Tyre racks on race car trailers

[dtype38]

Hi folks,

For the last couple of years I've been travelling to race meetings with a set of intermediates on my race car and a set of full wets strapped to the sides of my trailer. This year I've invested in a set of full dry tyres as well and now I've got to get them all on the trailer (which isn't a Brian James). I could make my own, I suppose, but I'd quite like a ready made one to save time. Anyone know where I might be able to buy a ready made one to fit eight tyres?

[haggispeed]

Hi DType, appreciate the hassle and time making one for yourself, (I'm doing them right now in a box trailer), why don't you investigate the local small industrial estates and see if there are any welding / fabrication places around, you could then design exactly what you want and have them do the bending and welding. Should be a lot cheaper than buying from somewhere like BJ, last time I looked they were over £200 and heavy !
I made the one for my open trailer from galvanised electrical conduit, lightweight, cheap(ish) and never rusts.

[Tim Falce]

Ready made, save time, this doesn't sound like you Ken. Have you tried the company that supplied your trailer? Whatever you do you will have to be careful where you mount it so you don't overload the rear axle of your car. This wouldn't be a manufacturers weight but more of a percentage weight distribution front/rear on the car which could fall foul of any VOSA roadside checks or if you were unfortunate enough to have an accident.
Another problem to think about is that if you mount them too high you will have a very nice air brake as your tow car is quite low.

[Anuauto]

Cant emphasise enough the airbrake syndrome! I had to make my trailer tyre rack high enough to get the bonnet of a car on forest rally ride height underneath it, although main intended use was for a lowered hillclimb/sprint car of same model. Only ever towed long distance once with 6 tyres across the top after seeing the effect on cruising speed, stability and fuel consumption of the towing estate.

[Peter Mallett]

Doesn't matter to me. I use a Jeep Cherokee and the fuel consumption is................... minimal.

The tyre rack is an extra load and I've actully thought about reversing the car onto the trailer for balance. But it still tows very well.

[dtype38]

Thanks for the input so far...

The trailer co. I bought mine from makes mainly catering trailers and they didn't do "racing" options for mine (ie no tyre racks). I've made my own to carry four tyres down the sides (nice and low CofG) but that's not practical for eight.

Re the weight distribution, I can't put it right at the front (as Falcy says) so it'll have to be over the bonnet. I can't turn the car round without putting the tyres really high (I've got a head fairing). Guess I might have to put up with the wind resistance, but I do have a 4.2ltr tow car so should only be a fuel consumption problem. Even with that, tow hitch loading may be too high, but it looks easy enough to move the trailer axles forward a few inches to re-balance that.

Ho-humm... looks like the mig welder is coming out again.

[Red Dog]

There is a gap down the middle of my trailer about 24 inches wide and so I made a cradle to carry 4 wheels lying down. Only snag is after a big oil leak as they can get dripped on!

[dtype38]

Hmmm... let me see! One brand new set of Yoko 008s... One typically leaky Jaguar engine... Forgive me if I don't try that idea

[haggispeed]

Woodford trailers did thet mod of lying them flat in teh centre well and had simeple ally covers, that would solve the oli problem, also very efficient use of space, keeps CofG v.low and keeps them dry and out of sun, and reasonalbly secure

[dtype38]

Just had a measured up and unfortunately the gap between the bottom of my engine and the top of the trailer cross rails is less than the width of my tyres!! Thanks for the ideas though, I do appreciate it.

[Tim Falce]

Do you really need to take three sets of tyres to a race meeting?

[dtype38]

I could probably get away with just taking my dry and intermediate tyres 99.999% of the time. But then again, the first day in two seasons I don't turn up with my full wets on board, guess which day the 0.001% chance flash flood will happen...

[ActiveMS]

Brain james sell their tyre racks separately if you ask them nicely.
I almost fitted on in my truck. a 7ft width version was just over 200quid if I remember rightly. Well made will an arm that clamps the wheels in place etc.

[zefarelly]

I've just procured a BJ trailer and will be in the market for a few 'upgrades' later in the year so thats good to know . . .Peter, didnt you retro fit a tyre rack etc ?

[Peter Mallett]

Yep two years ago.

[dtype38]

Ooooo, thanks for that. I'll give BJ a call. :-)

[verglas]

BJ have reduced the price of their tyre racks quite considerably over the past few years. It is now possible to get one for about £130 ex. vat, or, a tyre rack and jerry can storage box combination for about £199 ex. vat. The tyre rack is mounted on the drawbar, so is low and out of the airflow. See the ads. in autosport for pics. I plan to get one for this season, will save me carrying spare wheels in the back of the tow car!

[dtype38]

verglas... I think I've seen those front mount tyre racks on BJ trailers. My problem is I tow with an ordinary road car which has quite a long rear overhang to the tow hitch. This makes trailer balance very important because I can't afford much nose loading before the back end of the car sags disturbingly. My race car already sits well back to balance the jerry cans and spare tyre on the A-frame and I don't think I'd get away with any more load that far forward (I have 8 spare wheels to carry). I had actually considered doing a similar sort of thing at the back end of the trailer and making them a bit like a pair of gates that open to get the car off, but it was getting a bit complicated so I decided against.

[verglas]

dtype, I think I see you problem, your car is considerably bulkier than my single seater that is frankly dwarfed by the trailer, and in fact the BJ tyre rack will do me a favour as I need some extra weight on the nose of the trailer, but not too much, hence I tend to tow with the car facing forwards, thus the engine is at the back, which goes against all the rules I know! Good luck with your hunt anyway..