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TR6 Trailer for our TR6

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tomshobby

tomshobby

Yoda
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Shirley and I want to use our TR6 for touring in retirement. That is one of the reasons we put so many miles on in the last few months. Had to see if it would really be something we would enjoy or only sounded good. Well, we really enjoyed it but realized the luggage space would present some problems for extended travel.
I have had this trailer for several years and have had thoughts of using it behind our TR6. It is an old Coleman and weighs very little and pulls like there is nothing there. Pulled it loaded with our camping equipment on a trip through Missouri with our old Saturn and got 35 MPG. It is a poly shell and water tight.
I plan on removing the old paint and repainting it with plastic friendly paint. Also plan on using LED lights. Possibly with something like the RATCO 3rd brake light system instead of hard wiring the lights.
I would like to use a clamp-on or some other kind of removable hitch. I do have some ideas but rather than point them out, I thought I would go fishing to see what you folks might have for ideas.
 
The car looks great!

But that trailer! It's time for another FRAME-OFF RESTORATION!!!!!!!!!

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/banana.gif
 
Sometime around 1979-80 I made my own from 3/8x3" bar stock but it could have lighter stock or even aluminum. I bolted it to existing holes in the end of the frame and to the cross member under the trunk. A simular design using the light box removable hitches would be my preference to the hole for the ball I used then. I once towed a 356A Porsche behind the TR6, but would never do that again.

(click to enlarge)
 
Ship that buggy on over to me, Tom.
I can refurbish that devil in my sleep.
Powder coated parts and all!!

d /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif
 
Other than the paint peeling off the plastic shell the trailer is in good condition. And the nice thing about plastic is that it is "rust free" instead of "the rust is free".

Besides, if I ship it to PR it probably would not find it's way home again. Like Shannon said, "Hey!! It's Tinster's emergency repair kit!!!!" /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif

What I am looking for is a way to mount a hitch that can be discretely and easily removed when not pulling the trailer. I doubt there would ever be more than 200 or 300 pounds being towed including the weight of the trailer and load so the hitch does not need to be built to pull a huge load. Certainly no Porsches'. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
Tom,

Her's an answer to the ugly ball hitch that's even
better than removing it. A ball hitch cover that
looks like a boat propeller!!!

This would look so totally awesome on the rear end of
your car!!

hitch2.gif
[/img]
 
I am making up extra deck lids for both my TR3 and TR6 for the installation of luggage racks. I prefer the look without, so when going on trips, I can swap out lids.
They don't add much hauling space, but every little bit helps.
 
I have a new (nos) hitch that's made for the TR3-4. It consists of a bar (~2x1/2" chromed) that bolts through the spare tire bolt, then continues rearward; a u-bolt goes over the rear round frame support tube and then bolts through the bar. At the end, a bracket attaches the bar to two holes in your rear bumper.

I think that you could easily fabricate a hitch from square tubing and plate steel ends that mounts between the rear main frame section. I would weld a 1-1/2" square tube to a 1-1/4" tube to form a receiver, then bolt it in place, maybe a u-bolt and plate like above. Try to keep the receiver hidden and use an extension to hitch your trailer. After all, it's custom job for this trailer so you don't need to make it universal.
 
Hi Doug, I prefer the trailer because I feel it puts less strain on the car and seems to drive better than a rear heavy car. Just my opinion.

Thanks Ray and Peter for the ideas. There are a couple ideas here, a couple from other sources, and a couple I had. I am thinking it will be some combination of two or three of these ideas.
 
Tom: Back to asthetics, I think it would look
really cool if you matched the color of your car.
Bet you can buy rattle can paint color to match and
with a proper primer, she'd probably fly.

Also, the fenders left black. I remember my dad had
an old Dodge green pickup with a hood(s) that swung
out from the sides. The body was green except the fenders
were black. It looked really nice, I think.

This hitch thing I'll have to look at my car and think
about. If you smell smoke, it's cause I'm thinking.
 
I was thinking of a motorcycle trailer to pull behind my TR3.

Also working on using the back half of a TR3 to build a trailer.

But always match the color.
 
You guys are really scaring my now about the lack of
reliability of these cars for driving distances.
My trunk is stuffed with emergency breakdown parts
and tools.

Now it seems I should be considering a trailer to haul
even MORE break down parts and tools? Like what?
A spare engine? A spare tranny? Spare suspensions?

I need to re-think my spare parts inventory.

Dentist goona hurt me bad this morning.

d
 
I'd make a mini-receiver type hitch myself, and use a motorcycle type hitch on the trailer tongue. Much smaller, lighter and neater.

Make sure the receiver hitch on the car is solid. Not necessarily heavy, just solid so it doesn't flex. I've made several hitches myself over the years. Flimsy hitches that flex on the tow vehicle create problems that you don't have with a secure hitch. 3/4" thinwall square stock works very well for solid hitches btw.
 
Dale, sorry to disappoint. The trailer would be for luggage for extended trips. I only carry a small box with a few hand tools and a spare plate for my dizzy. Less than five pounds of tools and parts total. And if I ever switch to a Mallory dizzy I would not even carry those.
 
Hey Tom,

Do you think I should purchase a Mallory distributor
as a spare? I've been thinking I need to carry a spare
dizzy. I have almost 300 miles on my rebuilt dizzy.
What model fits a 1969 TR6? Would I need new coil,
plugs, plug wires, etc? with a Mallory unit?

Are they very costly $$ ? My "fix-that-darned-Triumph"
funding is very dried up just now.

d
 
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