Backround story:
-"A Group" driving spot for the trackday and you want to have fun chasing around Emilio, Sonny, Moti, Ryan, and whatever other awesome people you meet after only knowing them online. (you want to be "competitive" at the fun trackday)
-10 other Ohio/midwest cars in the caravan. (potential need for spares and tools)
-5200 miles
-1 trackday
-No cruise, no AC.
-Less-than-stock rearward visibility due to CoT wing and tiny side mirrors.
-You'll be staying in Motel 6's with no secure parking.
-You happen to have a Flyin Miata lightweight hitch recevier that showed up on a parts car.




Options:
A: Buy a $600 set of fresh 225/45/15 BFG Rivals or Hankook RS3v2. Drive out, drive trackday, drive home on the same tires.

B: Buy $350 Harbor Freight utility trailer, ~$150 tag, title, wiring kit and drive out on currently owned street tires while towing currently owned race tires and a much more thorough spare parts kit, jackstands, jack, ez-up, etc.


What would MT.net do?

 

As long as your **** is solid, get a trailer for that bitch.
The down side is that tow home would be ridiculously expensive.
Make sure you buy a spare for that trailer and repack those little wheel bearings before you go. I wouldn't trust harbor freight wheel bearing packing and grease. Also will be a long drive going the speed limit or lower the whole way.

 

I owned an HF tire trailer once. The idea of trying to tow it 5200 miles in a week fills me with horror. Given the two choices listed, I'd go with A.

--Ian

 

I tried the HF trailer route. On the first event the car broke and barely made it home. Not even sure how the motor ran with 70% leakdown... Second time I tried it the car shot the crank pulley out and that was it. AAA ended up refusing my tow an I was stuck at the track. If you can find a way best bet is to tow your car out.

Also see you at MRLS. I am in A group too.

 

What was the reason cited? Was it due to having the trailer with you and trying to get that transported as well?

Every time I have used AAA it's been quick and pain-free. I've had a tow-truck drive right into the pits at WSIR, pick up a friend's car who had broken down on-track, I gave him my card and signed for the tow, and off they went to his house.

-Ryan

 

There reason was probably related to their own stupidity. Also when I mean refused they refused to honor my AAA premier. When I first called I told them about the trailer and that the car will need a flatbed. They said that would be fine but there would be an extra fee for the trailer and I was fine with that. So the tow first tow truck that comes is one that just lifts the front up which well never work even without a trailer. Actually every single time I have used AAA they ignore me and send this type and I have to wait twice for a truck. Anyways so the second truck finally gets there and the driver is unaware I have a trailer and does not have the ability to take it. He calls in then is told that AAA refused service because ironically enough I was at Autoclub Speedway. That was when I decided I should probably buy a truck.

 

I really want to participate in the caravans and a truck and trailer would prohibit that. Although, I do have the opportunity to borrow both. Borrowing is another liability in and of itself...

The logical part of me is leaning towards fresh Rivals, remove the wing, stock hood, re-installing wipers, radio and some vented side windows and calling it at that. Keep it simple, keep it 'more miata, less racecar' and enjoy the event instead of worrying about all the extra variables.

 

Fresh tires. Don't grenade the motor. Don't futz around with a HF trailer.

 

If a group of you is caravaning and if there is an extra person coming, you could all chip in for a support vehicle. Would be easier for you guys to bring tools and spare. In the worst case someone in the group breaks you can rent a uhaul trailer and tow it back.

 

Fresh tires, reinstall the wipers and radio. maybe the stock mirrors. I'd leave the hood and wing.

--Ian

 

Rental van or pickup pulling a car trailer or dolly with car on it or nothing. If you break anything you will thank me.

 

I couldn't imagine trying to pack a miata for a trackday AND a cross-country trip. I'd definitely want a trailer. A new, untested HF trailer is definitely a gamble in itself, though. I'd start by trying to rent/borrow an already built, registered, and tested trailer from a local autocrosser. Most of those guys have nice setups with a locking box and locks for the wheels/tires. If that doesn't work out, then buy and build your own. Definitely repack the trailer bearings, and definitely carry a spare set of bearings and a spare trailer tire plus the tools for those two jobs. Walmart had the correct size tires for my shitty little trailer, so you should be able to get more spares anywhere along your route if things go way wrong. You can probably sell it to an autocrosser and get most of your money back after the trip.

 

+1 to wipers, rivals, keep the wing, use a blue tooth speaker for a stereo and play miata tetris. should be doable. I do it all the time out here without issue. With a caravan you prob don't have to carry all your tools with you since other people will have them.

See you in september. Come visit say hi thepass and i in the blackbird fabworx booth. I'll be out in A/B group giving rides.

 

There are two models of HF trailer. One that uses little 8 inch wheelbarrow size trailer tires, and one that comes with real 12 inch trailer tires. Do not buy the model with the tiny tires.

On that long of a drive with a car not meant to haul a trailer, you might want to see if you can fit a load levelling hitch onto the HF trailer and FM hitch. Would make it a bit safer.

 

Options:
A.1: Drive out on your street tires, buy a $600 set of fresh 225/45/15 BFG Rivals or Hankook RS3v2 in California, drive trackday, drive home on the same tires.

 

Option 3: Buy a conversion van and a cheapo trailer on craigslist, sleep in it to save on motel fees, don't bother with registration because you have a 45 day window for that, tow your car there and back, sell conversion van and trailer when you get back.

 

I have some serious soul searching to do. I was trying to diagnose and repair a simple belt squeal on cold start up, which led to finding a broken water pump. Replacing the water pump lead to finding some fairly serious crank keyway damage.

Need to either Loctite fix the current crank, source used bottom end/longblock or pick up one of the many miatas for sale here... before Laguna.

 

Do you own a welder?

 

No.

 

Do you know anyone who owns a welder, and likes beer?