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Thoughts on utility vs car hauler trailers

Most guys tell me they find busted welds on aluminum trailers. I’ve never had one, just going off what I’ve been told. Even big names.

Get a 20 footer. Mine was awesome. Pulled absolutely great. I think all the points I’d hit were otherwise covered.
 
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I have a 16' wood deck portable ramp trailer but only 3500 axles. I would like to upgrade so I can also haul a tractor w/o overloading. Current trailer tracks right behind my rear wheels on turns. Does a 18-20 foot do that as well? Or do you need to give it extra lead to get it to straighten out behind you after a turn? Like at an intersection.
 
Mariposa Mike said:
I have a 16' wood deck portable ramp trailer but only 3500 axles. I would like to upgrade so I can also haul a tractor w/o overloading. Current trailer tracks right behind my rear wheels on turns. Does a 18-20 foot do that as well? Or do you need to give it extra lead to get it to straighten out behind you after a turn? Like at an intersection.
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On a sharp turn, the further away the trailer axles are from the hitch the more the trailer will track inboards of the rear wheels of the tow vehicle. So yes, on sharp turns with a longer trailer you need to "give it extra lead".
 
Black_Sheep said:
I would avoid a gooseneck because it would be harder to sell, although fewer people would ask to borrow it…
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A gooseneck trailer will tow much nicer and is a lot more maneuverable going in either direction. I have a 50’ enclosed trailer that can be backed pretty easily almost anywhere. My single car trailer is a 25’ tandem axle aluminum bumper pull with removable fenders, nose cone and a winch, great trailer and I pull it with my daily driver usually. With all the crazy stuff I’m involved in, I have 7 trailers for all different occasions.
 
I looked for months 2 years ago at opens trailers

Found out real fast sellers are damn proud of their used junk

New opens around here are in the $4000 to $6000 range depending on gross weight capabilities and decent built versions

Enclosed are generally $6-7000 range and up for good used, and go up REAL FAST from there for used or new

I ended up buying a decent used enclosed from a friend of mine in Cleveland OH ( Im in southern AZ ) and even with the miles between us to go get it,,,,I have zero regrets

I paid about half what a similar trailer around me would have cost . Plus I got a couple haul jobs that basically paid the expenses to go get it and bring it home. Did a little over 4500 miles in 7 days out and back

Its only 20ft . But my car fits in it perfectly

So my advice shop around as it may take a while to get what you want in a price you want to pay


Ill add here , once you get over about 14-16 ft length. NO ONE wants a utility door trailer. So a ramp door is mandatory in lengths like that for resale

20240331_131528.jpg


20240331_131628.jpg
 
gtx6970 said:
I looked for months 2 years ago at opens trailers

Found out real fast sellers are damn proud of their used junk

New opens around here are in the $4000 to $6000 range depending on gross weight capabilities and decent built versions

Enclosed are generally $6-7000 range and up for good used, and go up REAL FAST from there for used or new

I ended up buying a decent used enclosed from a friend of mine in Cleveland OH ( Im in southern AZ ) and even with the miles between us to go get it,,,,I have zero regrets

I paid about half what a similar trailer around me would have cost . Plus I got a couple haul jobs that basically paid the expenses to go get it and bring it home. Did a little over 4500 miles in 7 days out and back

Its only 20ft . But my car fits in it perfectly

So my advice shop around as it may take a while to get what you want in a price you want to pay


Ill add here , once you get over about 14-16 ft length. NO ONE wants a utility door trailer. So a ramp door is mandatory in lengths like that for resale

View attachment 2006462

View attachment 2006465
Click to expand...
You're right about open trailers in AZ. The whole west coast actually.
I saw an open pile of garbage that the owner was asking $5000 obo. I might have given $1000.
Cheapest decent enclosed I've found recently was a 24 footer for $9500, in the white sheet. Next weeks sheet, he was asking $10,500.
I probably should buy it, but my little open, the one with brand new dexter axles, new wheels and trailer tires, has suited my needs, so far.

Edit: if you're putting a b-body in that 20 footer, it must be a pretty tight fit!
 
33 IMP said:
Edit: if you're putting a b-body in that 20 footer, it must be a pretty tight fit!
Click to expand...


It fits MY needs perfectly

In the one photo showing the ft end. The car is maybe a foot farther forward than usual

Once tied down I can lay in ft of the car more than well enough to do what I need to do

Trailer1.jpg


trailer2.jpg
 
gtx6970 said:
It fits MY needs perfectly

In the one photo showing the ft end. The car is maybe a foot farther forward than usual

Once tied down I can lay in ft of the car more than well enough to do what I need to do

View attachment 2006480

View attachment 2006481
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I do like your escape door. That is a welcome feature.
But I'm old, and a little too tired to get in and out of tight spaces.
I think I'd need a bit more room than that to get around in one. My Opel would absolutely fall into a 20ft, but I'd like more room for everything else I haul.
 
Sat's only 16' 8", a foot in the door and more than 2' at the front to work.

Do yourself a favour and lock down that folding FLAPPING ramp board though!
enclosedatlastrailer24 280.JPG
 
dadsbee said:
Sat's only 16' 8", a foot in the door and more than 2' at the front to work.

Do yourself a favour and lock down that folding FLAPPING ramp board though!
View attachment 2006536
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Absolutely

Ramps on mine fold over and are held down with screw in eye bolts that thread into bosses on the door itself


I have a winch in the ft of it as well if I get lazy


Mine gets used once, maybe twice a year. Otherwise it just sits
Pretty good odds it will go up for sale maybe next summer. But then again, Its paid for and Its not eating anything so maybe it will, maybe it wont

Local friend of mine wants it when Im ready and if I need it, I can always borrow it for the once a year I need it
 
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gtx6970 said:
I looked for months 2 years ago at opens trailers

Found out real fast sellers are damn proud of their used junk

New opens around here are in the $4000 to $6000 range depending on gross weight capabilities and decent built versions

Enclosed are generally $6-7000 range and up for good used, and go up REAL FAST from there for used or new

I ended up buying a decent used enclosed from a friend of mine in Cleveland OH ( Im in southern AZ ) and even with the miles between us to go get it,,,,I have zero regrets

I paid about half what a similar trailer around me would have cost . Plus I got a couple haul jobs that basically paid the expenses to go get it and bring it home. Did a little over 4500 miles in 7 days out and back

Its only 20ft . But my car fits in it perfectly

So my advice shop around as it may take a while to get what you want in a price you want to pay


Ill add here , once you get over about 14-16 ft length. NO ONE wants a utility door trailer. So a ramp door is mandatory in lengths like that for resale

View attachment 2006462

View attachment 2006465
Click to expand...
I have been watching used trailer prices for a while now as well. The prices are crazy for what I am seeing.

Most ads seem to go something about like this - 10 years old and looking like it was at least 50% overloaded most of the time. Tires are either wore down to cords or so old and weather checked I would be uncomfortable just pulling the empty trailer home. But they are motivated to sell it for about $1000 under what it would cost to buy the same trailer new.

The rare good ones that show up go incredibly fast.
 
Some Car Guy said:
Most guys tell me they find busted welds on aluminum trailers. I’ve never had one, just going off what I’ve been told. Even big names.

Get a 20 footer. Mine was awesome. Pulled absolutely great. I think all the points I’d hit were otherwise covered.
Click to expand...
You might try looking at auctions. I picked up my 7K#, 18' open trailer for a grand (most used ones around here are $3k to $3.5k). I'm in the process of refurbing it (new deck, brakes, new tires, wiring) but even with those costs added I'll still be under the cost of a used one. Food for thought, if you don't mind putting a little sweat into it.
 
hawkeyestoob said:
I have been watching used trailer prices for a while now as well. The prices are crazy for what I am seeing.

Most ads seem to go something about like this - 10 years old and looking like it was at least 50% overloaded most of the time. Tires are either wore down to cords or so old and weather checked I would be uncomfortable just pulling the empty trailer home. But they are motivated to sell it for about $1000 under what it would cost to buy the same trailer new.

The rare good ones that show up go incredibly fast.
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Definitely give it some thought, is that all you’re planning on hauling with it? Open has its benefits as it’s more versatile and much easier to use but enclosed is nice also depending on what and where you’re hauling. I have both but use the open much more. Figure out what works best for what you are going to haul and take your time looking for a good deal on one. No problem buying one with bad tires, especially if you can account for that in the price, most people buy shitty cheap tires, this way you can get new tires of your choice. Be ready to go when you find it, if not someone else is. Here is an 25’ open I bought, all aluminum, it tows really nice plus I don’t have to use my truck to tow it. I use my VW and it’s gets around 20 mpg doing so. A high end build but 25 years old, great shape with no cracks, I looked for about a year and was the 1st person that could go look at it, they had a list of others after me. That’s a 61 Fleetwood with room to spare





IMG_1423.jpeg
 
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I built side walls on my open deck trailer. The walls come off without any tools. I use it to haul possessions and I use it for parades. I need to wash and paint it.
 
Go steel,band if you're worried about rust take it to the local line-x guy and have them shoot the underside with a good coating.

I used to have a 20' solid diamond plate deck steel trailer. It had stake pockets along the sides if I ever needed to use it as cargo. Dovetail deck with slide out diamond plate ramps. Electric brakes (get a decent controller in the truck and they're nice and smooth, don't screw with surge brakes) on BOTH axles, led lights, power tongue jack, removable fenders, and big honkin D-rings every 3' around the perimeter. Should have kept it but I scored a 24' enclosed for next to nothing and thought I'd be ok without the open deck. I should have kept it anyway.
 
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