stevensa

Getting ready to install a tire rack on my steel open deck trailer soon, just looking for some ideas. Please post pictures of your setup and what you like/would do differently.

Thanks!

2MCHPWR

I had a local trailer shop make this frame for me and put the tool box on the very front:

CHJ In Virginia

Here is a shot of my tire rack. I had a local fab shop make it up from 2inch square steel tubing. It is crossbraced for ridigity and has 1/4" steel plates for bolt downs to the trailer deck. It will hold 6 wheels and the trailer spare depending on the tire sizing. Tires are elevated 48 inches to allow the front of the car to move underneath. If I could do it again, I would move the tires down about a foot or so to drop wind resistance when towing.



Had 1/4" plates installed on each end with holes drilled and use a piece of pipe and locks to keep the wheels from evaporating.



This is a shot of the mounting feet on each upright. Pointed to the center of trailer to move posts out as wide as possible.



Overall it works well and was not that expensive.

c4cruiser

I copied these pics from an old thread that discussed mounting tire racks. When I built a similar rack for my old open trailer, I had a shop use 1.5" exhaust pipe and the bends were done on their tube bender. The hoops are 10 foot sticks of pipe which is about a foot longer that what is needed. The cross pieces are also the same exhaust pipe type.

When I made my rack, I added a center support that connected the two horizontal pipes and went down to the trailer floor. The rack was bolted in place for easy removal. Note the piece of pipe that goes thru the wheel centers so the tires won't bounce out and you can use a padlock for security.

John Shiels

I made a double rack so I have two rows across the trailer.

waddisme

I pretty much copied mine from CHJ. I have about $210 in it. Had guy at work assemble it:

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sperkins

I didn't want all those tires hanging way up there in the wind while I'm hauling killing my already horrible gas mileage when towing so I built mine low. Works like a champ.

stevensa

Some great ideas here! One question though, does anyone have a way to adjust the rod height (that goes through the center of the wheels) for different wheel/tire combos?

1991Z07

You can use a slot instead of just a hole for the rod to go through.

CHJ In Virginia

The bar height on my rack was figured as the center of my 18" rear wheel / tire combo. It has worked just fine for 17-18-19" combos. The center hole in the wheel is large enough to compensate for the different sizes. Just figure a mean average on the sizes you want to carry and you should be fine. If an endplate is used, several sets of holes could be drilled vertically, but I don't think that you will need to do that.

c4cruiser

One other thing you will need to do is to re-calculate the trailer tongue weight. You will have 4-6 tires/wheels and the weight of the rack material sitting in front of the car and something like 4' behind the hitch. If you have a tool box mounted to the trailer tongue or on the front of the trailer, add the weight of the box and any contents too.

Having a rack sit fairly low is a good idea Not only does it help with wind resistance, you won't have to lift them very high to remove or replace the tires.

RDnomorecobra

I've been looking at pics for a while. Came across these on rennlist.com Porsche site. I like the setup, allows for tires, gas can rack, tool box for straps etc. I also plan to put a winch plate in the center in front of the gas rack. I probably won't do the diamond plate.





http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforum...e-racks-2.html

Z07coupe

2" square tubing is more than sufficient. I built mine so that a large piece of plywood would fit on top of the tire rack to provide a good seat to watch the track. We added steps on one side of tire rack to climb up. I wish we had tacked a vertical slot on the sides of the rack to accommodate varying sizes of wheels and tires. ie, extra trailer tires. We covered the wheel retention pipe with PVC plastic pipe to protect the wheels. Two side boxes store fuel, wood blocks, fluids and small items. Later mods included two more taillights mounted on tire rack, along with a flood light and license plate. On dark wet nights, there is a low mist of water that reduces brightness of low tail lights. FYI; trailer has an 18' wood bed and approx 2' beavertail. I cut the center boards out so that I could work under the car while on the trailer. If you park at hotels and somewhat unsecured areas, you could try mounting a solar motion security light on the rack to deter snoops.
Simple, light weight and reduced wind resistance is important. A lower tire rack behind the tool box would have helped reduce resistance, but would take up another 24"-30" of trailer.

stevensa

Lots of ideas here, thanks guys. I have some rough plans. Next time I get the trailer out I will take some measurements and figure out what materials I need. Thanks again.

irieman

Other than having the tire rack fully loaded with tires, so they cant move from left to right and vice-versa how is everyone keeping thier tires from moving around?

This has been a pretty good picture thread, so pictures would be appreciated...and yes I have seen tires held in place by bungie-cords. Thanks.

brkntrxn

That is the answer. I have also used a small, one inch motorcycle strap.

Z07coupe

That's it - 1 inch ratched straps to the upright.

irieman

OK...I stand correcet, but I can stand using a ratchet strap vice a bungie cord.

Supercharged111

Sub'd, don't feel like digging for this gem when I finally build my rack.

Z07coupe

RDnomorecobra
I like the tire/wheel retention device on the tire rack you posted. Do you have a close up of that item, or could tell me how to construct one?