fastest trailer on the 401

Andre Cloutier

Firestarter. Wicked Firestarter.
Turned the last bolt today, look out Clayton - actually look out before Clayton, didnt use much loctite...
Princess auto supplied the mudguards, 4.99 for genuine NOS Nitrous Oxide Systems flaps - a little trimming with aviation snips and we're off.
Now if I could just find 4.80x8 tires that are V-rated for the extra speed :eek:
 

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Look at the front racks, they're adjustable like the back
had a 12' lapstrake on it today as it is...
 
A question

Hi Andre, what are the uprights and crossbars made of? Thin walled steel? Or aluminum? And dimensions of the tubing? I am making a T bar that attaches to my grill guard for my new Grand Cherokee. The Jeep folks do not make roof racks that actually do anything anymore. Yakima says a 30" spread between bars is sufficient. This new Jeep with rail riders is 32" between bars. A T bar out front seems like a better way to go. I'll weld a bracket to the grill guard and attach the T bar with bolts or pins. I always liked the rule of thirds. My Old Jeep with the rain gutters is much better. seven feet between bars. But that old Jeep is getting tired. thanks.
 
steel

Dave,
i used 1.75 square tube, 1/4" wall
I used to work in a fabricating shop and so tend to overdo things, note the gussets at the joints. Those dimensions are actually okay for structural welding but you never know when you're going to want to put something heavy on like a load of lumber, so I beefed them up. I welded AND bolted the tongue to the frame, its 2.5x2.5, 1/4 wall 14' long. We wasted about 20 mins trying to square the tongue to the frame, then gave up and squared it to the axle. Turns out the frame was off 3/4" on a corner to corner measure, thanks Taiwan:eek:
if your grill guard is round, try muffler clamps so you can remove it entirely for a cleaner mount, or axle to spring clamps if its squared and "t" the bottom of the upright. Then you dont have to worry about the weld if the guard is thin walled.
If I find I want to extend the bar width, I'll likely bolt a longer piece of oak to the crosspieces for extensions that are easy to remove, since a heavy canoe is 75 or 80 lbs thats no problem, and I dont often move more than one at a time.
'nother shot of the front upright, easily adjustable for length.
By the way, the same stuff in aluminum was so $$ when my heart started again I had forgotten the price the guy quoted me.
hope this helps.
 

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Thanks Andre

Too bad they don't make spotting hitches for my Jeep. I like the muffler clamp idea. The tubes are about 4" tho. About the size of a Mack exhaust pipe.
 
rear hitch

Dave, why a front rack - or will your Jeep not have a trailer hitch?
could knock this together in about 15min...
or you could get a set of brackets fabbed, wouldnt be a lot of $$
 

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I have a camper

When I go camping and take the canoe is when the problem is most obvious. A less known problem arises when you consider the front of the roof in relation to the front bar and A pillar. If the front bar is directly over the B pillar then the canoe easily comes in contact with the paint in the front of the roof during loading/unloading. Any lifting at all at the rear and the paint gets gouged to the tune of about $500.00 in my case. My old jeep is a 1990 and pretty much a trout bum beater. it has the rain gutter racks and that's a great way to do it. My '94 jeep had yakima and about a 5 1/2' spread between bars so that was Ok. this new jeep is, so far, not set up well for carrying my 18' canoes. i happened to meet the engineer who designed the roof rack. I am the demographic of the least influence. Only a small percent of owners use the rack for anything other than to take the Christmas tree home. And therefore, I don't have much influence when it comes to getting Chrysler to make a canoe friendly rack. but i ain't done yet.
 
But, But---

in the USA i am only allowed one trailer behind my vehicle. aND that is the camper. I'll get it resolved at some point.
 
Here I often see 5'ers with a boat behind them, makes for a long rig though.

Only a few times have I seen 2 trailers in the same rig. (excluding the double bottom Fed Ex rigs.)

To avoid this, I got a truck that I plan to put a slide-in camper (pop-up style) on. Got to be able to take the boat on outings.

Dan
 
trailer safety

Whatever you decide, build it tough for you never know when the extra strenght will come in handy:eek:
 

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Wow. what a photo.

Hey mister, you can't park there. Spoils the view. My camper is not a fifth wheel. A fifth wheeler does allow you to pull a boat. There is a length limit. I got a few days off coing up so I may be able to gather the materials for a rack. But the walleye are stacking up in the river. And with a bit of warm water the browns will be at the river mouths. And the Quiet water symposium. And the Fly fishing expo.

Andre, the obvious question tho is--
How fast is it?
 
speed test

Dont know the terminal velocity, have to hit the nitrous. then again, how fast will a Toyota Sienna or PT Cruiser really go anyways? :confused: Likely the only way to get it over 100mph would be to drop it from a helicopter..
 
photos

Someone mention helicopter? Oh and another nautical mishap for you... Insurance adjusters forward the koolest photos during the day.
From now on I promise to keep it to canoes.
 

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:)
Those poor boats.

Every couple a years a boat goes over the falls here in MPLS and we see pics/rescues like that. Usually the boat doesn't fair to well.

Dan
 
PT cruiser?

Andre' if you have a PT Crusiser. get the rear axle fixed before you go off warrantee. it is costly even when Chrysler pays for the parts. the least little noise back there and
you got trouble. And starts with T
and that stands for trade.
and that is what we did.
I do not know how fast the Cruiser goes but the Mini Cooper, plain jane tops out at 130. without nitrous.
BTW there is a nice canoe trailer on ebay. Not as nice as yours. if only i did not have this camper.
 
Here's my trailer

Attached is a photo of my trailer. I bought a used boat trailer that the former owner had added a deck to. A deck is needed to help prevent road debris from bouncing up and hitting your nice boats. I added the "trees" to carry four canoes. Pipe insulation for padding. Bracing is required to take out some of the trailer flex which without it puts too much stress on the boats. A pickup truck tool cross box was added to carry PFD's etc. I can even bring the kid's bikes along.
 

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