Texas RS

Agreed you should make sure the hitch is latched, but equally important you need to make sure that you have a big enough ball before loading your precious P-car on the trailer. Otherwise you make be asking for help from the neighbors lawn care crew.

Happened to a good friend who sometimes pops in on RL, we will see if he owns up to it:-)

Texas RS

After removing the fender:

1. do not put it under the trailer before pulling the car on the trailer
2. remember to put the fender cover back on BEFORE moving the trailer

For a Featherlite 3110 the fenders are only $500/ea delivered.

DCP

Vibration while towing can hurt your transmission.

2BWise

Always, always, always place keys directly back into pocket after using. Never set them down EVER. Otherwise they will end up in some place that can not be easily retrieved. Back in my FSAE days we would average two locks a year because someone would set the keys down on the toolbox during load up. Then we'd have to cut the locks off, so we could actually drive home.

177mph

I have a track checklist - and a trailer checklist.

Printed multiple copies. Keep them in the center console of the truck. Never go to the track or trailer without going thru them. Simple.

txhokie4life

If you have a winch -- check it every time you load/unload -- even if you don't use it,
to make sure it still works when you do need it. If it doesn't work -- scout out the
area for a down hill loading location before you need it.

If you race, buy a set of wheel dolleys and bring them. JIC.

For cars with window switches not on the doors -- bring something rigid you can reach them with....

Make duplicate keys for everything -- and put them in your tow vehicle :-)

Make sure whatever jack you have can lift your trailer -- while loaded.
Failing that, a well placed curb will work, but realize that now you are placing
2 X load on that wheel that will be climbing said curb.

Have more spares than you have wheels :-)

Check the heat of your axles each time you stop -- if there is a difference from
one to another -- might be time to check the brakes or toss some grease on those bearings.

Check your air pressure before loading.

Check you lights before its gets dark.

If you are going to drive off your trailer -- make sure the ramps are securely in place.

Chock your trailer when loading and unloading -- remember your tow vechicle's emergency
brake only locks the rear wheels -- if your load is heavier than the back of your truck,
it might pick the rear end up -- and you no longer have a set of wheels that aren't rollable.
Granted it was a bobcat and not a race car -- but the video from a buddy went viral.

M

Bill Verburg

I wouldn't cross the tiedowns if the car end is close to where the trailer end is, too much angle reduces the fore/aft holding power which is far more important than the side to side holding needs

by far you want more fore/aft strength than side/side

Rob S

Bill,

I'd go one step further and say *don't* cross those tie downs -- ever. Not only are skewed tie downs less effective for restraining the car in the important fore-and-aft direction as you mentioned, but if you lose one strap, then the adjacent tie down has a tendency to pull the car laterally, which it can do relatively easily. That's not "safer" in any way. It's better for all the tie downs to span longitudinally so all the forces are aligned fore and aft, and the loss of one tie down is relatively inconsequential.

Rob

jscott82

Cant think of a lesson this offers other than check, double check, triple check that everything is tied down correctly. But will share the my most heart stopping trailer story.

Coming back from VIR on a rainy night, I had strapped a spare set of tires to the front of the trailer. Drove three hours on I-85 (which was a packed construction zone at the time) then stopped for gas... My heart stopped when I looked back at the trailer, all four tires had come loose and were just laying on the deck... One tire was literally hanging over the edge ready to go...

I shutter to imagine what would have happened if one or more of them had gotten loose in dark, rainy, traffic at 70mph...

edit: Yes I can think of the lesson... Don't use any kind of ratchet strap without a safety catch on the hooks. The root cause of my issue was the hook came unhooked, I suspect it was because these were new, and rain allowed them to stretch... A safety catch would have at least allowed them to stay attached albeit loose....

StoogeMoe

Don't be in such a hurry to leave after you're all loaded up. Do a final walk around and double check the tie-down straps, the chains, the hitch, the break-away line, and make sure it's plugged in!

mrbill_fl

I have NOT had to replace the fenders (yet), but my buddy has. he got the replacement from northern tool. (not sure which model)


-ymmv

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...0847_200330847
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...s_24_0_P-Price


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I'll add, develop a system, then follow it. every darn time!

pack and load a day ahead the 1st few times. You'll figure out what works, and what doesn't.

This is one of those things I prefer to do all myself. maybe let a helper load tires, but do it in the order you develop.

I am big on track boxes; brakes box, electrical box, fluids box, track clothing box, etc. then I number them...

its a big help if its raining, or otherwise rushed loading.


The other thing is add on fog lights (or led's) on the rear of the truck for backing up.

ir_fuel

Always park in reverse if you park in some kind of dead end/parking spot/.... It's usually a lot easier to park in reverse and drive off forward as opposed to having to back out your trailer without being able to see what's going on on the road you want to take.

Make sure you are not parked uphill when unloading the car, or the (completely fictitious example here, of course) splitter of your Cup car might get stuck on the ground when unloading, and, unless someone nearby has Race Ramps or something similar, you will be having a lot of fun getting the car off the trailer, especially if you only have a manual winch.

sbelles

Always bring rain gear. Trailer tires always blow in pouring rain for some reason.

Beantown Kman

Rule #3,241: After you have gotten settled in the paddock, you've opened the rear door of your enclosed trailer, you've put your ramps in place, you've removed your tie-down straps, and you get back into your Cayenne with air suspension and raised it to its highest setting to help reduce the ramp angle, make sure you have some good friends behind your trailer that can catch your car as it rolls off the trailer toward the beautiful cup car behind you since you (like a dumb a**) forgot to put the car back into gear before removing the tie downs. How many more times will I have to do this before I remember to either put the car back into gear or chock the wheels??

jrgordonsenior

Last year I walked between my 28ft. Pace that I had just disconnected from my dually. They were facing slightly downhill and as my trailing leg cleared the hitch the trailer rolled forward clipping my jeans and stopping when the cup buried itself into my rear bumper. I laid down on the ground staring up at that hitch and shaking for a few minutes contemplating what the rest of my life would have been like without my right leg. Yes I had forgotten to chalk the tires....