2000BSME

I have a 20' trailer, and I'd like to add a few tire racks, two rows worth, and I'm contemplating where to put them and how to build them.

All ideas would be appeciated.

Here are some pics of the trailer in question:

Gray Ghost GS

I have a Trailex with Tire Rack. Here's a couple pics from their website - might give you a few ideas:

Z07coupe

http://www.trailerworld.com/Inventor...785#Thumbnails

John Shiels

Carries three sets of fat tires and can remove by pulling 4 quick release pins,

jabrun

John, can you open your C5 doors when it's on the trailer? I just got a speedloader MX similar to yours and my doors hit the fender when I try to open them. I was thinking about either cutting the fenders off and lowering them or building up the bed a little bit with wood or scrap conveyer belt.

jwt1603

See the two handles on the top of the fender? Looks similar to the set up on my trailer. The fender lifts off so you can open the door. I can't tell how his is attached but I cut off the original fender and bought a new fender. Then I welded a couple of tabs sticking out from the trailer to rest the fender on. I welded threaded rod to the tabs and put a hole in each end of the fender plate. The fender then slides over the threaded rod and rests on the tabs. I use a nut, washer and lock washer to hold it in place. There's also a guide pin on the fender and a sleeve on the trailer to keep it from wobbling.

Of course after I got done with this brilliant plan that's when I realized I should have rigged up some sort of quick release pin instead of having to use a breaker bar on the nuts each time to pull the fender off but it's done now.

jwt1603

I built mine out of square tubing. Kind of a hassle getting it aligned plus I went overboard on the wall thickness so my tire rack weighs a ton. One of the prefab aluminum ones would have been better or make it out of channel stock like John's so it doesn't put so much weight on the nose of the trailer. I had to move the tie down points for the car back on the trailer to get the tongue weight right after adding the rack, the tires and two trailer boxes.

eogel

These tire racks have more than enough capacity. I find that I usually only use one, so I am thinking of taking one off. Due to the length of your trailer, you may need to go vertical. My objective was to avoid lifting the wheels & tires any more than I had to. This is a very simple design. Local welder did the work of bending the L shaped pieces for bolting to the trailer floor and cutting holes in them for the horizontal bar to run thru. Each bar has a lock on the end so I can slide the bar out from either side, which is dictated by available space in the paddock. If you do something like this, be sure to get a set of locks that use the same key.
Your are getting a lot of good responses. Good luck.
Ed

JDIllon

Here's mine light and simple, if you only want to carry one set, it works great. Just horizontal pipes with lock on top, gas can rack in between. JD
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John Shiels

They lift off otherwise they won't open. Look at the picture back by my plate there are some rubber snubber or what ever they are called. The ones that came with were the same but to small and on rough NY roads the fender popped up and landed on the tires and was smoking on the Cross Bronx Expressway. That was the end of the tire sidewall.

I'll be at my house in a few days and take a close picture of the fenders off and how they mount. Easy to copy and real cheap option when you order a the trailer. I use the trailer all the time for work and it has thousands and thousands of miles on it. I am very glad it is long as load angle is less. Also if someone rear ends you the extra length is a saver. I still need 8' aluminum ramps and 4' boards to clear the splitter.

I built the rack heavy as I hate looking at racks all bowed out from the tires. Towing with the diesels I was not concerned about an extra 100 lb. I think it weighs 200 -210. Four push pins hold it in the stake pockets. I chose the wood deck as it is less slippery than steel if I load steel items on it and no paint to repair.

Z07coupe

Instead of cutting my fender and re attaching, I screwed a 2x12x16 of treated lumber onto the trailer bed where the tire tracks. Solved my problem and gave me a bit of extra room to tie down the car or slide the extra lumber under the car and tie down.

eogel

John, I like your idea of using a plastic pipe to protect the wheel centers from damage. I'll be implementing that. Thanks.
Ed

John Shiels

I also added two more tool boxes on each side under the rack for 3x the room. I'll find a picture. Straps just smeak through it all.

Wicked Weasel

2000BSME

thanks for all the replies. I think I might have my ideas set now. I'll post pics when completed.

Hopefully I'll finish it tonight.

John Shiels

tonight? Took me 4 hours to weld mine up and fours hours to paint it

2000BSME

c4cruiser

What material did you use for the rack?

For my trailer, I'm thinking about using 1 1/2" exhaust pipe but my rack will only be about 52-54 inches wide and I'll have a vertical center support as the nose of my 87 does not go that far forward on my trailer. I'll also have a tool box mounted under the rack.. I can get exhaust pipe in 10" sticks and have the end pieces bent at our shop on our Huth tube bender.

larryfs

you guys must like lifting tires over your head.
I built a tire rack deck level in front of the car.
The car now sits back 24" or so.

c4cruiser

Wicked Weasel's rack has the tires less than 2 feet off the trailer deck which is less than the height of the tire.

If somebody's a midget, then he might be lifting them over his head With really short trailers like a 16', getting the tires a couple feet above the deck allows room for the nose of the car and proper placement of the car for weight distribution; maybe even enough room for a small tool box at the front.