I love the spoiler too ! !

Nice project. This is something I have considered because of my 3 hour drive to my "local" track.........
Which hitch are you using?

 

No, Wish it was but it's just a box with a roof. I've seen popup campers that small though; they're pretty cool. I use mine for general hauling, also for bringing the tent, bikes etc. with our family when we tent camped. We have a popup for behind the MiniSupportVehicle now, but once the kids are on their own, we'll probably go teardrop...

 

My son and I made our hitches ...
I just happen to still have all my templates

 

Does yours go thru the back-up/fog light?

Did you do your own welding/fabing of the hitch? (I have no experience with welding)

 

Sharp looking trailer COR BLMY, I used to have one similar! I can't see how you are attaching the safety chains, but a wise man once told me that in the event of a freak accident, it's not a good idea to attach them to the ball mount....
Be careful out there guys!


Jason

 

How did that happen?

 

OUCH.
Either a ball came off or the pin came out ... and that had a lot of tounge weight. Hard to tell from the carnage.

I made mine with 1/4 plate (bigger than anyone avaliable, 2" cross member) and do have a chain system.
I also am one of the few folks that pull a trailer at or just above the 55 CA limit.
Good caution though ...

 

I'll probably never know exactly what happened, the ball mount was nowhere to be found afterwards. The best I can guess is that the pin parted ways somehow, although thats not something that one typically sees. The trailer was loaded carefully, tongue weight was just about where it should be. The front of the trailer is folded up from when it ramped up the center concrete wall, which launched the trailer up above the car in the air. The trailer tumbled three or four times across the highway before coming to rest. The problem with our setup was that with the chains attached to the ball mount, once the pin came out the chains were worthless. I knew this was not the best way to do things, but never did I imagine that we'd have a failure in this way. My new setup will take the chains to the chassis somewhere.

Jason

 

I've got the MDM drawbar/hitch, and the chains do attach to the drawbar. There aren't really any great places to attach the chains there in back, so it's a "one point of failure" system. Even being really careful with the pin, I can see where metal fatigue on the pin retainer, or a careless install, could cause the same problem with mine. I'm a'gonna take a look around there underneath and see what I can find. A little ingenuity should come up with something!

 

I'm thinking of welding a tab onto the drawbar further back on the square tube part that will be behind the bumper and also welding a tab onto the actual hitch frame itself. A small length of chain or cable between the two tabs can then work as a safety chain to hold the drawbar in the event of pin failure/loss. I will continue to use the normal trailer safety chains to the drawbar (MDM style), but the drawbar itself will be safety chained to the car, hidden behind the bumper. It will be a little bit of a hassle to attach, but a lot less hassle than being stranded in St Louis with a balled up trailer.

Jason

 

Was there any damage to the MINI? Pics?

 

No damage to anything other than the trailer, height wise it was above the MINI, but it was still rearward from the car. Thankfully, all other traffic on the road was able to miss the trailer and nobody was injured.

I am very glad that I went overboard when I designed the tire rack on this trailer, had I only used a couple straps holding the tires on as I used to, I'm sure we would've had Kumho's all over the highway.

Jason

 

the bike racks have 2 mounting points attached to the frame and come through the rear "vents"
2 eylets there and youy have a place to connect chains ...
totally independant of hitch, pin,ball.

 

That looks amazing...can't wait.

 

VERY cool idea, have to find a way to keep it from rattling, so chain is out. Maybe a strong, fender-washer-backed eye bolt on either side of the battery box? Nyah, that'd be ugly and invite rust. Hmmm...

 

Buy a Magnaflow like me, huh?? what rattle???

How about some of that plastic coated cable?

My thoughts were to limit my modifications to the hitch itself so that I always have the option to return my car back to completely stock.

With all this talk, I need to stop thinking and start doing!

Jason

 

I definitely like that cable idea though... I'm wondering what temps that hitch is really exposed to and whether it'd melt that vinyl inside the 1 1/4" hitch receiver tube, that'd be ugly.

I wonder if one were to run a "wye" cable while the hitch is off the car, attach cable to the bumper mounting bolts and run to the hitch tube, with a clip-type device to attach to the drawbar only when it's in. Heck, run stainless cable and you wouldn't need worry about rust or rattle if it's done right. Hmmm.

By the way, Jason, do you recognize this guy? Looks like we're doing the Winter Driving school again, block off February 24... I'll bring my trailer... with my now-bald runflat "track tires"... and my big-a aluminum floorjack if you don't want to haul yours along...

 

I made one to haul the EZ Up and other stuff to track days. I had a great time making in and have used it quite a bit.
Annette

 

It doesn't get all that hot in there, warm yes, but nothing to write home about. When not in use, my trailer wiring harness gets tucked into the opening for the drawbar. As long as I don't touch the exhaust (OUCH!!!!) I can reach right up there and grab the hitch immedately after shutting off the engine.

not a bad idea

My little bro had a blast flogging my car around the Wilson Circuit that day! I love that picture!

See you on 2/24!

Jason

 

Jason: I think I'll do a little less driving this year and take a few more pictures, that was a blast. Learned a good bit too...

 

I'd really like to get one of these trailers, but they're kinda pricey:



Mfg's website: http://www.pulmor.com

 

My son made this for both of our hitches ...
So when not trailering we have tow hooks ...

 

I love it! Makes me smile!

 

What are you guys using for the hitch itself? Easily self installable? Work on a clubman?

 

Trailer looks good, however the MINI looks Great.