me, I'd stare at
>it for days before figuring out what to do. :-) Your setup sounds phenomenal
>though. Got any pics?
>
>I saw Jim this past weekend, but I didn't pay attention to his trailer.
>Maybe he'll see this post and chime in...His tire sizes would be more up my
>alley.
>
>-Arnold
>"Gee, Brain. What are we going to do tonight?"
>"Same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try and take over the world!"
>
>
>
> >From: Randy Noll <rnoll98@yahoo.com>
> >To: Clifford Richardson <the_brain7@hotmail.com>
> >Subject: Re: Sac events 9 & 10, V700s and crazy people
> >Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2001 09:31:47 -0700 (PDT)
> >
> >check out Scot Zediker's trailer (silver miata). I think his is based
> >on that trailer and he built a wooden box on top. Holds 8 wheels and
> >tools. fully enclosed.
> >
> >on mine i bolted on a 'tuf box' which is about a 100 gallon bin that
> >takes up the whole front half of the trailer, then put two poles to
> >hold tires on the back half. i drove it all the way to nationals
> >through thunderstorms and it worked great. The box locks, the wheels
> >lock, and it keeps the overall weight to a minimum.
> >
> >just some more thoughts. in my setup i can fit 6 wheels, air tank,
> >enough tools to pull the engine if necessary, jack, jackstands, spray
> >bottle, moving blanket, air compressor, and still have room for more
> >stuff inside the bin...
> >
> >Jim Ochi has a really slick little enclosed trailer (black M3 in
> >street mod). That might be the best way to go. he fits 4 wheels and all
> >his stuff in there. Not sure where he got it.
> >
> >Randy
> >
> >
> >--- Clifford Richardson <the_brain7@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > > Thanks for the website, but I'm looking for a trailer with a lid...
> > >
> > > -Arnold
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Randy Noll" <rnoll98@yahoo.com>
> > > To: "Clifford Richardson" <the_brain7@hotmail.com>
> > > Sent: Monday, October 08, 2001 1:36 PM
> > > Subject: Re: Sac events 9 & 10, V700s and crazy people
> > >
> > >
> > > > Arnold,
> > > > Glad to see you're having so much fun. If you are going to continue
> > > to
> > > > run your car i'd suggest just putting everything inside the car.
> > > You
> > > > should have enough space to fit all the wheels, jack, tools, etc.
> > > (i
> > > > can fit all that stuff in my MR2).
> > > >
> > > > I tow a trailer and it's just more fun to drive to events without
> > > > having to go 55mph on the freeway or worry about parking somewhere
> > > with
> > > > the trailer.
> > > >
> > > > Now, if you're getting a miata i'd suggest the 3'x4' utility
> > > trailer at
> > > > harbor freight (www.harborfreight.com). That's what most people
> > > use,
> > > > they cost about $130-$150. You then need to find a trailer hitch
> > > for
> > > > your car (try www.hitchweb.com) Then you can use plywood and build
> > > up
> > > > tire racks and bolt on boxes to carry stuff in.
> > > >
> > > > I have a trailer but if I can i'm going to start carrying the stuff
> > > in
> > > > the car, then just unload it all in my pit space, much easier.
> > > Tires
> > > > can go in trash bags to protect your interior. Moving blankets are
> > > nice
> > > > to pad everything with.
> > > >
> > > > have fun,
> > > > Randy
> > > >
> > > > --- Clifford Richardson <the_brain7@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > Aaaaahhh...a whole weekend of autoxing. Can it get any better?
> > > > > Probably. For
> > > > > now, I am content. On the way home, I noticed I was flooring the
> > > gas
> > > > > at
> > > > > every green light. It took some conscious restraint to hold
> > > myself
> > > > > back.
> > > > > (sorry for the long post, I ramble a lot).
> > > > >
> > > > > I got to try, for the first time, the Kumho V700 on my car. Yeh,
> > > I'm
> > > > > a
> > > > > little late in the game, but you have to understand something,
> > > I'm
> > > > > clueless
> > > > > when it comes to this kinda stuff. I mean I only recently learned
> > > > > what
> > > > > negative camber was! I thought it was too much work (and $$) for
> > > only
> > > > > 3 runs
> > > > > to buy a trailer, another set of tires(or an entire car), an air
> > > > > tank(or air
> > > > > compressor), adjust this and that, do a run, adjust air pressure,
> > > > > second
> > > > > run, adjust, open the hood to cool the engine then final run.
> > > Then
> > > > > change
> > > > > tires back, pack up and go home. All that in roughly 4 hours. All
> > > > > this
> > > > > doesn't include all the other work that goes into the car of
> > > course.
> > > > > These
> > > > > people are nuts I thought.
> > > > >
> > > > > Hehehe...please don't flame me, finish reading first. :-)
> > > > >
> > > > > My very first autocross was at GGF on July 15th. While I had a
> > > blast,
> > > > > I felt
> > > > > my automatic 318i needed a lot more power (I still do, but that's
> > > > > another
> > > > > story) before I could really get competitive. Many of you
> > > encouraged
> > > > > me to
> > > > > work on my skills rather than blaming the car (What!?!? You mean
> > > I
> > > > > suck!?!?). Yeh, I did get a lot better(ok, maybe just a teeny
> > > bit).
> > > > > One BMW
> > > > > Performance Driving School and a few (6) autocrosses later, I
> > > think I
> > > > >
> > > > > finally learned the limits of my tires (Michelin Pilots) and so
> > > > > decided to
> > > > > try the Kumhos I got from Peter Thana. I was told I could shave
> > > 2-4
> > > > > seconds
> > > > > on those tires alone. Well, I put them to the test this weekend
> > > at
> > > > > Mather
> > > > > Airfield.
> > > > >
> > > > > The course was sweeeet! It was long, challenging, had some wicked
> > > > > turns and
> > > > > a chicane. I'm sure someone else could explain the course better
> > > than
> > > > > I. All
> > > > > I know is I was spoilt! 4 runs!!! Sunday's course was even
> > > better. It
> > > > > was
> > > > > the same course, but reverse with the addition of a slalom and
> > > > > adjustments
> > > > > at the end. On both days, the weather was pleasantly cool and
> > > there
> > > > > was
> > > > > plenty of time for fun runs.
> > > > >
> > > > > Talk about relearning how to drive! I was still driving like I
> > > was on
> > > > > my
> > > > > Pilots(read slow). In my 4 official runs, I could go no faster
> > > than
> > > > > 1:28.xxx. For comparison, Integras were pulling around 1:22.xxx
> > > give
> > > > > or take
> > > > > a second. I did manage to beat only slightly heavier or less
> > > balanced
> > > > > cars.
> > > > > Lucky for me, the Sac chapter only has 4 run groups for the
> > > entire
> > > > > day so
> > > > > fun runs soon followed. It was then, I got the hang of these
> > > sweet
> > > > > tires. I
> > > > > cut my time by 4 secs!!! And I know I could've done better cause
> > > on
> > > > > both of
> > > > > my best runs, I screwed up in the same spots. On Sunday, my time
> > > was
> > > > > more
> > > > > consistent after dropping 3 secs off my first official run. Time
> > > > > difference
> > > > > just hovered b/w .2-.5 secs. best time was 1:12.917. I didn't do
> > > much
> > > > > better
> > > > > in the fun runs: 1:12.719 no cones. I did get to 1:12.2xx but I
> > > > > killed a
> > > > > cone. Again, i could've done better. Kept screwing up at one
> > > > > turn..should've
> > > > > taken an early apex. Anyway, by then, I noticed the tires were
> > > > > starting to
> > > > > lose grip since I got them used with virtually no thread left,
> > > and
> > > > > also
> > > > > drove on them all weekend. Still, I was grinning like a Cheshire
> > > cat
> > > > > by the
> > > > > end of both days.
> > > > >
> > > > > So what did I learn?
> > > > >
> > > > > 1> the difference 2-5 lbs of air pressure makes
> > > > > 2> brake HARD!
> > > > > 3> V700s ROCK!!!
> > > > > 4> this is gonna get expensive ;)
> > > > >
> > > > > Now to most, if not all of you, this is not new. Indeed, the
> > > concepts
> > > > > were
> > > > > not new to me, but there's no teacher quite like personal
> > > experience.
> > > > > First
> > > > > thing I noticed about the V700s, they were virtually silent! none
> > > of
> > > > > that
> > > > > screeching my Pilots did almost all the time. Second, these
> > > things
> > > > > STICK! I
> > > > > felt planted and even when I took some turns a little too fast,
> > > > > recovering
> > > > > was so much easier. Some guy asked what class I was running and
> > > > > couldn't
> > > > > believe that my car was stock! Yup, I was grinning stupidly at
> > > the
> > > > > dubious
> > > > > look on his face. (teehee)
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks, Michael, for letting me use your air tank. It took 2 runs
> > > to
> > > > > figure
> > > > > out I needed more air in my tires and boy did it make a
> > > difference!
> > > > > Liam,
> > > > > thanks for letting me drive your 330ci! Put V700s on it and
> > > you'll be
> > > > > faster
> > > > > than me!!! hehehe...And thank you all for the many pieces of
> > > advice,
> > > > > solicited or not, that have encouraged me to keep coming back. So
> > > > > now, I'm
> > > > > shopping for a trailer I can tow my wheels in, an air tank and a
> > > > > professional quality tire pressure gauge. I'll be ordering a new
> > > set
> > > > > of
> > > > > Kumhos when these are totally worn. Looks like I'm hooked. I'm
> > > even
> > > > > considered purchasing a friend's Miata as an autocross car...I
> > > must
> > > > > be
> > > > > nuts...8-]~
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks for reading if you've made it this far. I have a hard time
> > > > > reading
> > > > > emails that are this long.:-) So now I'm asking for more advice.
> > > What
> > > > > should
> > > > > I be looking for in a trailer?
> > > > >
> > > > > -Arnold
> > > > > "Gee, Brain. What are we going to do tonight?"
> > > > > "Same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try and take over the
> > > world!"
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > _________________________________________________________________
> > > > NEW from Yahoo! GeoCities - quick and easy web site hosting, just
> > > $8.95/month.
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>
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