LocostUSA.com

Tom,
I have been following your threads, and I think a combination of several of the Ideas will resolve your high center problem and your nose bump problem. John's filler blocks should revolve the clearance problems at the ramp to trailer and B85's drawing with the addition of a 32" - 36" hinged extension (3/4" ply) on the ramp, can eliminate the nose bump.
I used my yet to be complete project for measurements.



And, really, if cranking on the ramp is getting to you, then maybe a pair of these should be in your future:
http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/trailer-jacks/3500-lb-capacity-drop-leg-heavy-duty-electric-trailer-jack-69899.html.

Without the trailer in front of me, I'll leave the actual design and attachment to you.

How it would work, is that the ramp would be deployed so that the extension provides the proper approach angle to get the front wheels on the extension, Once there, the ramp can be raised ant the car move to be on the ramp. The jacks can then raise the ramp to whatever height is needed to cleanly enter the the garage.

Got two trailer tongue jacks from Horror Fraught, 19.95 each and 4 hand cart tires/wheels for 4.00 each. cut up a piece of 6" channel for the Tire lifting hands and a piece of angle iron for the jack's new rolling base. Will try and get it welded up in the next two or three days and posts some pics.

Tom

_________________
Sometimes, I'm as confused as a baby in a topless bar.

My short term memory is absolutely horrible and so is my short term memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG16m2e4O6I

Here is the trailer that I'm trying to get the Lotus into without scraping the belly pan.

_________________
Sometimes, I'm as confused as a baby in a topless bar.

My short term memory is absolutely horrible and so is my short term memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG16m2e4O6I

And my invention.

_________________
Sometimes, I'm as confused as a baby in a topless bar.

My short term memory is absolutely horrible and so is my short term memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG16m2e4O6I

Wow - that deck is really far from the ground! I'm guessing they didn't intend that trailer to be used for sports cars.

I like the invention. It reminds me of a P34 inspired Locost.

_________________
-Andrew
Build Log
Youtube

Tom you need a liftgate.

_________________
this story shall the good man teach his son,
and chrispin chrispian shall ne'er go by,
from this day to the end of the world.
but we in it shall be remembered.

WOW, I was not expecting that from your description. Or maybe it was my mind's interpretation.

Well, does it work?

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

The Toyhauler trailers were popularized by the dune buggy crowd, in fact I still have my two seater buggy, afectionately called "The Other Woman". And she fits in there easily.

I haven't finished welding the "lifting hands" onto the body of the jacks nor cut and placed the foam on the jacks to protect the wheel from scratches. Should have it done tomorrow.

Tom

_________________
Sometimes, I'm as confused as a baby in a topless bar.

My short term memory is absolutely horrible and so is my short term memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG16m2e4O6I

Can you get front and rear tires on the gate ? If so, just lift the dam gate ! Kidding. Still think my idea would work better.

_________________
American 7 5.0 T5
Lotus 15 ish?
914/H6

No I can't get the car on the gate. And even if I could I still have the second bump inside the trailer that I can't do anything about.

Tom

_________________
Sometimes, I'm as confused as a baby in a topless bar.

My short term memory is absolutely horrible and so is my short term memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG16m2e4O6I

Oh well . Was not sure about the gate . You will get it.

_________________
American 7 5.0 T5
Lotus 15 ish?
914/H6

Well, it works and it doesn't work. Some assumptions I made about the quality of the Horror Fraught tongue jacks came back to haunt me a little. I will have to modify my jack to accommodate their slop. But it lifted the car enough that the clearance went from 3" to 10".

Tom

_________________
Sometimes, I'm as confused as a baby in a topless bar.

My short term memory is absolutely horrible and so is my short term memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG16m2e4O6I

What second bump?

What I see is you have an incline, as you approach the ramp, and then the crest, where you high-center going into the trailer.

Ever though of just getting some 2"x12" as ramp extensions? Probably will need some bracing because of how high your trailer is. Then just slide them under the car when you're done. It's how we've done it for really low track cars with large front splitters...though going onto car trailers. You at least have a much more favorable approach angle on your car.

Or even easier if if you are barely scraping as you go over the crest, just bolt a couple feet of 2x12 to the floor, essentially giving you that little bit of lift for the first few feet in the trailer.

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To Midi-exo or AWD Locost...

I have a double angle incline. If you know what a beaver tail trailer deck looks like, well, that's what I have, an enclosed beaver tail trailer. You can't see it in the pictures I posted because it's inside the trailer. While the inside floor of the trailer is flat so humans can live, eat and sleep in it, the last 4' at the back slopes downward towards the hinge of back door/ramp. The angle of that 4' section does not match the angle of the ramp in the down position. Therefor I have yet another angle/bump to slide over.

The jacks work great, but I will re-do them with some quality tongue jacks and tires and lighter wall 1x2 tubing. As usual, I overbuilt them.

Tom

_________________
Sometimes, I'm as confused as a baby in a topless bar.

My short term memory is absolutely horrible and so is my short term memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG16m2e4O6I

i have to ask, how much droop do you have in your suspension, can you jack the car up and add a strut of some kind to the suspension to hold it up there, one for each corner.

_________________
this story shall the good man teach his son,
and chrispin chrispian shall ne'er go by,
from this day to the end of the world.
but we in it shall be remembered.