Thinking about buying an open trailer

[Subw00er]

I am getting more into track events and have been thinking about getting an open trailer to tow my '04 vette and set of rims/tires. I have been driving to events these last couple years. The only criteria I know now is that I will be buying aluminum and the trailer will have to have brakes. I thought it would be nice if the trailer floor was open in the center so I could do fluid changes on it (jacking up the Vette is a PITA), but I'm not sure how realistic that is. I also hear that open center trailers like that are less stable?!

Can anyone recommend a brand for me (The only one I've heard that is good is Featherlite)? I dont know what my budget should be, but I'm guessing I will be spending at least $2-3K. Is there a good place to buy nice trailers used?

My tow vehicle will be a Dodge Dakota V8 (6500# capacity; the vette weighs about 3500#). Is there anything else I should know before settling on a trailer?

[irondragon]

Re: Open trailers:
Aluminum makes sense if you are weight conscious, but it can be expensive to repair if damaged.
Open centre trailers do provide a way to get at the underside of the car, but the axles et cet get in the way. Consider building a set of ramps to run the car onto.
A full deck trailer can be more useful if you need to haul other stuffs.
Also, consider getting a heavier tow vehicle. I'm spooky about trailers that weigh more than what I'm pulling them with. If something gets messy it's nice to be in a rig that the trailer can't dominate. Trailer brakes are important and useful but I don't ever want to be in a position where they have to be relied upon to stop the combination.
Best Regards - Bill Miskoe

[brucesallen]

Myself and many have Cargo Pro aluminum trailers. Torsion bar suspension. Maine company. Many dealers. Shop them as you CAN get discounts.

[enjoythemusic]

Subw00er,

Bruce Allan knows his stuff!

As for me, use the Featherlite but you probably might not find anything in the 2k to 3k used category as they retail MSRP at 6k and they hold their value well. Looked for a used alu trailer from fall 2005 to spring 2006 and nothing much really came through so bought a nice new one.

Your tow vehicle is kinda like mine where it has lighter duty capability (Ford Ranger XLT 4X4 with 4L engine and 4.10 ratio). PLEASE make sure whatever trailer you get it has brakes and track guys suggested i get the Prodigy brake control unit (and it works great). As for open bottom, the Trailex open bottom seems a bit flimsy compared to the Featherlight, but the Trailex is also lighter so pick your poison i guess.


Am sure many other guys here are better versed at this.

[sk8ah121]

Any thoughts on Trailex trailers?

[TTA89]

I have never even seen a modern car trailer that didn't have brakes, I don't think you need to worry about that.

Another vote for a Prodigy Brake controller. You will probably want weight dist/sway control added on the trailer with such a small tow vehicle.

[Subw00er]

Mike, how is weight dist/sway control typically added? cost?

[WillM]

Trailex trailers are nice, but expensive. About 1/2 the weight of an open deck steel trailer (750 vs 1350 lbs) at about 3x the cost. Other than weight savings, the other benefit of aluminum trailers is that they will not rust and tend to hold their value better. The cost of materials (alum / steel) is always on the rise, which helps used trailers (in good condition) hold their value against new trailers with annual price increases.

Weight distribution systems, like the Reese Trunnion Bar setup I have, are "complete" hitch systems. The ball mount has openings where the notches of the trunnion bars (spring bars with notches at one end and a short length of chain at the other) are slid into. Clamps are attached to each side of the trailer. The chains at the end of the trunnion bars are attached to the clamps, which loads the trunnion/spring bars, and distributes the weight along the axles of the trailer and tow vehicle.

There are several types of anti-sway setups, but with a trunnion bar weight distributing hitch, the Reese dual-cam anti-sway is a solid choice. I have this setup and it will be installed very soon.

eTrailer sells a complete Reese WD hitch and anti-sway setup for $435:
Reese Straight-Line Hitch System 1200

If you search the 'net you can probably find etrailer promotional codes for free shipping and 10-15% off your order.

Here's Reese's site, with plenty of info on how various WD hitches and anti-sway systems work:
Reese Weight Distributing Hitches

I just recently started towing but am reminded of something I overheard years ago at a COM event. "Towing is the most dangerous part of the weekend!" How true!

[enjoythemusic]

Any thoughts on Trailex trailers?

They are very lightweight... but also seem a bit flimsy in the side-to-side department. i LOVE their tire rack and use it on the Featherlite here. Guess it comes down to weight and super light weight (Trailex) means less rigidity versus the heavier Featherlite.

[Grippy]

I recently bought a 10 year old Trailex and LOVE it! I ended up having to replace all the hubs and brakes but I guess I should have planned on that anyway. It is light enough that I can move it around by hand and tows beautifully. I searched for about a year before I found one. The good news is I should never loose money on this trailer should I upgrade to an enclosed someday as long as I keep it in good condition. I tow my Miata with a 2005 Tacoma and this combo works great for me. The only down side is the surge brakes have to be manually locked out to back up, which is a pain.

[JackFFR1846]

There are 3 to look at and you'll likely see all 3 at the track.

Trailex
Featherlite
Cargopro

I bought my Cargopro 2 years ago. I was towing with a Wrangler. Mine is a 14 foot (custom built for added lightness). 900 pounds with 7k pound capacity.

I would strongly recommend you look at all 3. I had never seen Cargopro and was set to buy either a trailex or featherlite. I saw the cargopro and could quite easily see big differences. Fully welded aluminum throughout. Wiring through the frame. I'm considering selling mine and have a rally guy ready to buy mine for near what I paid for it if I decide to take the plunge and buy an enclosed (another cargopro). I got mine from Atlantic Coast in Charlton on rt 20. I'm pulling with a Yukon XL now so the weight isn't so much of an issue.

Expect to pay $4k-$5k new for any of the 3 brands mentioned.

jack

[Subw00er]

I went and looked at the Cargo Pro (Thule) trailer today. There was a 16' for about $4100 and a 18' for about $4600. I guess it makes sense to get the 18' because the salesman was telling me I can get a better a weight balance with the extra couple feet to avoid sway and get a good load on the hitch?!

But there is a problem! The hooked the trailer to a truck for me and I tried to get up on the ramps. The front of my car hit the ramp before the tires did. So we put a board under the bottom of the ramp, still no go. It looks like I'll really have to jack the ramps up with something larger to get it to clear. Does anyone else have this problem? Is there a good solution to this problem? Its convenient to get the CargoPro because they are local, but I might as well try and find a trailer thats not a nuisance to use every time, if possible.

Will I have this problem with all of the aluminum trailers?

[irondragon]

Re: ramp problems:
Get a set of steel ramps to run the rear wheels of the truck onto. This will lower the rear of the trailer and soften the pitch of the ramps. An easy operation.
Best Regards - Bill Miskoe

[Subw00er]

Bill, interesting solution! How high do you reccomend the ramps being? I have some light grey Rhino ramps, wonder if they would work.

[Crusin]

Another solution is to use the trailer dolly to jack up the front of the trailer while it is still attached to the truck. After to hitch the trailer, crank down the dolly wheel or post to raise the front of the trailer and lower the ramp angle.