Trailer

[Bruce Adams]

Texas law seems very loose compared to other states.
It appears you will have to keep your trailer in Texas after comparing your equipment to the requirements of these other western states, all of which require brakes at 3000 pounds or less for vehicles on their roads.

Please check it out before you comit to a trailer without automatic brakes.

http://www.boatus.com/trailerclub/west_laws.asp

[Bruce Adams]

Here is the whole country's requirements for brakes and such on their highways.

http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm

[Paul from Maine]

As I said before, you may not need brakes all the time, but when you need them, you are sure glad you had them. I rarely use much braking when hauling small loads, but you need them hauling autos. I would probably not be here right now if I hadn't had brakes on the trailor!

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by ken ct

"oh nothings happend so far" just wait till it does..

Just ask the guys with original fans that drove thousands of miles with no problem then hav the blade let go taking out radiator and hood. At least with the fan blade you most likley will not lose the whole car like a trailer.

[Malcolm in tn.]

Another thing to consider is DO NOT OVER PRESSURIZE the trailer tires. My trailer had car tires on it. I thought i should pump the tires up to 40 or so pounds and found it was a bad mistake. The cords inside the tires broke on 3 of the 4 tires and the tires became egg shaped. The wreck taught me a lesson the hard way. Egg shapped wheels will wreck you instantly.

[sonny30coupe]

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I have a 12 ft single axle that I have used to haul a few A's without the bodies on them. It would get squirrely around 60 mph. I think because the majority of the weight was not far enough forward for proper tongue weight. I put 2 of my Harleys on it this weekend to go to a bike rally and it performed great. They were both at the front of the trailer which put more tongue weight on the ball. The weight is not really the issue, but where you have the weight situated. I would recommend the brakes though.

[glenn in camino]

If your Model A nice, get an enclosed trailer. You'll be glad you did.

[HoarseWhisperer]

Yes, and be sure to tow your Model A with a good, dependable GMC truck.

[Wayne T.]

If you only need it on accasion ,rent a auto transport from U-Haul. It has tie down straps that go over your front tires, and safety chains. The brakes are surge brakes. We rented one last month to bring our model a tudor home from Mich.,about 200 miles. Cost 94 bucks for two days. Wayne T. <><

[hotrodave]

i have a simple ? if you have time to tow it on a trailer that short a distance why not drive the A. we are in a small group of a-bones and frequently exede those miles

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by hotrodave

i have a simple ? if you have time to tow it on a trailer that short a distance why not drive the A. we are in a small group of a-bones and frequently exede those miles

Wow, talk about bringing a 3 month old post back from the "grave"!!

Dave, one good reason I could think of is many larger cities have traffic patterns & congestion that do not make it condusive to travel through. While 100 miles may seem to be a short jaunt, traveling on an expressway that has 70 mph traffic while doing 50 in a Model A is sometimes really stupid.

Another logical reason would be if he lives 100 miles away from a 'Saturday Tour' that starts at 8:30AM, if he travels by Model A, he would need top leave his house at 5:00AM to allow for enough time to travel that distance. In a modern tow-vehicle, leaving at 6:30AM would allow plenty of time to haul the Model A. The same can be said for going home after the tour has ended. Simply convenience.

Just my thoughts ..........

.

[Brentwood Bob]

Consider a winch, alot of tiedowns and brakes. Now is not the time to economize. I bought a single axle trailer used exclusively to haul the Model A. It has a boat winch, manually operated, no brakes, and is just wide enough to load a car with 19, or 21 inch wires. 16 inch wires are just alittle too wide. My fireman friend has hauled a john deere from Oklahoma to calif, and a 29 ccpu from arizona. The tractor was an overload, but he likes excitement. When ever I experience a design flaw I think about the builder, no longer with us. Use the Roofer rule of thumb. Get it bigger than you think you will need, and then test it. Bob

[Dennis Pereira]

Go back and get the brakes. Wait till you slam on the brakes in a corner or curve. Or how about rain on a oil slick road. Just thinking out loud.

[Keith True]

A trailer and car that weighs 4000 pounds may behave for years without brakes.Then it will pass you.You won't expect it,you won't be ready for it,and it will happen in a place where you would think nothing like that can happen here.It is not the panic stops that scare me,it is the tires blowing out.If a tire blows and the trailer starts to whip,with a brake controller you can hit the handle and the trailer will straighten out and rumble to a stop.I fixed an 18 footer that was towing a 65 VW on it.He blew a tire,the trailer whipped to the right and rolled.He was very lucky,he had heavy traffic in the oncoming lane so all he lost was the VW and a few hundred for me to fix the trailer.Years ago I built a bunch of race car trailers for the race car boys here.We had plans,they were single dead axle,just big enough to carry the Supers with a tire rack on the front.I must have built a dozen of those.They were meant to stay under the 3000 pound GVW.They towed like a dream until a tire would blow.The guys that towed them knew how they handled and the problems.They all knew that when a tire blew you NAILED the throttle,and the trailer would straighten out.Then you could back it down.I will go without lights,decking,and with broken springs and bald tires before I will go without brakes.

[Fred K-OR]

Another reason for at least a 16ft is that if you ever want to sell it, more people want at least a 16ft. Also with the 16ft you can position the car on the trailer so it rides best. Looks like you have made your decision. Good luck and have fun.

[Bruce Adams]

I think if you trail on a wet highway you will more appreciate having the trailer brake rather than break due to no braking force from behind you.