Trailer dolly - any ideas?

[Rattie]

We've got a BJT Minno Max that we take the R300 to trackdays on, but the rest of the time takes up space in the garage. Unfortunately the entrance to our property is very restrictive width wise, so we can't wheel it round to the side of the garage where there is space to store it flat.

 

So, bright idea was to fabricate a dolly or pair of dollies to allow it to be raised onto its side (we have a high lift farm/rally jack) then wheeled in that tall/narrow configuration through the narrow bit, before lowering it back down onto its own wheels for safe storage.

 

Once the trailer is up on its edge and resting on the dolly wheels, these need to be somewhat steerable, able to go over paving to grass to paving and be handleable by two people ideally.

 

I was thinking two of these, with small inflatable tyres and somehow lashed temporarily to the trailer bed rails, fore and aft of the trailer wheels. The trailer bed obviously sits in the vertical slot in the middle of the dolly.

 

Any better ideas? Anybody done it or seen it done before? Thoughts on my basic design?

 

Martyn

^_R300GRR

[jchasey]

Steering it with two of those would be tricky - I'd go with just the one, but possibly beef it up a little. Hopefully it can be positioned close enough to the centre of gravity that you don't have too much to lift weight wise.

John

[Clousta]

We use dollys all the time manoeuvring gliders in and out of hangars (single seat and twin seat). They are commercially available and in the car restoration industry but most make their own. You need the dolly to have freedom of movement in any direction you want. If required you can customise the top of the dolly to any size or shape to match the side of your trailer. Why not store it vertically once its upright - less manhandling

 

Here is a link to give you an idea. linky It was made to move a 1972 BMW 2002 chassis around so it should be strong enough.

 

Gavin

1988 1700 Supersprint (LA, long cockpit)

[Graham Perry]

Rattie, Your idea would probably work, provided you can steer it easily (If required). You would also need to find a way to secure it to the trailer. Possible mudguard damage when tipping up the trailer might also need to be considered

[Steve-B]

Martyn, look for a set of the big soft wheels folks use to move catamarans over the beach, and other sizes for Laser sailboats. They might exactly do as you want, but I also second thoughts about wheels that can move 360 degrees would be worth considering....

 

 

[paul richards]

I think I've seen something where a set of castors were bolted to the side of a trailer (at front and back) to give you the ability to move a trailer on its side.

Castors can be purchased from Machine Mart and other such places.

 

Edited to say:-

Do you keep the car on the trailer in the garage? This is what I used to do. I would push the trailer into the garage then drive the car on.

 

Paul Richards

Area Representative - L.A.D.S. (Lancashire and District Sevens)

LADS Website

Growing old is compulsory - Growing up is optional

 

Edited by - Paul Richards on 12 Dec 2010 15:07:45

[Rattie]

Thanks for the input guys, it's much appreciated.

 

The dinghy trolley wheel idea's a good one. We do have a chandlers quite near, where I got our Pela pump.

 

The tricky aspects I think are that we need to get it up and move it on its edge and that the wheels/tyres need to be larger than your normal castors otherwise Gavin's idea would be fine, and indeed we made a pair like that for moving the chassis around before we could get it on the lift and build it.

 

Paul, yes and no. We do sometimes put the 7 up onto the trailer and put the mx5 in the garage too, but that makes getting the 7 out a pain in the arse.

 

Need to store it flat to prevent it catching the wind and falling over unfortunately.

 

Paul, you don't know where you saw that did you? Was it in the metal or online? Someone in the Elise Trophy posse mentioned a setup with castors attached to the side of the road wheels, but I had trouble imagining it.

 

I was thinking as I was drawing up the "A frame" that I could weld a small platform to the horizontal, axle member. That would assist keeping the frames upright, rather than falling over in the axis of the bed, plus I should be able to loop something over the top of the "top edge", going from apex to apex of the frame, if that makes sense. Could even be a steel cable, passed through one of the hold down holes in the edge of the bed.

 

Whatever wheels we use I think they have to end up a couple of feet apart otherwise the whole thing could quite easily topple while we're moving it around. Hmmm, constraints...

 

Martyn

^_R300GRR

[Graham Perry]

Rattie, your last comment is important. I didn't mention it earlier but have tried to move a small trailer this way before several times and also weld up a

trailer frame on its side when building a slightly heavier one than a Minno. Stability up on its side is very dodgy (it will be over 6 foot tall) and it can easily fall on someone. Your idea of having the wheels a couple of feet apart and the trailer held in a frame will be most sensible

[Steve-B]

I just did a Gargle for "window glass moving frame" and suspect that one of these will suit your needs perhaps....

 

 

[Rattie]

Hmm, interesting firm. Looks like if I draw a blank I could get them to fabricate something. I think their basic panel carrier would have to be huge to keep the trailer stable. Good spot though, cheers.

 

Martyn

^_R300GRR

[ric355]

You need something like this linky

 

Scroll down for the version with wheels.