Need advice for shopping for a car hauler trailer

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Weak440

Weak440

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I am getting married next fall and my Fiance' absolutely wants my Duster in our wedding. :blob:

The thing is, We are getting married in Michigan and we live in St.Louis, Mo. It is about an 8 hour drive. Since driving the car is out of the question, I am going to be needing a trailer to bring it up there.

I would like to be able to use this trailer for everything from hauling our 4 wheelers (atvs), The Duster, and our old V10 if it ever breaks down and I have to go get it.

I was thinking of buying a 12k 20' dove tail since the heaviest/largest thing I ever plan on towing is our 2000 Ram 2500 V10. From what I remember it weighs roughly 8800lbs. I don't want to get a 20' and wish it was an 18' and I don't want to get a 12k and wish I had a 10k.

For you guys who tow car haulers and transport cars alot, What kind of trailer would you use? Is a 20' dove tail rated at 12k too much? I don't really want an enclosed trailer.
 

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Weak440 said:
the heaviest/largest thing I ever plan on towing is our 2000 Ram 2500 V10. From what I remember it weighs roughly 8800lbs. .
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This is the heaviest load you will HAUL or what you will tow the trailer with?
 
67Dart273 said:
This is the heaviest load you will HAUL or what you will tow the trailer with?
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That is the heaviest load that I will haul on the trailer. I will be towing this trailer with my '15 F250.
 
That V10 is nowhere near 8800 lb. Probably closer to 7K. Buy the heaviest you can afford, as it will get overloaded by you or anyone you loan it to.
 
FredS said:
That V10 is nowhere near 8800 lb. Probably closer to 7K. Buy the heaviest you can afford, as it will get overloaded by you or anyone you loan it to.
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I know my F250 weighs in at 7800lbs. I was told the V10 weighs just under 9000lbs (some where around 8800) but, I have never weighed myself. I just may have to this weekend.
 
Where's about in mi?

Maybe me and ginger can drive you kids around

 
Just remember that trailers (empty) add up real quick.........extra length, dovetails, and everything else quickly degrade your actual cargo weight.

I bought this used, and modified it for tilt. It's a little light capacity, I would not want to tow "very far" a big 4x4, but it would be OK for short trips, IE "dead on road" to get a rig back into town. Even so it weighs nearly 2K empty

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=273175

This only has a 16' bed, and it still can load a full size old Ferd.....

16le3xj.jpg


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Watch out for beaver tail trailers, they bottom out on curbs and speed bumps sometimes...
 
East of Muskegon, where are you located?

I saw a couple of Ebodys parked under a tree last when we were up there last Thanksgiving. I have been wanting to go back and get a better look.
 
krazykuda said:
Watch out for beaver tail trailers, they bottom out on curbs and speed bumps sometimes...
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-- I agree, I had a 18 Ft. Beaver Tail Trailer and it got hung-up often. - I sold it and bought a 18 Ft straight bed, 10,000 GVWR, double axle, with electric brakes on all 4 wheels, and a 2-5/16" ball type hitch. - I haul my 69 Valiant, my L3830 Kubota tractor, and whatever my friends want me to haul - Ha Ha !!
 
If you have the room, think of two trailers.
Buy a new 16-18' car hauler, they are around 2K new around here, most used ones are beat to death.
And pick up a clean used 5th wheel for the heavy jobs, most don't get used much because they are so heavy, and mainly used for equipment etc.

I bet you end up using the lighter car trailer 10 times more than the 5th wheel.

My next trailer is going to be a 17' aluminum car hauler but they run 5k new.
 
If you are getting an enclosed trailer. Absolutely get one with the roadside door. I ended up finally putting one in my haulmark. It's a must unless your going to winch in the road vehicles. If you get a great deal on one without it. Figure right at $500 for parts and pieces to put one in yourself and make it look off the lot stock. Not real hard to do, just time and money.
 
krazykuda said:
Watch out for beaver tail trailers, they bottom out on curbs and speed bumps sometimes...
Click to expand...

X2 Mine is beavertail and you really have to watch backing into some driveways, but I end up with everything from cars, equipment, huge tool boxes, motorcycles to houshold/lumber. Alot of it needs the decreased approach angle especially winching so you don't tear up front fascia(late model stuff) or lowered cars/low hanging exhaust.
 
If I were buying a multi purpose trailer it would be a 20' and probably a beaver tail. Because a buddy has a 20' flat trailer, bought it used and it was only a yr or so old. They guy that bought it new was hauling his race car and it was a pain to load. Rams too short, angle wrong to load a car and would hit so the front of the trailer had to be jacked up.

We hauled my Dart on it to Carlisle, PIA to load and unload.

If hauling a car is just every once in a while is the norm it might be ok, or make longer ramps

But with a beaver tail loading a car would be piece of cake

I have a 16' open landscape trailer 7,000 lbs have hauled the dart on it, fills it up

Have a 24' enclosed car hauler 10,000 lbs

A 12' enclosed trailer

Have thought about selling the 2 trailers and get a new aluminum 20' car hauler, but doubt I would be happy with an open trailer

So get what you can afford, but don't get too big of trailer or you will sorry, but also if you get too small.

Ideal would be a 24' deck over beaver tail with ramps that fold flat on the beaver tail. But that is just me.
 
I probably wouldn't try to load your V10 in an enclosed trailer. A guy that bought my Duramax (from Seattle !)
tried to come and pick it up with a brand new 5th wheel 35 foot enclosed trailer and the front of my truck was
so heavy that it destroyed his tailgate/ramp when he got it halfway up.

Something heavy like that needs an "equipment trailer".....not a car trailer.
 
I would avoid a wood bed if you can afford it. Lots more maintenance IMO. Been there, done that.....

Found this used on craigslist several years ago. No ramps, tilt bed, removable fenders & the easiest loading.... Refinished the fugly tri5 color & it tows like a dream :D
 

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A few things I can tell ya is trailer prices are to high.When you find one make sure it has tires that will more than haul your weight. I'm over tired in my trailer and no problems also they are not speed rated like a bunch of people find out.
 
Big agreement on the tire thing. My understanding is trailer tires are warrant-teed till you drive off the lot. It has been suggested by people I race with and do a lot of car hauling to use rated light truck tires. I've shredded way more trailer tires than I ever have auto tires.
 
Blind Squirrel said:
Big agreement on the tire thing. My understanding is trailer tires are warrant-teed till you drive off the lot. It has been suggested by people I race with and do a lot of car hauling to use rated light truck tires. I've shredded way more trailer tires than I ever have auto tires.
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Check with your insurance company before using LT tires vs ST trailer tires.
You may be at fault in an accident.
Just giving a heads up, my insurance policy states, I must use trailer tires, no exceptions or no coverage in the event of an accident.
 
Also if purchasing a used trailer check the manufacture date on the tires. If the trailer has not been used much the tires may look good but may be ready to self destruct. Also makes for a good bargaining point. Change mine out every four years. .02
 
IMO get a 20' non-beavertail with a closed in steel deck. Open deck trailers are cheap but they twist themselves to death. Get a winch, even a cheap one. 25/16 ball,DO NOT USE car or truck tires. Use trailer tires, carry a good spare, get good ratchet straps with snap twisted hooks, and adjustable axel straps for the front, about $65.oo new for a set. some extra axel straps, $10.oo pair. Carry a bottle jack in case you have a trailer flat. Good luck, Tom
 
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