chpmnsws6

iTrader: (12)

How much weights on the tongue when your on the brakes..... assuming the trailer has brakes?

TheBirdmanJD

iTrader: (2)

I wouldn't go with a tow dolly, the one's I've used have no suspension, which makes them tow terribly. I'm sure it puts a lot of extra stress on the vehicle in tow, especially a low one with short suspension travel.

I've towed the miata with a tow dolly, and wouldn't do it again.


Bird

mr_hyde

iTrader: (4)

Does the miata 6 speed oil itself with the motor off? I've always heard miata MTs didn't but I assumed that was all of them, not just the 5 speeds.

billybobster

A friend and Audi Club instructor tows his Cayman S on an aluminum trailer behind his Audi A6 Allroad (1999-2005). Looks like an A6 Avant (wagon) but it's got a burlier twin turbo 2.7 V6, more ground clearance and a four position air suspension. It looked very at home with the loaded trailer hooked up.

Besides, if your Miata breaks at a track event, you can track the Allroad. That's what he tracked before he got the Porsche. I've been on track with Allroads and they can go fast both in a straight line and around corners.

Scrappy Jack

iTrader: (2)

billybobster - I have a neighbor that, to abuse hustler's catch phrase, brings the romance back to track days. He told me about one event where he had three people with him so they tracked his Cayman S and the Cayenne they used to tow it there.

Just recently the Cayenne was otherwise occupied so he bought a roof rack and strapped his four wheels with slicks to the roof of the Cayman S and drove it to Roebling (about 600 miles round trip).



I am pretty sure a stock Miura was ~2800 pounds. Just sayin'.

tzdevill

iTrader: (1)

i think the 12 foot deck will still be perfect even with a tire rack. i am gonna build a low tire rack and just have the front of the miata pulling under the rack. It should be done in the next month or two so I will post pictures when it is done.

this picture is something similar that I am gonna do but only holding 6 wheels/tires. Granted they will be 15x10's but, you get the idea.

ZX-Tex

iTrader: (15)

FWIW one of the TxMC guys tows his track car regularly (two seasons now I think) with a tow dolly over distances on the order of hundreds of miles. He is pulling with a larger SUV so that has to be considered.

Load leveling hitches are also an option if there is too much tongue weight for the vehicle. Also just shifting the load on the trailer (if there is room) can help a lot.

Electric brakes and a good controller like a Tekonsha Prodigy are a good idea for any trailer carrying a car IMO.

Laur3ns

I just bought this one:

It's just under 1500lbs and 14' x 6'6'' tilt with ramps. Drive like a freight train.


And YES, it does this:

TheBirdmanJD

iTrader: (2)

That's a nice trailer...looks like it was built for a miata. What do you use to tow it?...Looks like you have a caravan too...you didn't take Top Gear's suggestion for a two vehicle did you?




Do you have any more shots of how the front looks tilted, or the tilting mechanism? And is that canvas in the middle in the first pic? What's the advantage to that? I love the open center trailers, since they give you the ability to work under the car while it's on the trailer.


Bird

Alta_Racer

iTrader: (4)

I use a 12' steel frame wood deck trailer, tows like a champ behind my 1/2 ton. I have to use a winch to pull it on as the doors wont open once it's on. About 1' hangs over the back end, but it's fine like that. The axle is 2/3 back on the deck, I have not weighed the tongue loaded, but I did move the car back and forth 2" or so to find the right placement for it to tow smooth, and nailed down chocks when I found what towed best. I have not had a problem, even as fast as 85MPH. I am now buying a same size aluminum trailer and will sell the old one, it's a good deal and will be close to a cash swap value. I was going to and will add brakes to the axle on the new trailer, just for piece of mind.

Savington

iTrader: (31)

Guilty as charged on all counts. I tow at least 15,000 miles a year, and big hills are a fact of life in California. Having said that, though, I only like towing with half-ton trucks or larger because they are a lot less likely to get shoved around by semi rigs or crosswinds on the interstate. When you're driving a 5000+lb pickup, the ~3500lb car/trailer behind you can flap around all it wants and you won't really feel it, but if you're driving a Q5 with 1000lbs less curb weight and 2ft less wheelbase, a stiff crosswind combined with a passing semi rig can create a real problem. I have some friends who ended up belly-up in a ditch after getting shoved off I-15 by a passing semi rig because they were towing a 28" enclosed with a half-ton truck - too much load, too little tow rig. That's the last thing that should be on your mind after 2 days at the track with 300+ miles of highway ahead of you. When I'm done for the weekend, I want to set the cruise control at 70mph, crank up the A/C and the tunes, and relax.

If you're really only going to tow 5 or 6 times a year, have you considered just renting a truck and daily-driving whatever sports car/sedan your heart desires?

Laur3ns

Just an economy diesel (BMW E61 535d, 272bhp)



Here are some pics of the tilting mechanism:
http://www.woodfordtrailers.com/trailersa_028.htm
This is the light version, I got a slightly heavier one - for when I save up for my 911GT3RS

That is a wooden deck. It's nice when you need to move something that is not a car. I have an open trailer now but never worked on the car like that.

Scrappy Jack

iTrader: (2)

It will remain a registered street car and I have driven to the track with just what I could fit in the Miata (learned to pack efficiently). I am also not the kind of person that will try and swap out a gearbox in the pits. I would rather load the car on the trailer and deal with it later so I would really only be bringing some basic handtools for easy repairs.


The main reason I want to trailer the car is for risk management. If I crash or have a major failure that makes the car undriveable, I want a way to get me and the car home so I can be at work on Monday. Hopefully, it ends up being something that is better to have and not need versus needing it and not having it.

That does seem to rule out the dolly, though.

Gotcha. The 12' (bed length) trailers seem to be a little over 16' in overall length. That seems to be about the max to reasonably fit in my garage.

I'll check in to the load levelling hitches and I'm definitely sold on tandem axle with electric brakes and a good controller should I go this route.


Spooky - Please tell me you are towing with a diesel 5-series wagon.

For reference, I don't even drive all of my vehicles combined more than 10k - 12k a year. It's only about $55/day for the trailer and $20/day for the U-haul truck. That's a bargain, but you have to tack on an extra $0.59/mile for the truck. That's ~$350 just in mileage fees for the Roebling trip.

However, I had not incorporated insurance premiums or state registration and tag for the trailer. I will find out how much those costs. If those were ~$100/month, that might change the math a good bit...

Savington

iTrader: (31)

Jack, call Enterprise and see what they want to rent a half-ton Silverado. They don't charge for mileage.

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

I have never honestly thought of doing that. I am going to look into it. Do you know if there is anything in the rental agreement saying you cant tow with the truck? Do they come with a hitch?

Scrappy Jack

iTrader: (2)

Pick up the phone, Lars. Sheesh.

I just called and they said the half-tons are not allowed to tow. You need a commercial truck for that and those do have mileage fees. Thwarted!

tbro

If it's only 6 times a year, I would being looking at getting someone to who is going to that meet to 1/ see if they have room on the truck or 2/ can tow a trailer that you have rented behind their transporter.

Over here, we can travel over 10000 ks a year just doing the porker run so a proper unit is required and at $600,000 for a purpose built 660hp Volvo with accommodation, 4 car loading and full stand along is probably out of most peoples range. With the MX5 going interstate on the east coast we usually employ a car carrier who takes all the Qld cars,10 or so, or tag onto another teams truck and pay half the fuel and share in the driving ( although I won't let anyone drive mine )
Even buying a trailer seems alot of money for something to sit and don't forget you still need to maintain it, bearing every year, good light truck tyres etc.
The less I have hanging around and getting in the way the happier I am. AND having the Volvo and parking it up cost a bomb as its in security lockup and under cover.
just my 2c worth.

Terry

vtjballeng

iTrader: (1)

A small open trailer with a small lightweight car can be towed with ease on an appropriate small vehicle. My old ranger did this well for years though I recommend a good trailer brake like the prodigy controller. Being pushed around wasn't an issue with this combination.

When I went to a longer, 7x16 enclosed trailer towed with my ranger and subsequently my tacoma I was getting pushed around on the highway and added an equalizer WD hitch which also helps trailer sway. With brakes in good condition and a trailer with brakes and a brake controller everything is great. For an enclosed trailer, I would recommend an equalizer hitch.

We get so caught up here in the US with massive trucks that are sold few other places in the world. They are towing cars in trailers to the track, campers etc in Western Europe constantly with sedans and wagons. They get massively de-rated when coming here because we sue everyone for any wild reason. It is the craziest damn thing in the world to get the Heavy Duty trucks for such light duty towing needs. When I was using my ranger, people would tell me all the time that I needed a 3/4 ton or better to tow my short, 4500lb load.

I tow closer to 1500 - 4000 miles per year depending on events and go through the blue ridge and am always able to pack up at the end of the weekend, throw on the ac, cruise tunes and not worry about a thing on the tow home in my newer truck. If I had a dedicated tow only truck for $4k or whatever many suggest, I'd have another vehicle to maintain and an ongoing worry of something failing on the tow vehicle on my way home.

tblackey

I've had these guys build me several trailers over the years. They are extremely light (700-900 lbs) and can customize pretty much anything.

http://www.montrosetrailers.com/gall...obile_trailers

Ben

iTrader: (33)

I've rented Yukons from Enterprise before. They do have hitches.