Trailer for Exotics?

you'll likely have to buy one unless you can find a local place to rent a quality trailer. unless you'd like to put it on the crap that uhaul rents.....

 

I'd see if a fellow Fchatter local to you has one that you can rent.
BT

 

You may be better off hiring a transport co to take it to the track and back since it's once per year. By the time you look at all the steps involved, you will see what I mean.

I have the same issue. Will most likely need a trailer for 6-7 times per year. Total PITA. It's the little things beyond just getting the transport trailer that just add up.

You will not only need a trailer but also a truck/suv capable of pulling the trailer with proper hitch etc. There are also other important accessories for stability & balance which is very important.

I'm sure many here can chime in regarding safe transport & equipment terminology.

 

Post an ad on the local SCCA or racing club site and see if a racer will rent you his trailer.

If it was me I'd look at this a great opportunity to drive the car, 7 hours each way why don't you want to do that. It'd be a good way to shave down those R compound tires LOL.

Seriously I've seen guys at open track days with some mickey mouse trailers just so they couls haul their track tires behind their exotics.

 

i just use a featherlite open trailer. same as a u-haul trailer.

 

6-7 times a year, definitely worth buying your own trailer.

 

Yes, especially since it is a 45 minute drive to the nearest trailer rental yard from my house.

But once a year I would go with a private transporter and either follow along or fly. Maybe drive back.

 

From experience. A rental trailer from a uhaul yard won't cut it for an exotic. I have the same issue with my lowly (pun intended) 308, I had to get a custom trailer built to fit the low mid-engine car. I only track about 4 times a year, but really prefer not to drive to the track. Plus you can bring track wheels and tires, jack & tools etc. My solution was a lightweight open trailer and hitch setup to allow me to pull with my daily work truck. Cost : trailer and related stuff about $3500, offsite storage is about $100 a month.

If I was going 6-700 miles, and only once a year, I would opt to go with a small transport company, less cost in comparison.
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If you don't have experience loading cars and towing trailers you are likely to cause more damage towing your car with any trailer than just driving the car to the track. Especially with low ground clearance cars and minimal decent strap points the random trailer and straps won't cut it. I have seen so many rookie damaging mistakes like driving a car up on trailer and hitting the tow vehicle, driving up the ramps with door open and then scrape door paint off on the trailer fender, using old straps on wheels and scratching up wheels, towing in gear damaging gearbox, hitting car while backing up, breaking spliters on improper ramps, sliding off ramps propped up with lumber...the list goes on.

 

Call Exotic Car for hauling - very reliable - from the Florida Keys to North Carolina they charge me $895 - if not and you want to buy- a Feather Lite 28' hauler. You will probably have to install tie downs on the floor to match the car which included cutting the floor but they can send the extra parts needed. It is a small trick deciding where the car should be in the hauler for proper balance - depends on your tow vehicle - maybe not the best idea if you are a novice hauler. Thsi is my hauler and I can go 80 mph with a load
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come on, everyone starts off as a novice!

 

i have been looking at getting a trailer. how safe is it to "winch" the car up onto the trailer vs driving it up ?

 

perfectly safe. but it's easier just to drive up! unless you can't get out of the car.

 

u can get a renegade toter + trailer

 

Better to winch it up than to slip the clutch. Make sure it doesn't bottom on the way up or down.

Featherlite or C&C... Beavertail... Aluminum...

 

what rating winch would be appropriate for a 3-4,000 lbs car ?

 

http://www.etrailer.com/electric-winch.asp

don't forget though, your car might have a problem (say, broken ball joint) which causes a wheel to drag and it will no longer be a "rolling load".

 

5k is fine, you are ROLLING the weight so it is not pure resistance (dead pulling weight) and even a 2k lbs winch is fine BUT.... if the car becomes unrollable you then need to DRAG it into the trailer. MAKE SURE you have the winch mounted properly to the trailer's frame. As an alternative, a strategically-located dolly can allow the car to roll onto the trailer.

PS: loved my Series 3000 Cargopro aluminum trailer even better than a Featherlite. Sadly, Cargopro is gone i heard, so if you find a good used Thule Cargopro at a good deal i would seriously consider buying it if you are in the market.

 

I winch only. You need a winch just like you need a trailer for your track car. One day something will happen like a shunt, fire, blown motor, busted oil line etc. and it is just easier to winch than you try and find 5 strong buddies. My winch has paid for itself many times over. You also have slow infinite control of the load to prevent damage to it and yourself. once you winch you will never go back to driving a car on the trailer.

 

any experience with these rollback versions ?

 

maybe i'm doing it wrong, but i find it much easier just to drive up. i have a featherlite open trailer. if i had an enclosed it would probably be a different story.

 

Well... I still miss my apexes that's why I winch.

 

lol!