[Scratch]

Hello respected fireblade community.

I have just purchased a pace journey 5x10 from a musician. Nice little trailer, couple years old, ramp door. No side door or roof vent (read less likely to leak). The price was right, I'm officially broke but happy

I bought this in anticipation of my first ever upcoming trackday!!!! Yes, yes I know, you're all thrilled for me.

Only problem is there's no place to tie down any straps. No D-Rings, no E Track, no chock, no nothing!

Being the procrastinator that I am I've waited till the last minute to get this thing. Without giving too much attention as to how I'll actually secure the bike to it. At this point time is money and I have 3 days to get it ready to roll. Any help on either installing d-rings or e-tracks or anything greatly appreciated. If anyone knows of a place that ships motorcycle chocks extremely fast please chime in as well.

Also.....towing the trailer back (empty) I had the same thing happen to me that happened to 'somestrangeguy' as in the 2" ball got all chewed up on the part of the ball facing the trailer Reading the other thread I hope it was simply because of lack of tongue weight?? Any more input on that appreciated as well.


Also #2...... Though it has a rear ramp door it does not have jackstands, so if it's not attached to the towing vehicle the rear will come down once you put weight on it. As I found out while I was standing there and the owner hopped on to show me something (bastadge!!!) I'm thinking at this point, for a while at least I'll just leave it attached to the truck when in use, but, does anyone know where to get those jackstand things and proper installation? Or just use regular auto jackstands but carry them around with you?

Any and all info appreciated my brethren. Me very excited about upcoming day(s), me so horny.

[G-Force Junkie]

For one bike, quick and dirty, just go buy four 1/2" eye bolts and some fender washers and mount them through the floor in the front corners, and one on each side about 5 feet back. Screw two 4x4's cut about a foot long to the floor on either side of the front wheel as an improvised chock. This is easiest. IF youwant to put those flush mount D rings in, some trailer shops, or hot rod/race shops often have them. They also through bolt with 4 bolts each. For the long run, you can't beat a run of E track full length down each side with a Pit Bull chock. Properly loaded, a trailer should have 10-15% of its total weight on the ball, ie a loaded trailer that weighs 3000 pounds should have 300 to 450 pounds on the ball. When hitched up and loaded down, the trailer should be level, or slightly nose down. Never noise up. Adjust your ball mount height to acomplish this. This is moreso important on trailers without brakes. As for rear jack stands, they are only necessary if you want to load/unload with the trailer unhooked. Most trackdays and such thee shouldnt be a problem leaving it hitched up. And easy temporaty fix, such as if youwant to load the trailer at your house unhitched, is to just put a car floor jack under the rear of the trailer. Be sure the wheels are chocked.

[BDA116]

Have you gotten the smell out yet?
Any hidden compartments?

[NinerPilot]

For a quick fix go to Home Depo and get some 2x4 and some screw in anchor points. Cut the 2x4 into 2 1ft pieces and used wood screws to screw it to the floor against the front of the trailer with the width of the front tire between them. That should work as a makeshift chock. Then in the front corners, and again about 3 ft from the front, put in your anchor points. This way you can tie down the front then the rear pegs as well. Should get you going until you can sit and think how you want to do it for the long run. As for stands, Id get some light duty automotive ones, because they can be helpful in the pits.
Chris

[bwhip]

At a trailer place you can get the flushmount D rings. They're very easy to install - just be sure to put some big washers underneath, or do what I did and drill out a light gauge steel plate so you spread the load properly.

I've got a Pace American too - but it's a 6 x 12. Spent a few hours the Saturday I bought it tricking it out a bit...

[Scratch]

Originally Posted by G-Force Junkie

When hitched up and loaded down, the trailer should be level, or slightly nose down. Never noise up. Adjust your ball mount height to acomplish this. This is moreso important on trailers without brakes. As for rear jack stands, they are only necessary if you want to load/unload with the trailer unhooked. Most trackdays and such thee shouldnt be a problem leaving it hitched up. And easy temporaty fix, such as if youwant to load the trailer at your house unhitched, is to just put a car floor jack under the rear of the trailer. Be sure the wheels are chocked.

Thanks GFJ, good info

Originally Posted by BDA116

Have you gotten the smell out yet?
Any hidden compartments?

Hehe, no. I tried to peek behind the walls to see if there were any baggies of anything floating around but they must have gone over it pretty good. The guy gave me some of his band propaganda (flyer) but I was there with one purpose in mind. It was a little un-settling to have him step up on the rear of the trailer and have the whole thing come down SMACK against the pavement. I should have knocked a couple hundred off right there for the little dents at the bottom rear of the trailer

Originally Posted by NinerPilot

For a quick fix go to Home Depo and get some 2x4 and some screw in anchor points. Cut the 2x4 into 2 1ft pieces and used wood screws to screw it to the floor against the front of the trailer with the width of the front tire between them. That should work as a makeshift chock. Then in the front corners, and again about 3 ft from the front, put in your anchor points. This way you can tie down the front then the rear pegs as well. Should get you going until you can sit and think how you want to do it for the long run. As for stands, Id get some light duty automotive ones, because they can be helpful in the pits.
Chris

Thanks Chris again great info for a shoestring budget and not much time. I'll definately pick up some cheapo jack stands, what else would they come in handy for at the track? Just curious..

Originally Posted by bwhip

At a trailer place you can get the flushmount D rings. They're very easy to install - just be sure to put some big washers underneath, or do what I did and drill out a light gauge steel plate so you spread the load properly.

I've got a Pace American too - but it's a 6 x 12. Spent a few hours the Saturday I bought it tricking it out a bit...

b- I love this thing! I can't seem to stop messing with it. I've been going over every inch trying to figure out how I'll (eventually) have it laid out.

Yours is the ****! Very sweet trailer, puts my Pace to shame I've been drooling over the baxley and had every intention of getting it. Finances just kinda ran dry once I paid for the track days and other assorted bullshit (bills)

I think the quality is pretty good. Plus this bad boy fits into the garage! It would have been nice if the trailer bed was a bit lower to provide a little more interior height (only 5' inside) but I'll take what I can get. I'm just so happy to finally have an enclosed trailer, I've been wanting one forever. I was just on the phone with a buddy talking about maybe making a trip out to deals gap, and anywhere else we could tow the bikes to, other tracks etc.

Even though I desperately wanted the sport choc for ease of use, money was just too tight. I was going to take some of these suggestions and do a quick home-made jobber but my friend who I do alot of riding with offered to pay for a pitbull for me to use right now, with the agreement that once he was ready to join me at the track I would have to buy another one (baxley! ) and relinquish the pit bull to him, couldn't turn that down. Called up Indysuperbike which is a one day shipping zone via ups and I should have the pit bull chock tomorrow, I'm psyched that at least that's out of the way.

The shitty thing is that the trailer places around here want an arm and a leg for e-track. I think I'll go the d-ring route for now.

Hey Bwhip are you sure you're good with putting them in using only a backing plate? I was told that attaching them to the steel beams under the trailer was best. But then again with your sport chock I doubt you'll be putting much of a load on the rings. Can't stop drooling over that pic of your trailer, that would be my ideal setup. Hopefully in a few years I'll be able to upgrade. Meantime I'm looking forward to fixing this one up.

Anyone know the good/right grease gun to get for the bearing buddies? Never did that before and I think you guys are right, I doubt this musical fellow took the time to do that.

Gonna figure something out tomorrow in regards to something to secure the straps to. Hopefully won't be too big of a pain in the ass.

[NinerPilot]

For a worst case need of jack stands, maybe LTL or someone else from Grattan 02 will post the pic of him working on his bike on stands...
Chris

[bwhip]

Originally Posted by Scratch

...Hey Bwhip are you sure you're good with putting them in using only a backing plate? I was told that attaching them to the steel beams under the trailer was best. But then again with your sport chock I doubt you'll be putting much of a load on the rings. Can't stop drooling over that pic of your trailer, that would be my ideal setup. Hopefully in a few years I'll be able to upgrade. Meantime I'm looking forward to fixing this one up...

Yeah, my backing plates are quite large, and 16 gauge steel, so they are very beefy and actually probably stronger than the frame itself. I actually have six D-rings all together, and have hauled two bikes easily. With my bike being in the Baxley Sport Chock, the load on the D-rings isn't terribly stressed anyway, except under emergency stopping conditions or something like that (which is hopefully very rare).

[xraycatj]

Originally Posted by bwhip

At a trailer place you can get the flushmount D rings. They're very easy to install - just be sure to put some big washers underneath, or do what I did and drill out a light gauge steel plate so you spread the load properly.

I've got a Pace American too - but it's a 6 x 12. Spent a few hours the Saturday I bought it tricking it out a bit...

ooooooooo....very nice!!! i want one of those!!

[Scratch]

Well guys I managed it. Got the chock in time and everything. Decided to go with the E-Track, not sure why but the local place had it at a good price and honestly I'm kind of glad I did. Nothing wrong w/ D-rings, they're great, had a bunch on my last trailer (about 10 years ago now). But I gotta say that the e-track is sweet for endless tie down options, not being limited to six-nine spots on the floor is nice. Got it set up to haul 1 bike or two easily. Also mounting some e-track on the sidewalls of the trailer (didn't get to it yet) for securing my toolbox and other stuff to the trailer while in transport.

I'll get some snapshots of my very average trailer once I get it cleaned up a little. Wish it had more head room, but it's enclosed and it pulls nicely.

Only problem I had was the chewing of the hitch ball. I got a stainless one and weighed down the tongue of the trailer some more, definately alleviated the problem but I can see where it wants to gouge the stainless ball as well, just can't seem to do it because the stainless hitch is too strong? Not sure, hopefully it's nothing major but if I have to replace a 2" ball once a year it won't kill me.

Thanks for all the suggestions and help. First trackday was interesting to say the least, a very happy and extremely sad day all at the same time, I'll post about that later.

[sheepofblue]

Did you look at the pics of the sheephauler? I was really happy with the vertical track in mine. The box road to Grattan perfectly. The only thing I would recommend is get a moving blanket and put it over the box prior to strap in. I have red marks on my white wall now (no harm though)