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Trailer winch
Sierra - 4/2/15 at 08:15 PM

I finally got a trailer today and got it home, many thanks to a member on here.
I bought a winch that I'm going to mount onto the trailer to help get the car on as at the minute the car engines in bits.
The problem I have is that my driveway is slightly sloped so I really struggled to push the trailer with car on into my garage, I have to have it so the back of the trailer is at the front of the garage, that way I can take the car off and leave the trailer.
Question is, do you reckon it will be ok to drill in an eyebolt to the back wall of my garage and just winch it in, does it work the same or wil it just apply a lot of pressure on pulling the wall?
The winch is manual and my garage walls are the croncrete slabs that just slot ontop of each other.

adithorp - 4/2/15 at 08:33 PM

I'd be more inclined to put the eye-bolt into the floor. The concrete panel won't be very strong in the direction you'll be pulling at it and could crack.

daniel mason - 4/2/15 at 08:45 PM

How are you going to get it back out of the garage?

Sierra - 4/2/15 at 09:01 PM

Good idea I think I'll put it in the floor, that way no real damage is done.
Getting it out isint too much off and issue as I just need to push it over the garage floor bump by the door then it's all sloped down hill

Dooey99 - 4/2/15 at 09:07 PM

make sure you have a decent jockey wheel!!!
there was 3 of us dragging a trailer at work which can hold two cars length ways, thankfully we only had one on it, but the jockey wheel collapsed and broke my colleagues toes. it was lucky the £40,000 race car was strapped on or that would of rolled onto him aswell.

Sierra - 4/2/15 at 09:48 PM

I've got to admit I really struggled to move the trailer with the car on. The back of the trailer falls straight to the floor so it either drags on the floor or I have to lift the back and push.
I would have thought the hitch end would by heavier as engine is also on that side. That would make it much easier to to move about as the jockey wheel would be on the ground and trailer a lot more parallel.

Ben_Copeland - 4/2/15 at 10:08 PM

You first need to balance the trailer up with the car, it will make moving it much easier.

If its a 4 wheel trailer jack 2 wheels off the floor with the jockey wheel.
If its a 2 wheel trailer it shouldn't be too difficult to move anyway.

It should have about 50kg on the jockey wheel when loaded, so shouldn't be tipping back!!

daviep - 4/2/15 at 10:13 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Sierra
I've got to admit I really struggled to move the trailer with the car on. The back of the trailer falls straight to the floor so it either drags on the floor or I have to lift the back and push.
I would have thought the hitch end would by heavier as engine is also on that side. That would make it much easier to to move about as the jockey wheel would be on the ground and trailer a lot more parallel.


You're trailer shouldn't be light on the hitch for stability reasons when towing, around 50kgs on the hitch is usually an acceptable figure but the towbar will be marked with a maximum nose weight normally btetween 75kg-100kg. You need to get your car further on to the trailer or move the axle back.

Sorry this doesn't help with your original question.

Cheers
Davie

slingshot2000 - 4/2/15 at 11:17 PM

quote:
Originally posted by daniel mason
How are you going to get it back out of the garage?


If he needs to winch it into the garage, surely Gravity will give him a help-full hand to get it back out ?

Regards
Jon

[Edited on 4/2/15 by slingshot2000]

adampage - 5/2/15 at 02:52 PM

But gravity could give him too much of a helping hand - would you fancy being on the hitch of a heavy trailer rolling away from you down a hill - could you stop it?

Hope he never has to find out.....

Ad

Ben_Copeland - 5/2/15 at 03:19 PM

Should have a handbrake so it won't roll away?

adampage - 5/2/15 at 03:49 PM

.....If you grab it quickly enough, and it works.
But might still be a bit cumbersome to use.

Brake off. Wooah it's escaping, brake on!
Brake off. Wooah it's escaping, brake on!
and repeat....

Sounds fun! Make sure you video it either way, the £250 from You've been framed will help pay for repairs!

daveb666 - 18/2/15 at 09:08 AM

I have an eyelot bolted to the floor in my garage to winch the trailer in on. Works perfectly - all be it was hard-work.

Same setup as the OP - trailer goes in nose-first and the car lives on the trailer.

Sierra - 21/2/15 at 05:21 PM

Well today was interesting to say the least. I towed the car/trailer and at around 40mph it was fine, got to 55mph and the back of the trailer went crazy and swayed from side to side. I didn't think I was gonna be able to save it but luckily I did, brown pants moment.
I really need to sort the load on the trailer as it's tail heavy at the moment and didn't realise it would affect it as much as it did.
Without having to move the axles or extend the trailer. I was thinking of buying a heavy weight and strapping it near the tow hitch. Would this be ok and where's best to buy a heavy lump of metal?

Ben_Copeland - 21/2/15 at 07:12 PM

If you stand on the front of the trailer does it sit on the jockey wheel or still tip up?

owelly - 21/2/15 at 08:03 PM

Adding a weight to the front of the trailer is the wrong thing to do. You're trying to fix the symptoms, not the cause.
You need to move the load/axle to achieve the correct nose weight.

Sierra - 21/2/15 at 08:08 PM

It depends how high I've got the jockey wheel but if in the position to make the trailer horizontal then yes. I can lift the rear of the trailer easily to bring the front on the floor by hand.

daviep - 21/2/15 at 08:13 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Sierra
Well today was interesting to say the least. I towed the car/trailer and at around 40mph it was fine, got to 55mph and the back of the trailer went crazy and swayed from side to side. I didn't think I was gonna be able to save it but luckily I did, brown pants moment.
I really need to sort the load on the trailer as it's tail heavy at the moment and didn't realise it would affect it as much as it did.
Without having to move the axles or extend the trailer. I was thinking of buying a heavy weight and strapping it near the tow hitch. Would this be ok and where's best to buy a heavy lump of metal?


Who would have thought a tail heavy trailer would be unstable?

Placing a heavy weight on the drawbar isn't the correct way to address your problems, heavy weights far away from the axle can cause the trailer to pitch more which does nothing for stability.

I'd suggest doing some research and getting some training/advice from somebody experienced. As you've experienced when it goes wrong it happens quickly and launching your car or trailer in to the on coming traffic isn't particularly fair on the unsuspecting person coming towards you.

Cheers
Davie

mark chandler - 21/2/15 at 08:17 PM

Long drawbar is more stable, if unstable at 55mph you need to move the axle back as it sounds like it needs all the help you can give it.

Sierra - 25/2/15 at 02:25 PM

Good news. I've just got the trailer back from the fabricators and it tows perfectly now. The axle was moved back 6.5 inches and is now front heavy