Cory M

We just got an enclosed aluminum trailer and I am wondering what the best way is to hang up tire racks. I have a couple of folding tireracks and I'd like to attach them to the studs in the walls without having to bolt through the walls. I have a few ideas but want to make sure this works right the first time, any experienced suggestions?

KaiB

Hate to say this, but...

I spoke with ATC directly and they strongly advised drilling through and bolting through the studs. They use rivnuts, but - if you're a set it and forget it kind of person, you'll drill through.

I did and I'm glad I did. I'm sure many others have not, but as I'm ripping down the road, its one less thing I have to think about.

RickBetterley

I had the same questions re my CargoPro; factory said don't try to retrofit tire racks.
They reinforce the mounting location at the factory if you are going to have the racks.
I ended up installing e-track along both walls and ran two parallel cargo beams between them as my tire rack. The e-track allows me to have numerous mounting points and to relocate the 'rack' if things change.
Beams run over the hood of the car; it is a bit of a pain as it divides the trailer in 2, so to speak, but it is strong and gives me 1 less thing to hit my head on.
I know this wasn't the question you asked, but hope that it is helpful.

smsarchitects

FWIW, my Thule (CargoPro) has through bolts for the folding 8-tire rack installed by the previous owner. Two on top, two on bottom, in 8 rows with large washers on the exterior.

RickBetterley

Hi Scott
Yes, I can see that through bolting would be more likely to work, but they (CargoPro/Thule) were pretty strongly negative about retrofitting without through bolting.
Has yours stayed strong?

jrgordonsenior

+1... I lost a folding 6ft. rack several years ago onto the fender of my cup car breaking the headlight too. I now use a custom aluminum rack with a top cross bar that sits all the way up against the wall/roof line. I set it with 2-1/2" #14 self taping bolts (pre drilled) then drilled 6- 1/4" thru bolts and large washers with nylon insert nut thru the top rail of the wall stud framing. It would have to pull down the entire wall to fail....

jrgordonsenior

That doesn't really make sense. I would ask Thule for a cross-section print of their wall framing with stud and top rail can see what's in there....

Cory M

thanks for the feeback, I was hoping to avoid drilling holes through the wall of such a nice trailer but I'd rather do that than have 200 pounds of tires fall on the car in transit.

smsarchitects

Yikes. I imagine that rack falling in my car fully loaded EVERY time I open the side door. That story is going to make me re-inspect the connections!!

jonmacs22

I purposefully never store tires in the rack once the weekend is over. I always worry about the reliability of those things. The less often it is under load the better.

Cory M

I wouldn't worry about leaving weight on it while parked, the loads from bouncing up and down the road are probably 3-5 times higher. If it is going to fail it will happen while driving.

jrgordonsenior

Exactly especially true when considering the sorry state of our roads here in Kalifornia where we pay the second highest state gasoline tax in the country. But hey, we've got a bunch of new state funded rest stops that have only taken a few years to get built. They're all ****** but I digress....