Trailers, Any buying tips for a towing newbie? Options

[campbellcj]

I'm looking to buy a tandem axle open trailer ASAP. Any tips on what I should look for in particular, besides an overall solid construction, good tires, etc?

Do I need brakes? How about a winch?

Any general tips and/or for-sale leads in SoCal would be appreciated. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)

[drew365]

Are you thinking about an enclosed or open trailer?
Mine is a 20" enclosed. It's just about the right size giving me enough room in front of the car for tools, jacks etc. I think anything smaller would be tight, you'd have to put most of the periferal stuff in the back of the tow truck. I would definately recommend electric brakes. The first time I towed I didn't have the brakes system on the truck yet and you have to be real alert about stopping distances. Mine is a 7500#GVW and handles everything fine. I hauled a full size Olds 98 down from Sacramento and it didn't feel any different than the 914. You probably don't need a 10,000# GVW unless you just want to play it safe. We bought ours direct from the Haulmark factory in Arizona but they have a retail outlet in Thousand Oaks.

[nine14cats]

Hi Chris,

I bought my open 16' trailer from Texas Bragg

[URL=http://www.texasbragg.com/texas2/default.asp]

The model was a derivative of the CCH 5000. I added a tire rack out of 2x2 tubing and gas can racks, and I added plywood to the middle section to make the trailer more usable for storage.

Definitely get electric brakes, much easier to control stopping. And If still available, get the drop axles...mine has them and the center of gravity towing is much lower. The trailer is very stable with the tandem wheels behind my tow vehicle (suburban).

One thing to keep in mind is that I am already wishing I had bough an enclosed trailer. If you can afford it, store it, tow it, etc., It makes storage of things much easier. You don't have to load and unload as much stuff.....I'm seriously thinking of going that route next year....and my trailer is new!

Good Luck!

Bill P.

[Zeke]

Chris, I think a basic hand winch is a must. Power winches are nice to have. But, if you break your car, you will need the some kind of winch to load the car. Plus, you can use the winch as an additional safety tie down. You don't need to put much strain on it, just hook it up and leave it until you unload.

[cha914]

Most of this has been covered...get the brakes, much nicer...full deck with 'D' rings included, makes it alot easier to tie down...drop axels are not nessary, but help alot with loading and unloading (especially lower than normal race cars)...

But the most important think I wish the trailer I use had was GOOD RAMPS...try and get one with nice long sturdy ramps and sliding under the deck is an added bonus...the trailer I use has 4' ramps and they are just too short...the best open trailer I have used had nice long 8' ramps and had the drop axels which made it very easy to load and unload a lowered car.

HTH,

Tony C.

[nine14cats]

I agree with Tony on the ramp length. I rented a few trailers with no drop axles and 6' ramps and I had to use wood blocks to help "straighten" out the ramps during loading. I have the drop axles with 8' ramps and I don't have a problem with my lowered car on race slicks....

Bill P.

E-Tracks are nice for strapping down different cars too.

(IMG:http://www.racerwholesale.com/catimg/e-track/gf_d513.jpg)

[rick 918-S]

I have a single axle trailer I built that tows very nice. I followed 18 wheelers across the Texas pan handle WFO with a 1957 Porsche Sun roof coupe in tow. Last year I hauled a 1954 Austin Healey 100-4 from California to MN. I was going 87 mph down steep mountain passes in Colorado and really kinda forgot the trailer was behind us. We never felt a twitch or wiggle. 12' open deck, 3500 lb. axle with a 4" drop, 4000 lb. springs. load hight is about 9" I have 2' long ramps and never had a loading problem.

[john rogers]

This means Chris is getting serious now, good job! What I learned was: Get a name brand, I bought a Texas Bragg also and it is good. Dual axles, the biggest load possible, TRAILER tires, not car tires, all wheel brakes, break away switch (mandatory in CA), good controller, standard round plug so someone else can tow it if necessary, make your own tire rack, mine holds two extra sets of wheels and the spare, get a good spare tire. I made aluminum ramps 12 feet long that slide under the car so I do not have to pull off the front bumber/spoiler to get up onto the trailer. Harbor Freight sells an electric winch for $99 or less that can easily pull the car on should it be necessary. The trailer should have a long 'A' section in front so you can put a box on it for keeping the tie downs, etc in and to help with turning it. An electric jack is trally nice and I bought one after I had my trailer for a year or so. Get the biggest/heavy duty ratcheting tie downs you can find for safety reasons. Finally MAKE SURE YOU CAN OPEN THE DOORS when the car is on the trailer. Kids laught at us old guys if we have to crawl out the window!!! When you get the trailer, load the car on it , tie it down and go to a truck weight station so they can find the total weight and also the % distribution so you'll have the correct tongue weight. Then do some prsctice drives to see what it feels like with the tow vehicle as you don't need surprises when you leave for a race! If the truck or tow vehicle sags too much in the rear, Air Lifts work well, I use them and can level the truck in seconds. Good luck

[URY914]

My trailer is aluminum with brakes on the front axle. I bought it from a custom boat trailer builder who had built it for a guy but after paying a deposit he never came back to get it. I built the box out of square tubing an aluminum and stainless steel.

Tows like a dream and light enough that I can pull it around by hand without the truck.

[URY914]

Here is one with the box open...

[campbellcj]

Thanks very much for all the good tips! This list rocks... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

Now that I think about it, I would probably need to store the trailer off-site anyway. My house unfortunately doesn't have a place where I could park a trailer "out of the way" and the garage isn't deep enough to park it inside with the car on it.

Soooo, maybe I should just bite the bullet and look at enclosed trailers? My tow vehicle is rated at ~6500lbs and has reasonable power, so I think I'd be fine with a 20-24' rig.

Andy - thanks for the tip about Haulmark in T.O. That's very close to me and I'll give them a phone call or visit.

[Don Wohlfarth]

Chris, start with the vehicle you are going to use to tow. What's the towing capacity as that can limit your choices. How often will you use the trailer and how far will you tow? Open steel trailers (18') usually weight minimum of 13-1400# and with steel decks can get heavier. Aluminum open trailers 750-800#.
A bare 20' enclosed trailer can weight 22-2300#. A small tool chest w/tools can weight 300#, set of wheels and tires 200-250#, couple jugs of gas (40# ea) plus car and can quickly go over 5000#.
I have an enclosed trailer and it weights ~5700#. I originally towed it with a short wheel base F150 and it was like the tail wagging the dog even with equalizers installed. Went to full wheel base F150 with 7700# tow package, installed Air Lifts (~200 bucks) and it's pretty stable even over the posted speed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Gint]

Chris,

It's a haul for you, but one of my co-workers (Dan, good guy, very anal) sold his trailer to a guy that ended up getting a screamin deal on an enclosed trailer so he's selling the one he bought from Dan just one month ago. Asking price is $1700 (it was $2200 new before any accesorizing) but you could probably get it for less. It's got a full steel diamond plate deck, d-rings at all the corners, they made some custom ramps (longer I believe), has a light duty electric winch, removable fenders, brakes on all wheels, and I don't know what all else.

2001 18' PJ Flatbed Car Trailer
(2) 3500# Axles
Color: Charcoal Gray
Price: 1,700.00
Contact: Vern Guthrie
Tele: 970-674-5151
Email: vbguthrie@aol.com

[Brad Roberts]

Chris.. I can deliver my flatbed to you for 1100$.

20 ft open trailer. I put new wood in it 2 years ago.

Twin axle
Electric brakes
I can move it around by myself
It will need longer ramps (I'll make them for materials)
The current ONE works fine.. I lost one.
Pulls great. Steal frame wood bottom.
It was built in 1997 (Texas trailer)

B

[jonwatts]

Anyone know anything about registering a homebuilt trailer in california? I'd like something like Mike Scott has, a drop axle trailer that's not much bigger than the 914. Half the time he doesn't even need the ramps, he just drives up on it cuz it's so low.

[TMorr]

CA Trailer rego,

We had to register our trailer last year, built from scratch all new materials.
Two major factors are show some invoices or reciepts for material so they can establish the taxable value and have an indelible VIN# of some description.
We had the axle built to spec by Reliable Tool Co. It had a plaque with the capacity and serial # stamped in, we declared that as the VIN.
At the DMV when you show up, the inspector will officially ID the # and thats all.
All the lights, construction, roadworthiness are not checked, I guess all those would be moving violations.
I agree start with the tow vehicle and work out how much you can and want to tow....

This is our rig

Hayden PTBT

[campbellcj]

Brad - I definitely might want to take you up on that, if I go the open trailer route (which is still probably what will happen, budget-wise).

Tow vehicle isn't ideal for towing, but should be OK I think. 2001 Land Cruiser. 4.7L 32V V8; 320lb-ft @3400; 6500lbs tow capacity; factory trans cooler. Wheelbase is fairly short at 112" but the vehicle seems pretty darn stable overall.

My application is "semi-local" towing. I doubt I would regularly go farther than Thunderhill to the north or Phoenix or Vegas to the east. Most events I will do are < 200 miles from me.

[Brad Roberts]

Its decent. Its heavy enough that it pulls really nice, but not so heavy that one person cant move it around.

I'm pretty close to whoring my ass out.. so now is a good time to buy things cheap from Brad.

Plus... if I get rid of the trailer... people wont ask me to tow things for them.



B

Hmm, if Chris doesn't buy it, I may have a buyer for your trailer.