Trailer Hitch

So, to say that the 330Ci ragtop has a lack of cargo space is a laughable understatement- but I am pretty confident that I can fit what tools and clothes I need in its trunk, back seat, and passenger seat (and probably seatwell...).

BUT- there's absolutely no way to carry the set of tires/wheels it will be running internally. Though I'm guessing I'll be caravaning down with at least EastSideTim and any others coming from his team (and possibly KYAllroad and his team), I imagine they're going to not have a huge amount of extra cargo space to carry another full set of tires. So, the easiest way to handle this is to put a trailer hitch on the E46 and use our hitch carrier which is just about the perfect size to carry 4 wheels & tires.

Unfortunately, there's no way I'm going to have room for the $200 or so for the hitch in my budget. Am I going to have to unbolt and remove it each day after getting to the track and then re-install it before leaving, or is there a way that it could be budget exempt? Also, there's REALLY not a way to remove the wiring harness I'll have to put in to power trailer lights, what would the ruling be on that?

Sorry, but trailer hitches and wiring must be included in the budget. I'm not saying anybody would protest you as long as you're not hurting any feelings, but we don't have an exemption for that. 

Suppose I were to give you the brand new Curt hitch for a Toyota Tacoma that I've been tripping over in my barn for five years for free, and you were able to make it fit? Would that help?

Can you find one in a junkyard? might be hard for something like an e46, but they are a common item in junkyards. 

For the saab ute I was able to buy a $40 hitch from CL. It was meant for a chevy 3500 I think, but it was easy to bolt up to the saab unibody rails (maybe that was luck). 

Also, anything on the car that is already in budget that you wont need for the entirity of the challenege that is worth about $200 (sound system? convertible top pump? Spare wheel and tire?) You could use the self-trade rule and I'm not gonna call you a dick for that. 

Actually, I think one of the ways of 'extablishing FMV' of a part is to show the dealership or retailer list price. I'm sure BMW would charge more than $200 for that spare wheel. Boom, done. 

Note, FMVing the stock wheels at dealership prices for the purposes of getting a huge self-trade is probably in most other circumstances not really within the spirit of the rules here. 

IF you shipped them down, would that hit the budget? It would be costly, but it might be an option. Shipping on a train is really cheap for heavy, bulky things.

Stupid thought, but...

Anything on the car AT THE EVENT is considered for budget. Can you unbolt the hitch after arriving at the track? I suspect someone with a trailer could likely store 4 wheels during the event. Or you could lock them to a pole there. 

Also - I'd like to propose that installation of a trailer hitch and / or wiring specifically for trailer is conducive to a car's use after the Challenge (tire carrying for other events, etc) and as long as it's no impact to performance (it does add weight... but I could see "someone" making a hitch setup that adds structural rigidity) could be considered budget exempt.

In reply to Greg Smith (Forum Supporter) :

I feel that could work.  So long as it is a stock-style hitch I would think that was in the spirit of the rules if not the letter of them.

I won't protest if you "forget" to budget a trailer hitch so you can make it to the event.  I understand not exempting them because someone will make a lead filled tube with a receiver on it for ballast because exempt hitch, but i think if you need a hitch to get your tire trailer to florida, don't ask don't tell

Ashykun - Can you work with a bolt on hitch & remove (or forget to remove... whatever ;) ) it at the event?

pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) said:

IF you shipped them down, would that hit the budget? It would be costly, but it might be an option. Shipping on a train is really cheap for heavy, bulky things.

Honestly- I don't know how that exactly would work.... 

Thanks everyone! I figured that if I still had it on at the event it would have to be in the budget- I was hoping that the wiring would be able to be excluded, but I suppose I can always see about making my own trailer wiring harness from what I've got lying around for a lot less than what the 'production' ones cost and then just unbolt and remove the hitch when arriving at and before leaving the track. I'm sure that won't be fun, but it would keep the car nice and legal.

Woody said:

Suppose I were to give you the brand new Curt hitch for a Toyota Tacoma that I've been tripping over in my barn for five years for free, and you were able to make it fit? Would that help?

Looking at it I don't know how easy it would be to adapt that- the hitch for the convertibles mounts differently than even the non-convertible 3-series:

In reply to Ashyukun (Robert) :

Yup. That’s nothing like the one in the barn. 

Patrick (Forum Supporter) said:

I won't protest if you "forget" to budget a trailer hitch so you can make it to the event.  I understand not exempting them because someone will make a lead filled tube with a receiver on it for ballast because exempt hitch, but i think if you need a hitch to get your tire trailer to florida, don't ask don't tell

I agree. I never saw this thread and don't know which car is yours. 

Could you weld a piece of 1.25 square tubing to either side as receivers and plug a hitch in with pins? Then youd just have the value on 16" of scrap

Justjim75 said:

Could you weld a piece of 1.25 square tubing to either side as receivers and plug a hitch in with pins? Then youd just have the value on 16" of scrap

If this is the route you want to go,  remove the bumper cover, cut square hole in bumper beam, weld in hitch, cut hole in bumper cover, reinstall.  Cheaper than other options, and works better too (doesn't hang down super low)

I can be bribed with alcohol to not protest your hitch that I never saw.

I'm still working out how I want to handle it. I'm likely going to be needing to do some FMV-sell-offs anyway to keep in budget (likely the AC hardware I pulled from under the hood) so I may have it in the budget anyway for the hitch- but it is tempting to see if I can find a 1.25" receiver in a junkyward to pull and see if I can make a custom through-bumper one for it, especially since I found a source of plate steel for scrap prices (because I'd be getting it from the recycling place for what they pay for it...) that I could use to fabricate the attachments to the frame. Now I just need to find someone nearby with a plasma cutter...

In reply to Ashyukun (Robert) :

Check the scrapyard for 2.25" square tubing too, then you may have the receiver for scrap value too