jlanka

Wow! I never knew this was an option. Thanks a lot!

StoogeMoe

Hey no problem!

Actually it's two exits down. There's one at 26, which you don't want either. That takes you to the Country Inn. Exit 24 is the one!

dgrobs

I'll take that as a vote for the MDX...

And exit 24 it is!!

Edward

Oh, and buy locks!
I had two Master locks for the tongue: one for the ball for when the trailer was in my driveway so you couldn't just back up, hook on, and steal it; the other for the tongue-release latch so with the lock on with the trailer hitched to our suburban, it offered peace of mind against someone just disconnecting it and go off with trailer and 911!

Edward

Frank 993 C4S

Yes! ... and always keep duplicate keys for those locks in your tow vehicle.

jlanka

or a hacksaw...

Shandingo

Below are my checklists. As I am new at trailering, I cannot claim to be an expert. I have loaded and unloaded a few times now but the checklists are new and have not been tested yet, so I am sure I am forgetting a few steps. The references to cameras and monitor relate to the Hyndsight cameras and monitor that I have, which I have used a couple of times for both loading/unloading and for use on the road to see behind the trailer as I am towing. I put the monitor in the Porsche while loading and unloading to monitor the car's location on the trailer/ramps while I am sitting in the car using the winch remote to operate the electric winch. I mount two cameras during this process - one on the tire rack and one on the center beam of the trailer at deck level just behind the winch platform uprights using vice mounts that I bought from Hyndsight. Both are wide view cameras and the trailer is a Trailex CT-8045EB with the spare tire and storage box mounted behind the rear fenders. It also has the adjustable tire rack for extra wheels. When I am towing, I mount one Hyndsight camera on the rear window of the Porsche with a suction cup mount so the camera sits just below the rear wing. This setup gives me an unobstructed view of what is behind me and is wireless. The other camera is not used during towing and is a backup for using when the battery dies on the primary camera.


Loading:
1. Ball grease applied to hitch ball
2. Trailer attached to tow vehicle
3. Locking lever on coupler down and safety pin in place
4. Double check from below coupler that ball is locked in place
5. Extra wheels secured to tire rack with straps
6. Rachel straps on extra wheels are locked closed
7. Safety bar on tire rack locked on both ends
8. Invisihitch locking pin pushed in
9. Safety cables and brake away cord attached
10. Carabiners closed after safety cables attached
11. 7 pin connector from RF brake controller attached to tow vehicle
12. 7 pin connector for trailer plugged into RF brake controller
13. Check all wire/cable routing and secure with straps
14. Tow vehicle in park and parking brake set
15. Trailer wheels chocked on (forward and reverse)
16. Ramps are locked in place
17. Ramps spread apart at correct width
18. Race ramps in place
19. 1x6 boards in place
20. Cameras in place and monitor in car
21. Cameras turned on
22. Note whether cameras are in mirror mode
23. Side mirrors adjusted downward to see rear wheels
24. Tow hook securely screwed into nose
25. Winch connected to tow hook
25.a. Winch power cables quick connect connected
26. Winch remote receiver attached to winch
27. Winch drum engaged position
28. Winch remote is in car
29. Move orange cones out of the way
29.a. Close door to storage box on trailer
30. Tow vehicle engine running
31. Car engine running
32. Car in neutral
33. Load car
34. Set parking brake on car (on trailer)
After Loading (before driving away):
35. Check parking brake is set
36. Car in neutral
37. Front wheels touching wheel stops
38. Axle straps in place
39. Tighten front ratchet straps
40. Tighten rear ratchet straps
41. All 4 wheels ratchet straps tight
42. All 4 wheels ratchet straps have at least 3 layers of webbing wrapped
43. All 4 ratchets are fully locked (with locking pins engaged)
44. Extra webbing on straps secured
45. Disconnect power cables from winch and stow
46. Raise tongue jack all the way up
47. stow race ramps
48. Secure race ramps with straps
49. Stow trailer ramps under trailer
50. Lock trailer ramp door
51. Move camera monitor from car to tow vehicle
52. Move cameras from Loading position
53. Mount one camera as rear view camera
54. Remove slack from winch line and secure winch hook with straps
55. Put car windows up
56. Remove car key from car
57. Lock car doors
58. Stow car key in pocket or in tow vehicle
59. Tailgate on tow vehicle is closed
60. Brake controller hand held unit plugged in
61. Brake controller power/boost settings correct
62. Check trailer lights and signals are working
63. Turn on rear camera
64. Then on camera monitor
65. Set camera monitor to rear view mirror mode
66. Make sure trailer keys are not left behind
67. Walk around trailer and double check everything
68. Check tire trailer tire pressures
69. Stop driving after a few minutes and check everything again (especially if tires are hot, as pressure will drop)

Unloading:
1. Trailer still attached to tow vehicle
2. Coupler still locked down (check from below coupler)
3. Coupler safety pin in place
4. Extra wheels secured to tire rack with straps
6. Invisihitch locking pin pushed in
7. Safety cables and brake away cord attached
8. Carabiners closed after safety cables attached
10. Tow vehicle in park and parking brake set
11. Trailer wheels chocked on (forward and reverse)
12. Remove ratchet straps and axle straps from all 4 corners
13. Ramps are locked in place
14. Ramps spread apart at correct width
15. Race ramps in place
16. 1x6 boards in place
17. Cameras in place and monitor in car
18. Cameras turned on
19. Note whether cameras are in mirror mode
19.a. Close door to storage box on trailer
20. Side mirrors adjusted downward to see rear wheels
21. Tow hook securely screwed into nose
22. Winch connected to tow hook
23. Winch power cables quick connect connected
24. Winch remote receiver attached to winch
26. Winch drum engaged position
27. Winch remote is in car
28. Move orange cones out of the way
29. Tow vehicle engine running
30. Car engine running
31. Car in neutral
32. Disengage car parking brake
33. Unload car

dgrobs

Thanks for all the advice.
I got all the duplicate keys in the tow vehicle.
2 keys for every lock on the trailer, 2 keys for the Cayman S, and 2 keys for the tow vehicle.
I am usually not this nervous about anything, but I am really nervous about this first trip.
Just need to get this first one behind me and I'll be fine.
I have noticed that while practicing towing the car on the local roads and highways by my house these past few days, almost every other driver on the road around me either gives me a thumbs up for the car on the trailer, or the middle finger for driving at the speed limit and not faster. WTF is wrong with people? Don't they know I'm already nervous?

Shandingo

I also wanted to ask if anyone can share their loading/unloading procedures. As I noted in my post above, my current process involves using an electric winch and operating the winch form inside the track car. I also use cameras to monitor where the car is on the trailer/ramps. However, I am still very nervous about loading and unloading without a spotter walking around the car. I have considered operating the winch from outside the car, but I am not sure I would feel any more comfortable operating the winch with nobody in the car to put the brakes on if something happens with the winch or if the car starts to roll too fast toward the winch once it is up on the trailer (my driveway has a very slight incline - 1 or 2 percent that slopes down toward the front of the trailer, but loading in the driveway is much more convenient). I also have to unload in front of my house which has a bit more slope than the driveway (rear of the trailer is on down hill side), as I have a very hard time backing the trailer into the driveway when it is loaded. I use a trailer dolly to move the trailer into the driveway after unloading in front of the house.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Hope this does not hijack the thread.

DTMiller

They're idiots. Wait until one cuts in front of you approaching a red light and slams on the brakes in the space you had planned to stop in.

Except the thumbs up people, they are fine citizens worthy of our appreciation.

dgrobs

The people who give me the middle finger? Why would they be worthy of our appreciation? They are being mean to me.
I assume you mean the "thumbs up" folks? Or am I misunderstanding what you wrote?


Edit: Never mind. I understand it now. Sorry. Never mind.

jlanka

Have fun Bruce! I really enjoyed lightning last weekend.

dgrobs

Thanks.

sbelles

Yes, that always adds unwanted excitement to your day. Also be careful not to leave "too" much room in front in traffic or people will dive in from the other lane while going much slower then you are. You have to be a little agressive or you will get put in bad situations.

rpetty3

Boy that’s the truth well said.

Checklist and always recheck. If you have a “gut” feeling to check something pull over and do it.