Best Placement of E-Track in Enclosed Trailer for Holding Spare Tire Rack

Updated 01/28/2015 | Published 01/27/2015

Question:

I am interested in purchasing some of your e track. My question concerns about where would be the best place to install a spare tire rack in my enclosed trailer? I am going to use the vertical e track and then get the shoring boards across and strap down the tires with tie down straps. I am going to run the shoring boards across the trailer as high as I can get them so I can still walk around trailer at the track. The natural place to put it would be over the workbench in the front but a little worried about tongue weight. Could I put them across the rear or do I want to stay away from putting too much weight behind the axles? Thanks in advance.

asked by: Dan R

Expert Reply:

A single spare tire mounted in your trailer will not have too much effect on tongue weight but if your application means installing multiple E-Track spare tire holders # RA-16HST then you will want to try to distribute the load evenly if possible. For reference I have linked our main page for E-Track supplies.

If the choice is between increasing your tongue weight or placing the weight in the rear of the trailer, behind the rear axle, then I would go for installing them up front. When your trailer becomes too heavy in the rear end this can lead to problems with sway. If your trailer is hauling cars, you do have some limited ability to control tongue weight by positioning the hauled car a bit more forward or rearward in the trailer.

On the other hand if you happen to be using a weight distribution system if you substantially increase the trailer's tongue weight you could potentially move the total tongue weight of the system's ideal range. This will come down to the total weight load you intend to install. Two tires? I would not worry. Six or eight tires? Then you could be increasing the tongue weight enough to decrease the effectiveness of your weight distribution system.

I have linked for you two helpful articles - one concerning weight distribution and one concerning tongue weight - that will give you food for thought.

Ideally you would mount the spare tires so that their side-to-side weight load is even and so that they sit just forward of the rear axle. This will minimize the effect on your tongue weight and reduce the chances for problems with sway from the trailer being too heavy in the rear end.

expert reply by: Adam R