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New to the pickup and trailer world, recently picked up this 2018 ATC enclosed trailer for the 🐸 here... I want to install some accessories to the trailer to make it more comfortable at tracks (using it as a shelter).
Any suggestions as to what I should do? I am thinking of a foldable couch/bed, maybe AC? Fuel jug storage? Feel free to throw any suggestions!
I love the swing out door for getting in and out of the car. My brother has a similar trailer without one and it's very tight opening the door with his GT2. He's a cabinet maker, so has nicer cabinets in his trailer than most people's kitchens. He built a cot that hangs from the ceiling which he says is very comfortable. He's an autocrosser, so only carries about 10 gallons of fuel in 2-5 gallon containers.
Very interesting, I am not looking to make the trailer too fancy, I just want it to be more enjoyable than it is right now. Do you have any pictures of your brother's trailer? Would love to see it!
Top thing for yours looks like adding Etrack all over the place, and then you can bolt or strap whatever you want into it for the most part. I did a lot, and should have done more. One flaw, my wall etrack height is basically at the same height as the mirror of the car, I should have raised it another eight inches, and I should have continued the lower wall sections all the way to the back of the trailer on both sides. They sell a shoring beam you can span between both walls and then attach whatever the heck you want to that as well, and you could use two of those as a tire holder all the way across the trailer, or attach fuel jug holders, etc. Etrack and all of the attachments that go with it are amazing. Oh, and the closeline attachment at the ceiling, you can just hang your race suit and air it out, you'll notice mine right up front by the door. With a 911, having etrack toward the ramp end of the trailer would have been more valuable than running it way up front like I have it; should have done both. Will probably add sections in the rear.
By the way, mine is a 22 foot, but the only way to get the tongue weight right is to back the 911 in. Even when I pull it right to the nose (straight in), the weight isn't close to 10% of the total trailer weight. Flipped around, it's perfect with about eight inches of clearance from the rear bumper to the cabinet door when it's open. And of course, had I known that I would have put the escape door on the other side of the trailer! Hopping over the seat on the inside to get to the open door is fine, but would have been nicer just straight from the driver's side...
Wish I had done more lower etrack, as then I would use multiple shoring beams to trap and strap a bunch of things which would be better across the trailer than to the walls. For instance, a small cart with tools, or fuel jugs, or tires and wheels, etc. That shoring beam is seriously strong and takes two seconds to clip in and out anywhere along that etrack.
What r the axles rated for? The first thing i would do is load the car and gear for a normal weekend and swing by the scales. This will tell u what u have to work with. Nothing worse then buning up bearings and tires in the way to an event.
Top thing for yours looks like adding Etrack all over the place, and then you can bolt or strap whatever you want into it for the most part. I did a lot, and should have done more. One flaw, my wall etrack height is basically at the same height as the mirror of the car, I should have raised it another eight inches, and I should have continued the lower wall sections all the way to the back of the trailer on both sides. They sell a shoring beam you can span between both walls and then attach whatever the heck you want to that as well, and you could use two of those as a tire holder all the way across the trailer, or attach fuel jug holders, etc. Etrack and all of the attachments that go with it are amazing. Oh, and the closeline attachment at the ceiling, you can just hang your race suit and air it out, you'll notice mine right up front by the door. With a 911, having etrack toward the ramp end of the trailer would have been more valuable than running it way up front like I have it; should have done both. Will probably add sections in the rear.
By the way, mine is a 22 foot, but the only way to get the tongue weight right is to back the 911 in. Even when I pull it right to the nose (straight in), the weight isn't close to 10% of the total trailer weight. Flipped around, it's perfect with about eight inches of clearance from the rear bumper to the cabinet door when it's open. And of course, had I known that I would have put the escape door on the other side of the trailer! Hopping over the seat on the inside to get to the open door is fine, but would have been nicer just straight from the driver's side...
Wish I had done more lower etrack, as then I would use multiple shoring beams to trap and strap a bunch of things which would be better across the trailer than to the walls. For instance, a small cart with tools, or fuel jugs, or tires and wheels, etc. That shoring beam is seriously strong and takes two seconds to clip in and out anywhere along that etrack.
Woah, this is so fancy... definitely going to work towards something like this. Seems like I should get the etrack system installed before anything. Thank you for the input!
What r the axles rated for? The first thing i would do is load the car and gear for a normal weekend and swing by the scales. This will tell u what u have to work with. Nothing worse then buning up bearings and tires in the way to an event.
Shows from ATC that these axles are rated for 3500? I quote, "Axle Type Dexter D35 Spring Axle Rating 3500# Axle Quantity Tandem GVWR 7700#". Where would I be able to find a scale? Thank you in advance.
What you really need to worry about is tongue weight ... i have a 20 ft aluminum Proline to carry my 944 and i have a compressor , mig welder, Honda generator , toolbox and a wooden countertop as well
as other assorted bits in front of the car , but i have my six fuel jugs , easy-up,extra set of wheels , pit bike, two floor jacks, table,chairs at the rear of the trailer.
I bought a Sherline tongue scale and managed to get everything well balanced , never had any issues in the five years i've been towing.
Although i did install inflatable "balloons" on the rear suspension of my F150 to keep the truck and trailer level !
Yeah it's the tongue weight I was referring to. I have a Sherline and a Weigh Safe Trailer Drop Hitch | Award-Winning Tongue Weight Scale (weigh-safe.com) and although I tow with a weight distributing hitch, I basically set the trailer up with the Weigh Safe because it's easy (used to run that to actually tow on a smaller trailer). The ball heights are identical between my WD hitch and that weigh safe so I know when I have things setup it'll be the same tongue weight. With the 911 I just couldn't get anywhere near the 10-12% total tongue weight of the car plus trailer if I pulled it straight in, but it's great if I back in, even when I load up stuff toward the ramp end in the trailer. Sherline is just as good, just not quite as easy, but lots cheaper.
I have a similar trailer. My 'comfort' features include:
Rooftop AC unit - if you want to use it as a shelter on hot days or to sleep in overnight during summer this is a must have
Awning - beats using a pop-up - so nice to park the trailer with door facing north and then use both the side of the trailer and the awning for shade.
blow up bed - one of those you plug into electrical outlet to blow up
Exterior lighting - for working on car at night
Coffee maker, toaster oven
Portable electric refrigerator
Clothing rack with hangers
Portable generator - it won't run the a/c but at least runs the lights, a fan
Big box fan - nice to set outside, blowing on you while sitting under the awning
portable picnic table - I have an aluminum table that sets up/breaks down in a few min
Broom
Lots of heavy duty extension cords - mine is 50 amp. Along with various adapters - seems every track has different electrical outlets (50 amp, 30 amp and 15 amp or some combination of those)
A level - if you want to sleep in the trailer, you need to get it level
Portable heater for spring/fall
A couple things I'd like to get include:
stabilizer jacks - when un-hitched, walking around inside the trailer I can feel it move. Stabilizers would make it nice and solid
Winch
Last edited by argonaut95; 03-26-2021 at 09:01 AM.
Shows from ATC that these axles are rated for 3500? I quote, "Axle Type Dexter D35 Spring Axle Rating 3500# Axle Quantity Tandem GVWR 7700#". Where would I be able to find a scale? Thank you in advance.
So u r rated for 7k lbs on the axles and 10% in the tonge. Thats how they get 7700lbs.
Most major truck stops have commercial Cat scale. It cost $10. Just pull up and hit the button, they will ask for a truck number so just make one up. Pull off scale and go inside for your ticket. It seams intimidating for some reason the first time when u do it in a small truck, but it shouldnt be. Trust me truckers would love to see more small trucks get weighed to make sure they r safe.
Other places like ag stores, local trash dump, stone yards and scrap yards all have scales.
The truck scales r nice because if u position correctly u can get front, rear truck and axle weight, then drop the trailer and re-weigh, its free, with only the truck and u will have all the info u need.
Example of my toter heading out west. Completely different animal but the principles are the same. A balanced load is best. On the rig i am allowed 11k front, 22k rear and 14k on the trailer axles. See how the front axle weight is close to capacity. Thats helps track and steer everything with ease.
Anyone has a link or advice for diy adding etrack or airline track to aluminum interior sided trailers? I have heard people have issues adding them after the fact and the screws don’t hold, etc, etc.
Here is mine. Haulmark 24' ALX all aluminum with an extended tongue. E-track on floor and walls, Two Coleman A/C units on the roof with heat too (sort of). I use the wall E-tracks with load bars as a tire rack that's not in they way when not in use. Fold down bed on the passenger's side which doubles as a couch. Works great. I currently have a small fridge to go inside one of the cabinets waiting to go in, as well as a 50A generator and a slide out tray with rubber mounts waiting to go into the generator cabinet. Too many other projects side tracking me.
I'd ditch the Raptor. I had a 2019 Raptor....Great toy, but a terrible pickup truck especially for towing. I even fabricated an airbag system for the Raptor (there is not one commercially available) and even with a WDH it was still all over the road. In my defense when I bought the Raptor I had a Trailex open trailer which it towed fine. I then made the mistake of going to an F-150 Maxtow for a year (trying to avoid the heavy duty truck) which towed fine in a straight line just sluggish, but once in some wind it was downright Scary with a capital S, even running an Equalizer WDH. Now have a new F-250 Diesel with high capacity towing package (Basically F-350 springs on an F-250). But like was stated before measure your weights, on a Raptor you are definitely over when loaded up, BTDT, got the T-shirt. I wish I had saved the $$ and skipped straight to the SuperDuty.
03-22-2021, 06:59 PM
"renovation" ideas for enclosed trailers
