Trailering a car question

How would one load a car onto a trailer if it had no drivetrain, steering rack, and the transmission subframe for the driver's side control arm to mount to isn't there?

Step one, lock those wheels into place somehow. Can you "dolly" the front end on?

What kind of trailer?

Harbor freight winch, tie downs, plywood, and I'm not joking - talcum powder.

N Sperlo wrote: Step one, lock those wheels into place somehow. Can you "dolly" the front end on? What kind of trailer?

No idea how i would lock the wheels into place.

Trailer could be flatbed, or a dolly if there's some way that would work.

motomoron wrote: Harbor freight winch, tie downs, plywood, and I'm not joking - talcum powder.

Heh, i like the powder touch.

Lack of steering rack is a PITA since it means that the car won't go straight. I've done one, winching it up with a come-along. Typically it involved moving the car a foot, re-aiming both tires, moving it another foot, rinse and repeat.

Lack of control arm means it won't even roll right though, so I'm not sure.

DILYSI Dave wrote: Lack of steering rack is a PITA since it means that the car won't go straight. I've done one, winching it up with a come-along. Typically it involved moving the car a foot, re-aiming both tires, moving it another foot, rinse and repeat. Lack of control arm means it won't even roll right though, so I'm not sure.

The control arm will still be attached to the hub, and the pin still attached to the car, but the pivot point/attachment point to the subframe will no longer be attached.

A tilt back with a winch would just pull her up, but if you have any good bearings, say goodbye to them. You could strap some 2x4 to the wheel flush with the body on each side keeping in mind that 2x4s don't roll too easily.

Basically, here's the deal:

It's the MX3, and i'm dismantling it this weekend, on Saturday. The car is an hour and a half south of me at SWMBO's dad's place. He has a guy that will haul the car away. BUT, due to location, i don't really have anyone that can help me take the car apart, and without help, the chances of me getting the whole thing done in one day are greatly reduced.

If i can get the car up to my garage, i can get help, but then the family friend who was going to haul it away, won't haul it. I'm reasonably sure that i could get a junkyard or someone from Craigslist to take the car, but i'm just trying to plan ahead in case that DOESN'T happen. I can get a hitch for the Cherokee and tow a short distance if i need to.

The car would need to be gone by the 21st.

For that matter, if any GRMers are close and want a free car to scrap, shoot me a message.

Or if anyone GRMers are near Bloomington, IN and want to make a few bucks destroying a car on Saturday, also shoot me a message.

N Sperlo wrote: A tilt back with a winch would just pull her up, but if you have any good bearings, say goodbye to them. You could strap some 2x4 to the wheel flush with the body on each side keeping in mind that 2x4s don't roll too easily.

Don't care about bearings, car is going straight to a scrap yard.

2x4s are intriguing... i wouldn't have thought of that.

When I scrapped the EGT, we used these and a winch to load it onto a trailer. It was a shell with no suspension, so they weren't really "wheel" dollies at that point.

cghstang wrote: When I scrapped the EGT, we used these and a winch to load it onto a trailer. It was a shell with no suspension at that point.

Hrm. That seems easy, too.

I think i'm leaning towards trying to drive the car back up here, then...

get a bunch of casters from your local tractor store and weld them on the useless body.

tuna55 wrote: get a bunch of casters from your local tractor store and weld them on the useless body.

ROFL!!!!

Too bad i'm missing one key skill there that i REALLY need to learn: Welding.

I would do that just to see the look on the faces at the scrapyard.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

tuna55 wrote: get a bunch of casters from your local tractor store and weld them on the useless body.

ROFL!!!! Too bad i'm missing one key skill there that i REALLY need to learn: Welding. I would do that just to see the look on the faces at the scrapyard.

You can come by anytime and borrow mine - I'll even teach you how to use it - it's a long drive though.

Are the tie rod ends still on there? If so, how about taking a 2x4, cut it to fit between the steering arms, drill a couple holes, and jam the ends in? Then ratchet strap the 2x4 to the crosmember to (or attempt to) keep it straight.

After having to get rid of a few parts cars missing suspensions I picked up a couple trailer axles from Harbor Freight. Strapped them to a couple 4x4 posts, strap them to the carcass, hang junk wheel/tire combo on axles, and winch onto trailer. Unload at scrap yard, sacrifice some chunks of old 4x4 posts to hold carcass off the ground, toss straps, axles, posts, wheels & tires in the back of the truck and go away happy.

Used to use junk solid rear axles but keeping the pinion in a position that didn't dig into the ground was a pain so they got scrapped too. The trailer axles are a whole lot easier to store too.

No tie rod ends, the entire steering setup, i have to keep for the Escort.

I'm thinking a come-along and something to make the surface slippy is the winner here. Thanks to everyone for the input!

bolt a piece of cheap black iron pipe across the front spindles to hold the wheels straight and pull it on with a $45 HF winch.

Call one of the guys that advertises in the paper or craigslist that will haul junk cars.

When I got rid of a rusty XT6 hull with no wheels, he drug it up onto the rollback with no effort whatsoever.

Is it a roller now? If so load it and then dismantle on the trailer.

Be aware of tongue weight. No drivetrain means it will not be as nose heavy as stock and keep the trailer nose light. If it has no rear axle and it's a dragger, nevermind.

Dan

tuna55 wrote: get a bunch of casters from your local tractor store and weld them on the useless body.

If you can't weld, use self tapping screws to hold the casters

I've moved a few shells using furniture dollies or wheel dollies.

I done told your retarded butt come get my dollies, truck, trailer and winch. Done. But does he listen to reasoning? Nope.

Kids these days...