Looking For Advice - Buying a Car Hauler

[Bricklayer]

Hi all, I've decided it's time to get myself a car hauler trailer, and just have a few questions to those of you with experience with them.

I think I'll probably go with something about 18' or 20', and steel not aluminum.
The models with 3500 lb axles are a lot more tempting price wise, but if I can afford one with heavier axles the extra capacity may be nice down the road.

Are there any brands to shy away from, or any that are better quality then the rest? Better quality paint, bearings, wiring.. etc?

Just wondering what your experiences are.

Thanks for any input,

-Bricklayer

[megadodge]

//watching -- also in the market.

[HyperMOA]

I would go as long as you can that is practical. The longer it is, the easier it is to load your axles and not your hitch with larger longer trucks say. Twin 3500 lb axles will give you about 5000lbs to 5500lbs capacity, not sure if you would need anymore capacity than that. The 5000lb axled trailers really bounce hard when pulled unloaded. My 2 cents.

[harrydude]

It will come down to how much do you want to spend

And what are you towing with

[cowmanbob]

Check out Gator made.

[roger]

having had four different ones to date, i would say that in your price-point, any trailer your looking at is no better/worse than the other. the paint will look good for a few months and if it sees a salty hiway once... its on downward spiral for rust.
the only thing in common is that they all are cheaply painted with cheap tires and built to sell.
without knowing your needs, id invest in a 14000lb one (vs a 7500lber) for the couple hundred extra lbs of weight it can carry so much more.
-i prefer the hinged flip-up ramps over the slide-ins. the boxed-in ramps help distribute the weight during drive-ons.
-nothing shorter than 18', a pickup truck barely fits on that deck

for example, if your into a little elbow grease and have enough knowledge to be dangerous, mine is a 2007, 14k, 18' skid steer trailer (steel checkerplate fenders and D-rings), put new 16" rubber of your choice and roll on some black tremclad, and repack/replace the bearings (they are cheap) and your shining like a new dime in goats arse. its worth about 2500-3000, maybe less i dunno...new it was about $5500-5600.
if you decide to resell..it will still be worth 2800-3500
its an option to compare

[Bricklayer]

Thanks for all the replies. It would be nice to be able to haul a bobcat or other heavier piece of equipment someday, and I would be willing to do some work on a used one...

Roger, are you selling the trailer you spoke of above?

[Bricklayer]

Longer is better, got it.

Thanks

[dale7637]

Don't buy a trailer with twin 3500's. Go with twin 7k's. You can use a big trailer for little things, but not vice versa.

Go as long as possible. Same reason as above.

Go led lighting.

Rock guard or shield any painted leading edges. Your paint will survive much better over the long run.

Buy a good hitch, and buy a good coupler lock.

Go with the best tires you can afford.

Install d rings into the deck to add in securing loads.
Not the cheap screw on kind, but the good ones that bolt to the frame.

Put a toolbox on the trailer for your rigging and chains.

[dale7637]

I forgot to add.

Do not buy a trailer with bearing buddies. Those stupid things are a great tool for the guys selling bearings and hubs. The gravel roads will tend to knock the buddy off, and then you are doing bearings in the best case scenario.

[jim summit]

Check out the crossmember spacing, some are 24" and some 16". More the better, 3" C-channel is better then 2" tubing some use. Compare a bunch and you will notice the diff. Some only have brakes on one axle.

And then there is the Torsion vs Spring axle debate.
I feel springs tow better when loaded, Torsion better empty.

[Bricklayer]

Cool, Thanks for all the advice. Lots of stuff that a guy may have not thought of.

[roger]

jim, dale...thats a good point about the torsion and the buddies.
The torsions do ride nice but there are serious stresses involved when being fully loaded and expecting it to climb up and over a obstacle/ curb when backing up. were as the leaf spring setup.
bracing...if you travel alot of gravel, having the C channels in the correct direction will prevent mud buildup from underneath.

Originally Posted by Bricklayer

Roger, are you selling the trailer you spoke of above?

i need/want a 22' for my bobcat and all its toys. so yes.
personally i would rather see what is in front of me not hidden with cheap fixes, just to get 'dumped'.

if nothing else, at least get an idea of what is in the 'previously enjoyed' market.

[dale7637]

Originally Posted by jim summit

Check out the crossmember spacing, some are 24" and some 16". More the better, 3" C-channel is better then 2" tubing some use. Compare a bunch and you will notice the diff. Some only have brakes on one axle.

And then there is the Torsion vs Spring axle debate.
I feel springs tow better when loaded, Torsion better empty.

We run all torsion on our trailers at work, and i would never have anything but. We have some tridems here that are well over 500k kms, and we have never had an issue.

That said, it is all about personal preference.