Hows your trailer set up?

[LenFC11]

I just got a new to me 22' trailer 8' wide approx 6'6" inside heigh. not much has been done inside, so I am wondering, how did you all set up your trailers? Please post pics and comments. What did you think was great, what wouldn't you do again? What products did you guys use for storage, cabinets, etc. I look forward to seeing and hereing what everyone has to say.

Cheers
Len Amato

[Ian McKechnie]

Len:

We also have a 22' trailer. You can take a look at it when we see you on May 7th. Also, talk to Doug, as he made all the stuff that is inside.

Ian

[Phil Picard]

Hey Len
Its a work in progress.
Simple lift with 2 winches. Can carry 2 cars and golf cart or 3 cars with noses off on bottom cars. Secure to a 6g impact. Under $500.00
Still figuring out tire rack and platform mount locations

[fatbillybob]

Wow. That lift is really cool. Where do you get one of those or did you make it up yourself? I have never seen that is a puller trailer.

[quattro2.8]

Hey Len
Its a work in progress.
Simple lift with 2 winches. Can carry 2 cars and golf cart or 3 cars with noses off on bottom cars. Secure to a 6g impact. Under $500.00
Still figuring out tire rack and platform mount locations

Super pimp

[LenFC11]

phil,


I like that set up!! Sweet!! Iwant to take a good look at it in person when I see you at the track. eventualy I would like the option for two cars, but for now I am looking more to see how to store all the other stuff. I had my smaller trailer set up nicly, everything had a place, looking to do something similar but just want to see how everyone else does it to get options, as this will be my last trailer purchase, and the last time I have to do this, (hopefully)

Anyone else care to post some photos of how the inside of the trailer is set up??

thanks
Len

[Charles Warner]

I have two of these racks, one on each wall. Good use of space and secure but easy to get to.

[Brian]

I find it's really easy to put more stuff in my trailer than I can actually tow...weight is a big issue! I can tow about 8500 pounds max but the truck doesn't really like it. The trailer starts out at about 3800 empty, two cars are about 2500 pounds, 1500 pounds of spare tires, minimum tools and spares, tables, chairs, canopy etc. gets me up to 7800 pounds. I need to now add trailer furniture, tire racks, cupboards, etc, but the risk will be just filling them up with stuff...

It's so tempting to put the tool chests, etc, in the nose of the trailer but you can go over the maximum tongue weight really quickly.

Brian

[LenFC11]

Charles,


nice wheel racks, i like the simplicity, and low profile of that set up. I like the idea of keeping it simple and light and want to carry that theme throughout



I agree weight is an issue, espicialy for my 1/2 ton pick up, that is the next up grade, but this is an all aluminum trailer, so she is fairly light compared to a steel trailers, empty weight is approx. 2650 lbs

keep the photos and comments coming guys, i only want to do this one time, and i know theres tons of experieince here

[Frank C]

I would like to know the techniques used for mounting tire racks, workbenches, etc. to trailer sidewalls. The trailer frame ribs in the walls of my new used trailer seem pretty flimsy, and of course they are covered by panels. I have considered a tire rack design that would hang from the ceiling. Are the ribs strong enough to support something that heavy? How are tire racks on the sidewalls mounted? Can one drill the ribs for through bolts or pins parallel to the wall, or does one through bolt perpendicular to the wall? I already know that there are different opinions about the strength of mounts to plywood floors! I have received advice to just use wood screws to mount E-track to the floor.
- Frank C

[Charles Warner]

My tire racks are lagged into the trailer braces. I had a custom trailer built by BBB in Illinois so maybe his side wall braces are bigger than standard. I have not had them come loose after 4 years. Using them for 8/10" wheels there is not much leveraged load on the mounts.

As for E track to floor, I used self-tapping large head screws and a drill, installing them in every third hole. No problems with that arrangement for over 10 years.

[Thomas Copeland]

Hi Phil,

How high is your trailer? What material did you use? It looks hand made.

[carnut169]

Here is how I did my trailer.

Etrack in the floor allows you to shift thew car around to even the load. Mac's Custom Tie-downs makes fantastic wheel-net straps with the etrack clips built on for our tires. My suggestion is to get two different colors for the front & rear. The cabinets came from Home Depot except the top one that was in the trailer when I got it. Since the photo was taken I've added etrack all over the place... its awesome. Nice thing about the tire rack is that its very easy to remove.

[Phil Picard]

Note the load rating of your E track, I think it’s awesome for most things, but be careful about the car; of course Im only is talking about impact survivability.

As far as my trailer goes its 6’3” inside height. Yes the lift is hand made, home make. My neighbor is an M.I.T. engineering who drew it all up, and did all the load calculations prior to building it (I am not that smart) it can be removed from the trailer in 3 minutes. A 2 winch, independent switching arrangement is required to “tilt” the upper car to allow the lower cars roll bar to clear the rear cross bar. Working on one car in the trailer is much easier. Gear changes with out making a mess……Priceless

[fatbillybob]

Note the load rating of your E track, I think it’s awesome for most things, but be careful about the car; of course Im only is talking about impact survivability.

As far as my trailer goes its 6’3” inside height. Yes the lift is hand made, home make. My neighbor is an M.I.T. engineering who drew it all up, and did all the load calculations prior to building it (I am not that smart) it can be removed from the trailer in 3 minutes. A 2 winch, independent switching arrangement is required to “tilt” the upper car to allow the lower cars roll bar to clear the rear cross bar. Working on one car in the trailer is much easier. Gear changes with out making a mess……Priceless

Phil,

Do you think you could post closer up pics of the lift and its workings? This is just awesome.

[Frank C]

Phil:
How are the vertical posts for your lift connected to the trailer frame? Didn't your first version use some timber framing?

Charles/Phil/anyone:
What size lag bolts/lag screws do you recommend for mounting to trailer ribs for things like tire racks?

- Frank C

[Charles Warner]

Frank,

Mine are about 3/8 diameter and 1 inch long. Supplied by the builder, they appear a bit more substantial than your everyday hardware store lag bolts. Also used to hold the plywood walls on. You can just see one in the picture above the tire.

[racer27]

Being that we are limited to 16' in out trailer space is tight. Between races, I plan to maxiumize storage by taking advantage of the stoage between the "Floor Joists". We'd store spares we don't need to have quick acess to down there. Spare head, Rockers, case of oil, etc. It should help keep the trailer clutter free and at the ssme time shift the hiehgt of the load closer to the ground and closer to the axles making towing easier. I eventully plan of putting in some of those 1/2 height cabnets on the front & side walls (Next time a see someone doing a kitchen remodel).

Also for Small tool and aeriol Can storage, i'm not gettign racks (Cost, Weight & Space Isseus), but rather picked up at Pep Boys 2 canvas tool holders. The one for cans, $16, has enough pockets for a total of 10 cans (Break cleaner, CD 40, Silicone lube, etc), The one for the tools holds all my screw drivers , Pliers, adj wrenchs, clamps, etc. These are mounted to thh inside of the door with a scew on each corner. Also added a white board and 3 clip boards. Planning on mouting my open-end wrench and paper towel holder. Goal is to get most of the commpon tools out of the tool box and on the door.

Another space saver would be moving the trailer spare tire outside.

Lastly, I'd suggest making accomidations for your gear. A hook for your suit, rest of stuff can go in a chaep knapsack (Shoes, socks, Gloves, Underware, restraints, Helmet, Visors, tear-offs, etc). Better to have this stuff in the trailer, then in a box that you have to remember to load.

[Phil Picard]

Hey Frank.
Yep the first trailer was all wood affair, Ambrose has that trailer now. This trailer (26 ft) is a “drive on” lift that elevates.
2”x 3” angle is attached through to the vertical wall studs. On my Cargo mate the wall studs have the two face side inward unlike a Wells Cargo where they face out. #12 Tech screws, paired at 8 inch intervals, each screw is worth about 100 lbs of load/ shear. The top of the angle is bolted through the trailer. The top plate of the wall studs is substantial steel angle from the manufacturer.
Note: I removed all the plywood off the walls for the engineer to perform a full analysis of this trailer construction prior to design of the lift. Too much is at stake to just bolt up this stuff not really knowing how much it can take.
Racks are a different story. That entire load is up high on the wall. My lift post brings the load to the floor. I would first see which way your “ribs” are faced.


Top left photo shows early construction. That is the ramp on the cross bar, same size steel but rotated. Later, small pieces of angle are tacked on and 8in wide plywood is attached

Top Right shows the cross bar that is slotted to plug into the mounted angle

Bottom left shows the winch side of the lift, front pulleys. The axle bolt is drilled tight through the angle then welded; this side carries both cables load (right and left front) and requires that end vertical for support to that small angle welded to the post. The clip allows removal of the vertical to service the pulleys. The cable seen at the ceiling is goin across to the other front post, then down to the cross bar.

Bottom right shows the winch, note 1 cable, just above the picture the cross bar cable loop through a thimble and the single winch cable hooks to it. This makes it easier on the winch; front and rear winch speeds remain consistent
All of these shots were during construction some stuff has been slightly tweaked since these were taken.


I’m off to Chicago for a week so if there is still interest in my lift I will take more photos and post them when I get back.

Hey Ambrose, You still want the 2 car set up for your trailer?

[LenFC11]

Lots of good ideas, in the past I have used mainly open shelving, but it seems like cabinets may be the way to go. Any other pics would be welcome


Phil,

is the lift set up built into trailer, or is it a free standing unit that is bolted in? I notice you have it directly over the wheels for weight, how do plan to use the space behind the cars? can tire racks be mounted there or would that interfer with lift?

cheers
len

[Phil Picard]

Len,
It’s bolted in. the ramps and cross bars lift out in seconds.
I’m still debating where to put the tire rack. I have learned not to build it all at once but to do some races to experience what might work better than just sitting in the driveway thinking about it. Also I get great ideas from other trailers
The space behind allows me to build wall racks for the platforms and scales. Also by moving the lower car forward I can put my golf cart in.

[RussMcB]

Here is a link to two pictures of my tire racks:

http://russmcb.dominodeveloper.net/m...tures/TireRack

Here's what I like about them:
- The tires are flush against the wall (less intrusive - no ducking)
- The tires sit on shelves. The shelves are supported from the floor, so less reliance on wall attachments. Lower shelf is actually the top of the inner trailer fender.
- They were easy for me to create without special skills.

I didn't quite have room to fit a third row of tires, so I put cabinents on top. Home Depot's Mill's Pride brand offers several diffent sizes of unassembled cabinents. I purchased two 15" x 12" x 36" plain white cabinents.

If you look closely, you will notice that the smaller front tires are somewhat held in place by the vertical 2x4's. By putting the vertical 2x4's next to the skinnier front tires, I was able to keep everything closer to the wall.

The second shelf is supported by two short horizontal braces connected to the E-track on the walls.

Any of you should feel free to copy this ingenious idea. Just send me $5. :-).