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Stacker Trailer

PostPosted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 8:37 pm
by Bob K
I am looking to buy a new trailer for my SRF and Golf Cart. My problem is that a 20 ft trailer does not fit in my garage. A 14 ft trailer would fit great so I am thinking about stacking the golf cart over the SRF. Does anyone know of such a trailer or has anyone built a stacking mechanism? I am a mechanical engineer and have a steel fab shop so I can make one but thought I should ask around before jumping in. Has anyone seen a trailer like this and could they describe how it was built. I have a few ideas of my own but looking for advice.
Thanks
Bob K

Re: Stacker Trailer

PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 9:18 pm
by kurtbob
Bob K wrote:I am looking to buy a new trailer for my SRF and Golf Cart. My problem is that a 20 ft trailer does not fit in my garage. A 14 ft trailer would fit great so I am thinking about stacking the golf cart over the SRF. Does anyone know of such a trailer or has anyone built a stacking mechanism? I am a mechanical engineer and have a steel fab shop so I can make one but thought I should ask around before jumping in. Has anyone seen a trailer like this and could they describe how it was built. I have a few ideas of my own but looking for advice.
Thanks
Bob K

During my first year of racing, I met an SRF racer who was traveling the country and running a different track every weekend. His son designed a hoist inside the trailer to pick up the front end of the spec racer, so that the front of a Smart car could fit underneath (in a sort of dovetail configuration). I can't remember what length trailer he had, but It worked great for him.

I think a 16 ft. trailer would give you a more realistic chance of making that design happen. Will a 16 footer fit in the garage?

Re: Stacker Trailer

PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2015 12:40 pm
by Bob K
16' would fit. Never thought about that idea. I will have to do some measuring to see if this would work. Maybe I could almost stand the SRF on its tail if the trailer was tall enough????
Thanks
bob K

Re: Stacker Trailer

PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2015 2:53 pm
by breton
I would think you could fit both the SRF and a golf cart in a 16' trailer if you put the golf car sideways (may need to take the tail off the SRF), unless you're using up a lot of the space for tool boxes/parts/etc. I built tire racks about the car that will hold 4 sets of wheels and thought of using the same system to stack parts bins and potentially body sections.

Re: Stacker Trailer

PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 6:25 pm
by SRF49
Rick Heer, our CSR, built a system to lift the nose up so a Smart car could be parked under the nose.
An option over complete stacking.
Bob

Re: Stacker Trailer

PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 10:49 pm
by JBPDXOR
Bob & Bob & Bob,

I can visualize a double 12vdc winches, one at the front to lift the front up then the back winch to lift the rear of the SRF up to desired height using a steel bracing system and lock pins. The front lock pin becomes the anchor rotating the wheel track as the rear part is raised to desired height.

I'm not a Bob

Re: Stacker Trailer

PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:08 am
by breton
Wish I had a picture of Ric Heer's setup, but I'll try to explain. He has a lift bar that fits under the roller at three points (behind driver's head and the two side rollbars just in front of the driver) that has a pulley at the center balance point of the car (looks like a "T"). The trailer has two heavy steel frames centered at the rear SRF frame and at the steering box section (just behind the rear and front wheels). The car is lifted by the hoist until the rollbar touches the ceiling, then two large steel box section cross pieces are bolted under the car with one bracket at the center of the rear frame (between the shocks) The front brace has two pieces that slot on either side of the steering box section to keep the car from sliding side-to-side. Once the car is in place it's lowered a couple of includes then the rear section is secured with an additional piece over the rear frame to keep everyting securely in place. Only need a single winch (his system has multiple pulleys centered at the appropriate point to handle a car in front and in back of the trailer.)

I'm not sure this would work in a smaller trailer with a lower roof line (though Ric's trailer is not very tall) and whether there would be sufficient clearance under the car of golf car (the design is intended to just fit a stacked set of spec racers and cars have to be removed in a specific order as the front of the stacked cars are actually lower than the roll bar height and supporting frame member (bottom rear/top rear/bottom front/top front). Backing the car in, then just have method to lift the front up high enough may provide more clearance and may require one less set of lift braces to work.

Re: Stacker Trailer

PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 2:22 pm
by SRF49
Rick, built one for Cotcher that (if I remember correctly) after the car was backed in lifted the front of the car with a bar and then secured it at the angle, so a smart car could fit below it. I think this could be done with a normal height trailer.
One of the Bob's

Re: Stacker Trailer

PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 6:46 pm
by davep
Make sure the new trailer is fitted with the proper axles to take the added weight.

DaveP

Re: Stacker Trailer

PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 7:26 pm
by dave
davep wrote:Make sure the new trailer is fitted with the proper axles to take the added weight.

DaveP

That's the most important thing.