2nd Gen R56 Cooper S Trailer hitch?

MINI FINI and Minidomore both offer hitch systems.

Both offer an excellent product with slightly different designs.

 

I have the mini do more one on my Clubby for 2 years now. Very satisfied. Easy to install. Standrad 1.25 draw bar. And if I remember correctly, it has more towing capacity than MiniFini

 

Capacity is now the same. I like the MINI Fini mainly because of the options and the hidden look.

 

I like the MINI Fini cause they are M/A sponsors and I only live about 15 miles from the shop. Guess that would make me a bit biased...

 

I've got the MINI Do More hitch on my '06 MCS. Putting the draw bar pin in place is a bit of a PITA (especially hard to do after a track session when the exhaust is screaming hot), but I like the completely hidden look when I remove the bar and put the fog light back in place.

My trailer is around 550lbs when dry... probaby up to 800lbs if I really cram it full of gear. I pulled it a few times from Dallas to MOTD (about 1000 highway miles each way) and haven't had a problem. I've got upgraded brakes (Wilwoods up front and agressive street pads all the way around) and a pulley. Honestly, I don't even notice it back there most of the time.

I know several people who purchased a cheap Harbor Freight trailer and modded it to carry wheels and tools to and from the track. If I went that often, I'd probably do the same, but I frequently like to take my trailer to the track as well, so I'll probably have to keep loading up the car with wheels and tools.

 

I want more info on that b!tchin' camp trailer set-up !

 

Haha no kidding. Completely unexpected as I scrolled down

 

Heh... yeah... I went ahead and posted all of the pics as I usually get a lot of questions about the trailer.

I've had the trailer for almost 2 years now. I sewed (musta been on NAM too much) the rear blue/black tent section myself. You can see the entire progression from purchase to complete gear set-up on my local MINI club board: [ame=http://www.metroplexmini.org/forum/showthread.php?t=29401]The largest mod I've ever done! - MetroplexMINI[/ame]


It's a Quicksilver 5.0 (since replaced with the 6.0 version that is simply turned 90 degrees so you can open the tent without unhitching) from LivinLite All Aluminum Ultra Light Campers, Ultralight Campers, Lightweight Campers, Ultra-Lightweight Campers.

I shot some video and posted it to YouTube: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bypkq1IANXc]Quicksilver 5.0 at MSRC - YouTube[/ame]

You can see a little suitcase-style Yamaha generator that I carry... it provides enough power for any small electronics / lights and is very quiet (it has a built in inverter and noise processor, so it is computer-safe). It can also power the 1000 BTU AC unit that you can see sticking out the side... just enough to keep the inside at 72 degrees when it is 95 degrees outside and I'm parked in the sun.

This is a blast for track weekends... My favorite track leaves their bathrooms (with a shower) open all night, so I show up on Friday evening, set up the trailer and get the car ready for the DE event. When everyone else is getting up early for the drive to the track and swapping tires, I'm making bacon and eggs and sipping my coffee.

When it is all folded up, it has enough storage that I don't have to worry about packing and unpacking the trailer all of the time. I've got an empty rubbermaid tote that I use for food/clothing + I pack a cooler and put the generator in the MINI and I'm ready to go.

I met a Countryman owner at MOTD 2011 (Jill, who has a beautiful black/red Countryman modded up by Detroit Tuned) who has the larger 10.0 or 12.0 version of my trailer... has 2 bunks and a kitchen setup inside. She had a bit of a problem when she loaded too much gear in the far back end of the trailer and it was providing LIFT on the hitch over bumps, but a simple re-packing fixed things for her.

 

THat's one cool rig you have there. More INFO please.

 

LOL... press 'F5' and then look up one post. I think our posts crossed in the ether.

 

great video. thanks!

 

UMM that is the coolest trailer ever!!!!
And pulling it with a MINI is even cooler....now i am jealous

 

I helped install a Curt on a Clubman for a local club member over the weekend and I was amazed at how easy it was. The only hitch we had was having to run down to the dealer to get replacements for the clips we broke for the wheel arches, not understanding how they come out - I'd buy a half dozen ahead of time for the next one, just to save the trip.

This Clubby is only going to use the hitch to haul his bikes on a bikerack, not going to tow anything with it, so we didn't have to do any wiring.

2 hr job, including running to the dealer to get the clips!

 

Yep... the install was pretty simple. The MINI Sport-link install is more complicated (and more expensive), but that's a pretty nice system... especially for the bike rack option.

 

On the hitches, both are really good, I've met the owners / manufacturer's of both, both are men of integrity and they both do quality work. I have the MiniDoMore and it's great, fully hidden, does what it's supposed to do and installs easily. I do like that the Fini ties the frame rails in more securely but both do the job, and I know Russ (at Fini) also makes a very high quality product with lots of accessories. The Fini may be better at the heavy-duty stuff, but both are excellent.

Note that Curt essentially stole MDM's idea, but makes 'em cheaper (not necessarily in the "good" sense of the word, and not slamming them but MDM was first, is better, was designd by a Mini nut who's been to MOTD with his Products, and Brent's customer service is great).

 

The bed is 5'x6'... basically just a smidge narrower and a smidge shorter than my queen-sized bed. That's a double-wide sleeping bag spread out on it... plenty of room for 2 + our Cairn terrier who went camping with us last year. I'm 6'4", so when I'm alone, I tend to sleep diagonally across the bed, but it works just fine for 2 people (and I'd rather sleep with my knees folded up a bit than be in a tent on the ground).

The plastic top folding table that you can see w/ the water heater and basin on it is actually a part of the trailer. It is reinforced on the underside. When you fold the legs down, it can be placed on rails around the perimeter of the bench seating and the seat back cushions go down on top of it. This provides you much less standing room, but makes a 3.5'x5' (or so) bed that would work nicely for a smaller person at the same time (so Mom/Dad/Child could easily go out camping).

 

Pictures speak better than words... here is a manufacturer's pic of the inside in 3-person sleeping mode:



My trailer has the AC option, so that little storage compartment you see in this pic is open underneath and has a door to the outside and sliders so a window-unit AC can be pulled in and out.

 

Here, here! The Curt unit looks like an exact copy (at least in design) of the MDM hitch. It doesn't even look like a hitch that was engineered for the same car, but an exact copy where they bought a MDM hitch and sent it to China to be replicated. MDM service is out of this world... well worth the extra pennies to me to support someone who clearly cares about the MINI community and is innovating for our needs.

The Sportlink by MINI-Fini also looks very well made. The install that I saw on a couple of R53s was much more intensive, but it is an elegant solution.

I've thought about building a track gear trailer and perhaps if I get into Auto-X more I might do it, but I generally take my camper with me to DE events and I can't tow 2 trailers at the same time!

Were I going to build a track gear toter, I'd snap up one of these from Harbor Freight and bolt a locking pick-up bed utility box to the front for tools / jacks / compressors. A bit of fun with angle iron and a pipe through the center for locking the wheels to the trailer and I'd be ready to go. A friend of mine in Dallas built one like this and bought a full spare set of tools for the trailer only, so when he decided that he wanted to go to the track or Auto-X, he just packed a lunch and hooked up the trailer to go... no digging around for tools, spare brake pads, fluids etc and no unpacking when he came home.


http://www.harborfreight.com/1090-lb-capacity-40-1-2-half-inch-x-48-inch-mini-utility-trailer-with-12-inch-four-lug-wheels-and-tires-90153.html

And something like this (though I think this one is too wide for the trailer above):

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202221744/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=truck+box&storeId=10051