E. J. - 993 Alumni

[quote]Originally posted by Silver Bullet:
<strong>EJ - Any progress on the tow vehicle front?... </strong><hr></blockquote>


Yea, of the negative type.

I am waiting for your command to commission a trailer hitch.

E. J.

PeanutinCA

[quote]Originally posted by E. J.:
<strong>Richard,

Be smart and don't risk it. Get a small trailer - you'll just end up with one later anyway after you learn the hard way like I did.

E. J.</strong><hr></blockquote>

DOH!! <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" /> So I just spent another $75 for nothing? Guess I could use it for my surfboard? Gee, I wont look like a yuppy turning up to Trestles in a Porsche!!

E.J. has a point, it's a dangerous risk. My friends car was struck on the freeway by a bouncing spare wheel, flung up by the car in front. Hit his Escalade, smashed the front bumper and grill, bounced off the passenger side front windscreen (didn't smash) and then somehow managed to bounce off the side of the roof/car a third time. Could have killed his ex-girlfriend. Didn't come off someone's roof though, they just happened to cross over the double yellow lines into the carpool lane at the wrong time.

I emailed the South Sport Trailers for a price on the trailer and hitch for a 993 yesterday but no reply? Hope they are not paranoid if a few of us emailed at once?

Thanks for the reality check!!

Dylan.

KOAN

Richard,
I think I spoke to you about this at Watkins Glen. I made a roof rack for my '87 911 out of Thule cross bars and an aluminum basket. I carried four "17 wheels with tires, in plastic bags, at least 20 times, sometimes at 80 mph for several hours. I drove to Watkins Glen, and Road America. I drove through rain and strong wind. I never had any problem, any hint of loosening, and there was not even the smallest mark on the car. I was really careful with the construction of it, and was careful with the mounting and unmounting of it. If I had to do it again (I trailex now), I'd get one of the small trailers that follow the 993. But, if you are against these, then consider my experience with the 911.

Chuck

Marco Polo

I have been using a Southsport trailer for a year now with a hitch I designed and got a local metal shop to fabricate. (I believe that it is a similar design to the Southsport hitch, but I've never actually seen that one.)

The trailer works very well - tracks true and smooth. Just don't try to back up. I enjoy being able to carry a floor jack, a tank of compressed nitrogen, jack stands, and some other bulky stuff. I can even lash a full size EZ-UP shelter between the tires and the tool chest. (I have noticed, though, that everything you take you have to unload and, later, load back up. Keeping it simple has its rewards.)

I attach my hitch to the faces of the brackets beneath the bumperettes. On the inside face of each of these brackets and flush with their sides I secured (with 2 countersunk 4mm flat-head allen bolts) a plate of 3/8" stainless with a hole tapped for a 1/2" bolt. The bumperettes are quickly removed and replaced by their allen head bolts from below. So, I bolt on the hitch for the drive to the track, then unbolt it and reinstall the bumperettes for the weekend. The hitch is only in place when I actually want to tow the trailer. Around town and while on track, everything looks perfectly stock. There's a bit of extra weight, but fixing the plates in place saves me from needing 2 wrenches and from having to keep up with nuts and washers that can drop down behind the bumper cover.

Let me know of any specific questions or reservations you have about this set-up.

E. J. - 993 Alumni

Chuck,

That is a much better roof rack solution than what I tried. I only had the bars. If you can get 4 wheels to sit flat in the basket like you had then I don't see that big of a problem. I think mine was unstable from the get-go with the high stack and the straps pulling up on the bars so hard.

Regardless, it is a progression and everyone that enjoys DEs and racing will go through it. You start with what you think is the simplest, say the roof rack. Then you need to carry more crap so you get a tire trailer (this is where I am now). Then you get tired of watching your friends unload their cars from their trailers and check tire pressure and go right on the track while you are changing brake pads and tires the first morning missing the first instructor session. Then you get tired of watching your friends spend 5 minutes putting their car on the trailer and driving home to earn points with the S.O. and saying crap like "I left early to be with you honey" (when really you know you left cause you were hot and tired and didn't want to stuff it in the tires) while you are left sweating your *** off in the dirt replacing brake pads and tires, mounting a blasted trailer hitch to the bumperettes and loading all your crap into a tiny tool box that you know won't hold it all (this is actually where I am). So you buy a truck and an open trailer. Then you get tired of having to go to your friends enclosed trailer when it rains or is hot (of course it has satellite tv and a/c) so you upgrade to a nice enclosed trailer and a dually to pull it. Then you get tired of seeing the guys have their cars delivered by race shops and prepped for the driver while he flys his private jet to the local airport that's 15 minutes from the track and hops in his car (probably a pretty nice one too) and sets a blistering pace. So you go out and buy a 98 RSR, hire a shop like Steve's to prep it and deliver it for you every weekend and pay a crazy amount of money for your first truly relaxing weekend at the track ever. Oh yea - don't forget to buy the <a href="http://www.ogarajets.com/aircraft_for_sale/Challenger_600_1042/photographs.htm" target="_blank">Challenger</a> too (this one's only 6.2mil)

So in summary, just save the money from the first 4 steps and by an RSR and pay to have it delivered to each track event you want to do.

<img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" />

If anyone still cares, here is my car with the tires on the roof before that fateful drive home from the track.



E. J.

Robert Henriksen

Well, sure, E.J., with a car number like '13', what were you expecting!!??

Richard C2S

Hey, Guys,

Thanks for all of your input and comments. Chuck, I thought you were away and didn't want to bother you while on vacation. Anyway, I'm headed to Summit Point this afternoon with two rear wheels/tires lashed to the roof rack. One of the front wheels/tires will accompany me in the passenger seat and the other will probably be in a friend's passenger seat, although he doesn't know it yet. Obviously, trailering the car would be the best, but already have three vehicles and can't do a tow vehicle and trailer right now. I'll let you know. Thanks, again.

Richard

p.s. I really hope this works because I'm coming back from Summit Point on Friday evening and going to Watkins Glen on Sunday.