Anyone have a hitch on their Viper?

[Nixon's SRT]

Anyone have a hitch on their gen 3 or 4 viper. I want to drive my viper to track events with street tires on and switch out the tires when i get there. Ive seen wheel carriers on the back of other cars. Ive seen some Gen 1/2 vipers with a hitch, is there any one other there with it on a Gen 3/4. I could only find one picture. I have a short drive and hate to have to trailer the car when i could load on the tires and drive on to the track.

 

[Mopar Boy]

That is a real picture and not a photoshop?

 

[plumcrazy]

sad, very sad

tom has one on his car for the same reason

 

[ViperGeorge]

That picture is of the 2nd production ACR (Ralph Gilles has number 1). It was driven in the 2008 Cannonball One Lap of America by Chris (Weaver?), the same SRT engineer that set the Laguna Seca track record in the ACR. I also competed in the 2008 One Lap with my 06 FE. Mine also has a trailer hitch and I towed an Aluma KLM trailer. My hitch was installed by Ron Adee of the IL VCA. Ron owns a machine shop outside of Chicago, Valley Tool. Chris' hitch on the ACR was installed in Texas somewhere. I remember reading the sticker on the hitch but for the life of me I can't remember the name. The car was slightly breathed on by Hennessey (it didn't appear he screwed it up at all) and I believe that is when the hitch was installed. The car was entered by Dodge in the One Lap along with a prototype Challenger driven by Erich Heuschle (a Viper vehicle dynamics engineer) and Ralph Gilles.

Here are pics of my hitch and trailer.

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[ViperGeorge]

That picture is of the 2nd production ACR (Ralph Gilles has number 1). It was driven in the 2008 Cannonball One Lap of America by Chris (Weaver?), the same SRT engineer that set the Laguna Seca track record in the ACR. I also competed in the 2008 One Lap with my 06 FE. Mine also has a trailer hitch and I towed an Aluma KLM trailer. My hitch was installed by Ron Adee of the IL VCA. Ron owns a machine shop outside of Chicago, Valley Tool. Chris' hitch on the ACR was installed in Texas somewhere. I remember reading the sticker on the hitch but for the life of me I can't remember the name. The car was slightly breathed on by Hennessey (it didn't appear he screwed it up at all) and I believe that is when the hitch was installed. The car was entered by Dodge in the One Lap along with a prototype Challenger driven by Erich Heuschle (a Viper vehicle dynamics engineer) and Ralph Gilles.

Here are pics of my hitch and trailer.

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Oh, one more thing, the carrier on my hitch can be unbolted with four bolts so that nothing would then protrude through the rear bumper. No track has ever asked me to do that though, I usually just remove the ball and I'm good to go. Trailer that I have will hold two Viper tires inside and two or more on top. It also will hold a ton of tools and stuff. You could probably find a trailer that would allow you to carry just four tires and then put other stuff in the car. For the Cannonball One Lap, speed of unload/reload is important. All we have to do is pull into the track unhitch the trailer and we're ready to run. Beats the heck out of having to unpack stuff from every nook and cranny.

I will be running my 06 FE again this year in the One Lap.

 

[Achilles99]

This is a great idea, I've always thought about doing this. I love having a trailer to put a tent in, etc. but for tracks that are day trips I'd much rather drive just the Viper and a small tire carrier behind it.

Something like this:

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[Leslie]

That would be perfect, have thought about this myself. I see quite a few cars at the track that have a similar setup, just never knew if the Viper would work, but I guess why not, did it with my Z06.

 

[Bird325]

The owner's manual says DON'T, but why not? If it's a tiny, light trailer, what harm can be done? I'd like to hook up my light weight aluminum motorcycle trailer (one bike) and take my track bike to the track in the Snake. Any harm in that?

 

[ViperGeorge]

I towed the trailer pictured above for over 6000 miles with the Viper and competed on track everyday for a week in the One Lap, no adverse effects as far as I could tell. The Viper took it in stride. My trailer, by the way, is low enough to see over when looking in the rear view mirror.

 

[Leslie]

The owner's manual says DON'T, but why not? If it's a tiny, light trailer, what harm can be done? I'd like to hook up my light weight aluminum motorcycle trailer (one bike) and take my track bike to the track in the Snake. Any harm in that?

maybe it's a liability Dodge didn't want to take...?

kinda like on prescriptions...'must take with food or milk' haha

 

[Achilles99]

Does anyone know if it would void a maxcare warranty?

 

[PittsS2B]

I put a hitch on my FRONT bumper of my GTS and tow it around behind my motorhome.

 

[Flexx91]

It very well could. The warranty issue shouldn't even be discussed because it was not designed to tow, that's why it is stated so in the manual. If I were a service advisor at a dealership and someone brought in a Viper with a tow hitch attached - complaining about drive train issues, I'd shake my head then immediately reject the warranty claim. This car is strong enough to tow moderate payloads but still, you're playing at your own risk. I give a little leniency for tires for track runs but anything else is totally ridiculous. You'll never see a tow hitch attached to mine.

 

[Achilles99]

Good point, in this economy I'm sure they are looking for any reason to deny claims. I'll stick with the trailer, and if I'm feeling lazy I'll just drive to the track on slicks

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Of course if it is just one of these "tiny" hitches then they will know you are toting "race tires" back and forth to the track and deny coverage anyhow!

 

[ViperGeorge]

I've never met a Dodge dealer that knows Vipers to give a hoot about whether you track the car or carry a small trailer for tires. Heck at the very first VOI I went to in Nashville, the head of SRT at the time was asked about a Stage 3 kit for the Neon SRT that they were selling. Specifically would it void the warranty. He said "No" they built the SRT cars to be run hard and they were confident that all of the SRT line would stand up to the abuse.

Heck why on earth would a small trailer hurt a Viper anyway? It has plenty of torque, plenty of brakes, big tires, etc. You mean to tell me the car can be run like heck on a road course but it will break because it tows several hundred pounds behind it? I don't believe it. The very first picture posted here of the red ACR was a DODGE entry into the One Lap. They thought it was ok to have a hitch. Ralph Gilles himself was competing in the event and the car was being driven by SRT engineers.

 

[ViperGeorge]

One more thing. When Dodge was sponsoring VOIs they always had track days including drag strips. They never said "if you participate we'll void your warranty", they arranged these events with the VCA. This is why Dodge is such a great company to build a car like the Viper. They stand behind it.

 

[Nixon's SRT]

do you have any pictures of the hitch with the bumper off?

 

[ViperGeorge]

do you have any pictures of the hitch with the bumper off?

Sorry but no I don't.

 

[escapedan]

Based on gbatejan's pics, I went to a few local hitch places here in the San Francisco area to get a quote on building something similar. They all agreed but wanted between $1300 and $1800 for the hitch and labor. Since I was only using it for autocross I figured that's the same price as a new set of A6's. I guess I'll be driving to events on the race tires for now.

gbatejan - thanks for posting your pics and sharing your thoughts! Very, very appreciated and great looking trailer. Best of luck in the One Lap!

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Based on gbatejan's pics, I went to a few local hitch places here in the San Francisco area to get a quote on building something similar. They all agreed but wanted between $1300 and $1800 for the hitch and labor. Since I was only using it for autocross I figured that's the same price as a new set of A6's. I guess I'll be driving to events on the race tires for now.

gbatejan - thanks for posting your pics and sharing your thoughts! Very, very appreciated and great looking trailer. Best of luck in the One Lap!

Tell your shop that if they build it right that they could sell a bunch of them to keep the cost down and that you would post the info here to help sales?

 

[FEDBYVORTECH]

I am thinking of putting a Plow on my next viper. Of course I will color match the plow. Maybe even stripe it.

 

[ViperGeorge]

I am thinking of putting a Plow on my next viper. Of course I will color match the plow. Maybe even stripe it.

Its been done. I think they call the option "the ACR". Isn't that what that thing on the front is for?

 

[DPViper]

A redneck friend put this hitch on my car........

 

[eucharistos]

A redneck friend put this hitch on my car........

city folk

thems ain't no hitch

 

[YellowViperSRT10]

Put a class 4 hitch on the Viper and might as well tow a friends car too! with all that torque and great brakes, i bet it can to like a super duty!

 

[RTTTTed]

city folk

thems ain't no hitch

Better not get caught with those hangin' in Miami - they're passing laws to get your fines for that display. Seems that the Politicains are busy making up any excuse to steal your money nowadays, even if it is only $60 and probably only 10 of them in the entire state. Gotta love it that those lousy Politicans think they're saving money and making the world a better place ...

 

[RTTTTed]

Do a search. I remember seeing pics of trailers and hitches, even the heavy duty hitches. I towed several of my other show cars thousands of miles behind my Stealth R/T TT. It towed OK and got great mileage. I got to show two cars at a time when I towed the extra one.

Ted

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Vipers are hardly budget race cars. By the time you reach the point to swap track wheels it seems to me a truck and trailer is the next logical step not a hitch.

But whatever it takes to get you to the track, it's all good.

 

[ViperGeorge]

Vipers are hardly budget race cars. By the time you reach the point to swap track wheels it seems to me a truck and trailer is the next logical step not a hitch.

But whatever it takes to get you to the track, it's all good.

True enough. I put my hitch on specifically for One Lap. You must drive the car for the entire event, it can't be towed. You can however tow a trailer with the car but not the other way around.