Trailer is done

Very nice.  I have some Porsche crests for those hubs. 

Nice trailer design...looks familiar :~)  You'll find that with the wheels back as you have them , placing the speedster a few inches forward or back will change the tongue weight and handling. ...Once you find the sweet spot mark that location. Basket straps over the wheels allow for some suspension movement but getting your hands into the wheel wells slip them over the wheels can be tight and at times can move the radius of the tire.   A simple method is to weld 4 small U brackets to the suspension 2 on the lower beam and 2 on the lower shock mounts , then X cross the front and rear straps , you'll have zero movement and the straps will remain tight.

How much tongue weight with that axle location? Here's what I made for trailering. 

Anybody ever look or buy one of these?  They look light, inexpensive and of very high quality.  With a spyder coming I'm going to need a trailer.  Unlike Danny I'm not driving mine across the country.  Mine will be a fair weather friend.

https://www.alumaklm.com/introducing-aluma-edge

I like those lug bolt hook eyes!  Great idea.

Phil - I'd think you need longer loading ramps than the 44" tail gate.  Perhaps alloy loading ramps are an option.  I still don't think the Fiat will pull it though.

One thing I found interesting is they go to the trouble of building the whole thing out of aluminum and then put steel wheels on it.

@Robert M that is a sweet set-up! Gives you more Speedster options for those long trips. 

Those are great Phil, and I'm pretty sure you can customize the ramps.   I looked at them several years ago when I had the VS.   Problem is for me, is that I don't have a proper tow vehicle and storage for the trailer

My son and I both strap directly to the frame, rather than using the wheel baskets - we both feel that once the car is snugged with frame straps, it ain't going anywhere.  Putting on the straps is more difficult with your full deck so consider that, too - wheel baskets might be easier for you.  

I used to cross the rear straps for more stability and ran them up over the frame horns for the transaxle as an attach point - it's a stretch up in there, but not too bad.  I couldn't cross the front straps as the license plate got in the way, so simply ran the straps around the lower torsion tube and that was that.  If nothing interferred I would have run crossed straps at both ends for even more stability, but in 18,000 miles of towing it always seemed rock solid back there.

Don't scrimp on the straps, either.  There are some pretty cheap ones out there but they don't wear well.  Get something good from Lowes or NAPA or those guys hanging out at the larger car shows who have their sewing machine set up right there and sew up a set of straps for you while you tour the car show.  Those are the best I've seen on the East Coast.

http://www.thestrapguy.com

Wife has a diesel SUV.  I'm good to go.  Covered carport at house in Cville.  The spyder has a higher shorter body than the speedy so it should be easier to load.  There are always 2 x 8's to help the loading process.  This is not the only aluma trailer.  They have trailer where the ramps slides into the trailer floor.  They have tilting trailers that are a bit more pricey.  And there is a dealer in Va Beach.

Diesel SUV can pull that without an issue they have about 500ft/lbs of torque.  Unbelievable pulling machines.  Touareg. 

Mercedes ML 250 Bluetec.  2.1L 4 cylinder turbo diesel.  200 hp.  369 ft-lbs.  My wife has averaged 31 mpg since new.  Its incredible.  I average 29 mpg in my little Fiat.  My spyder with an aluminum trailer will be about 2000 lbs.  No big deal.

Phil, I owned  a Aluma 78 x 144 years ago it's perfect fora speedster. Super light and very well made but, the load ramp gate has to go as it creates way too much wind drag . I removed the gate and made 2 - 6" ramps.

If I could find three serious trailer interests I would have a guy crank built them 6. 5 x 12 full diamond plate deck w/ slide out ramps.them out for just under $2000 (estimate) see photo.

@Robert M - just to add another tie-down option as food for thought I offer this.

When trailering my previous VS, I had tie-downs with straps that had metal loops on one end (similar to picture...

I passed the regular end of the strap through one of the the holes in my Mangel wheels and drew that strap-end through the metal loop then through the ratchet tightener (not sure what its called). Then tightened the strap as usual. 

To lessen chaffing of the strap passed through the wheel, I used sections of leather (cut from an old belt) between the strap and wheel.

Alan.  Yes I was hoping to get one where the ramp can be slid into the floor of the trailer.  And hopefully a longer 69" ramp.

Tom Buchanan had straps pretty much the same as Jim Ignacio's, but he had pads on them where they passed through the wheel spokes to prevent abrasion - the pads looked a lot like those sheepskin pads for shoulder belts in a car.

http://www.overland.com/produc...uw18Dp3S2BoCLQrw_wcB

Phil's Yorkie wrote: "Mercedes ML 250 Bluetec.  2.1L 4 cylinder turbo diesel.  200 hp.  369 ft-lbs."

Shoot - You see those in Europe hauling 30 foot boats!  

Troy Sloan posted:

Very nice.  I have some Porsche crests for those hubs. 

I'll take you up on that Troy. Thank you.

Thanks for the help guys. I'll need to see what I can get locally before I hit the web.

Jim, I like your trailer... certainly able to handle the car