hi guys

got a question for you guys that might trailer your trucks.....

'53 f-100 ??? what is the shortest car hauler you would use to haul this truck ??

with a length of 15.5 -/+ and a width of 6.5 -/+ would a hauler 77" x 14' and a GVWR of 7700 #s do the trick ?? I know it depends on height of fenders on the trailer also but that question is in the mail to the builder as we speak... just need to decide on l/w.

looking to replace my stolen utility trailer and figured I'd look at a hauler I could attach side boards to and serve both purposes

thanks
John

 

I would go bigger 16' at least and 5,000lb axles. I have borrowed my friends trailer (16' & 7,000lb axles) and it handles my f1 real nice.

 

Don't go too light, go as heavy of a trailer as your towing truck can pull. I have a 20' long tilt bed trailer with 7000 lb axles, the trailer weighs around 1400 lbs so I can carry a little over 5000 lbs. It's standard width and I've been able to haul my F-2 and a very heavy '37 Buick Limited, a limousine, without a problem. I know I can haul a F-6 without a heavy bed but I limit it only to very short pulls. I did one long distant pull and I'll never do it again. My pull truck is a half ton pickup, with a 3/4 ton or heavier I don't think there would be problem pulling a bigger truck just as long as the towed truck doesn't have a heavy dump box or other heavy bed.

I had to haul my kid's '06 Dodge 1/2 ton pickup the other day when he had a break down. The truck was no problem to tow but it's a lot wider than my old Ford trucks. It fit on the trailer but took up a lot of room widthwise.

My trailer has side pockets so I build double 2X6 sides to haul other things besides cars.

 

For a half ton truck I agree I'd get a 16' minimum. Since my mom used to say I'd use two nails when one would hold, my trailer is a 20' with 7000# axles. I used a friend's 18' before buying my one and it worked fine too. While it might not seem like it, a longer trailer is easier to pull and back up than a shorter one. Stu

 

Stu, I've thought the same thing. I can back my 20' trailer in the tightest spots but when I try to back a smaller equipment trailer I go back and forth. The shorter trailers seen react too quickly.

Like I said, go as big as your tow vehicle can handle, both length and capcity. It's always better to have empty space than not enough space, especially if you're 200-300 miles from home. You never know what else you might find on your way home

 

When your thinking about a trailer, keep in mind, some states are requiring brakes on "all axles." Mine is 18' X 8' wide with two 3500 lb axles with brakes on both axles. No idea how many thousands of miles I have pulled it going to get old vehicles. I do wish I had bought heaver axels but get by with mine.
Most states will allow 8'6" wide trailers but with restrictions on what roads they can be pulled on. In Missouri ,a 8'6" trailer, can only be pulled on secondary roads from your home to the closest federal highway. Then must remain on the wider federal highways. Like many things, would likely never be stopped to measure the width, but if someone moved over to far after seeing the wider trailer on a narrow state road and crashed because of you there would be tickets coming your way.
I have pulled 1 tons to tractors and no issues. Went from SW Missouri to Phoenix Az.to auction a car and brought back one.I had a 3/4 ton ford super-duty then but now pull with a 1 ton ford cargo van.
Likely more info than you wanted but will give you a different view point.
Larry

 

I bought my trailer last year and had it replaced with an identical one this summer after an accident. It has twin 7000 lb. axles for a 14000 lb. GVWR and it's 18 ft. long. The length is about right for just about any vehicle I could imagine needing to haul, but I don't think that the heavy 14000 lb. GVWR is necessary for most folks. I occasionally need to haul a 10000 lb. backhoe, so it was mandatory in my case. My 1/2 ton truck pulls it just fine, but you definitely know it's back there - even empty. I think the trailer itself weighs in around 2500 lbs. I really need a bigger truck to pull it with much of a load on. (That's what I'm building the F-2 for!)

For general purpose stuff and car hauling, I'd recommend a 7000 lb. GVWR and 18 feet.

 

My problem I have with my 1/2 ton truck is it's too light. I have way more power to pull anything and the trailers electric brakes handle stopping but the one time, and last, I hauled a F-4 down the interstate the trailer pushed the truck coming into curves. The first time this happened I was coming into my first turn, it scared the heck out of me. I got off at the first exit and drove the rest of the way on country roads at 45mph for the next 400 miles, made for a very long drive but didn't have any problems. I've pulled quite a few F-5s and F-6s but those I only towed 20-30 and on slower country roads without any problems stopping or swaying.

 

I have a 18 ft open trailer. I tow it with a 1/2 ton GMC extended cab pickup. I haul my F1 and my 51 Ch**y car on it. It has brakes on one axle. I have been from the east coast to Texas and everywhere in between, in all kinds of weather. Never have had a problem, except for blowing a tire in New Orleans on I-10. Cheap Chinese tires. Replaced them with USA tires and no more problems.
The placement of the axles is super important. I had a tilt trailer before, and it beat you to death on a smooth road. It didn't matter if it was loaded or empty.
This trailer has ramps that stow in the rear. I can run 70 MPH loaded or empty and you barely know it is there. The difference is unbelievable. What ever you do, hook up and tow one around awhile before you buy. I put some blocks to stop the tires against when I load. This gets the tongue weight right. I put a small tool box on the tongue and a winch on the front. The tie downs are in the bed. It is the best trailer I have ever had.

 

I'm going to challenge the notion that a 1/2T is too light to pull a trailer. Bigger is generally better when it comes to tow vehicles, but it isn't the size of the tow vehicle that causes the trailer to push it around. (Think OTR trucks. The tractor is far less than half the GVW.) When you get to that situation, use the brakes on the trailer. If properly adjusted, the trailer brakes should keep it from pushing the tow vehicle.

Tilt bed trailers are not necessarily bad either. The design of the trailer can have an effect on its handling. But a properly loaded tilt bed trailer should not pull significantly differently than a standard car hauler. Regardless of the trailer type, the 10% tongue weight applies. If you center a load on a standard car hauler, it almost automatically puts the right amount of weight on the tongue. If you center a load on a typical tilt bed, it is right over the axle centerline so it will not pull the same.

I would almost agree with any of the 16-20' trailers. The 20' will be better, 18' ok, and 16' will work. If you can afford the 20' go for it. If storage is an issue, the 16' will suffice. You don't really need a 14k trailer to haul around a light truck. All that really does is reduce the amount of payload you can pull with your tow vehicle. I didn't see what you were towing with, but if it's a 1/2T, and you put a 2500# trailer behind it, you may be maxing out the tow vehicle with any vehicle on it, regardless of how much more weight the trailer will support. Example... a Big Tex 83"x20', 12k equipment trailer has a net weight of 2700#. So, bigger isn't necessarily better.

Dave

 

I have a 14' (Deck) dual axle car hauler. I would have prefered at least a 16' but this one popped up and the price was right so I jumped on it.

( I had sold my little single axle 10' utility trailer for $700 and the next day I found my car hauler for $750) I did some minor repairs and was off and hauling. it works great for F-1's (some day I'll upgrade)

Biggest loads I have had was a 53 F350 with the ford script flatbed and it was a little scary
also a 51 F-3 with the 8' bed loaded down with about 1500lbs of 20" lockrings! that was not a great experience either, on the return trip with that one I put the truck on trailer backwords so all the tires in the back gave me a little tongue weight (thats a good thing )

 

I'm part of the "half-ton's are too small for heavy towing" school. After 2 accidents where the truck got pushed around I just won't tow without an adequate trailer, trailer brakes and a large enuf truck! I know some of you have gotten away with it repeatedly, but sooner or later you'll wish .....

Here's what I used to bring the 50 F4 home today.

 

my 2 cent's get the best you can afford,and you are getting great advice here, my 20' trailer has hauled my 96 cube van...overloaded and staying off the main roads.26' is on the list..because I keep finding stuff,,but for you ..it might be better to rent a trailer ,if your not gonna use it every month..if you get a good rig ..you will find you have a lot of NEW friends...

 

I bought an 18' dove tail, dropped axle, 7,000 lb, with electric brakes trailer several years ago. It's "extra wide" (82 or 86"). As time went on, I upgraded the lights to LED's, added an 8,000 lbs winch from HF, an Optima Marine battery and a Delta box to contain everything, as well as additional "D" rings all around the trailer. Best money spent on the upgrades. I've also built wooden stake sides and use them when I need to haul loose items.

It fits my Panels and the Airflow just fine. I tow either with a Navigator or a Chevy Ext Cab 1/2 ton. I prefer the Navigator because it has adjustable air ride suspension and will always level out itself and the trailer. The Chevy doesn't have that. I'd stronly suggest buying and installing an aftermarket air bag helper kit. One such kit is made by Firestone. It'll really help with towing a loaded trailer with a 1/2 ton truck.

Get the biggest trailer you can afford. I think that over time you'll find the 16' to be too small. If I were you, I'd get an 18' minimum.

 

thanks guys

some really good info and some nice trailers... You all gave me things to think about that I hadn't even considered. The only thing this trailer will carry (probably) is my f-100, some furniture or some occasional bags of pine bark. Right now my tow vehicle is a Chevy Tahoe so I'm not going to be hauling any F-6 trucks !

Still kicking tires and checking prices. One thing I've found out... there are a lot of really poorly built trailers for sale. I know no one regulates the small utility trailers but I've seen some welding and configurations that scare me.. hopefully one day I won't see one headed toward me in MY lane.

will post when I decide...

later
John