Park car AND trailer in garage?

[Vipergrün]

Hello all, considering getting a trailer to tow my car to events with the RV. Got thinking... Do any of you store your trailer in your garage and drive your car on and off the trailer as you want to use it? Are there issues with the tongue not being attached to anything? Other than getting in and out of the car, what other issues would I face?

Thanks
-Brad

[89911]

I've stored my car like this with no problems. First you need a really big garage, both width and length wise. Second, you'll need to back it in obviously, so manuevering around a trailer will take a little bit of help. Third, once your in place, the chances of going to a quick spin are out.

[Asjac]

Yeah, I think he is talking about parking the trailer in the garage and then parking on it everyday.

My gut says that you would need to block the wheels and tie down the tongue of the trailer. I am not sure how much upward force there is on the tongue when you load a car on it, may just need to hook it up one day and have an assistant look and see if the truck's suspension goes up any when you drive onto it.

[RoyB]

You will need to push the trailer into the garage, tounge first. Block the wheels and put jack stands under the rear of the trailer so it doesn't lift the front end of the trailer up everytime you drive on. As long as the garage is long and tall enough, it should be no big deal. Not a lot different than parking your car on a lift everyday.

[89911]

Ok, I actually read everything he wrote . Yes, you can drive up on an unhitched trailer, but you need trailer jacks. These are usually built into the trailer and support it right behind the rear wheels to prevent the trailer from rocking upward. You could also use conventional jacks. Even with these, these are really meant for occasional use.

[Vipergrün]

Thanks guys Proves I am not crazy......well, maybe not....

[North Coast Cab]

I would think it would be very dangerous. I had my coupler come off when loading my car recently and the front of the trailer cam way off the ground and left me in a tough position. I suppose if you had a really good way to anchor the front so it couldn't go up or slide forward it's possible though.

John

[gestalt1]

i wonder if you could find a trailer hitch that you could bolt to the back wall of the garage and hitch the trailer to that so the trailer would be locked in as it would connected to the tow vehicle. i would think extra blocking would be a good idea for the wall.

[Joe Bob]

I just ordered a new trailer, since all I tow are Porsches, it's 14 foot deck x8 wide and 17.5 feet overall....it's gonna go the lift and I drive in under it....

[Chuck Moreland]

I can't find it, but awhile back someone posted a pick of someone who tried to load a car onto a trailer that was not connected to a tow vehicle. It wasn't a porsche, it think it was something from Detroit.

*****in wheely!

edit -

What, you can't say *****in?

Okay, B!tchin wheely!

[Don Plumley]

As was previously suggested - you don't need to fasten the hitch from rising, but use trailer jacks under the rear and front of the trailer to keep it level regardless of the weight shift from the CG.

That being said, if the front of your car is low, you'll need really long ramps. The hassle of put on the ramps, back out, take off the ramps might get to you. I like MikeZ's suggestion.

[Grady Clay]

Brad,

There are actually a lot of things you should consider.
They fall into three categories:
1) Anchoring the trailer in place.
2) Getting the 911 off and on the trailer when in place.
3) Maneuvering the trailer when unhitched from the
tow vehicle.


1) Anchoring the trailer in place. This can’t just
be some jack stands and chocks at the wheels. When
you drive up on a trailer and stop, the inertia of the 911
will force the trailer forward. I wouldn’t trust wheel
chocks to prevent the trailer from moving. Something
like a ball (blue) mounted on the garage wall and
anchored diagonally into the concrete floor (green)
would be best. I would still use jack stands under the
rear of the trailer. Screw types that are infinitely
adjustable are best.



You want to make sure the ball is very well mounted.
You don’t want to take out the garage wall. You could
install a receiver and use the hitch off the tow vehicle.
If you do this, be sure and use the big pin that secures
the hitch in the receiver. I would add a safety chain
(brown) and chain binder as extra insurance the hitch
doesn’t come off the ball.

2) Getting the 911 off and on the trailer when in place.
You want some very long ramps so you don’t wear out
your clutch or scrape your spoiler/muffler. You will want
to have a “running start” where the clutch is fully engaged.
Have stops for the front tires mounted on the trailer. The
classic tennis ball hanging on a string will give you a visual
clue when to stop. When specking the trailer, make sure
you can open the 911 door and clear the trailer fender.
It isn’t good to climb in and out the window. If you find
you can’t do this with the trailer fender, space up the 911
tires.

3) Maneuvering the trailer when unhitched from the
tow vehicle. Depending on your driveway, this may
be the biggest issue (hassle). It is a PITA to get a trailer
in and out of a garage tongue first. You will have to
devise a method for turning the trailer around and rolling
it in and out of the garage. A 2-axle trailer is very difficult
to turn as the tires want to scrub. You will probably want
a 12 V powered winch and big battery on the tongue of
the trailer. With a winch you can put some removable
anchors and pulleys in your driveway. It should only take
an hour or two to get the trailer in and out.


What you need is a drive through garage where the motor
home, trailer and 911 drive in one door and out the other
end. Of course if the garage is large enough, you
can leave everything hooked together and inside.

Best,
Grady

[Vipergrün]

Grady, you never cease to amaze me Thanks for the in-depth information!

Much appreciated.

-Brad

[TRE Cup]

For a very cool trailer that is specifically made for a 911 and fits in your normal garage (height/width) and can be towed with smaller vehicles; 911 Design in upland california has made a very cool tandem lightweight trailer. This is not their normal course of business, but they have built several for POC members needing just this type of trailer. Contact Loren at 909 627-1276 for more info

[Vipergrün]

Thanks Dave, are you offering to deliver it Any idea of cost?

[Don Plumley]

My input stands corrected by Grady. I was incorrectly not thinking too much about fore/aft movement, but more thinking about the mechanism to hold the hitch down. I still think jack stands (4) at the ends of the trailer are a secure way to limit off CG weight transfer. Coupled with a fixed hitch to limit fore/aft sounds like the safest way to go.

[TRE Cup]

best to call them as materials pricing has gone up so much in the last year.
i may be considering one myself for 07 season

db

[Grady Clay]

I think there is a market for an aluminum trailer that folds
up yet is still substantial enough for a 3000# 911. The
issue is many owners can’t leave a trailer outside
(covenants and such) and getting a trailer inside a garage
is a pita. I have seen go-kart size trailers (single axle)
that hinge in the middle and have little casters to roll it
around in the vertical position. Why can’t this be done
with a small aluminum 2-axle 911 trailer?

Two 2000# torsion axles with electric brakes should be
sufficient and within manufacture guidelines. Where to
have it hinge? Just ahead of the front axle mount makes
sense. It could roll on the front two wheels and two
casters when folded.

The goal is to have it fold in the middle and then stand
vertically in front of the 911 in a normal garage.

The hinge is at the green arrow. I show the front torsion
axle in red.



I’ll venture most parts can be regular trailer parts or from
over the road trailers.

Best,
Grady

[RoyB]

Man! You guys all have WAY too much time on your hands....

.....I've been loading and unloading Bob Cat dozers and other heavy equipment on and off "unattached" trailers all the time......No big deal. Any good trailer is going to have rear stabilizer jacks to keep the front from lifting. You don't need to go through all the exercises rthat have been laid out here.
If your trailer doesn't have rear stabilizers, just put a couple of jack stands under the rear and have at it............

[TRE Cup]

grady
another approach would be to have the front tongue of the trailer on a hinge that would allow you to fold the tongue downwards so it acts at the front support. The trailer would then be angled downward making for an easy parking ramp for the car. the remaining length would fit easily in the average garage.
Most of 911 Design's clients have been parking their mini 911 trailers in their garages with room to spare