D Prepared Miata Build

[aMaff]

I would like to have that trailer. You should mount a box on the front for all of your towing accessories!

We'll see. Pretty much everything I need just gets chucked into the back of the Pathfinder on race day, then lives in the garage the rest of the time where it is used in the normal tool location. Anything left in a box outside would likely just rust to dust lol. 1st thing going on will be a carrier for the spare tire (already on its way here), and then after this weekend, it will get some proper D-ring tie-downs welded onto the frame. That trailer has carried much, MUCH heavier loads than an 1800 lb miata by attaching the ties to the frame, but... I don't know, I guess I've just never bought a trailer I didn't improve / customize for my needs. Once the tie-downs are on, I'll have to rig something up for retaining the ramps on board, as the previous owner had a truck and just chucked them in the back. I'd like to put them on the trailer instead.

So, if there's room after that, it will likely get a box out front. If not? Meh, I've never missed it and I can run business as usual.

 

[aMaff]

Well, here's problem 1 solved:

I didn't realize the tongue supports were C-channel (I thought they were boxed, like the tongue itself). After that, it was a simple matter of finding a ratchet strap in my garage that would be suitable and finding a flat spot to put the hooks. There's a couple gussets where the supports meet the frame that work perfectly

 

[JamesCH]

I'd be really worried that it would slide forward and the ratchet strap would come loose, is there something that would prevent that?

 

[aMaff]

Yeah, I didn't really do a good job of it (because I noticed after the pic was taken), but if you look at the hook on the far side, you can see the gusset where the tongue support meets the frame of the trailer. It's perpendicular to the straps. When I re-did it and secured the strap to the gussets.... well, if it comes loose, something pretty terrible has happened, and the ramps will probably be the very least of my worries lol

 

[JamesCH]

Quite possible that only a big impact would dislodge it.

If you wrap the ratchet strap around one more rung on the ladder it will tighten up if anything slides forward.

Magic.

 

[aMaff]

I'm not sure what you mean.

 

[JamesCH]

I'm not sure what you mean.

In your picture, take the end on the left-hand side and wrap it around the far left end of the ramp such that the strap tapers inward from the ramp to the c-channel on the trailer.

 

[aMaff]

Sitrep:
Header flex pipe: replaced.
Header: Re-installed.
Oil: Changed.
Tires for the novice school: procured. We're ready to go!

In your picture, take the end on the left-hand side and wrap it around the far left end of the ramp such that the strap tapers inward from the ramp to the c-channel on the trailer.

I see what you're saying. I'll take a better picture probably Friday night when I load up. The straps would basically have to break for them to come loose, and the way the straps are positioned, they will locate the ramps properly.

 

[JamesCH]

Okay, cool. I bet I'm not seeing everything from the picture you posted.

 

[aMaff]

Yeah, they're not great pics. Here you go:

With the hook behind that gusset, it can't slide forwards.

I suppose there's a chance that it may slide a few inches side-to-side under some serious force, but as much tension as that strap is under, I'm not able to move it them putting all my weight into them. I think it's a non-issue.

 

[JamesCH]

Looks perfect.

 

[aMaff]

After continually hitting my damn head on these things, I finally saved myself a lot of literal headaches. I didn't realize the steel was soft / weak / thin enough for me to just bend in by hand, but it totally was. Problem solved.

 

[aMaff]

I had to make 1 final, hopefully, adjustment to the ramps. I mounted the spare tire carrier and spare tire. I tried mounting it forward of the weight distributing hitch mounts, but the handle for the tongue jack and the tire were trying to occupy the same space... *facepalm*. However moving it forwards wouldn't let the ramps sit flat anymore *facepalm*.

Oh well, I figured I'd give it a shot and see what shook out. Sure enough, while I had to angle the ramps a bit, tied down similarly to how they were before, and having them wedged between the tire and the front of the trailer deck, they are at least as stable as they were before, and possibly more. Win!

Once again, the gussets come in seriously handy:

 

[aMaff]

 

[eprx799]

is there any way to mount the ramps under the car down the middle of the trailer? that way they would be out of the way on the front of the trailer.

 

[aMaff]

Probably. But that will take some fab work. I don't have time to do fab work between now and tomorrow (or really at any time in the past week). That will come later, but that's the plan.

 

[aMaff]

Today we my Miata to the autocross. We arrived, I hopped on the trailer and attempted to start the car to back it off the trailer and she had apparently lost the fire. Jen and I drove a friend's daily driver supercharged CRX, then put the ramps back on the trailer and towed the rig back home. Pushed it off the trailer and backed it into the garage, and called it a day.

Like a dumb@$$ I didn't put anything to cover the electronics while towing, and I think the ignitor got wet. Hopefully after it dries out in the garage for a day or 2, it'll fire up. Hopefully. If not... well, expensive lesson learned. We'll see.

 

[aMaff]

The Brain is out of the car and is sitting in my office on top of a box underneath an A/C vent. If that doesn't get it dry enough, then it'll probably have to run it by DIYAutotune to get it tested out. *sigh* sometimes I hate being a dumbass :-/

 

[THE Phen]

Blah. That sucks man.

 

[aMaff]

SitRep: The battery doesn't have enough juice to turn the starter right now, but the MS powers on and primes the fuel pump.

The battery is on the charger now. I think I ran it down yesterday trying to start the car that wouldn't start and neglected to charge it overnight. Hopefully a fresh charge is all it takes now

EDIT: Nope, battery is dead. Like dead-dead. Ordered a new one, but have an old battery that hasn't been charged in like 6 months that I jumped on, and it at least tried to turn over. I've got that one on the charger and will give it another shot later this evening after work.