c4cruiser

Just picked this up last week to haul my 87 around.



It's 18' overall with Dexter 3500# axles (brakes on both). The frame is powdercoated and came with radial tires as standard. The deck is pressure treated pine sitting on 3" I-beam channels on 24" centers. The fenders are diamond-plate aluminum and removeable by pulling single bolts at the front and rear. Fortunately, the 87 door height will clear the fender so I won't have to mess with that

I'll need to install some D-rings for the straps but given the location of the channels, what is the best way to mount some rings?? I would like to use tire straps in the front and ratchet straps cross-wise at the rear. How do you deal with a full wood deck and get sufficient strength for tie-downs??

What strength D-rings should I get for holding the car? It weighs about 3450 pounds so I was thinking 5000# rings along with straps of the same strength.

Any suggestions or helpful hints will be appreciated!!

Axelrod

I'd weld to the outer frame rail of the trailer for both front and rear tie-down points.

Just beware that if you lower that C4 in any way-- you will be removing those fenders and/or lifting up on the car to get in/out when it's loaded.

What kinda ramps did they give you with that biotch?

jwt1603

Congrats on the trailer. It will make racing a lot easier not changing tires at the track.

I didn't have to worry about the fenders on the trailer for my 94 until I dropped it a bit. And I mean little bit. I had to crawl in and out through the rear hatch the first time I put it back on the trailer. That lasted one weekend. Then I converted the driver side fender to removable.

Also, as mentioned, which ramps did they give you? The ramps they gave you may be tough on the air dam if they aren't long enough. I ended up buying aluminum ramps that are 7'10" long to get enough slope to not destroy the spoiler going on and off.

Here's a source for good ramps if you need them....

http://www.discountramps.com/auto_ramps.htm

73-84 IMSA Widebody

Congrats, nice trailer. I need to jack the front of the trailer all the way up even with ramps to avoid scrapping/crushing my front bodywork. You'll work it out

Falcon

Here's a link to a site that has aluminum ramps. I bought a set for my trailer and they are great. No longer do I have to fight heavy steel ramps that were too short. These are light and easy to handle, plus they're long enough to prevent dragging the front end.

Discount Ramps

c4cruiser

The ramps that came with the trailer are only 60" long. I haven't had a chance to get the car up on the trailer yet but I have a feeling that I will be replacing the ramps even though the car is stock height (no plans to lower it).

Once I get the car positioned to determine the tongue weight, I can then install tie-down rings and work on any ramp issues. For now, I will probably use some 2x12's under the ramp ends to gain some height and reduce the angle as needed. There are storage pockets going sideways under the dovetail and they are nearly full-length across so it won't be a problem storing longer ramps.

John Shiels

Probably better with T-hooks all around I think. If you want to put D-rings put a steel plate on top of the wood deck with the ring welded or bolted through past a cross member like big truck bodies are mounted to the frame. Two bolts on each side ofthe cross member.

some ideas http://www.awdirect.com/awdirect/fin...fm?itemid=7286

Falcon

Something to think about if the ramps are stored perpendicular to the bed of the trailer. Some events are pretty packed with participants so room to the side for ramp removable could be an issue if you have long enough ramps. Plus the less you have to tug those things around, your back will thank you.

c4cruiser

The trailer uses 3" I-beams on 24" centers across the deck for support. Depending on where the car sits, I thought of using steel plate welded between the I-beams and then install recessed D-rings on the deck over the plate. The D-ring would be recessed into the wood and bolted through the wood and the steel plate below.

I would like to use tire straps up front and I thought that tieing a pair of the cross members together with plate would provide enough of an anchor to use tire straps. I haven't found a suitable spot at the front of the car for hooking a strap. The C4 factory shipping tie-down rings are at the rear corner of the lower A-arms so they are not really useable.

For the rear, it looks like welding some heavy rings (like the ones in the link) at the rear for cross straps should work.

Falcon- I thought about getting the ramps out from the side and if I do need longer ramps, that could be more of an issue. I could always fabricate something to hold the ramps on the top of the dovetail or up at the front. Or remember to pull the ramps before I get parked

BrianCunningham

Congrats!

You can either make the fenders hinged or removable, that will really help out if the car is lowered at all. I went with hinged fenders on my, and I'm glad I did.