question put metal plates on the floor of their trailer

[bixblk]

Hey Guys
Quick question, how do you feel about putting metal plates possibly diamond plate in a car trailer where the tires end up on the car to the floor. I twisted the tile on the floor of my trailer at the front and thought a piece of metal would work plus it sorta helps to guide/locate the car in the trailer. Any draw backs to it ?

Let me know
Thanks Jeff

[shawnp]

Rear Tires:
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w129/smpinker/DragsterPhotos157.jpg

And the golf car:

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w129/smpinker/DragsterPhotos156.jpg

[bixblk]

Looks good
Any recomendations where to buy diamond plate or thickness
Thanks Jeff

[TopspeedLowet]

If you want your slicks to have a snow tire pattern on about a foot of roll out diamond plate is for you, but you will have detrimental effects on traction with your tires if you park on a rough surface like diamond plate with your hot sticky tires. If you want to protect your floor, use smooth aluminum, flip the diamond plate over to protect your soft impressionable expensive tires. Diamond plate is good for ATV's and daily drivers with hard tires.
Bruce

[bixblk]

Thanks I did not think of that, I do appreciate it

[shawnp]

Bruce

I have had this set up on 3 or 4 trailers and 1 trailer complete diamond plate floor. Tires from Hoosier, Good Year and M/T. No ill effects on a dragster running 7.40's to 8.20's. No ill effect on a door car running mid-9's to 10.0's. Still get excellent life out of the tires. Curious if this is an opinion or if there is an article from one of the tire companies that would be worth reading about this?

[hammertime]

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa306/Dragster387b/Trailer/winch.jpg

You can kinda see what I use, smooth alum in mine. Home Depot sells it in a small sheet for a decent price.

[bixblk]

Thanks, I am sorta interested also in the above replies.Thanks for the home depot info, I may go today and see the choices, any problems with rust with the flat plates ?

[bixblk]

Sorry just noticed aluminum,my bad

[TopspeedLowet]

Bruce

I have had this set up on 3 or 4 trailers and 1 trailer complete diamond plate floor. Tires from Hoosier, Good Year and M/T. No ill effects on a dragster running 7.40's to 8.20's. No ill effect on a door car running mid-9's to 10.0's. Still get excellent life out of the tires. Curious if this is an opinion or if there is an article from one of the tire companies that would be worth reading about this?



No, not just my opinion. Pro stock does not even park there cars on there race tires period. They have travel shocks and tires. If you look at a tire like yours that have been on diamond plate you will see that the pattern is imprinted on the tire. If you are using your tires like comp eliminator and pro classes do at there power level you would be suffering traction problems because of that uneven pattern put in the tire in one spot, over a set that was respected when parked. I don't remove my tires on my car, but I do raise the car on air bags to lessen the load on the shocks and tires when I transport and hold the car off the ground at home when not racing to keep everything round and un stressed. I have observed this in pro racing since I have paid attention to such things. If you like the diamond plate and don't think it applies to you then I guess it is just fine for you, but I would never park my slicks on any uneven surface intentionally knowing what the big guys do and why if there was any chance it would hurt my slicks ability to work well.
Bruce

[bixblk]

cool thanks , probably do the flat plate. My chevelle is not as strong/powefull as the above cars, but I still drive it hard so thanks

[shawnp]

Bruce thanks for the info. I talked to a buddy as to why they change the tires and shocks on their pro stock cars. You are correct in it is to help save tires but it is not a tread/traction issue it is to save the sidewalls. Cars are parked on the tires at the race event only and on pit mats. They attempt to keep the tire as clean as possible. He also said that the floor in his trailer is not a smooth surface and they have left cars in the trailer over night and have had a pattern in the morning in the tread area but have no data showing that as a problem in traction. He said some of the old timers do as you talked about and won't let the tire touch anything put pit mat, pit road and race track. They will change them out every night before loading the trailer as well. He said their used to be a team that had tires they would tow to the back of the lanes with and then switch out. They would go thru tech after the run and change out to tow back.


I think this is a real good question or topic of discussion. When I get in to work tomorrow I am going to send an email out to the tire companies to get their thoughts on trailer surfaces. I never really considered this an issue but if it can play a part in better consistency I will rip the diamond plate out.

[bixblk]

again thanks guys,
my trailer hauls a hard running street 70 chevelle, no where near as strong as the above cars, but any thing will help. That is why I am asking ....This is all good topics and valid info. Please continue to post info and or opinions,all of which are good.It is still too cold to repair the tile and install plates in chicago, so I will wait for the weather to let me do my trailer cosmetics . I also have a tile that needs replacing because of a minor gas leak on my pit vehicle (quad) so that tile replacement will wait , or I may try somthing under that vehicle as well or better yet fix the leak ?????
Jeff M. 708-308-0282

[markdunlap]

Tread plate is made for places that need a grip and to prevent slips when wet.

I don't like plain aluminum sheet in a trailer for that reason. If it gets wet or you have water on your shoes, you could slip on it. So can your car if it isn't tied down tight.

I doubt the tread plate will ever hurt a tire front or back. One of our local tracks still has rock pit roads and I see no harm from that.

I'd be more concerned about my coil over shocks and tire sidewalls that the tread.

[hammertime]

Tread plate is made for places that need a grip and to prevent slips when wet.


Hello Mark, mine is actually not to prevent slipping when wet, its for tires marking up the floors during sitting for a long period or during towing.

[zipper06]

I may be the only one that does this, but i have black and white checker board kitchen type vinyl 1 piece, not tiles. I then have 4 front door mats carpet with rubber backing where the car sits when locked down. It may not be for everyone, but it works for me. I will say one thing if you ever lose a trans, you will be dogone glad you had a vinyl rather than a wood floor.

JMO

Zip.

[mopar1968]

Zip that is the samething i have on the floor of my trailer, I learned the hard way a few years back when i lost a rearend.



Mark