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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6008 Posts |
 Posted - 26/05/2018 : 10:04:28
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I’m close to having to admit defeat and get a trailer for hauling the J2 to events more than about 100 miles from home. I’m looking at the usual suspects - Brian James, Ifor Williams, Woodford, PRG - and am very tempted by the covered PRG MiniSporter. The current version is wider by about 5” than the original version and I’m wondering if anyone has any experience of this trailer and in particular whether a J2 will fit or are the runways too far apart?
Simon J
J3437 |
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Peter Croft
New Zealand
52 Posts |
Posted - 26/05/2018 : 12:17:53
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Hello Simon,
I gave in 30 plus years ago and made my trailer out of scrap found lying around a mates factory. I have however driven J3096 many many miles to and from events, mostly solo though which allows sufficient room to carry the gear required for a week or so away from home. However two up there is no room hence the trailer.
Our traffic is not quite up to UK density yet, but with fewer roads and often not a lot of choice of route driving conditions can be unpleasant these days, so trailering does make sense at times.
Time, trailer design, road speeds and congestion all have moved on and now a somewhat better trailer will be needed.
Peter and J 3096 hooked on behind.
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6008 Posts |
Posted - 26/05/2018 : 18:44:53
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All good points, Peter - thank you.
Home made trailers are pretty much excluded now by current legislation, not that I have the skills to make one, and even the driver licence requirements for drivers who took their test on or after 1 January 1997 mean that they are severely restricted in what they can tow unless they have passed the trailer towing test.
Going back to the PRG trailer, the covered one is built on the wider MiniSport trailer so if anyone has experience of it I'd be glad to hear from them.
Simon J
J3437 |
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bigtony12461
United Kingdom
100 Posts |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6008 Posts |
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Matthew Magilton
Australia
179 Posts |
Posted - 27/05/2018 : 08:57:34
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Simon, have you considered/found a tilt-top trailer? No ramps, less weight and rattle. We love ours. Taken it Melbourne-Perth and Melbourne-Brisbane.
Matthew. |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6008 Posts |
Posted - 27/05/2018 : 09:25:09
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Hi Matthew,
I've considered lots, including tilt bed, but I rather liked the covered PRG one but wondered about the width - hence my query if anyone had used one. I'm not in the market for one just yet but doing my homework just in case.
Simon J
J3437 |
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Peter Croft
New Zealand
52 Posts |
Posted - 27/05/2018 : 11:29:49
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I suppose it depends on what other use you have planned for your trailer. I have two, the one in the photo above and a 4 wheeled one for slightly bigger cars etc . The small one is no wider than the tow car but having something sticking out a foot or so on either side of you requires a degree of rear view mirror watching. Remember Boudicea/Boudica and the chariot with knives on the axles. Cyclists and gate posts beware.
The covered one you are looking at, I have often thought, would double up very nicely as a mobile garage for your car and an ideal place to camp within instead of a tent.
Peter and J 3096
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Peter Scully
United Kingdom
157 Posts |
Posted - 27/05/2018 : 12:09:19
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Simon
I have a PRG Minisporter for my PA. Width wise the wheels just fit on the runways, provided that you get the car on straight. Worse case is one side just sits on the slightly raised edge of the metal runway, in which case I just put a piece of wood under the wheels to provide support.
When I was looking for a trailer I couldn't be sure that the front wings would have sufficient clearance as the front of the trailer cover is curved. I couldn't try a trailer for size as my car wasn't ready. PRG increased the height of the trailer by six inches to overcome this but this in turn made the bed length of the trailer too short by a couple of inches. With the standard size trailer the front of the car can project forward into the nose of the grp cover but with the trailer base raised this pushes the car further back. To overcome this PRG then provided ramps at the front to slightly lift the car, but not so much as to give the height issue again!
Regards,
Peter |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6008 Posts |
Posted - 27/05/2018 : 12:58:48
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Peter (Croft)
I'm not sure I'd fancy camping in a covered trailer!
Peter (Scully)
From what you say you have the current model where the gap between the runways is only 3' 2" and so a tight fit? I did a mock up of a J2 on the Minisporter and I reckoned it would fit OK, but a P Type, being a few inches longer, might be a tight fit. Does this look about right from your experience?
Simon J
J3437 |
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bigtony12461
United Kingdom
100 Posts |
Posted - 27/05/2018 : 16:46:11
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| Thanks Simon, every day is a learning day. Wonder what the distribution is on an N-type. |
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Peter Scully
United Kingdom
157 Posts |
Posted - 27/05/2018 : 21:02:29
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Simon
The working bed length is actually 10' 10" and if I hadn't raised the base the PA would have fitted comfortably as the nose of the car sits forward into the curved front of the grp cover. This is because, unlike your drawing, the middle of the front wheels on the standard trailer base protrude over the front of the trailer base. Given that the J is slightly shorter than the P I think that it would fit no trouble.
I would though measure the height to the top of the front wings and check that there is sufficient clearance between the wing and the grp cover. Given though that you wouldn't have to have the car tight up to the front of the trailer I would think that this shouldn't be a problem.
Regards,
Peter |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6008 Posts |
Posted - 27/05/2018 : 22:37:07
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Thanks, Peter. The drawing of the trailer is taken from the PRG brochure (and seems to match the photos) and I'm not sure what you mean when you say 'the middle of the front wheels on the standard trailer base protrude over the front of the trailer base'. Can you clarify? My problem is that I can't just pop over in the J2 to check it out so I have to be very sure that it will work!
Simon J
J3437 |
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Peter Scully
United Kingdom
157 Posts |
Posted - 27/05/2018 : 23:35:18
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Hi Simon
At the front of the trailer the wheels rest against a beam, which acts as a stop, rather like a chock, but as the beam is quite low it allows the upper part of the wheel to protrude in front of the beam, so effectively extending the available space within the trailer.
Because with my trailer we raised the height of this beam, (and the sides and rear), in order to give more internal height, the wheels met the beam further up their circumference, which effectively pushed the car back within the trailer. This meant that the rear of the car (the rear lights actually) stopped the trailer top from closing because they stuck out of the back by about an inch and hence why PRG provided some ramps at the front of the trailer.
I hope that this helps but if not give me a call and I can try to explain further.
Regards,
Peter |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6008 Posts |
Posted - 28/05/2018 : 06:42:43
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Many thanks, Peter, I understand now what you mean. It's the front wheels of the car you were referring to, not the front wheels of the trailer! Doh!
Simon J
J3437 |
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Robin Macmillan
United Kingdom
415 Posts |
Posted - 28/05/2018 : 10:17:05
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I am not sure if this is any help but here is my PB on a Brian James Minnow Max. It tows beautifully. Not convinced that a covered trailer with the added hassle involved in loading etc is worth the substantial additional cost
PB 0527 |
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