Hey guys -

Thought I'll ask here since some of you are towing their cars to the track.

I'm gonna be purchasing an open trailer for my miata in the next week or so (before the BW event, yay!), and besides of the size that I need to get I'd be happy to know what you guys suggest -

Since the car is fairly light (say 2300) and I'm not going to put anything on the trailer other than the car, does it matter if I get a trailer with 5000 or 7000 lbs rating?

My car is pretty low as far as ground clearance but I can't fit a dovetail trailer in my parking area, any recommendations as far as how to get the car onto the the trailer without hitting the tranny? Longer ramps (do they make them?) ?

I understand some trailers have electrical brakes and some hydraulic brakes, any recommendations? Does it make any difference with my car's weight anyway?

Any other thing I should know about?

Thanx in advance!

Moti,
95 Turbo miata.

 

What are you using for a tow vehicle?

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showt...hl=towing++boat

 

Haha, that's hilarious, the guy is insane !

Well, fortunately, I have a better tow vehicle - my GMC sierra Z71 which is more than enough for the task, but hey, if I ever get stuck with my truck I might give the S2k guy a call to help me out ...

Moti,
95 Turbo miata
2000 Sierra 4WD

 

I would get a two-axle trailer for when a trailer tire blows out, which they always do. Most axles are rated @3500lbs, making most 2-axle trailers good for 7000lbs. On open trailer can weigh anywhere from 1200 for a superlight aluminum one to 3000+ for a fully floored steel & wood one.

I would get electric brakes on at least one axle, and a brake controller for your tow vehicle. The Tekonsha Prodigy controller works great. For that light of a load you probably won't need any load leveling or anti-sway gear - just take your time to figure out the optimal balance point for the car on the trailer.

Get some long ramps (8' works great) for loading and unloading. Most ramps are shorter than this. Aluminum ramps are lighter and less of a pain to deal with.

Other than that, be sure to check the condition of the trailer tires frequently. Trailers tend to spend the majority of their time sitting around in the sun, which dry rots the tires long before the tread is worn out. Always carry a spare (I carry 2).

2004 was my first year towing - did in excess of 10k miles and the only problem was a blown-out tire. Sure beats the hell out of making the trip in the race car!

 

Great thread, I'll start towing next year as soon as I get the Titan.

Lots of my BMW Club Racer friends tow, some go all out with enclosed trailers containing generators and some are at the other extreme, 1-axle and an open floor. For myself I too am planning to go to a double axle, it just seems a safer way to go.

What I would really love is an open floor Texas Roll-back trailer, I just don't know if I'll have the money after I buy the Titan.
http://www.texasroll-back.com/how.html


I have seen but one of these in person, it was just too cool. The approach angle is one of the flattest I have seen and you don't have to screw around with ramps. Getting the car on and off is so easy it just ain't funny. When this thing shows up in the paddock area, it draws as many people as the beautiful BMW on top of it...

 

Another reason trailer tires blow out (probably the main reason, in fact) is that the wheel bearings go bad. Put the best ones you can on there. When they go bad they generate a lot of heat, and that blows the tire out.

I've been in a tow vehicle that lost one tire on a two-axle trailer. It almost flipped us. Had it been a one-axle trailer, it probably would have flipped us.

On the other side, my dad has a one-axle trailer that routinely hauls as much or more weight than you are talking about, and it's never had a tire blow out. But the axle, tires, and bearings all came off of a house trailer, and are rated way higher than the weights actually encountered on his trailer.

Electric brake and separate controller. Especially if you will be taking your trailer over any mountain passes.

 

Been there. Done that. Many times. Trailers are great, but they do can lead you to travel heavy. And the trailer will have more than the car. At least the ramps. And likely you will end up with a canopy and chairs, or a box to hold jack and wrenches, jack stand and straps when not in use.

This is long because it is really aggrevating to run into problems.

Reserve at least a full day to get the trailer and car set up ramps, positioning for tongue weight, need for more tie down points. strap system, brake set up and adjustment. A week is better.

two axle. The only advantage of single axle is manuevering by hand disconnected. With a tongue wheel they can pivot in place. two axle has more capacity, is more stable towing and transfers less load to the hitch under braking (this causes tow vehicle front wheel to unload and lock up.

Electric brakes are cheaper, but you have to buy $50-$70 brake controller and install on tow vehicle - often a pain. I recommend you get the slightly more expensive controller that senses decelleration and applies brakes proportionally, rather than simple controller that just applies brakes at a manually set rate whenever the brake light comes on. You find hydraulic or "surge" brakes mostly on boat trailers because they can handle being underwater. They also require no controller thus ready to go so with no installation. Inherently proportional since they work when ever the trailer trys to overrun the tongue, which compresses and activates a master cylinder to apply the brakes.

Even with a car hauler (no side rails) remember that the fenders can block the doors. Less of an issue with a convertable since you can climb out then raise the top. Measure.

Drop axles give lower bed height for stability, rear visibility and reducing loading clearance, but raise the fenders relative to the bed.

Soild axles are less expensive, elastic spring arm "axles" are smoother and each wheel is completely independent. Also lighter and allow lowest bed height.

Most car haulers have a drop tail to help the loading clearance. Long enough ramps solve it also. I've seen many people use the short ramps that come with the trailer, and put various homebuilt starter ramps usually of wood under the end to lengthen and reduce slope. I haven't seen it done but "rhino ramps" from Pep Boys would work if you worked out a secure connection to the ramps.

Plan ahead for straps and tie down rings. Most people use four 10K lb ratchet straps. Home depot and Tractor Supply have the best pricing. The trailer may not have rings in the right places, so plan to bolt or weld on. Tractor supply and Northern Tool are sources.

Adjust the brakes before you drive. I have never seen a new trailer with brakes adjusted. Can jerk sideways as well as fail to work properly, or drag all the time.

Research the best way to tie straps to the car and get any special hooks. I'm sure the miata forum has this figured out.

Gregg

 

Spare tires. Have one. Or be clever and have the trailer wheel bolt pattern match the one on your tow vehicle, assuming diameters are similar of course.

Failed tires. one flat tire fails two. two axles disguise low tires. The inflated tire holds up the low one. use guage not eye. The inflated tire often fails first. The underinflated isn't carrying load, overloads the full one whichs then overheats and delaminates. If it deflates, the underinflated tire may fail when the load drops on it. Light truck or trailer tires are better than passenger tires.

 

Thank you very much guys, especially Gregg!
Great info here, definitely helpful, I'd probably go ahead and get the trailer next week or so, I'll make sure to get everything nailed down as suggested.

Where do I get this brake controller and how / where can I check the tongue weight?

BTW, I posted the same post at the miata forum and got some good info there too, here's a link for the ones of you that want to read more .

Moti,
95 Turbo miata.

 

I got my controller from http://www.etrailer.com - along with a pre-wired harness to go with my truck. It looks like they have 'em for late model GMs which should make the installation plug-and-play for you.

There are various tricks to check tongue weight but in general I would just try to get the vehicle's weight close to centered over the trailer axles and fine tune from there. Fuel load in the race car along with any gear stowed inside it will affect the best position. If you find the ride very bouncy while towing, you likely have too much tongue weight, meaning the car is too far forward. If the trailer is swaying greatly from side to side, then you probably don't have enough tongue weight, or the car is too far rearward.

My flat tire experience wasn't as dramatic of the others here, but I definitely noticed it right away. This was with a loaded trailer @ 4000# with the loaded truck @ 6500#+. Had the trailer been heavier or the truck lighter, the tail may have wagged the dog. If I ever have tons of $ burning a hole in my acct. I might look into the heavier load-range trailer tires. I've heard the new Goodyear Marathons are a derivative of semi-truck tires, and in the heavier load range (D instead of C), should last a very very long time servicing a lightweight open trailer.