Enclosed Car Trailer

[Richard in Anaheim CA]

Hi Guys,

I haven't been on FB for near a year and I'm back.

I am looking to buy a 16 to 20 ft. enclosed car trailer. If money were no object I would buy Aluminum but -------.

There are a half dozen nation wide builders that advertise them starting at about $6500. How bout some feedback from those of you that actually bought one. Comments on size, tow vehicle, brakes on one or both axles, torsion bar or springs, flat, curved or "V" front and top, ramps, door ramp or tilt and of course brands you have bought.

Any problems? How did manufacturer address them?

I know there have been other inquiries but I've been out of the loop for a while. Hope I am not starting a "what kind of oil to use" furor.

Best Regards, It's good to be back.

Richard
Anaheim CA

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Hi Richard, your questions are valid but I am not sure there is a specific answer since your uses/needs may be varied from mine or others. I have seen a lot of brands go by since many of my customers buy them. Here are some of my specific thoughts/opinions;

I think an 18' is the minimum length and would opt for the 20' if you have the space to store. Longer trailers are fine but not necessary.

DOT requires there will need to be brakes on all axles. One thought is get a good brake controller and have it mounted in easy reach of the tow vehicle driver where they can quickly access it in case of an emergency. (This is from first-hand experience!)

Torsion axles are quieter than spring suspensions, and the Torflex allow the trailer to sit lower. The lower center of gravity likely is a little safer to tow, and there is a slight aero advantage with a lower trailer. All of this is moot if the towing distances are minimal.

The nose shapes of a trailer are a factor when aerodynamics are concerned but the style of tow vehicle plays a key factor too. For example, a Vee-nose is not a real advantage if the trailer is pulled behind a motorhome. Also, these Vee-noses come as an added cost, and you need to determine how long it will take to see a return from the fuel savings on your added costs of the nose option. Local or cross-town driving would likely not see a huge savings.

Personally I would choose a ramp door option which is easy to operate and user-friendly for other uses of the trailer like moving furniture or a quick trip to the local builders supply store.

As far as what brand, my advice is go with a brand that has a servicing dealer, -or a factory that is close by. In the event of any warranty work, you traveling miles to a service center for repairs quickly equals the costs you might have saved off the sales price.

Generally most trailer manufacturers install 4 D-ring tie-downs in the trailer floor. Depending on which bodystyle you have, the center point of a Model-A is roughly directly below the transmission drain plug. I like to have the tie-down placement directly under the bumper bars as this allows the straps to have forward & downward pull at the same time. If you use the transmission drain plug as your mid point, and position the vehicle 6-8 inches forward of the trailer axle centerline, this is a great starting point. Give the manufacturer the measurements for where to install the tie-downs.

Also remember that a trailer with a lot of frontal aero drag will need the vehicle moved a tad more forward to counter the wind catching the top portion of the trailer front and lightening the tongue weight. Personally on a short trailer such as that, I like to have the side entry door moved as far forward as they will put it which makes entering & exiting much easier when the car is loaded. If you are going to use the trailer for vehicle storage, at minimum make sure the roof is insulated. If not, it will become a terrarium in humid air and "rain" on the car inside.

A couple other thoughts, if you order a trailer with a plywood floor, consider using a good quality Porch & Deck paint on the floor to seal it from fluids or the tires marking it. A better material is Bed-liner material if it is in your budget. After you purchase your tie-downs, (best place I found is on eBay with the 4 unit kits) go to the automotive section of your discount auto store, and they sell the faux Lamb's wool covers to put on seat belt shoulder straps. These make great cushions to put on your axle straps to protect the paint as you wrap the strap around the axles.

Enough for now, ...maybe others will chime in.

[Juggler]

Good to have you back Richard

[BudP]

I agree with Brent. My 24' trailer was too long. Sold it to a weekend racer who used the front end for tools, small refrig. and a cot. Roof was seamed: it never gave me a problem but several people said it should have been one piece.

[Mitch//pa]

i have a 24' and find it convienent for transporting other vehicles also. the trailers made in the south east (georgia) are made of cheaper quality. the main players are in the indiana area so that being said you get what you pay for. many newer trucks have the brake controller built in which offers better stability control through the EBCM. (electronic brake control module). a 2500-3500 truck will be more stabile then a 1500 or an SUV due to the heavier suspension. a diesel is much better than a gas for torque, mileage and overall wear and tear on the tow vehicle.
i use a 2500HD with the duramax /// allison trans combo. and a 24' united trailer, 4 individual axle straps for tie downs...

before i got this truck i pulled it a couple times with an f-150 the difference is night and day especially up inclines like mountains...plus load levelers were a must but on my 2500 i rarely use them

[johnneilson]

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Richard,

Being in SoCal you have a few to choose from, some good, others not so good.

I have had a couple over the years and logged a few miles without issue.

It is in your best interest to inspect the construction of the trailer and practices.
For instance, wall material size and welding, are all sides of tubes welded? Easy to overlook, but a sign of the construction. Also, I find the framework of the bottom to be another sign. My current one is small I beam and the floor is moving around. Others are health box tubing and do not flex much. A tell tale sign of movement are the doors, flexing will show signs of wear on the doors and in some cases get stuck when parked uneven.

If I were in the market for new, I would look at Carson Racer series and also look at San Bernardino Sport Trailer. These worked for me very well and I dragged them from Canada to Mexico many times.

John

[Big hammer]

Brent: lambs wool cover is the tip of " 15 thanks

[rniez]

I have a Transport Designs (Williamsport, PA, area) 16 foot trailer that is excellent. They are all custom built and will build anything you want. I primarily use it to pull a small race car (1300#) but I made sure the "A" would fit. I went with springs over Torflex - if you damage a spring, most anyone can fix it and get you going; not so with Torflex.

We pull it with an F-150 that has a built in brake control and use an equalizer hiitch and sway control. It is not optimum, but it is adequate for our use. I tow maybe 6-7 times per year and don't want to be stuck driving a F250/350 Duramax the rest of the year - it's overkill for me since I fly a desk for a living.

[jwaldrich]

I have a 20 foot closed, 8.5 across inside, flat nosed Cargo-mate. It is a little long but I've mounted a winch inside in the front "just in case". The extra room in front gives me plenty of storage for trips. I only use it a couple of times a year but I am always grateful I bought this one when I use it. Torsion axles, good inside lighting etc.

Originally I hauled it with a 3/4 ton GMC but I purchased my "last truck ever" and now tow with a 1 ton GMC dually and I cannot believe the difference the dually makes in towing. GREAT!

Happy with my set up even though it is over-kill... for now. I always figured it was like a garage. If you build a bigger one so you have more room, you always seem to fill the bigger one up and still have no room!

[JohnLaVoy]

I like my 20" Interstate. Some room at the front for a little work bench. Tows great! The one on the left is the 20' the other one Scotty uses an is a 16' he groans about the lack of space for stuff besides the car.

[Skibb]

Richard,

You've received great advice above. I used a 20' Anderson flatbed and loved it. But our A's deserve an enclosed trailer if for no other reason than to keep the midnight crawlers from fooling with the car at will. Recently I purchased a used 2012 Horton '16 with a V nose 8.5 wide with heavy duty axles. I agree with Brent about the V. Next trailer won't have one. While 16' works , an 18' or 20' would serve well for many other purposes.

My last truck, a 1997 F250 light duty, lasted 18 years before needing a replacement. The 2014 F150 drives like a charm. Wonderful right? No Sir not at all. Trailer is 3080 lbs with a 4 dr Sdn at 2400 lbs gives us 5480 lbs to tow. But the charm doesn't pull like a charm. I'm looking for replacement like a 3/4 ton to put the fun back in hauling. Technically the new truck can do the job but it doesn't like to. So trailer and truck have to match

[quickchange]

Richard my old tinney mate , we missed you , good to see you back. as long as it has room for a few 6 packs it should work , Look foward to catching up on the road , D & J in a hot NZ

[Fred]

Originally Posted by Skibb

Richard,

You've received great advice above. I used a 20' Anderson flatbed and loved it. But our A's deserve an enclosed trailer if for no other reason than to keep the midnight crawlers from fooling with the car at will. Recently I purchased a used 2012 Horton '16 with a V nose 8.5 wide with heavy duty axles. I agree with Brent about the V. Next trailer won't have one. While 16' works , an 18' or 20' would serve well for many other purposes.

My last truck, a 1997 F250 light duty, lasted 18 years before needing a replacement. The 2014 F150 drives like a charm. Wonderful right? No Sir not at all. Trailer is 3080 lbs with a 4 dr Sdn at 2400 lbs gives us 5480 lbs to tow. But the charm doesn't pull like a charm. I'm looking for replacement like a 3/4 ton to put the fun back in hauling. Technically the new truck can do the job but it doesn't like to. So trailer and truck have to match

I have a 25' enclosed and pull it with a 2011 F150 Ford Harley Davidson model with the big gas 6.2 with no problems over the hills... You don't need the Harley, just the F150 with that engine..

[Oldmics]

Craigslist is your shopping friend. Plenty of lawn services use these trailers and are always going out of business.

I found my 20 footer for 2.5K from a lawn guy going out of business.Took me about 2 months to find a really good deal.

Had to do the brakes and repack the wheel bearings. Eventually upgraded the tires to a heavier rated tire and size.

Added a 12 volt winch on sale from Horrible Freight in the nose for towing "projects" into the box. Now I'm ready for Shipping Wars.

Tow vehicle is important. I"m using a Dodge dually 3500 diesel.

Look on Craigslist for the deals.

Oldmics

[David Moore]

I had a 20 ft. v-nose Horton that pulled very well. 18 months ago got hit from the rear by a women texting. Trailer protected the car but trailer was a loss. This steel construction trailer is heavy to tow.





Replaced the trailer with a 24ft. Featherlite. No comparison to the steel model, a little more than half the weight. It is a dream to pull. The Featherlite has a bull nose and a raised floor. The raised floor keeps the trailer corners from dragging in abrupt dips. Both of my trailer have the Tork-Flex axels this is only way to go.

[David Moore]

More pictures

[Oldmics]

I think also pertinate to mention is to educate ones self regarding trailer tire ratings/sizes.
Go with the heaviest rating tire you can get under the trailer.

Part of the cheap trailer cost is for them to offer a new trailer with minimal rated tires.

Also make sure to carry TWO spare trailer tires.

Voice of experience speaking here.

Oldmics

[Richard in Anaheim CA]

You guys are the greatest. Just like I remember. It's good to be back.

Lots of good ideas I can weigh to make my decision. WOW, that featherlite is sure a beauty. I have checked out Craigslist for trucks and wasn't impressed. A lot of crooks and criminals out there scamming us old farts, I meant "folks".

I will probably look for used first and then the local manufacturers. Keep those personal stories and opinions coming. I'm adding to my education on enclosed trailers very quickly.

I just got a lead on a custom made trailer here in SoCal so this is working.

Richard
Anaheim CA

[trulyvintage]

Richard,

I transport every day ....

I just dropped off this 1930 Model A steel body coupe near Philadelphia, PA ...





Several years ago I custom designed my car hauler to accomodate vehicle
and parts hauling - experience towing over a few hundred thousand miles
will benefit my new trailer being built later this year ...

What I have learned over the years from towing an enclosed trailer daily:

A square steel hand welded tube frame is the only way to go

The frame must extend to the outside edge of the trailer - no outrigger frame

Few manufacturers use this design because of expense - but it greatly reduces flexing
which is transmitted from the road and eventually breaks a trailer apart over time

Aluminum siding fastened w/o screws will (in time) separate from the frame

Have your aluminum panels screwed to the tube frame

A V nose is a waste of space - choose a flat front w/ coffin up top to help wind resistance

Spring axle - not torsion - torsion axles are not serviceable and must be
replaced if they break

Opt for a spread axle design where you have a triple axle layout
as far as space goes - but no equalizer between the leaf springs

Each leaf spring attaches to a hanger - this design spreads the
load out over a larger footprint and saves on axle & suspension wear

Extended tongue is a must - have the breakaway battery & any other
mounted items mounted on the trailer body & not the tongue so
you can not interfere w/ weight distribution hitch brackets you might need

Wire the interior lights separate from the tow vehicle running lights so
you do not need to be plugged into your tow vehicle to use them

Have the manufacturer weld a winch mounting plate to the trailer frame
under the wood floor - center it in the trailer

Install a 12VDC deep cycle battery in a battery box & have a charge
feed ran to your 6 or 7 way tow vehicle feedto keep it charged

Install a 12VDC electric winch w/ wireless remote adjacent to the battery
in the front center of the vehicle - I opted for a Badlands 9000 lb. winch
from Harbor Freight w/ wireless remote control to load & unload every
vehicle I haul - I never drive a car on or off my trailer

Consider rear barn doors instead of a ramp door - this will allow you
to load cargo w/ a forklift and save you from replacing an expensive
ramp door in a few years - ramp doors wear out because in the real world
you seldom load & unload on a level paved surface - the door can deform

I bought a set of 8 ft. aluminum car hauler ramps & a set of 5 ft.
extensions to have a usable loading ramp length of around 12 feet

This ramp set is rated for 5000 pounds per axle

This affords a very slight angle & allows me to load & unload
low clearance vehicles w/ease

Instead of a traditional side escape door - opt for an additional entry door
located on the curb side near the front of where your vehicle will end up
when located in the trailer - you usually can re-locate the standard entry door
included in most trailers at no charge

My trailer has 8 ft. barn doors which allow the loading & unloading of
additional cargo in front of the vehicle

On the trailer w/ the 1930 Ford for this trip was a snowplow blade
I dropped off today to Dave near Harrisburg, PA ....





If you PM or call me - I can tell you who not to buy a trailer
from and who I chose to build my next custom trailer ....


Jim

[SSsssteamer]

There are a lot of good ideas posted above in all the postings, and a lot of poor ideas posted too. Use your best judgement and go with the ideas that fit your needs the best and that make the most sense to you. Since retiring in 1999, I am now on my third tow rig using the same 18 foot enclosed trailer. We tow our steam cars all over the USA and Canada year round. We all have different trailer needs. One trailer does not fit all. Same for the tow rig. Our present tow rig is a 2013 F 150 with the EconoBoost. Tows 13,300 pounds, 23 mpg without trailer and 11 mpg with trailer. With the EconoBoost, hill climbs are now like a flat land drive. Best tow rig yet. Load levelers and sway bars make for a safer tow.

[Marco Tahtaras]

My problem is being in California. The best quality trailers I've seen were made in Indiana or nearby which adds significantly to the cost here. I always favored Pace American but don't know if the quality is the same since they changed hands a few years back.

Always being 'on a budget' I couldn't justify getting what I really wanted. My first was a used 18' Pace 8' wide cargo trailer that I setup to accommodate my needs fairly well. That took me to New York and Toronto, Ontario, and a few other trips totaling about 14k miles.

My current trailer is a brand I hadn't heard of but after watching Craigs list for a couple years, I found it with very little use (maybe 750 miles) and less than two years old. The important features were there like torsion axles (lower stance), typical 8.5' width, and self lubricating hubs. It's a very nice trailer but the quality lacks in a few areas. They did include a vapor barrier between the frame and floor which was a plus. I never completed insulation and white inside walls at intended before my trip to Dallas in '08 so it remains as I stopped for that trip. I used garage floor epoxy on the entire floor for obvious reasons. It came with the typical fore and aft recessed 'D' rings for axle straps which I've never used. I installed four pairs of 'D' rings for tire bonnets at each wheel so the Model A's are held down by all four tires and nothing touching paint. Note: I didn't use the friction additive (silica?) in the floor epoxy. I SHOULD have on the ramp door (only). It only takes a little rain to make that ramp door dangerous!

Other trailer notes:

1. I would have chosen to stay with 18' but the deal I found was too good to pass up. Sometimes the extra two feet is inconvenient. Also, I've never intended to add a bench in the front.

2. Chasing other information in the past on forums I found it was common for folks to report no towing advantage of any kind when switching to a "V" nose trailer so get one if you like it and avoid them if you don't. It happens that I don't care for them.

3. The only aluminum trailer I have any familiarity with is Featherlite. Very nice but expensive. I believe they only come with a "V" nose and that's a no-go for me (but I'm cheap anyway)! The weight difference with Featherlite is not what you would expect. My 20 ft trailer is 3270#. A similarly configured Pace is around 3300 and Featherlite around 3100. Add a 2500# car in there and 200# difference is really meaningless.

4. Inside height - It's more common today for 8.5' wide trailers to have 6.5' ceiling height like mine but DO NOT assume anything! A 6' ceiling will come back to bite you sooner or later.

5. Flooring - Aluminum Diamond Tread Plate (some use) may be practical for some uses but not for my trailer floor. It is extremely difficult to sweep out effectively. Also if you ever get under the car in the trailer it will not make your life better!

I like my epoxy! It was an idea I came up with after researching other (more common) options and finding them not well suited for me personally.

[Bill's Auto Works]

Brent in 10-uh-c has very good suggestions. As a transporter of 30 years & almost 3 million miles I have used a lot of different trailers (open & enclosed) with many different options.
You might consider looking for a used aluminum trailer to keep costs lower. Don't go shorter than 20' & if you have a little room 24' would give you some more options. My 24' aluminum only weighed 3145lbs from the factory, that is generally about 1000lbs less than a steel of the same size. Go with a good name brand. Featherlite, Ameri-lite, etc.

Torflex axles are the only way to go for suspension, electric brakes on both axles & purchase a Prodigy controller.

A drive in rear door is the only thing an auto trailer has, ramps are for equipment trailers & the only reason to not get the full door is it costs more. You do not want to mess around setting ramps that might fall off & if you do not have a dove tail rear, you will end up buying more ramps or piling boards on them because the angle is too steep. This is very unsafe!

If you end up with a flat front, invest in a Nose Cone from Fitzgeralds in Ca. This added 2 mpg when I installed it. It also added noticeable stability to pulling the trailer, as the wind did not buffet it around like it did before.

After you buy one, you can customize the inside to suit your style & use, just like Marco did (beautiful). I also fully customized mine inside & out. I insulated it, put up poly walls & ceiling. added Race Deck flooring, a compressor with air fittings inside & out as well as a power inverter with lights & outlets inside & out. I also added a rub rail so I can open the drivers door without chipping the paint. You do not have to go this far, but I am anal about my equipment & my customers like it as well.
Good Luck
Bill

[Mitch//pa]

Bill is that a one piece floor in your trailer? Everything Looks very nice
What do you recommend for flooring?

[Bill's Auto Works]

No Mitch,
The floor is one foot squares called RaceDeck flooring, you can buy it in many colors & on their website you can design your own pattern if you like. It is made for garage floors, but I thought it would work in the trailer & it has. It is a little expensive, but so is the epoxy. Both will work great on the trailer floor

[Ford1931]

I have a 24 foot Exiss trailer. They are high quality, but expensive. All aluminum made with I beam and tube versis C channel. The main selling point for the extra money is that they have extra ceiling height. I have used trailers that you could not get old cars in or out without letting air out of the tires or changing wheels. I have other cars and the 24 foot length is nice. I also took the wheels off a rolling tool box and bolted it to the floor using the old roller wheel holes, has worked great and leave tools in it all the time for conveniance.

[Marco Tahtaras]

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Originally Posted by Bill's Auto Works

Brent in 10-uh-c has very good suggestions. As a transporter of 30 years & almost 3 million miles I have used a lot of different trailers (open & enclosed) with many different options.
You might consider looking for a used aluminum trailer to keep costs lower. Don't go shorter than 20' & if you have a little room 24' would give you some more options. My 24' aluminum only weighed 3145lbs from the factory, that is generally about 1000lbs less than a steel of the same size. Go with a good name brand. Featherlite, Ameri-lite, etc.

I can only go by the information offered by the manufacturers but here are examples for 24' enclosed trailers with 7000# GVWR (3500# axles):

Entry level -

Featherlite 1611 - No interior paneling or front stone guard - 3300#
Pace Outback - With paneled interior and front stone guard - 3620#

Upper line -

Featherlite 4926 - 3500# - Turns out to have 4800# axles which would account for much of the weight increase.
Pace Shadow GT - 3680#

[Bill's Auto Works]

A lot of the time aluminum trailers are close in weight to steel trailers is because many of the steel trailer companies build "cheap" trailers. The distance between the studs are greater, the gauge of the steel is thinner & the overall amount of material is less. If you compare a well built steel trailer to an aluminum Featherlite or Ameri-lite, etc... you will find there is about 1000lbs difference in the same length trailer

Also, I would not suggest using a 24ft trailer with only 3500lbs axles (7000 for both) this does not leave you much for the vehicle & equipment you are going to put in it. An average vehicle weights 3500lbs, this makes you at the limit without anything else in the trailer.

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Bill's Auto Works

No Mitch,
The floor is one foot squares called RaceDeck flooring, you can buy it in many colors & on their website you can design your own pattern if you like. It is made for garage floors, but I thought it would work in the trailer & it has. It is a little expensive, but so is the epoxy. Both will work great on the trailer floor

Thanks

[Cracker39]

Aside from all of the great comments, what tiedown points do you use for the Model A? I just completed a trip on lousy Pa highways in horrid weather, using the four rings in the trailer floor, with the straps criss-crossed to the outer axle ends of the car. The straps were new and they experienced a bit of stretching that I periodically had to tightened - but, all-in-all, the trip was without incident. What I'm wondering is, would it work just as well to strap the car in using the bumper mounts? I kept it out of gear and with the hand brake off to keep from constantly jarring the related mechanicals.

[Mitch//pa]

do not tie to the bumper brackets...
you did it right by going around the axle housing behind the backing plates on the narrowest part of the axle tube...
on the front i use the outer area of the axle just inside the king pins..
4 straps to 4 d-rings..
the only controversy is cross strapping vs straight strapping.
i used to cross strap but then if one breaks it can pull the car to one side so now i straight strap.
its kinda like what kind of oil...lol

[Cracker39]

Interesting thought on straight vs cross strapping! I'll have to look at the spacing on my trailer tiedown points to see if that would work "as is" without putting toe out pressure on the wheels. A chain, tightly shackled from one tiedown to the other would, however, resolve any problem.