Not sure if this is in the right spot but it has to do with racing. I just picked up a enclosed 20' car trailer. I've painted the floor, and undercoated the trailer. I picked up a small electric winch 3000lb to mount to pull the car in the trailer. Any suggestions on the mounting of the electric winch. The trailer has a built in beaver tail at back. One problem I see is the winch line hitting the floor at the top of the ramp when pulling the car in. Just checking with everyone to see what you have done on your trailers with this problem. Thanks Garry

That makes good sense with the switch. One question I have is would you be better to mount a battery in the trailer. Thought the wiring to back thru your tow vehicle could be smaller , just for charging only. Never used a electric winch before and thought they might draw alot of amps and heat cables up. Garry

Great idea with the plate under the floor for winch mounting. Most newer trucks come prewired for a battery charge line and a brake controller. If yours isn't, just run #10ga wire from the battery to a resetable circuit breaker near the battery on the tow vehicle and then #10ga back to your trailer connector. From your trailer half of the connector run it to your interior battery. All should be good.

Quote from chickenman on 12/31/11 at 00:09:06:
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A group 27 is a physically  bigger battery than most car batterys.   I think most small car batteries are group 24.   If you could get 2 six volt batteries,   they would last almost forever.     The roller sounds like a good idea.

Funny I was looking at them the other day and wishing I had the $$ to buy one.
 
What is the concern with the cable & the floor? All I see it doing is marking it I cant see it wearing a hole in it. If you are concerned why not add alum plate where it will rub. Could use sheet metal in place of the alum. Would be less $$ and thinner. How would you fit this roller you talk about & how high would it sit and would the car clear it. Don’t only think of that car but others you may get down the road. How about if you need to slide something across the floor?
Dave ----

I have heard the 2 - 6 volt setup isn't so good in certain situations. Large slides on RV's draw too much power and cook the 6 volts. would the winch do the same? If I owned a trailer I would add an external power hookup (like and RV) so you can install an invertor for when you plug it in at home (this will charge the battery) or so when you are at the track you can plug in to your generator to run the trailer lights and some plugs without killing the battery or running cords all over.

I run Odyssey PC1200 Dry cell batteries in the trailer and the race car. The trailer battery runs the winch and lights. Since I use the same battery for both, if I have an issue at the track with the car or trailer I can swap batteries if needed.

I kind of like the drop in roller deal but would hate to be cutting holes in the deck to fit it in.
What I was thinking on the sheet metal shield is to have it wide enough to fit between the wheels, could be wider and the wheel roll over it. As for long half the sheet would be on the flat deck and the other half on the dove tail. A 4x8 sheet long ways screwed to the floor would work, 4 feet would be on either side of the floors. I cannot see it wearing the cable out, it will not have weight or pressure at that point that I would be worried.
 
I would mount the winch to the floor or up about a foot as this would help keep the cable off the floor when winching. Yes use a plate under the floor and better yet if you could weld the plate to the frame would be better and more so if the winch is raised up. This would be hooked to a big 27 group batt to run the winch & lights. Trailers I had with break a way switch ran off this batt too but if the trailer is wired to a small one then I might leave it. How does that small batt keep/recharge? The big batt will be charged be the tow rig just make sure this line is fused. They make a device that keeps the trailer from draining the tow rig batt like if you have a long weekend and the trailer lights are on the whole time. Look at how they do the RV trailers for recharge.
 
I think you are over thinking this cable on floor thing. BTW I cant tell you how long I have had the cable on my trailer and yes I have used it many times. Last year was the first time I had an issue with it. The cable broke a little bit up from the hook and I caused it. Everything that gets put on the trailer I wrap the hook/cable around the front cross member (as a safety with the straps) and hook the hook back on to the cable……this is a BIG NO NO and is what broke the cable. Reminds me need to replace the cable/hook and get an axle strap.
Dave ----
 
Could jack up the front of the trailer or raise the rear of tow rig so the cable will not touch the floor.