ANY suggestions on enclosed trailers??

[choppers4life]

ok i didn't want to jump on the truck debate but it's gone to far. when i started my company all i had was 1/2 ton trucks. a dodge ram to be exact.. when i first hooked a 16'x8.5' haulmark to it, it dropped like 4".. off to the spring shop i go. they made me a 401 spring to add in. this did not alter the ride height or change the truck ride unloaded. the truck never had a problem pulling, lack of power yes ( we fixed that, bought powerstrokes ) but if you use a good hitch set-up and smart driving you will be fine with a 1/2 ton. hmmm, $6,000 for a trailer and $34,000 for a 3/4 ton truck.. $40,000 to tow your car. why not just contract a car carrier service?

 

[NCTURBOS]

Even with a "good" hitch set up and sway bar kit wait until you lose control of that rig when you come to a clearing with a cross wind.

How fast do you travel on the Hwy? 35 MPH?

If your set on pulling with a 1/2-ton I'd just get a nice open trailer.

Just my opinion though, and you know how those are....


K.

 

[TexasT]

Enclosed Trailer Revisit

Having read the suggestions on enclosed trailers and looking to purchase one, I like the idea of the spread sheet. Could the individual who did that post it or email it to me. as far as where to find used trailers here are a few places I found.
http://www.racingjunk.com/partner/section.php3?ID=19&Pid=2

http://car.race-cars.net/cgi-bin/ads.pl?action=viewads&category=Trucks & Trailers:Enclosed Trailers

I think I want a TimberWolf Coyote. http://www.timberwolftrailers.com/RACE.HTM
Does anyone have one or know about them? It seem that most of these manufacturers are in Indiana or south Michigan. I like the Storm
http://www.wmtt.com/Storm Manufacturing/Thunderbolt/thunderbolt.htm but it is more than my budget. I also like the united Express line
http://www.cargo-trailers.com/united/united.html

The other one I saw was the Haulmark but it is quite expensive too. I will be towing with a 1/2 ton Suburban against the advise of this board and mostly because it is what I have available. I was thinking about the Airbags and will probably be installing these. I did rebuild the front suspension(Tierods, center link, bushings and ball joints) and it drives like new. Back to the trailer, I was thinking of a 28' with 5200# axles, 48" curb side door, and rear spring assist ramp. I like the look of the flat one piece roof as apposed to the rounded fiberglass and would like the front edge cap, chrome corners and front ATP stone guard. Any thoughts from those who have/use one. Thanks for your input.

Rich

 

[V6Power87]

Nashty,

I am not trying to be a d!ck but I highly doubt your V8 fullsize p/u can get 19-21 mpg unless it is a 2wd and you coast down a lot of hills

My Ram has a hard time getting that kinda mileage..... maybe because of my right foot acts like a magnet to the floor pan.

 

[NastyGn]

Re: Enclosed Trailer Revisit

Originally posted by TexasT
Having read the suggestions on enclosed trailers and looking to purchase one, I like the idea of the spread sheet. Could the individual who did that post it or email it to me. as far as where
Rich

Hey Rich. I bought my trailer in 1999 and have since got rid of the spread sheet. I actually made two both started with the brands of trailers across the top and down the left hand side was what I wanted. Such as thickness of the alum wall, cost if any to make all trailers match the same thickness. Then stuff like D-Rings and I did the same to each thing.

That way in the boxs I would add if it was and option and the cost or it came as the base package.

It was not hard.

Good Luck

 

[RussellinNC]

3/4 ton or better is the only way to go!!!

Originally posted by NCTURBOS
Even with a "good" hitch set up and sway bar kit wait until you lose control of that rig when you come to a clearing with a cross wind.

How fast do you travel on the Hwy? 35 MPH?

If your set on pulling with a 1/2-ton I'd just get a nice open trailer.

Just my opinion though, and you know how those are....


K.

I started out age 16 towing with a borrowed 73 F-150 Ford my dad had and a borrowed open tailer. It was scarey but got my GTO to the Local track...next move up was a rusted out 76 Chevy 1/2 ton...Much better than the Ford...next step up for me was a 73 3/4 ton Camper Special GMC...Talk about night and day difference....You never worried about stopping,going into curves at more than 20 MPH,3/4 tons come with better load rated tires, sometimes floating axles,better brakes,springs,usually better transmissions,etc. Now I have a Dodge Dually with the Cummins and a 28' enclosed Haulmark Edge. Yeah you can tow with a 1/2 ton....But do you really want to take a chance on destroying your car because your truck was not quite up to par? OK time for "cant believe it stories" I saw a local racer going up the interstate towing a narrowed up 69 Barracuda drag car with a little Dodge ram D50 mini truck....and I have some friends that went to Atlanta to pick up a new "Empty" 28" Enclosed trailer and tow it back to NC with a V-6 S-10. Russ

 

[HRpartsNstuff]

Check out www.mobilestructures.com

They have a HUGE inventory in Elkhart Indiana, and sell at a discount because of the volume they do. I bought a 7x16 cargo trailer for doing the shows, and it was about $800 less than the best place local. Some is in the delivery charge, and some is in the volume pricing. They deliver too. I am in NE Ohio & going to the chicagoland chapter chili cookoff/tech session on March 9th (week & a half away!) and drive right thru there. Most of the trailer manufacturers are right there too. Come & join the fun & pick up the trailer on your way back!

Get the swaybar/weight distribution setup too, it is scary without it. Makes a "normal" truck tow like a 3500 dually. I have towed a 28 footer with a GN in it using my '99 Expedition. It was actually OK, just lacking on the power end of it. The load & hitch height had to be right on though, wasn't user friendly with it off a little. Of course a 2500 or 3500 would have been better, but nobody dropped one off for me to use that weekend

 

[Nashty]

Originally posted by V6Power87
I am not trying to be a d!ck but I highly doubt your V8 fullsize p/u can get 19-21 mpg unless it is a 2wd and you coast down a lot of hills

My Ram has a hard time getting that kinda mileage..... maybe because of my right foot acts like a magnet to the floor pan.

My truck (to be exact) is a 99 Chevy Silverado extended cab w/ 5.3l, 3.73 gears. I usually average 19 but my commute to work is 30 miles each way (lots of highway miles). I had a 98 Dodge w/ a 360 that got a massive 15 MPG. That isn't an exaggeration at all. It has a K&N filter and that's it. What kind of mileage does a ¾ or a 1 ton GAS fueled truck get unloaded?

I usually tow around 70 on the I-state and have experienced plenty of cross winds. I have never experienced a lack of braking power (in the slightest) or too much sag with the load leveler bars installed. I can't accelerate like a big block or a diesel but I can outrun the base V8 in both Fords and Dodges in the ¾ ton trucks.

 

[choppers4life]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2404731038&category=6729

if you need a tow rig get one of these.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2405014075&category=6729
i bought two of these trucks from this guy. the ones i bought are identical to this.

 

[Alan Faircloth]

Agree with James

Originally posted by CPAKCP
Nasty,

Don't agree with you on this one. I have a 3/4 Suburban with has a 6.5 turbo diesel - have pulled TT form 20" to 32". When you get into trouble you will wish you had a bigger rig. Although the latter rigs are being built to handle more - I rather have too much of a tow vehicle then too little - just my two cents!!

Thanks for the info.

James,

I'm with you. There's a big difference between being able to tow something and being able to handle it. Lots of vehicles can tow alot of things. However, if the tail wags the dog (this would occur where the vehicle/trailer being towed can't be "controlled" by the towing vehicle), you've got TROUBLE. I've got a 3/4 ton Suburban. My friend has a 1/2 ton Expedition. Just towing a 6 by 12 enclosed uhaul trailer with parts is a HUGE difference. That 3/4 ton frame makes a HUGE difference when towing.

Alan

 

[Sagecoach]

How about vans ,guys?Will a 97 Ford F-150 Econoline V-8 van pull a 24-foot open trailer? How about an enclosed trailer?Anyone tried it?I've got one that I was going to sell,but if I can use it as a tow vehicle,I'll keep it.Its a contractor's van with all the shelves and drawers which would be handy for tools ect.

 

[CPAKCP]

Sagecoach,

Pull open the driver's side door and check what the GVWR is. An open car hauler with a 3,800 lb Regal can easily weigh over 5,000 lbs. If you can afford it step up to a HD 3/4, and not only pull your trailer and car but control it!


Good Luck

 

[Sagecoach]

Thanks! I'll check tomorrow AM

 

[Chuck Leeper]

My $.02 worth!

Been doin this for some 40+ yrs, and have had some real "ball busters" for tows and trlrs! [How bout a '65 Dodge 500 sta. wagon w/ a enclosed dragster trlr!!]
I have a 20' open TEXAS rollback and a 28' Featherlite enclosed.
The open was originally pulled w/ a 1/2 ton 95 Sub. It was SCARY!! Even w/ the air bags, wt dist hitch bars, this thing was a handful!! One word of serious caution: DO NOT, under any circumstances, use tires other than those rated for trucks.. usually marked "LT" Light truck. I had a set of BFG's on the truck when we got the open trlr. It caused the rig to change lanes, and you COULD NOT hold it strait!!
NEVER thot to try the 28' enclosed!!! Too busy changing my Depends!!
The new tow is a 3/4HD turbo diesel/Allison. DAMN!! what a rig!
Open/loaded 80mph all day @14mpg.
Closed/loaded 80 mph all day @ 12mpg.

One last thot: Why not consider the re-sale value vs the investment difference when choosing a trlr size? For the difference in price between a 22' and a 24',[what I consider absolute min] The 24' will get ALOT more calls than a smaller trlr!
The spreadsheet is a great idea!!

Back under my trailer!

 

[TexasT]

I bought One

Well, against the better judgement of several on the board here I bought a TimberWolf Coyote 28' enclosed trailer. I went to TrailerWorld in Bowling Green, Ky to pick it up. Some of you may be familiar with where BG, Ky is(ha, ha). Bought from a gentleman named George Marshall and was very pleased with the Customer Service. Highly Recommended. they have a website with pix and he actually returned my phone calls. I did haul it away with a 1500 Suburban(2000 Model, 5.3L) and would not recommend this big of a trailer with this small of a truck. Especially for a novice. I bought the weight distributing hitch but failed to get the sway control(which I am now wishing I'd bought and am in the market for). I picked up the trailer and drove north through Louisville, Indianapolis and Chicago to SE Wisconsin to visit relatives. The towed it home back through Chicago and down I57 to Memphis, I40 to Litttle Rock and I 30 to Dallas. Trailer will deffinately wag the truck so to speak and this is not for the novice. I'm also looking for some mirror extensions for the '94 Suburban I will be towing with if anyone has any input on which ones to get or some to sell. The truck had plenty of power to pull and the trailer has brakes on both axles so stopping was not a problem with it empty(about 4300#). Maybe when loaded it will be different but the sway control will be installed before I tow it again. Just my thoughts.

Rich