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Thoughts on Trailers

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Patton

Patton

Jedi Warrior
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I have been thinking about getting a trailer for some time. It would be helpful for moving my still not running Healey around, and once it does, I will need it to trailer the car to far off events (Conclave '06) if I bring the family. I can't imagine the baby and the 3 year old in the the back during a two day road trip. Plus, I may be able to start hauling this to a couple of meetings so I can prove that I actually own a car!

Additionally, I would rather spend my meager budget on the car than the trailer. That eliminates alloy or enclosed trailers.

My neighborhood does not allow trailers that can't fit in the garage. That's not a big deal with the Healey, it can take a smaller trailer, but keeps me from being able to get a deal at the local trailer mart.

This one went unsold on eBay, and it is about an hour away.

127550-Trailer1.jpg
127550-Trailer2.jpg


Here is the description I got for it

[ QUOTE ]
This is a 14' x 78" car or equipment hauler with 3.5' ramps and a 2" ball bulldog type hitch with 2 - 5000lb single axles. This trailer is in good condition with almost new paint and the floor is made of all metal with a wood center piece ,the tires are in fair condition and the trailer pulls great even with a heavy load so if you need a good car hauler this is the one for you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Any thoughts if this would be suitable for my Healey? What do you guys think it would be worth. It didn't sell at $799, so I am thinking that would be overpaying.

Thanks
Patton
 

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I have been changing my trailers around the last few months,

If you and your friends are going to be moving small British cars around make sure you get a trailer that the wheels will fit in the ramps, most ramps are too wide,

single axle trailers work fine for cars up to 2000 lbs or so, if you are pulling it with a full size truck or Van.

But my double axle trailer like the one pictured above will pull a 3000 lb car easily and without much tomgue weight,

I never had brakes on my trailers , but it might be a good idea if you tow car is not a full size pick-up or van.

$799 is cheap if its a factory built duel axle trailer
 
I've found that most trailers are way too big for our smaller cars. You probably don't want to tow all that extra weight around also. Keep your eye open for on just the right size -- hard to find but i will be ther somewhere...
 
I have been moving to flatbed trailers so I can also use them to move parts etc,

seems a 12ft bed is the longest made for a single axle trailer, mine is a Carson trailer , works fine but the car hangs over the back edge about a foot.

one problem with flatbed trailers is chaining down the car,
with my ramp trailer I can get a chain around an axle or good suspension point as I can get in the middle of the car.

With a flatbed its hard to reach anything (ok bear belly in the way) to hook the chain over,
I will probably set up big hooks like the tow trucks use.

If you are buying one , see if you can borrow one like it , load your car and see how it feels.

I have 3 trailers but mostly because my race cars are not stret legal and I need a trailer to haul each one, fun when you take 5 cars to the show /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I ended up building one myself. I wanted a 14' trailer for my TR but I also wanted it for transporting an old Ford I am going to restore. I built mine with a 2" drop axles, I use 8' ramps. Since most of our cars have very little ground clearance, they drag bottom when loading on standard height trailers with standard ramps. As for securing your car; check out wheel tie downs, JC Whitney part no. ZX128168T
 
This is the one I use. No the grey haired man is not me. The back drops down which is very helpful.
lar.jpg


Gary
 
[ QUOTE ]

$799 is cheap if its a factory built duel axle trailer

[/ QUOTE ]

I second that!
 
I have a 14 foot light weight(gross weight 5500 pounds.Trailer 100)This is perfect for my sunbeams and can accomadate a bit larger car.Here we cannot tow this size without brakes be it surge or electric.It does have the 7000 pound axles so i guess i could beef it up.Cost back in 97 was 2100.trouble is I have to store it elsewhere.
 
out here in cali, you could fetch at lest 2k for that trailer, if I were you I'd get it. if it had new tires and new paint it would definitely command a premium. the better part of a trailer that size you can mount a lock box near the front end to put tools and other goodies in, for when you take it to shows. I'd say if its within driving distance it wouldn't hurt to at least look at it, and if it has defects its definitely a good place to start.
 
The wood deck on my trailer rotted out (not treated lumber), so rather than replacing it with wood, I found a couple of aluminum ramps from a rental truck. It'll be lighter, and I can use it as a "lift" to work on the car. If I need to use it to haul something other than a car, I can drop a couple of sheets of plywood on top. The trailer's at a welding shop now, having a couple of extra braces put in, to mount the ramps. Should be pretty nice when it's all done.

Mickey
 
yeah thats one thing with flatbed trailers , the wood rots, and its often a weird length to replace in one piece !
mine is 14ft not something you get at home depot /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
My trailer, which my midget JUST fits in between the ramps (with some tire overhang on the ramps that slide into the beaver-tail) and with about 1" extra space from the insides of the tires to the inside of the flat space. It was previously used by a porsche/bmw racer, it is 16' long, with 7500 GVW, 2 axles and good tires, but needed brakes and a new receiver. We payed $1300, plus $2500 for new brakes all around, replaced receiver, remount taillights, add inserts to allow narrower cars to be loaded, and get two more ramps that fit in between the existing ones. $799 for a working trailer, with tires and brakes in any condition, that'll handle 5000 GVW is a steal. I was advised by a friend, who runs an RV business that 1300 was a good deal for the trailer we purchased. Since my mother uses it to transport the Scag (zero turn mower) from one place to another, we needed the inserts, etc. Now that the brakes are functioning, the trailer rides nicely and our 1991 1500 Chevy Pickup w/ 350 pulls it fairly easily.
 
Here is the scoop on my enclosed trailer.

In 2002, I paid $1,500 (including a spare tire) to have it built and
have about $350 in enclosing it TWICE. It has brakes on both axles.

The whole rig, including the Healey, weighs less than 4,500#.

Only 54" high inside, I drive the Healey in and out, but have to winch
the Mustangs (too tight to get out of the car).

I use a single point chain tie-down to the car frame, front & rear,
with a ratcheting tightener. The car doesn't bounce and never moves.

With about 700# tongue weight, I use an equalizer hitch on the tow vehicle.

It pulls easily and stops on a dime.

Tim

https://ntahc.org/greatstuff/timstuff/trailer/trailer.htm
 
[ QUOTE ]
The wood deck on my trailer rotted out (not treated lumber), so rather than replacing it with wood, I found a couple of aluminum ramps from a rental truck. It'll be lighter, and I can use it as a "lift" to work on the car. If I need to use it to haul something other than a car, I can drop a couple of sheets of plywood on top. The trailer's at a welding shop now, having a couple of extra braces put in, to mount the ramps. Should be pretty nice when it's all done.

Mickey

[/ QUOTE ]

Got it back and used it to pick up the TR8 last week - it's fantastic! Those ramps are perfect for the car, and the trailer is a bit lighter to boot.

Mickey
 
I had one built locally just to fit my MG's...light, fenders allow doors to open..14' bed including dovetail...ramps mount up on each side to protect the car from road trash, electric winch, electric brakes on all 4 wheels....
 
My father-in-law was gracious enough to give me an old 6 x 10 trailer for a parts hauler that he had made. Works great for my needs, and it is stout. Its homemade and welded up out of I beams and 4 inch pipe, with pressure treated deck. The tires were dryrotted, and when I took them off, I realized he had riding lawnmower wheels and tires on it. I told him he was lucky he'd never had a blow out. Fortunately the axle was a real trailer axle, and I found replacement wheels and tires cheap at TSC and installed lights. I've got well under $100 in it. The bed even tilts so I can drive my lawn tractor up onto it.
 
I would serioulsy consider closed but if not don't use a car cover.

I also saw somewhere and wish I had made a note, about someone who made a "tent' for his trailer and it looked quite good. More or less a soft covered trailer. The sides were easily removable. I was stable in the wind and gave the car far more protection. Very inexpensive home built thing.

Bruce
 
I'd like to find the best deal on a trailer.I need
to either borrow,or buy a trailer for my trip to Denver.
I refuse to pay Uhaul's $1300 price just to rent one -
- plus they are VERY heavy.
Anyone know of any deals here on the West Coast?

- Doug
 
Call me crazy but my idea of the perfect car hauler is an old flatbed truck fixed up. Since I don't own a suitable tow vehicle, it would actually be less expensive for me overall...
 
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