Payne

Im getting into autoX and have just picked up a c5 z06. I have 4 17x11 ZR1 replicas, with 315 710s coming.

Im looking into a harbor freight 3.5'x4' trailer, as they are on sale for $170 this week w/ coupon.

The other option would be a tire carrier, that just bolts into a heavy duty hitch and doesnt have wheels (70mph speed limit vs 55mph is big when its 160 miles to the venue.

I have not seen one for a C5, but I have for Miatas and S2000s. Does anyone know if you could put 250lbs "tounge weight" (4 50lbs wheels and tires, and 50lb carrier) on a C5 hitch?

What do people recommend for hitches?

John Shiels

got my hitch at hitch.com and the tire trailer will let you carry tools. Trailer is good for 125 MPH don't ask me how I know

Payne

What trailer do you have?

How do you like it?

John Shiels

I got it from Northerntools.com and added a plastic box for fluids, tools and jack. You buy a 4' x 4' x 3/4" piece of plywood and assemble it. Get the option for the larger tires which are 13" as I remember. Many here have used the same trailer. Worked well then I bought a trailer and the car blew up first time out.

Bill Dearborn

The Vette frame wasn't really designed for a trailer hitch. However, if its towing a light trailer (400 lbs w 80 lbs tongue weight) the hitch isn't exceeding the design limits of the frame. Now 250 lbs of tongue weight hanging off the back of the car and all of that weight is cantilevering on the hitch bolts with shock loads much greater than 250 lbs when going over bumps the hitch attachment points will be severely stressed. I think I would go with the trailer. The bigger the diameter tire you have the faster you can go. With the smaller tires driving at continous high speeds will cause them to fail because they are spinning so fast. However, 13 inchers are going to rotate slow enough to handle most speed limits. I used to tow a 1500 lb boat trailer with 13 inch wheels and never had a problem with it at 70 mph. Just keep the air pressure high enough.

Bill

Slalom4me

Curt (formerly Da'Lan) is the only mfr I am aware of.

Here are some past threads with posts about tire platforms and trailers.
In the trailer thread where I posted a number of pictures, be sure to
click the pictures to jump to the posts where the owners describe
their trailers.
Here is a trailer I am considering. Weatherproof with a 53" x 32" locking door.
450 lb curb weight. 48" x 95" x 60" tall inside. Removable tongue (anti-theft).

.

I can imagine this with an air-brushed image of an F1 car or something
similar painted on the sides. I'd mount a bed drawer in it and be able to
just roll out the tires and other stuff for unloading. Unfortunately, it fails
to meet the 'inexpensive' criteria that is usually part of a tire trailer purchase
decision.

I am weighing its value as a family holiday hauler and all-season
storage unit.

.

c4cruiser

The HF small trailer is a better value as you can add a box to hold tools, fluids, jack stands and a small hydraulic jack. The trailer can easily handle about 400lbs and that gives you a tongue weight of only 40-45lbs.

Get the HF trailer with the 12" wheels. The 8" wheels are IMHO, not suitable for freeway speeds.

The Reese hitch I got for my 87 is a Class II hitch. The Curt link shows a hitch with a 2500lb tow limit and the tongue weight is 200lbs. That is a Class I rating, but that capacity is far more than what you would want to tow with a Corvette.

One thing you must do with these HF trailers is to pull the bearings and clean them throughly and re-pack them with a good automotive bearing grease. When I bought my trailer, there was hardly any grease in the bearings and they were fairly gritty. But the axle is a standard size so you can get good quality bearings at any trailer place or boat shop.

The tongue on the HF trailer is pretty short so I'm replacing the tongue with a custom one that is 18" longer. The short tongue can cause the edge of the trailer to actually contact the corner of the car if it jackknifes. It will also makes it a bit easier to back up.

Jason

My HF trailer and Drawtite hitch work great.

Jess03Z06

I just installed the draw-tite hitch yesterday. A bit harrowing when i lost a carriage bolt down into the frame and spend 2 hours fishing with various bent wire; but the install looks pretty good now that its finished. I got the HF trailer for 159 at a HF store. I got the 12" wheels and the thing looks pretty good with the plywood bed, seems plenty sturdy.

Solofast

This stuff about 8 inch wheels being a problem is nonsense....

I've had a trailier with 8 inch wheels for 18 years, and the trailer was at least 7 years old when I bought it. That's 25 years of towing tires to races. It has the original tires on it, they are dry rotted and I really should replace them this year..... It has been to autocross events all acoss the country, from the east coast to Kansas, from Mississippi to Canada, and I have never had a problem with wheel bearings, seals or tires. I always run 75 to 80 mph (and occasional crusing at 90 when I am pressed for time) and have only replaced the seals at 15 year intervals. Last year I replaced the seals and bearings because one of the seals were finally shot. I bought the bearings cause I figured if I had it all apart I probably should do the bearings too... The bearings looked fine but since I already spent 30 bucks for the bearings I figured I oughta put them in anyway. I think of this as simply being necessary maintenance and not really having much to do with the wheel size, at 15 years any seal is going to dry out and go bad. I don't know what people are getting with 13 inch wheels, but tire, bearing and seal life are all fine with 8 inch wheels if you are just towing the usual tires, jack and tools..

Slalom4me

I started looking at enclosed trailers because of the perception of
more security. I'd be using it for destinations I'd be over-nighting and
I also fancy that I would be able to leave it parked and loaded at home.

Not that I plan to participate in the 'One Lap of America', but the trailer
is big enough (96") that two people could sleep in it in a pinch. Also,
it has 13" wheels - ideal for those legs between tracks.

Is the Reese still available for the C4 Corvette? I looked several times
over the past year and concluded Reese no longer makes Corvette
hitches.

IMO, you have great advice no matter where the trailer comes from. I
certainly intend to follow the suggestion.

.

ReddyZ06

I bought the 12" HF because I thought they would spin slower than the 8". I have even advised people that the 12" are better. After reading your reply and your 18 years experience, I'm no longer going to advise against the 8" wheels. Thanks for the insight.
Mike

c4cruiser

The C4 Reese hitch is no longer made. I got mine from Eckler's and it may have been the last one they had or only had a couple left in stock when I called the order in.

As far as tire size, I was going on what the consensus was on the HF trailers after doing some searching before I bought my trailer. To me the HF 8" tire looked pretty tiny but FWIW, both the 8" and 12" wheels are labeled "Do not exceed 55MPH".

I used to have a E-Z Load boat trailer that used a 8" wheel and tire but those tires were almost as wide as they were tall (looked more like golf cart tires ) but they were designed for obviously heaveier weights and higway speeds.

I agree that security is an issue with an open cargo trailer but I use both steel cable and chain to secure the tires and tool box. Where possible, I try to park the car and trailer out in the open and under lights at night.

OvrEagR

Anyone have experience with this trailer from Lowe's?

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...6XG&lpage=none

I was thinking about trying one out for just the tires and a tool box.

Thanks!

TravisD

Go search the archives -- plenty of posts about similar trailers (hint: I've made them since I have one). In any case, Tractor Supply sells a similar one that doesn't have the big-*** ramp on the back. Works very well for me, and a couple of others I know who have gone the same way.

vms4evr

Don't! The Tractor Supply trailer now carried at Northern Tool that I have is the Carry-On 4x6 without the gate. It costs $350 at either of the above.

Graham