Tire Trailer <long>

[Ned Coonen <ncoonen@xxxxxxxxx>]

I promised an update on my quest for a tire trailer to a number of
list members months ago. I'll be glad to fill in the blanks if anyone
is interested in further detail. The story just gets too long to bore
everyone with.

My goal was to find a convenient way to get my track tires out of the
back seat and some of the tools and other paraphernalia out of my
trunk when traveling to driving schools and auotcrosses. My wife
Marcia comes along whenever she can as volunteer help. Her allotted
luggage space for the overnight trips kept shrinking ("but I've got to
have jack stands...").

After much research and head scratching, I ended up with a 48"Lx40"W
utility trailer from Northern Hydraulics 1-800-533-5545
http://www.northern-online.com. The website is pretty weak and you'll
get a catalog much faster by calling. The trailer I bought is Item
#125427-C132 as this one has 12" wheels instead of the standard 8"
wheels. Worth the extra $40 if you plan on high speed highway miles.
(Order a spare tire while you're on the phone Item# 121600-C132.)

Once you assemble the trailer, you have a 40" wide by 48" long open
frame. Bolt down a prepainted piece of 3/4 plywood to create the basic
platform. Next I built plywood box with a drop door across the back of
the trailer. Viewed from the back, the box is the width of the trailer
with a tailgate that opens like the Dodge station wagon your dad used
to drive. I built this box about 16" high but am going to replace it
this winter with one that's about 24" high - may as well be as high as
tires. Viewed from the side, this storage box can be at most the
length of the trailer platform, 48", less the diameter of the tires
you're carrying, for me that's about 24". Here again, I built it
smaller but am going to up size the replacement to about 24".

Now, you have a flatbed trailer with a box on the back. To restrain
the tires, I built a 3/4" angle iron "fence" that extends toward the
tongue from each side of the tool box and around the front of the
trailer. The fence is about 12" above the bed and is supported by
vertical pieces of angle attached to the trailer frame. The tires sit
loosely in this space. I use a couple of nylon ratchet straps to hold
them together and keep them from bouncing around. I also run a stout
cable through the wheels and padlock it to the frame. Extra physical
security and theft protection. I'm hauling 235/40R17 tires on 17x8
wheels so the four tires are less than 40" wide when standing shoulder
to shoulder. If you're running 255 tires, you'll need to extend the
"fence" a little wider because these stand about 42" wide.

I installed a Da'Lan hitch (from HitchMasters or order direct from
Da'Lan) on the car. Be ready to drill 10 (!) 3/8" holes in your
precious Bimmer. Went on, as they say, without a hitch. Trailer wiring
is easy, everything you need except the turn signal adaptor is behind
the left tail light access cover in your trunk. (The adaptor converts
discrete turn signal lamps to flashing brake lights for the trailer;
get it at Trak or Pep Boys.)

I've put about 1000 miles on the trailer so far without a problem.
Last school I attended was quite wet and it was a pleasure to keep all
the wet dirty stuff out of the car. I figure that the trailer, tires,
and tools weigh in at about 450 pounds. The trailer is rated for 1000;
the car ??? Tows at 80 mph straight and true.

Don't have a website, digital camera or scanner so words will have to
suffice. Those who've seen it - including some list patrons - thought
it looked good. Be glad to answer questions, just drop me a line. Oh,
the cost...

Trailer           $180
   UPS delivery     70 !
Spare               42
Wood                45
Hitch              200
Paint etc           25
   Total     $562

...ned.
'98 M3/2 [BLACK M3]
BMW CCA 127659 
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