Need to Pick Some Brains

[jlmccuan]

I need to be able to load my Avanti into it's enclosed trailer by myself. I have a 20,000lb winch to do the pulling. I would really like to be in front of the car guiding it into the somewhat cramped quarters. Does someone have an idea of a removeable yoke or trailer tongue I could snap onto the steering linkages, or other idea allowing my to steer without being inside the car?

Thanks,
Jim

[Rerun]

Maybe something like the old car wash? Fasten guides to the deck of the trailer that are spaced to match the inside dimension between the tires, plus a little wiggle room. Line the car up to the guides, and pull away.

[(S)]

I've seen custom made rigs that clamp to the steering. they have a handle that folds like that on a pallet jack. You 'steer' the car from the front. On a Studebaker, you'd want to just 'pick' the bell crank,and move the whole car but most modern trailers won't take the weight in one spot (and to prevent damage to the reach rods) You have your project cut out for you.

[JGK 940]

I am not a professional at this sort of thing. I don't even play one on TV. This is my disclaimer, in advance. But if the car is to be winched into the trailer without the engine running, I think I might be tempted to start pulling it in tail-first and make up some sort of removable guides, a foot or so wide at the mouth and tapering down to just a little wider than the front tires, to attach to the trailer floor at the open end after the rear axle is already in and remove again after the fronts are back out on the ramp on the way out.

Afterthought: or maybe even semi-permanent guide rails like the ones outside my grocery store that make sure the shopping carts nest perfectly when shoved together...

Just my $.02 and probably not worth much more than that...

[raoul5788]

I am not a professional at this sort of thing. I don't even play one on TV. This is my disclaimer, in advance. But if the car is to be winched into the trailer without the engine running, I think I might be tempted to start pulling it in tail-first and make up some sort of removable guides, a foot or so wide at the mouth and tapering down to just a little wider than the front tires, to attach to the trailer floor at the open end after the rear axle is already in and remove again after the fronts are back out on the ramp on the way out.

Just my $.02 and probably not worth much more than that...

I've been meaning to tell you I really like your avatar!

[Jim B PEI]

JGK940 has a very good sounding plan. What I would add to it is that the guides would have a overlapping slider on tracks with bolt tightener arrangement so that you could customize the width of the guide track a bit. Bolt down the tracks on the outside so that the guide arrangement doesn't shift, and the outer edges high enough that the car would naturally go straight and true backwards, and also as a backup to prevent lateral shifts while moving in case a tie down or two fails or loosens.

[mbstude]

I would really like to be in front of the car guiding it into the somewhat cramped quarters.
Thanks,
Jim

Considering you have less than 1 inch of clearance on each side, I'd say that sentence is quite understated. <grin>

I can't help, but I like the guardrail idea.

[8E45E]

I would use 2" angle iron bolted to the floor that guide the wheels on the inside track.

Craig

[Milaca]

I would use 2" angle iron bolted to the floor that guide the wheels on the inside track.

Craig

Rather than angle iron, I would consider using a pair of 4 x 4 wood timbers (which are actually 3.5 x 3.5 inches) with the top facing corners radiused to prevent splintering and/or cutting into the tires sidewalls. Fasten these with carriage bolts to your floor crossmembers. An 18 or 20 foot long timber will likely be green treated and available at any lumber yard.

[Bob Andrews]

You can't load it backwards, it would put too much weight at the rear. Gotta go in nose-first.

This sounds like a job for none other than our own MacGyver, Gord Richmond. Hopefully he sees the thread. Or, he's already seen it and is even now drawing up the plans for the solution.

[jlmccuan]

If it were front steer as opposed to the Stude rear steer, it would be a piece of cake. I need to check, but don't the Studes typically try to climb the curb instead of steering away? Tire guides also scuff the sidewalls. I do have some 150' of roll bar material that would work, though.

[8E45E]

Tire guides also scuff the sidewalls.

That will not be an issue if you run the 2" angle on the inside of the tire track. It will be plenty high enough to guide the car to the front of the trailer without trying to hop over it.

Craig

[E. Davis]

I like the guide idea but would use pipe instead of angle iron or wood timbers. You can mount pipe floor flanges to the floor and then afix the pipe runners to them with threaded pipe risers (nipples) to any height you like.

[Carl Purdy]

3 inch PVC Pipe. Bolt it down. If the wheel gets on it will turn. But what do I know.

[JBOYLE]

I like the guide idea but would use pipe instead of angle iron or wood timbers. You can mount pipe floor flanges to the floor and then afix the pipe runners to them with threaded pipe risers (nipples) to any height you like.

Huh?

Could you post a drawing or something for us engineering challenged?

I too would like some suggestions suitable for my Bearcat's narrow high pressure tires....which I'd think would be easier to guide than an Avanti's modern wide tires. Well fairly modern and fairly wide.
My enclosed trailer is also very narrow and I've been thinking of something similar.
I was thinking about wood 4x4s or something similar to help guide the car. Getting it in the trailer is always a nerve-wracking experience.