Red5

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=34313

This has a 500 pound limit. It slides into the hitch reciever.

The hitch I have is frame mounted and seems to be very solid. Do you think I could put 4 CCW 17s with 335s on here with any luck? It sure would be nice to not have to tow a traler.

RAFTRACER

Do you know what all of that tongue wieght will do to your ridehieght/alignment etc. Ron Adee tried to do something like that for the OLOA. Killed rear tires immediately ---- alot of rear camber gain on his "special" truck.

I dont think your fenders or rear shocks would like it

Solofast

It isn't just the load, it is how far from the back of the car that it extends.

So it depends on how much you are putting on it and, how the hitch is attached to the rear frame. I would calculate the overhung moment (in inch pounds) of the tires (about 18 inches from the rear frame to the CG of the wheels x 200 pounds for wheels and tires), or about 3,600 inch pounds of moment at the rear frame. Then divide that moment by the forward and aft distance between the mounting bolts on the frame. If for instance they are say 6 inches, that means that the downward force is going to be roughly 600 pounds on the rear mount bolts, or about 300 pounds per bolt. What this exercise says is that the effect of the overhung load is about three times as great as the load itself. For that reason, you have to be careful how much you hang out there and how far you hang it.

If you look at the receiver it is rated for a specific tongue load. If you measure from the rear frame to the center of the ball, and multiply that by the rated tongue load, that will give you the allowable moment at the rear frame. If that is more than the 3600 inch pounds that we calculated above you should be ok..

I was thinking that the allowable tonuge load was, for a typical Corvette hitch on the order of 400 pounds. If the distance from the ball to the frame is about 10 inches then this says that there isn't a lot of margin in there.....

Red5

I could possibly rig a tow strap to go from the trailer through the hatch and hook up inside the rear of the vette.



Danny, are you saying this will kill my shocks? Rear tires tend to not last very long on the car.. But I would hate to hurt the suspention.

95jersey

I wouldn't do it...you will block you liscense plate and most importantly your tail lights. Aside from the weight issue, I think that is a dangerous set up to drive in traffic, especially at night.

Red5

Blocked tailights are a problem.

0Randy@DRM

Get some cheap trailer lights to mount on the way back. Just a simple 4 pin setup would work.

Randy

Red5

Do you think my hitch/car can take it?

JCD

How about that stinger thingy they sell for miatas?

Three on that and one in the hatch.

0Randy@DRM

What is your hitch rated to? It is what it is, don't break the thing off trying to get a extra hundred pounds on it.

Randy

Solofast

[QUOTE=Red5]I could possibly rig a tow strap to go from the trailer through the hatch and hook up inside the rear of the vette.

That would probably address the overhung moment issue. Not sure how you would keep the strap from damaging the paint at the back of the car, but it would keep the hitch from bending off the back of the frame.

I would think that putting two tires in the hatch and two on the rack would be a good compromise....

John Shiels

No the way the hitch attached on my C5 it was not made for all that leverage. Even 200 lb. way back would seem to be a bit much. Straps going inside will screw up you body. You may also scallop the front tires as the load and unload. Trailers work fine and give you room for tools & supplies with personal items like clothes in the car. Never even felt my trailer. I did go 125 with it also.

Carl Johansson

geeze - you already have the hitch - you plan on going to Harbor freight - why not just buy their cheapola trailer - bolt on a box up front and put the tires on it - and just leave it set up.
It would be quicker to hook up the trailer than mess around with attaching this thing - then loading it - and then messing with straps - just get the cheap trailer outfit it and leave it loaded - ready to go!

plus you wont look like a yutz!

Carl Johansson

Slalom4me

The receiver-style Class 1 hitches listed for the C5 & C4 at one site
are rated for a 200 lb tongue weight.

(The site now lists the C4 item as made by Curt Mfg and my recently
purchased C4 hitch arrived in a Curt box, but the hitch inside had a
DaLan lable on it.)

.

01C5fan

A C5 hitch has a 1.25" receiver and as John mentioned, a very low max tongue weight. The picture shows a truck with a 2" receiver. Big difference. For a little more money you can get the Harbor Freight 4' trailer. It works great. I used to own one. Good luck.

John Shiels

Yep I even forgot how small the reciever was forget about it. The tongue weight on my tire trailer was a light one hand lift so 40-50 lb.

johninar

I agree with the naysayers above. I would also question the safety of this kind of setup. That's a lot of force affecting how the car handles in an emergency. Do yourself a favor, get a trailer.

Red5

I already have a trailer.. Actually I have three jet ski trailers. But I often times go 100 mph to get to a race. And I'm always concerend that I'm gonna blow one of these little tires or trash a wheel bearing.. But it hasn't happened yet and I've been doing this for 8 years or so..

So maybe I should just keep up what I'm doing and forget about this idea.

Well thanks again guys. This is why I post these ideas on here. I figure at least one of you has been there and done that.

Slalom4me

Let me put it this way:
Train A: 8:00 AM
Train B: 8:24 AM (maybe)

.

RogueVette

Just enough time to swap the wheels and walk the track