i'm toying with the idea of buying an open car hauler for a cross country move i'll be making early next year. one way or the other, i'm towing my one toy across country using my other (both are in my sig. i'll let you use your imagination as to which one is the tow toy). i've towed a few times in the past and come from a family that's camped in a trailer since before i can remember, so if anything i'm really excited to do this.

but, here's the thing. i don't know my head from my *** when it comes to knowing what to look for in a trailer. so, what are some things to look for or avoid when buying a car hauler?

here are my parameters:

1) the combined weight of my car (3800lbs), my bike (350lbs), and the trailer (???) have to stay within a safe range for my rig. i THINK that maxes me at around 8000lbs. not sure, though.

2) the trailer has to be big enough for my car. i have yet to take dimensions, but have been told by other GTO owners that i won't fit on a U-Haul (guess i'll just have to go buy my own trailer. darn *wink*).

3) budget is $2K. i'm OK with used, provided you guys give me good tips on what to look out for/avoid. keep in mind, that's $2K in SoCal where EVERYTHING costs more. still, i have found where that kind of money should get me a new trailer.

here's what i'm thinking so far:

1) big wheels. good for bearing wear. 15" diameter minimum

2) no wood. i just don't to have to deal with it when it starts to rot. sound logic?

other than that, i'm clueless. what do i look for? i see a lot of new trailers where they're giving me dimensional specs of the raw material. that'd be helpful if i had a clue what a 'good' wall thickness is.

thanks in advance!

Mike

 

I'd look at an 18' dual axle, wood decked trailer with 15" tires and brakes on each axle. These trailers usually have 8K or 10K GWV ratings and will handle any load that you might want to tow. Wood decks last a long time and are easy to replace if needed. Steel decks rust.

Add a brake controller to your truck and your F-250 will handle this combination just fine.

This is a common configuration so there should be used ones available for 2K or less.

Lou Braun

 

I can't really help you on what is going to be good for you, but I can offer some general tips. If you wallet and weight limit allows it, try to get a trailer that has a full deck, not the two rails where the car tires go. Either will work fine, but that full deck makes me feel more conftorable. I've had both versions. Try to get one with a beaver tail on the back (slopes down) so that you don't have such a steep grade. Buying used is fine. When built right, these trailer will last forever. I bought an '86 in '06 and it was like new. When buying used, check for the usual wear and tare. Checke the tires for tread and especially dry rot from sitting. Check the lights. Look for welds that have gone bad or have been rewelded. Most importantly check the brakes. Even if you have to jack up the trailer to make sure that the tires spin freely without the brakes on, it is a good thing to do. Jack up the trailer and connect the brakes to your truck. Have someone spin the wheels while you hit the brakes to make sure they work properly. I failed to do this on the one I bought and half way home my 100 mile journey home I noticed smoke pouring off my left rear tire in the mirror. I pulled over and all my brakes were so hot they were melting the paint of the wheels. The previous owner had failed to tell me that he hadn't used the trailer in 4 years. The brake magnets were sticking and causing the brakes to be on all the time even though I didn't have a brake controller in the truck at the time. It was Sunday and no place was open to check them out. I had to stop every 15 minutes the rest of the way home to let the brakes cool down for 15 minutes. Not fun. You seem to be on the right track. Good luck with your search. Post some of the ones that you are looking at here and let us decide!

 

one of these will probably work for ya
http://www.jjnent.com/flatbed.html

 

There's a lot to consider when looking at car haulers. I bought one about three years ago. I looked at a lot of different places and wasn't happy with what I was finding. Most places sold 7K trailers, which would be fine for most people. Once you take out the weight of the trailer, you can still haul just about any car. I really wanted a 10K so I would never be limited. Then I found that most of the 7K trailers only had brakes on one axle. So that's something to look out for. I ended up going straight to the manufacturer to have one built. I ended up with a 16-foot (total) 10K trailer with 2-foot beaver tail. I've been calling it a dovetail, but I guess that's a wood working joint... duh. I've got 15" alumicoat wheels, six lug hubs with bearing buddies. The ramps store under the rear of the trailer, so you don't have to worry about them. The deck is solid diamond plate steel. The fenders are also diamond plate instead of the flimsy ones you normally see. The frame is 5" channel 12" on center. I've had all kinds of different things on it from cars to trucks, motorcycles to four wheelers, tractors to excavators, and even logs and gravel. There are also stake pockets all the way around it so you can put sides on it, which has been very handy. When I bought it three years ago, it cost $2100. I'm sure it would be more now, but this hopefully gives you some ideas on what you might want in a trailer. Definitely shop around and if possible contact a manufacturer. It not only saved me money, but I got a trailer that fits my needs perfectly.

 

I'll add my 2 cents. First get one with good fenders, mine has diamond plate fenders and i have had to drive a truck over the fenders before (dually). It is also good when you have a blowout it doesnt tear your fender all to pieces. Second, dont hesitate to get a wood deck. They dont rot very quick if they have been treated. Should give you years and years of service. I dont like metal decks because 1. they rust, and 2. they are slippery as heck when wet and i have busted on one more than once. also, a trailer with a dovetail (beavertail) is a good idea, especially if you have a car. My trailer doesnt have one and you have to be careful when loading and unloading. Get one with brakes on both axles, not just one. My trailer has stake pockets all down the side and removable side rails. This is great because i can put the rails on and haul scrap metal, dirt, hay, ect.

 

I agree with everything that 79driver said. Sounds like we have almost the same trailer except for the deck. And yes, the metal is very slippery. It got my attention one day. I was in a hurry and it was morning so there was a bit of dew on everything. I stepped on the edge and slipped straight down. I had a nasty scrape all down the front of my shin. My jeans didn't stand a chance. You can even spray some Thompson's on the wood once in a while to keep it nice. The deck tends to collect oil too. The wood will absorb it and it will only be better treated.

 

You certainly don't want anything like the ones they have at a U-Haul or the other rental places. Those things are not built to haul anything much larger than a mid-size family sedan.

My own advice includes some of the other things already on here...
- Full Deck - It's much stronger than the rail-type ones and it'll give you the option to do other stuff with it. I use my car hauler for all sorts of things, from hauling quads to tractors and even a few open freight jobs.

- Electric brakes, on both axles - Yeah, you need a brake controller to run them, but it gives you the ability to apply the trailer brakes from the cab and you can back up without having to lock down pins or rely on solenoids. Any modern truck/controller combo will be fairly easy to set up.

- Big wheels - The bigger the better. That translates into a smoother ride, less bearing wear, and longer lasting tires. Trailer makers love to cut corners on their tires and wheels. It ought to have trailer tires from a reputable brand name.

- Fenders are a priority, as discussed above. Cheap fenders will start cracking and sandbag you out of nowhere. Some trailers will have the added luxury of a removable driver's side fender so you can get the door open easier for lower cars.

- Watch those ramps! That's another place they love to cheap out on you. They'll talk all day long about how tough their deck or frame rails are and then shaft you with a chitsy ramp that's too short, has no provision for wet traction, and is put together by little more than spot welds.

Most of the trailers you'll be out looking at will be around 7,000# and 16-20 feet long, I would say, so your weight thing is not going to be a problem.

For that price range, you'll be looking at steel or wood deck. Steel is heavier and it certainly does get slippery and hot. The only thing about wood deck trailers is finding one with all the other bells and whistles, at least in my various haunts.

If you're new to trailers, don't forget to stop by again so we can make it the safest and hopefully most enjoyable trip possible. We'll do everything in our power to keep you from being THAT GUY.

 

Absolutely!

 

the advice I got and followed when I was looking for a trailer

Wood deck over steel. If you plan on using the trailer for anything other then moving cars what you are hauling will not slide around as much. Also wood decks are easier to replace/repair.

Beaver-tail will make loading and unloading easier.

Electric Brakes both axles with the device that activates the brakes it the trailer comes off the truck. Some 7K trailers will have brakes on one axle but allot of states require a trailer that size to have brakes on both.

Look at both used and new. Car hauler trailers around here hold their value. The used trailers I found required enough work to make the price difference small when it was all said and done.

I ended up getting a PJ 16+2 and I love it. On the trailer it is the small things that make a difference. Removable aluminum diamond plate fenders, the jack pivots out of the way, flush lights, heavy ramps that store under the trailer, bulldog coupler and the main thing Tows straight as an arrow!

 

thanks for all the tips, guys! it's definetely opening my eyes.

the truck has a brake controller installed already by the previous owner. i've never used the thing, but push come to shove i can always install a new one. i've done it before on the old man's truck. no big deal.

it'll be a while before i pick one up, mainly because i have no space (or need) for the trailer right now. but, i can always keep my eyes open for that schweet deal now knowing what i do.

Mike

 

For an 04 Goat, you'll need a 4' beaver tail and 5' ramps. And then you still might scrape the bottom of the nose. This will mean an 18' trailer, minimum.

A trailer with torsion bar style springs will help with the approach angle.

Make sure the door will clear the license plate while loading. I always have the door open so I can see where the car is positioned on the trailer and see my "load" mark.

Also, make sure the door clears the fender so you can get out of the car once loaded.

Buy QUALITY tie down straps.

The wiring loom should be in conduit or something that will protect the wiring harness under the trailer. Convoluted tubing isn't enough protection from a rock or tree limb you might encounter at 70mph.

Test load and pull your car BEFORE you buy.

 

Your friends are right, I just rented a U-Haul trailer to tow a Bronco II. It would be totally unsuitable for a larger car (Crown Vic, GTO, etc.). The BII barely fit. Plus, they only tie down the front wheels and use a single chain for the rear. I ended up using my own come-a-long to angle across the back so the vehicle wouldn't slide around left to right.

To see what is the baseline, all you have to do is look on E-Bay.

For a car hauler, 6" x 1/4" channel is the norm. Look for 12-16" centers for cross members. Personally, when I build a trailer I put on a coupler that can be locked with a padlock or pin.

If the cross members are spaced farther apart the wood deflects too much and a tire will go right through.

What you can do is put 1/4" diamond plate down (it is expensive), bolted through the wood and to cross members, in the general location of where the tires will rest. This makes the deck much stronger.

Look for a bar across the front or stake pockets in the front so you can add your own steel board. Entirely too easy sometimes to drive a vehicle farther then you should and off a trailer. Especially one with a long hood.

If you have real stake pockets made from 3/16" steel and not flimsy folded 12-16 gauge steel, you can drill a hole in the side for a hook and use it as a strap hold down.

Ramps. You probably can't find them and have to build or add on to them, but, I like ramps with at least an outside lip.

Buy a trailer at least 80 inches wide. The 72" inch ones are nothing more then converted landscape trailers.

FULL DECK!!! Metal or wood. The thing to watch out for on metal decks is them not being fulled welded underneath to the cross members. imo, A fully bolted (not sheet metal screw) wood deck is more rigid then a partly welded metal deck.

At a min. T205/75/r15 tires. If buying used, I would consider replacing all the used tires (many will be normal car tires P235/75r15 tires) with LT235/85/16 or LT235/75r/15 tires with a C rating.

For cross country

Two full sized spare tires (can be the P235s you take off).
Complete bearing kit.
Grease gun/kit for bearings if needed.

Tarp - I would completely wrap the car in a heavy tarp - one to protect it - two to prevent would be Grand Thief Auto wannabees from ripping the GTO off by seeing it in the first place.

If this was my car, I would cable or chain it from underneath with a good lock (face the lock upwards so it is easy to key - not to pick) so the chain/cable can not be unwrapped, to the trailer. You can bolt or weld a D-ring to the deck and cross member underneath for the purpose.

 

ACK, don't do this. If you want paint on your car at the end of the trip DO NOT COVER IT!!!!

I tow a racecar 800 miles monthly. I covered it once with a very high quality car cover pulled very tight around the whole car, it had no paint left for about an inch on all the edges/corners. The beating of the cover stripped the Ford factory paint right off.

Thom

 

If you are worried about covering it, you can buy a rock guard for the front of the trailer. Cheap piece of mind.