car trailer question Options

[rfuerst911sc]

How big of a trailer do you need to haul a 914? I just went and looked at a 13.5 footer, it has 74 inches between the tires and it's an all steel deck. It has a tilt feature and dual axle with 13 inch tires. Seems to me an " old school " trailer. Has brakes on all 4 wheels but currently not hooked up. Lights are shot or missing and she needs some work. I can get this for $500.00 or maybe a little less. So does this sound like a decent trailer? Or should I look for a 16-18 footer?

[orcadigital]

The width is ok for a stock 914. With flares you will be pushing it. I want to say the sheridan flares are like 72 to 76 wide, and those are about as big as they come. The length might work though you might have some bodywork extending over the back. A 16' is really a minimum for a car trailer and an 18 is better. My 18 is perfect, and has room to put a tire rack in the front without worrying too much. It also allows me to center the car over the axles and put less on the tongue.

The price is right, but i'd look a little more myself.

Grant

[ConeDodger]

My 16" open trailer is just about perfect for a 914. You might be a little short with that one.

[JRust]

I actually used a 7x10 trailer for a while. 914 barely fit but did work in a pinch. I'm picking up my new 16ft trailer this week if all goes well. Swapping a pinball machine for it & built to my specs. Almost got an 18 which would have turned into a 20. Guy said it's no cheaper as the material for an 18 just gets cut off. I wanted it smaller after thinking about it. My cruved driveway is not the most condusive to a long trailer. A 914 is basically 13 ft front to back depending on bumpers. So the trailer you are looking at will work. Price is pretty good depending on how much you have to put into it.

[rfuerst911sc]

Those of you responding that you have 16-18 foot trailers are they 7 foot wide? And what are you towing with? And are the trailers wood deck? Do they have brakes? Both axles? I'm trying to learn. Thanks

[ConeDodger]

Those of you responding that you have 16-18 foot trailers are they 7 foot wide? And what are you towing with? And are the trailers wood deck? Do they have brakes? Both axles? I'm trying to learn. Thanks

Mine is a metal deck and it does have brakes but I am not sure if it is both axles. I suspect 7' deck but I am not going out to measure it for you! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[r_towle]

I think my desk is 14 feet long.
Just right for a 914.
Easy turn also.

If you can get a tip bed with dual axles and brakes for 500...get it.

I tow mine with aEurovan...
Most decent vehicles can tow 4k pounds...with brakes on the trailer.

RIch

[J P Stein]

The deck on my trailer is 12 X 6.
I'm not too thrilled with the single axle but I've towed it for several thousand miles.
It was cheep.

[scotty b]

Mine is a 16' with a 2' tail so in effect it is 18'. A 914 fits fine but there is some over hang behind the flat part of the deck. I used it alot before I added the tail with no problems. I added the tail because when I buil tit I put straight axles on it. Do yourself a favor and find one with dropped spindles, unless you run a very low profile tire or small diameter wheel. With striaght axles, 15" wheels and heavy duty trailer tires mine is too tall to easily load the sports cars I normally haul on it. I added the tail and will at some point swap over to dropped axles. I'd rather do that then put on a lower profile lower rating car tire. No brakes and a wooden deck, just wide enough to get most anything on. My suburban and my CJ-7 with oversized tire do hang off the sides about an inch or 2.

[computers4kids]

I personally wouldn't go with a trailer less than 16' unless, although 500 is a great price. Loading a 13' trailer is going to be a PITA, especially if you're doing it by yourself. I have a lowboy trailer with a long 3' gentle dovetail with a tilt and it works great. I've loaded many a 914 on a regular trailer, often with a little sailor language...no fun. Tilt the trailer you're thinking on buying and see if you can load your 914, you might be suprised that the angle is too sharp.

[Todd Enlund]

The deck on my trailer is 12 X 6.
I'm not too thrilled with the single axle but I've towed it for several thousand miles.
It was cheep.

I borrowed JPs trailer, and it worked great. Very easy to maneuver, no problem loading and unloading, and I could hardly tell it was back there. No brakes... hell, no lights even with my truck pulling it (different plug)!

Thanks again, JP!

[6freak]

Get the biggest one you can afford.Mines 24 feet inside 7 feet wide inside and covered with twin 1500lbs torsion axles with elec brakes on all 4 wheels really smooth ride with the torsion axles maybe 10 inches of the ground with a 4' dove tail and drop down rear door and an 8000lbsWarn(over kill) winch to drag it all in.The thing i like about the covered part is it stores my car if i need the garage for something else and i dont have to worry about it being out in the weather and i can haul quads to the dunes(6 if i place them right) and camp in it or 4 snow machines or whatever without anything getting wet and dirty...bigger is better

[Shade Tree]

Mine is only 9.5 feet long and a 914 just barely fits on it. I have a 3500 pound axle so the weight is fine. It was built for a Samurai. With the single axle, it's best to back the car on the trailer. I'd be a little weary of the 13 inch wheels on the trailer that you're looking at. They sure get hot on the freeway.
Sorry for making the thread ugly with the pic of the Rayco.

(IMG:http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r211/shootingcoons/nov2008106.jpg)

[Cupomeat]

As I am thinking of buying a bigger vehicle for the growing family, I thought that perhaps I should get one that can tow my cars as well.

SO, what do these trailers weigh?

Thanks

[rfuerst911sc]

As I am thinking of buying a bigger vehicle for the growing family, I thought that perhaps I should get one that can tow my cars as well.

SO, what do these trailers weigh?

Thanks

The little bit of web searching I have done it looks like a 16-18 foot trailer will weigh 1200-1500 lbs. or so. Aluminum trailers the lightest, then wood deck trailers and then steel deck. Any 1/2 ton pickup with a V8 should pull no problem.

[Joe Ricard]

Mine is a 18' bed real heavy metal (steel) deck. tandem axle dove tail. Electric brakes. car fits easy, I can put all kinds of stuff on it. I can probably put my son's Kart on the trailer along with the 914.
Pull it with the 99 150 4.6L

Truck tires and trailer tires are load range D. Truck has air bags in back and heavier springs in front. 6" lift. 13 MPG towing.
Tried a single axle for 10 miles and took the car off and drove it home on race tires cuz DAT SHIT WAS DANGEROUS

Here's a pic.

[charliew]

If you pull a car trailer a lot the transmission in the tow vehicle needs a real good cooler if it's a automatic. My all steel dovetail trailer is 20 ft and 7 ft wide. It's a load with a normal size car, tractor, suburban or other big stuff. If all your going to haul is a little 914 or if you plan on hauling a 914 a lot I would get a trailer just for that. It will be a lot lighter and the wear and tear on the tow vehiche will be a lot less.

It really takes at least a 3/4 ton vehicle to reliabily pull a 20 ft car trailer a lot especially if the trailer and the load is heavy. I have put two expensive 700r4's in my k5 blazer trying to pull that car trailer and now use a 3/4 ton suburban. Also the short k5 is not a good tow vehicle. You really need a long wheelbase truck to handle heavy loads.

[J P Stein]

If you pull a car trailer a lot the transmission in the tow vehicle needs a real good cooler if it's a automatic. My all steel dovetail trailer is 20 ft and 7 ft wide. It's a load with a normal size car, tractor, suburban or other big stuff. If all your going to haul is a little 914 or if you plan on hauling a 914 a lot I would get a trailer just for that. It will be a lot lighter and the wear and tear on the tow vehiche will be a lot less.

It really takes at least a 3/4 ton vehicle to reliabily pull a 20 ft car trailer a lot especially if the trailer and the load is heavy. I have put two expensive 700r4's in my k5 blazer trying to pull that car trailer and now use a 3/4 ton suburban. Also the short k5 is not a good tow vehicle. You really need a long wheelbase truck to handle heavy loads.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

My trailer weighs 1000 lbs. The car is 1725. The Ford is old & cheep, but reliable with a 460 & a trans cooler. About 12 mpg while towing. I have about $4K in the whole works......style is not a strong point. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
It's real easy to spend 10+ times as much for a newer rig.

[6freak]

Wieght ..I would say 3K ...and i need to correct myself the axles on my trailer are 3500 lbs torque flex .....Pulled by a 04 cummins turbo diesel 1ton quad cab..very safe to pull whatever i need

[charliew]

JP will the straps polish a place in your wheels using them like that? When I brought my 914 home it had the factory tie downs but they looked kinda weak so I think I will make some better ones but the trick will be to not get against the body with the strap and on a lowered car thats sometimes a tricky proposition. On suby motors you don't want to put the tranny in gear cause if the motor gets turned backward the timing belt gets slack and can jump timing at the crank gear. They have a belt guide to put over the belt real close to prevent it and I made my on but I just don't want to chance it so it'll just be the emergency brake and the straps.