Hey brain trust!

Can you slide the winch towards the front of the trailer so that you can crank it with the shield still in place?  If so, then a hole in the shield to run the cable through, and a rubber bellows to seal around the cable might do it. Pop a big screw eye in the deck to hook the cable to when not in use.

I was gonna say that your wench sounded a little inflexible about the whole thing, putting you on a spending embargo, but given that you're talking about replacing her with an electric model I understand her point of view. (Apologies, I was raised by a grammar nazi and have low self control).

First of all, why are you winching the spyder onto the trailer instead of driving it onto the trailer?  Second, why don't you just cut a hole in the plastic for the winch strap to go through?  Third, you can get an electric 3500 lb. winch for less than $100.

This is in 3 sections. With the middle section removed, I can operate the winch ( autocorrect JMM ) with no issue.i already cut an access panel out. 

Taking the 12 bolts off to remove that center section is an inconvenience at best. However, I was looking for an answer to remove or reduce time in that step.

 A faster than taking 12 bolts off would be cheaper than the electric winch.....right now.

Where did you buy the rock shield, Chris ?

Amazon. It's for snowmobiles. Google salt shield.

You could use wing nuts.  Wouldn't you only need to take the bottom 1/2 loose? Race car panels are held on using quick release DRUZ fasteners.

WOLFGANG posted:

You could use wing nuts.  Wouldn't you only need to take the bottom 1/2 loose? Race car panels are held on using quick release DRUZ fasteners.

 

Dzus for correct spelling of this fastener. Summit Racing has many low priced items such as this. 

Good options

popular on old British motorcycles

RS-60 mark posted:

First of all, why are you winching the spyder onto the trailer instead of driving it onto the trailer?  Second, why don't you just cut a hole in the plastic for the winch strap to go through?  Third, you can get an electric 3500 lb. winch for less than $100.

I’m with Mark on this one. Why is the car being winched on or off? Drive the car on to the trailer, strap it down tight, haul the car wherever you’re going, undo the straps, and drive the car off the trailer. Shield never moves and the winch isn’t needed. 

If you prefer to use the winch to load/unload cut a hole in the center piece that is large enough to fit the hardware through it. Cover the hole with a leather or rubber flap so the hole is covered when the hardware isn’t threaded through the hole. 

Forget moving the center section out of the way.

What’cha need is a “Fairlead” assembly to run the cable/strap through to keep the strap nearest the winch more-or-less in place and not rub the center section PVC.  

Home Depot has them for around $20 bucks.

I used on just like the one in the link above on my car hauler - Worked super. 

I don't mean to sound snarky because I asked for the help but whether or not to use the winch isn't an issue. A way to use the winch has already been done. You may or may not be able to see in this picture from the back but if you look closely, you can see a section cut out to use the winch in the right (pictured) section. 

A quicker way to remove fasteners is what I was asking. 

JMM (Michael) posted:

Can you slide the winch towards the front of the trailer so that you can crank it with the shield still in place?  If so, then a hole in the shield to run the cable through, and a rubber bellows to seal around the cable might do it. Pop a big screw eye in the deck to hook the cable to when not in use.

Indulge me, Chris. I know this isn't what you are asking, but... 

why not just loosen the nuts that hold the winch to the steel, slide the winch forward until the crank arm clears front and back, then tightening the nuts up (as Michael suggested)? 

If it won't clear, just buy a different hand winch-- they're about $15 from Harbor Freight, which will be a lot cheaper than Dzus fasteners.

I understand using the winch when you have steel on the trailer sides. (Mine only has 5" space on either side )  Slide the winch toward the trailer jack and shorten the crank handle .I just picked up my painted speedster this AM I have a manual boat winch on the trailer tongue and a center 4" hole for the winch cable in a  12" x 72" piece of plywood. It was easy to winch the speedster off the trailer. BTW I use 3" ratchet straps also I use a cordless drill and screw in short 2 x 4's against and in front of each tire, this keeps the car from moving.

@Stan I had to have rails added to the A frame just to add a winch. What the mfg gave me was a plated box, that took forever to cut out and where the winch lives is the only place I won't crack my knuckles on one part or the other of the trailer. So, moving it accommodate the shield can't be done. The handle is only about 9" long so I can't imagine I would find much other than going electric.......which I will likely do at some point.

If the winch was higher, probably not a deal but it's not.

The shield has left me with less space than I had but as stated, I already cut that up to accommodate what I have

I lied Chris-- a winch that would work is $30. A 20% off coupon gets it down to $24. If you need the coupon, I'll post a link here.

I'd mount this one further forward so it clears everything and leave the shield in place all the time, but that's just me.

No coupon needed. I hadn't seen a top crank before. Thanks. 

I'll still probably buy an electric at some point instead.

Geesh wish I had seen the top crank winch a few days ago

I could not find a picture, but I recall that Dusty Johnson had a real nice lightweight trailer with an aluminum stone shield, not unlike what you show here.  Don't know if it was custom or all part of the trailer.  I do know that Just down the road from you is a fireman who has a pretty good knack with sheet metal, particularly aluminum.  Just sayin'.  What I see here out of plastic looks pretty right to me.  RAVE ON!!

PS, a good set of mudflaps on the tow vehicle will help also.

I decided on wing nuts for the center section. If I am taking it off before a trip, they will always be verified as tight before departure.

@El Frazoo I don't want safety cone orange or checkerboard on my trailer

You’ll find plenty of wing nuts here, Chris.

BTW Lane, hope you and yours are well and safe.

We're fine.  Pam's scare appears to be mild bronchitis that has almost passed.  I'm going stir crazy from working at home, but I'm being a responsible citizen.  How 'bout you and yours?

Wife works at an assisted living facility.....so, she's going nuts at work. I've been remote for years. 

A silver lining is that people will stop saying "that's awesome" when I tell them I work from home. 

All healthy though.

Chris MacDonald posted:

A silver lining is that people will stop saying "that's awesome" when I tell them I work from home. 

Perhaps not. You work from home?

That's awesome!

Lane Anderson posted:

We're fine.  Pam's scare appears to be mild bronchitis that has almost passed.  I'm going stir crazy from working at home, but I'm being a responsible citizen.  How 'bout you and yours?

Good to hear, Lane.  Mary and I are self isolating, which really isn't a big deal, seeing as we are both retired, and don't have any  job or anywhere else to go to.  Just another regular day for me, and I have ten acres to walk around...

Being a retired nursing professor, Mary keeps me constantly up to date on what is happening here and around the world.  I've never been so well informed about anything.

You know.....   There's gonna be one helluvalot-a people needing haircuts badly before this is all over - Stan, Lane and Mossberg excluded, of course (Maybe Piperato and a few others, too!).

Me?  I'm thinking about going to that "Pa Ingalls" look from "Little House on the Prairie".  It should be just about this long when I can finally get it cut.  I'm about 1/4 way there already.

@Bob: IM S6 wrote- "Being a retired nursing professor, Mary keeps me constantly up to date on what is happening here and around the world.  I've never been so well informed about anything."

And here's the thing- we really need to hear the tone in your voice...

@Gordon Nichols wrote- "You know.....   There's gonna be one helluvalot-a people needing haircuts badly before this is all over - Stan, Lane and Mossberg excluded, of course (Maybe Piperato and a few others, too!)."

Count me in with that exclusive group! With my (somewhat) follicly challenged dome, trusty clippers and British Columbia's abundance of hydro power (we just love damming rivers and destroying valuable moose winter habitat- there's a price to pay for just about everything, boys!) I'm set!

I'd like to go for one of these cuts. Maybe the one that makes my head look like a ........ (ahem, cough) mushroom. 

Chris MacDonald posted:

I'd like to go for one of these cuts. Maybe the one that makes my head look like a ........ (ahem, cough) mushroom. 

 

With a head shaped like a mushroom that'd make you a real fun guy. badum bump.