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Can a roof rack hold and transport a set of track tires? This may be a better option for me than doing a trailer hitch conversion. Anyone with experience or advice on this?
It's been done before. Usually they try to lay them flat for wind resistance. I think the roof rack is rated for 150 pounds. Why not just throw the track tires on before you go? you have a long way to go?
if the rack would fail, you would end up with a huge repair bill and possibly harm other people on the road.
I am not sure it is worth the risk. I thought about it too, but a small trailer is the way to go.
If you install tires, you will need a bunch of tools anyways and you don't want them to lay on the floor while you are on the track...
Thanks for all of the feedback. Regarding just having the weight up there, the roofs are designed strong enough to survive a roll over crash and support the entire weight of the car. I seriously doubt that roof collapse would result from more than 200 lbs. COG and aero would be adversely affected, but to and from the track shouldn't really be testing this limit either. Now, risk of cosmetic damage from dropping a tire or something, that would be more likely.
The track that I'll be going to most is about 135 miles from home. I'd stay at the beach house which has a lot of sand around to drive through. So, not something that I'd want to expose sticky tires to. I love the idea of the trailer, but the installation looks somewhat intense and I'm stuck having to store a small trailer at my house as well. It would have to hang from the garage ceiling, or keep it outside but my space is pretty limited there and exposure to the elements wouldn't be good for any of it.
I seriously doubt that roof collapse would result from more than 200 lbs. COG and aero would be adversely affected, but to and from the track shouldn't really be testing this limit either. Now, risk of cosmetic damage from dropping a tire or something, that would be more likely.
i'd be more concerned with the rack breaking off/killing someone behind you. who knows all the reasons exactly why it's rated at only 160 but i def wouldnt bet someones life that porsche is only concerned with roof collapse/denting your roof as opposed to the connections not being able to withstand the higher weight at speed.
i'd be more concerned with the rack breaking off/killing someone behind you. who knows all the reasons exactly why it's rated at only 160 but i def wouldnt bet someones life that porsche is only concerned with roof collapse/denting your roof as opposed to the connections not being able to withstand the higher weight at speed.
Aren't your wheels under 160? at least 3 of them and one in the back seat. I'd put the tools in a rubbermade bin and put them in the cab or frunk myself.
I'm more of the camp of "run what you brung" track tires but I'm probably not as serious as some folks so I'm not 100% sold on the roof rack approach.
The idea of a trailer scares me personally just as much as anything else though. I feel like I can hardly take a trip down the highway in the summer without seeing a boat trailer missing a wheel on the side of the road.
I've been thinking about this too.
I usually find a guy in my club that will haul my track tires for me. But I do hate asking all the time.
Nobody minds, and I always buy them some wine/beer to say thanks, but I hate to impose.
I'm liking the suggestion of three tires on the roof and one in the cabin. That would get it down to 160 lbs.
I have my gear for the track down to filling the frunk and one rubbermaid in the back. I bet I could put a tire in a bag in the back too.
my two cents--if you can swing it, go the hitch and track trailer route, to the alternative of putting them on a roof rack or driving to and from the track on track tires.
I don't know about the rest of you, but when I used to track (I spent 18-22 weekends a year at the track from 2000-2006), I was dog tired on Sundays after spending two days on the track. The prospect of foisting 4 tires and wheels up on the roof, is no fun. Make a mistake and you're gonna have a nice roof dent/damage to deal with.
And track tires stink in the rain, especially on the street--one Sunday it was pouring down rain, and I drove from Motorsports Ranch in Cresson Texas into town to change my tires and wheels under a closed gas station's over hang. It was about a 7 mile drive. Talk about a handful--we're talking an AWD turbo, and it was skating around like crazy.
I had a Willwood hitch on my turbo--nice piece. Worth the price.
If you want to go the hitch & trailer route, the parts manager, Randall, at Park Place Porsche in Dallas has a nice set up on his Cayman S. It is just large enough to accommodate a set of mounted track tires/wheels and tools. I could be wrong, but as I recall he made it himself and can make more. Very professional looking and very stable, according to him. FWIW
This is a guy down in Texas who has the standard Porsche roof rack with extra crossbar support he added for his GT3. He said he has done this for awhile without issue.
Purchased the stock Porsche cross bars and then made my own tire rack. It's a little over 200 lbs with 4 wheels on top which admittedly is over the factory specifications, but it held up well doing 80+ mph on the way to/from the track. I think next time though I'll just put one wheel/tire in the car and only have 3 up top. In my estimation it's not that the roof itself can't handle the load (think roll over type strength) but it's the 4 bolts that hold the rack to the nuts embedded in the roof which I think will be the weak point relative to emergency breaking type situation or an accident.
I stood the wheels upright to try and get the air to flow through them as best as possible. Laying them down would have been great, but I liked the simplicity of this design and with a simple 5 spoke wheel, it wasn't creating toooo much drag... (so I tell myself)
08-04-2011, 04:32 PM
roof rack for track tires?
