Open Race Car Trailers - Building A Trailer On A Budget

My new trailer will have to spend many of its nights outside. Since the Superwinch could be surreptitiously removed in the dark, thought was given to protecting it. A tube matching that of a trailer hitch receiver mount was welded to the trailer, and a Superwinch receiver mount kit was employed. The winch bolts to a plate attached to a tube. This, in turn, slides into a receiver-type trailer hitch. This type of mount will fit receiver hitch mountings on many vehicles. Removing a pin allows easy detachment of the Superwinch, so it can be stored inside and even used elsewhere.

As stated in Part 1, I prefer high, forward-mounted lights. They are mounted near the top of the tire rack. A simple light kit from the local auto supply store does the job. But there is more wiring to be done. The electric brakes need a wire, as does the winch.

To operate the electric trailer brakes, it is necessary to buy a controller. The hand-operated style will be cheaper. One that hooks into the tow vehicle's hydraulic brakes is automatic and convenient, but more expensive. The choice of how much to spend is up to you.

I welded in a battery box at the front of the trailer. Since a wire must be run for the brakes, you might as well run two. One of these will attach to the positive battery post of the tow vehicle. It will then attach to the positive post of the trailer battery. This way the trailer battery will always be charged.

The winch, of course, runs off the trailer battery even if the trailer is not attached to a vehicle. This battery can run the winch or be a spare for the race car.

The battery box was fabricated from a 10-inch piece of purling and some 1 1/2-inch angle. It was welded toward the front and low enough to not stick up above the trailer runners.

Having finished every part of this project with the Millermatic 185, I am impressed. In view of the price of this unit being only slightly more than my old 110-volt unit, and given the aggravations of a small welder, the 185 should be part of every racer's garage.

The Millermatic cable with the welding gun is long enough to reach to the other side of the trailer while building it, which means no more moving the welder from side to side when working on a bulky project. Millermatic recently replaced the 185 with the Millermatic 210, a 200-amp model. The price is about the same, but the performance is even better.

Virgil Brown's sage advice to tie the car down at all four corners was great. I have used M&R Products belts and nets in our race cars for years and have been very pleased with the service.

The Superwinch is just that. Its portability makes it useable in many ways and places. It is a first-class piece. When loading your trailer, make sure the car is placed so the tongue weight is at least 400 or more pounds. More is better if it doesn't make your headlights aim for oncoming eyeballs.

Two bathroom scales can be used for weighing the tongue. Lay a 2x4 board across them to spread the load, and then add the two together.

It is never a bad idea to weld an identification number somewhere out of sight on a trailer. This practice has aided in the return of a "borrowed" trailer.

Good luck with your project. I hope this helps save a few dollars that you can spend on your race car.

Keep an eye out for updated information as well as plans for the trailer in Part 3 of this series.