How to get an undrivable car onto a trailer?
 

I was helping my friend to pick up his spec Miata car from the shop. The car had no interior (no seat, no dash, no steering column) and we had to push it back & forth to line up the car with the trailer. As skinny as me and my friend are, we couldn't push the car up the ramp. After several tries, my friend decided to just sit on the floor pan, started the engine and "drove" it up to the trailer. We realized that it's almost impossible to push a car uphill unless we have at least like 3 or 4 people.

For those of you who trailer your car to track days or races, how would you load the car up to the trailer if, say, the engine was blown or suspension arm was broken that the car was undrivable? Would you just push the car up with help from others? Or would you need to call a flatbed?

Re: How to get an undrivable car onto a trailer? (Wai)
 

Get some paddock friendlies to help you. There's the winch option, if you have it.

So far in '03, I've personally done this with Chad 3 times. I prefer changing my oil after every race weekend, while he prefers changing motors. To each his own...

Re: How to get an undrivable car onto a trailer? (Wai)
 

had this happen once when picking car up from a painter....car didn't run, parked on gravel driveway, me and the painter couldn't push it on the tow dolly.....finally, disconnect dolly from truck, wedge bricks under tires of tow dolly, hook chain from truck to car and pull it on the dolly...not pretty but it worked ( of course car was on dolly backwards from how it normally got towed and I almost lost it off the dolly on the way home ;-)

Re: How to get an undrivable car onto a trailer? (Dented Rx7)
 

Come-along from Home Depot. If I remember, it was like $25. The only sucky part was having to do it in 2 steps, because the cable was only 10', and that wasn't long enough to do it in one shot. Hooked one end to the trailer and the other end to th eboat hook on the car.

It actually is a handy thing to have in the garage.

Re: How to get an undrivable car onto a trailer? (preparedcivic)
 

winch

Re: How to get an undrivable car onto a trailer? (Tweakmeister)
 

Call me and scott-k and some other locals, unless you are at the track, where there should be more than enough people to help if there isn't a winch.

Re: How to get an undrivable car onto a trailer? (Wai)
 

http://www.limbergertrailers.com/strwinches.html

I am about to get it welded onto my trailer this week. I bought the T2600 and the winch strap.

everyone knows that a "come-along" is a manuall winch thing, right? that was a good answer.

It's usefull for pulling yourself back on the road, pulling frames, lifting engines, etc.

-PHiZ

Re: (PHiZ)
 

...or if you left your come-a-long @ home, you can use your tiedown straps. You will have to reset about a million times but it can be done.

Now, if you totally destroy your car, only a open trailer will do. I was crewing for some friends when it happened to them. The track forklift had to gently deposit what was left onto their open deck trailer.

Re: How to get an undrivable car onto a trailer? (Wai)
 

Here's what I carry in my trailer box. It happens to slip over my tongue jack nicely and the cable is more than long enough to pull a car from the ground into position on the trailer. I also modified the power cable to plug into the trailer plug receptacle on the tow rig. Thankfully I haven't had to use it, but a friend who borrowed the trailer once did and said it worked like a charm. Not too expensive either, and you don't need to worry about it sitting outside if you can find a convenient way to attach it (mount plate slips over a trailer ball, which is not optimal IMHO):

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/pho...3399/43331.gif

http://www.harborfreight.com/c...43331

PS (edit) - nice thing about this setup is it's portable and I can loan it to anyone who needs it. So, the short answer to your question is - make friends with me https://honda-tech.com/forums/images...es/emsmile.gif

Re: How to get an undrivable car onto a trailer? (Wai)
 

Those nice tie down straps make excellent come-alongs in a pinch but you will most likely need to do this in increments.

Re: How to get an undrivable car onto a trailer? (ITC Racer)
 

I've had to use the come-a-long by myslef (and a five footer to boot) took me about an hour to get it on there withh all the crank then resetting I had to do.

Re: How to get an undrivable car onto a trailer? (whitney)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by whitney &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/pho...3399/43331.gif

http://www.harborfreight.com/c...43331

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Whitney, good suggestion on the portable winch as I have been looking for something reasonable priced (aka cheap) for awhile. I looked at SEMA for real winch company winches but they get very expensive for someone like me who will have very limited regular use. I like the portable idea so it doesn't spend 99.9% of it's life being wasted onnthe nose of an unused trailer.

I have had a Harbor Freight Come-along for many years and always keep it in my track gear for needed occiasions. I have pulled several cars on trailers but also straightened out a few bumpers and radiator core supports on several racecars with the help of trailer chains and a good sturdy tree.