ColorChange

I am a little concerned about using a roof rack to transport my tires. I plan to go to R coumpound (MPSC 265-18 f 315-18 r), but I need to get them to the track and I would prefer not to drive them in case of puncture or rain.

I have a TA GTS body kit so it would be pretty ugly to try to install a hitch on the bumperette mounts as my bumper eliminates them. If I go with the roof rack, it is only rated for 165 lbs. and all four tires would be around 200 lbs. I know Jack has done it. I could put 3 uyp top and one inside. I have the TA spare tire delete kit which yields a little more nose room, but I would still be pretty crowded (and potentially messy).

Any thoughts?

TIA,

Tim

M758

Find a friend to transport them for you!

earlyapex

The roof rack with 3 up and 1 in the car sounds like a workable plan. You can put the tire inside a extra large heavy duty garbage bag to keep the inside of the car clean. I'll be doing the same.

JackOlsen

You can drive Sport Cups to the track. One solution would be to simply carry a spare.

Wreck Me Otter

Bumperette mounted hitches are bolted on so they can be removed when not in use.

ltc

I'd go with bumperette mounted hitch and a Southsport tire trailer (light, tows well, diamondplate toolbox)....see a few each time I'm at the track.

I have a Southsport no longer being used, as I bought an enclosed aluminum trailer.

mpaton

I have the Porsche Roof Transport system with a rustic looking homemade collection of 4 lengths of 2x4 and 1 piece of 2" PVC pipe (for the center holes) that happily carries 2 x 295/35-18 and 1 245/40-18 mounted securely enough for maximum braking. The 4th 245/40-18 goes in the front trunk, as I have a 2002 2WD C2. Gas mileage to the track goes down from 26 to 20.5 or so. It's secure, but a pain to reassemble at the end of a long hot track day.

If I don't need the space in the car, then those same 3 tires will fit inside the car in large trash bags, one 295 and one 245 in the rear and one 295 in the front seat. Rear seatbacks are up.

Your sizes are a little bigger, and you have a smaller front trunk, so you may have to go roof rack or trailer. try them inside and see. It's not the width that's limiting, it's the diameter, so you could be OK.

Some people use trailers locally. Let me know if you want more details on the roof rack.

Michael Paton

ps Race Technology DL-1 gets its first outing at TWS weekend after next :-)

ColorChange

Guys, I don't have bumperettes as my Tech Art **** is nice and smooth. In order to do a hitch, I will have to hack the bumper pretty badly to mount some type of bar. I could try to make something to reach underneath the bumper and then back up but this is ugly also (and heavy).

So, for the guys with the rakcs, how easy are they to install and unistall? How badly have you gouged the roof? Is the latching mechanism really solid?

I am thinking 2x315 and 1x265 on top, one 265 (in a bag) in the passenger seat. It might fit in the bonnet. I can put most of my tools and clothes under the hood. With my GT-3 seats and roll bar, I can't get much of anything in the back.

JackOlsen

My rack attaches to the drip rail, and it does some minor gouging when I forget to put a layer of tape between the rack and the paint. But your car would use the more-modern mounts that go into a crease, right? I would think that would provide a better lock, but maybe someone who's done it with a newer car would know.





And as a curiosity, here's a video clip from me turning on my wing camera on my way to the track, last week: Roof Rack On The Road (1.8 megs Quicktime)

ColorChange

OMG does that look bad! But ... I think I am going to do it.

Jack: How long does it take you to get everything up there and tied down securely? How strong is the latching mechanism? How securely can you see that you have it secured/aligned correctly? I really do not want my tires coming off and killing someone following me.

Sanjeevan

Tim, is this a porsche option, if so, is it more than just removing the spare tire and the mounts. Some think the spare tire may be an integral part of the frontal crumbling zone.

ColorChange

Jeeva:

No, it's a Tech Art delete kit and I understand there may be some collision concerns. My intuition says it's not major so I'm willing to take the space and save the 33.4 lbs.

Greg Fishman

Tim,
I would be very leery of the roof rack. Your tires and wheels will be a pretty stout load and a big brick in terms of aerodynamics.
I have heard and seen of several incidents with these from the 993 board. Might want to do a search there. I just hate to hear about you messing up your car or worse having a tire go hurling down the highway at 70mph and kill someone.

Best option is to buy your wife a SUV (or rent one for your track events) , get a trailex open (or similar) trailer (maybe rent one of those as well) and have a proper tire rack.

RJay

You did say any thoughts so here goes. I've observed your enthusiam here on the board so take what follows for what it is, the observations of a confirmed junky. When I joined PCA I had a real nice older Ferrari and a year old BMW. Within a year of being bitten by the bug, I sold the Ferrari for my ratty old 911 track car. Then traded the BMW for a tow vehicle. Pumped more money into that old 911 than 10 15K Ferrari services would have cost (and believe me its a lot!).

My advice... Just give in Tim, you're going to to this sooner or later so just do it now. Sell the Lambo, buy a track car. Then trade the E55 for a Ford or Chevy diesel and a trailer. Your a hooked fish. Its only a matter of time before all of this happens, save yourself a lot of grief and wasted money. Theres no escape, we're a cult, we have you, drink the Kool-Aid now, you know you will eventually.

ColorChange

If my wife sees this thread I'm a dead man!

And I thought the hole in the side of my cheek was some strange night teething thing or something.