Enclosed trailer and Douglas GA
 

I am looking for an enclosed trailer in the 8.5'X20' range for towing and storing a car(s) for now but will be used for moving in another year or so.

I would like to hear some input on trailers brands. Diamond trailers?

Has anyone bought a trailer from dealers/ manufactures in Douglas GA? This area has the best price on the east coast that I have found, they are about $2000 less than the dealers in my area.

Thanks, Paul

I've had good luck with the Haul Mark trailer I pull.

I had an Interstate enclosed car trailer, now I have a MEB open trailer. The Interstate was pretty nice and I would buy one again when the time comes for an enclosed trailer.
I looked at trailers all over the place. A few things I found were cheaper trailer had used tires or cheap bias ply tires that were NOT balanced. Nicer trailers had new radial tires & they were balanced. Cheaper trailers did not paint the bottoms or treat them so they are rust prone. Torsion axles are better than leaf springs, the trailer sits lower so it is easier to get the car in/out plus it rides better. Plywood is better than particle board, go with no rivets on the outside, look for double material in the front outside corners, a fully finished inside including the ceiling make the trailer sturdier.
A 20' trailer is kind of short and 22' gives you some extra room. On V-nose trailers it can be difficult to hookup the WDH. Brakes on both axles are better & a break away kit is required.

I got a new Freedom brand trailer 3 years ago. It was built in Georgia.

It's good. I highly recommend the upgrade to rivet less body panels.

I have a 20 x 8.5 Diamond Cargo Trailer - I picked it up at the factory in Georgia. I purchased it to facilitate my move from New Jersey to Florida and then use as a construction office as I build my new home. It will be available for sale in the fall, besides 20 x 8.5 it has an additional 12 inches of height so my John Deere Gator can fit in it. Here are some photos - first is me just pulling out of the factory, others are loaded on the way to Florida.
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Just picked the new trailer up at the factory - in the background<br/>


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Trailer loaded and leaving for Florida, this included a 2004 Jeep Wrangler along with a lot of additional stuff<br/>


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Trailer fully loaded at the first rest area on I-95 in Florida<br/>

In response to you original question - I am happy with it, good value for the price.

How does it tow w/o a weight equalizer hitch? I just ordered a new 20 foot enclosed to replace by flat bed and I'm really looking hard at a new equalizer hitch.

Plan to tow from NV to Washington DC. I really don't want a crappy drive...

It tows just fine without an weights equalizer hitch. I have 2 5200 lb torsion axles. There is of course some buffering when the big tractor trailers zoom past right alongside me at 70 or 80 mph. I am not sure is a weight distributing hitch would eliminate that or not.

I made several trips between Central NJ and Crystal River Florida. All of the south bound trips were fully loaded, and I mean fully loaded, had it weighed at the scales each trip and I was right at the 10,000 lbs mark.

Factory tires only lasted about 10,000 miles. I had originally ordered the trailer with springs for the axles rather than the torsion axles, they apparently made an error in processing and my trailer came thru with torsion axles. I know the torsion axles are considered an additional cost upgrade, that I didn't have to pay for, I am told that the spring mounted axles are more forgiving of an improperly loaded trailer, they distribute the weight more evenly, while with torsion axles, if the trailer is loaded front or rear heavy, most of the weight all goes onto the closest axle.

So, you could only have 6,000 pounds in the trailer but one axle could be taking most of the load.

Again, I think it's a good value trailer. Is it the best one out there - probably not - but it's not the most expensive one either.

Are there better more expensive trailer - I'm sure there are.

Are they less expensive pieces of junk, oh yes without a doubt.

I've got a 2015 Haulmark 22' Deluxe Pkg. w/5200 # axles. Upgrades include a SuperWinch, 15 amp electrical outlet and some cabinetry. Hauls the race car and gear nicely, and becomes our home at the race events. Does all I need it too. Currently have a Reese WD with 2 sway control kits (1 each side), but will be installing a new Blue Ox SwayPro WD next week. Was about to buy the Straight-Line WD with sway control till I liked what I read about the Blue Ox. Like being proactive with sway vs. reactive, which is what my current setup was doing.

Weight distrubtion takes all movement and sway out of trailer. Makes truck and trailer move as one unit together especially when bouncing they are great.

I have an MSI 7x16 trailer that has been great. It's a 2001 but haven't had to hardly do anything to it.

Paul did you end up buying a Diamond trailer? If so how do you like it? What dealer did you use? Were you happy with the service from dealer?

First of all nice looking set up !! Truck & trailer look great together.:-X04

Thank you have made some very good points and I agree when it comes to uneven loads and torsion axles. Not just on uneven loads but I have also heard of issues with rough or off road and breaking torsion axles with load. But a torsion axle trailer does pull nice down the highway.
So good for you on the freebee. :-drink
Have you had any issues with it yet?
What dealer did you use? Were you happy with the service from dealer?

I am looking to get a 8.5x24 Diamond 10k with some options like Blacked Out trim, 1 piece roof, .030 walls, recessed spare tire, bogey wheels and spread axle with leaf springs. All for the same price as most standard name brand trailers.

I also want to point out that Diamond has all tube 2"x6" frame 16oc, tube 1"x1.5" walls 16oc and tube1"x1.5" roof 24oc. Alot of even name brand trailers use I beam frames with Zbar walls and Tophat for roofs which is not as strong as all tube.
Also Diamond and few other companies that use tube frames that are low cost can be upgraded with options for a fair price.
I live in NW Indiana and about 50 miles from me there are alot of trailer manufacturers but their dealers all want an arm and leg mark up. I refuse to pay retail !!

By the way I am coming down your way next month looking at some land and neighborhoods in Inverness area.
I plan on moving down your way in the couple of years.
I am getting too old to be dealing with freezing my butt off in winter and shoving snow!

NO real issues, I went thru CNA Sales on line ( USA Cargo Trailer | Enclosed Cargo Trailer Sales | USA Cargo Trailer Sales ) I never actually went to their location, gave a credit card deposit on the phone, paid cash when I picked the trailer up.

No major issues, like I had posted, I did order it with a solid axle with leaf springs and wound up with torsion axles.

I added several extras, like the extra 6 inches of height, which included the read door being bigger - higher so I could get my UTV in the trailer. I also added 77 feet "E" track to the floor and walls, best thing ever if you are going to use the trailer for moving.

I picked my trailer up in February of 2014. Immediately after delivery I noticed the black paint was pealing off of the tongue frame. They explained that they had an unusual cold ( freezing ) spell and the trailers were subject to the freeze while being built, they offered to repaint if I returned to Douglass, GA with the trailer. Not worth the effort and expense to go back to Douglas, GA.

On a somewhat final note, besides getting the torsion axles for free, because I complained that while they mighty be an upgrade, they are not what I ordered. I specifically told them that the trailer would be used off road in some difficult terrain and wanted the solid axles for a reason, so we came to an agreement, he sent me a $750.00 refund for having the wrong axles on the trailer.
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Being used as a construction office

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Construction Office, 1/2 mile off the paved road in the Fvlorida sugar sand,

[QUOTE

By the way I am coming down your way next month looking at some land and neighborhoods in Inverness area.

I plan on moving down your way in the couple of years.
I am getting too old to be dealing with freezing my butt off in winter and shoving snow![/QUOTE]

What are looking for down here? a Home ? on the water ? in the woods ?

Vacant land ? how much land ? I am not far from Inverness at all. Let me know if I can be any help.

Dan

Thanks for the offer Dan :-wink
I'll send you a PM