Hot Rods Pulling a trailer or camper with a hot rod or custom

I would use a Reese type receiver hitch.
I've towed 1800lb boat with my 34 Dodge,and 29 roadster....Dodge had a frame non-Reese type hitch, but the 29 had a custom Reese type
29 had a 2.3 eng with M-II front brakes and 8" rear
Towed a pop-up camper approx 2,000lbs with my 36 Chevy pick up,Reese type custom hitch, with no problems
None of these had brakes nor eq hitch with no problems, but I towed on flat land in Fla
I towed a '51 Chevy home from Mich to Fl with my '36 P/U on a U-Haul trailer with surge brakes and would have lost it if I didn't have the surge brakes coming through the mountains and being a professional driver, but I figured that the 36 trucks approx 2800 lb weight was too light for the load at approx 5500 lbs.
How about surge brakes vs electrical? You can get nice SS disc ones for about $500, (if you have the proper axle for brakes) and the only wire you have to hook up is for the back up light circuit to lock out the trailer brakes when you backup .
I have those on a 4500 lb boat and they work great.

Main thing I guess is:
1. How much trailer weighs
2 . States laws you are going to tow into
3. Terrain you intend to tow in
4. Brakes and weight of tow vehicle

I would use some type of custom built for the car Reese style hitch....it will be almost out of site under the car when not in use, more secure, and you can add a load-eq hitch if you need one

The 1800 lb boat and the cars I towed it with

 

Any tow vehicle has to have sufficient mass to safely stop & maintain control
in an emergency - a stock 1954 Mainline Ranch Wagon lists a 3500 pound curb weight as standard.

Just from that standpoint - it is too light of a vehicle IMOP.

A classic COE would be a good choice.

Jim

 

I know-- OT and all.. The pic really doesn't have much to do with this thread other than it cracks me up. I was bringing the one ton home, with my "modern" parts hauler,we refer to as "The Ugly Truckling" after I gave it to my Famous Uncle and he promptly gave it back. It's destined to be the donor for my yet to be acquired coe project.

I definitely would not run without trailer brakes if possible. Wagon is 12 volt right? Haven't noticed any 6 volt brake controllers around.


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The wagon is 12 volt,302,5 speed tranny,12 disc brakes on the front,12 drum on the rear.HRP

 

If your trailer doesn't have brakes, add them, or change the axle to one with brakes, and add the brake actuator inside the tow vehicle. You can run a separate wire connection plug for the actuator feed to your tow vehicle and the trailer if you don't want to change the existing 4 wire plug, just be sure you have a good ground between the trailer and the tow vehicle.
The clamp on mirrors work pretty well, just be sure the rubber feet are in good shape. I'm not sure how long a cheap backup camera would hold up being used as a rear view mirror, but it would be a nice addition for backing the trailer into a parking spot.
The equalizing hitch would depend on how the rear suspension is set up on the tow vehicle, and how much the trailer weighs and how well that weight is distributed. Gene

 

Jim,I'm thinking back to my granddad and his 1956 Shasta 13 footer he towed from South Carolina to Yellowstone National park and hundreds of parks in between and used a 6 cylinder 52 Chevy 4 door,he never had any problems.

I do appreciate your thoughts and I'm sure you have my best interest at heart but when I built this wagon one of the primary reasons was using it to travel and to pull a camper. HRP

 

Seriously? All over Europe, people tow campers with cars, and they have done for the past hundred years. The typical European cars they use to pull their campers are tiny compared with a '54 Ranchwagon. The idea that an American station wagon from the fifties is too light to pull a small camper is simply ridiculous. You can take theoretical safety concepts too far. The idea that you need a truck to pull a camper is a huge step too far.

You're entitled to your opinion, of course. Meanwhile, back in the real world . . .


























That's the real world in Europe, mostly. I realize that, in the U.S., the marketing staff at the big three automakers have convinced us all that we need a jacked-up four wheel drive three-quarter ton pickup just to commute to work in the city. Lord knows I see plenty of them every day in Denver. Often, of course, I see them in the ditch too, on snowy days, because they have no real-world driving skills. No amount of weight or four-wheel drive or knobby tires will make up for the poor driving skills of the average American driver.

 

Danny, if you aren't opposed to it, I would look at the equalizer bars. I have the exact same setup as Hogger back on page 1. It makes a huge difference. I have been in 50 mph crosswinds in the Texas panhandle and it never bobbled. They are an added expense, but come in handy.

I haven't finished the Produce truck, which is the tow vehicle, but I plan on running the equalizer bars on it as well.

 

What they did in the fifties and sixties does not really apply. Roads are different, traffic is thicker, speeds are faster, drivers have not kept up in terms of skill especially in an emergency.

Brakes are necessary for anything but the smallest luggage trailer. If your old canned ham does not have brakes you can buy a brand new axle, tailored to your needs, for around $350 complete with brakes hubs bearings and springs.

Towing is easier if your car is geared a little lower. If you don't want to change the rear axle gears you can buy tires that are a little smaller and get the same thing. Like, if you have 215 70 go to 215 60.

Trailer tires are important. Purpose built trailer tires are stiff and help control sway. But for hiway use a lot of old hands prefer light truck tires. Be careful, there are some cheap Chinese trailer tires out there that will let you down, and have a bad habit of blowing on the hiway.

A trans cooler is good for peace of mind if you have an automatic. Be sure your cooling system and brakes are up to snuff and get a good automatic brake controller.

Weight distributing hitches are mighty nice to have. For lighter trailers the Andersen hitch is hard to beat.
http://www.andersenhitches.com/Catalog/andersen-nosway-weight-distribution-hitch.aspx

They use rubber springs where other weight distributing hitches use steel spring bars. For larger trailers use the steel spring bars but don't go too heavy. 600 pound bars are plenty for most trailers, 800 or 1000 are too stiff to work right unless your trailer is a monster.

You want good suspension and heavy duty shocks on your car. The cooling system, trans, U joints, brakes etc need to be in top shape.

You don't have to have a giant truck for a tow vehicle. It depends on how the rig is set up. Top experts are Can Am RVs. They routinely tow 32 foot Airstream trailers with VWs, minivans and Jaguars but they know what they are doing, having been in the trailer business for over 50 years.

 

I guess my "new" Mark IV is overkill for my little 23' Safari... 5300 lb tow vehicle, 4000ish trailer.

 

I found this information about the Shasta. HRP

Shasta 1400 Trailer Specifications
Weight - 1150 lbs.
Length - 13'8" (including hitch)
Heigh - 7'8"
Width - 6'6"
Hitch Weight - 150 lbs.




5

 

I have towed a few different campers. Pop up with my 27 T Coupe , A Vintage Scotty with our old 38 Ford pickup , and a 16 foot Scamp with our 55 F100. I would suggest electric brakes , and a reciever hitch to match trailer weight.

 

True,

After WWII - trailers were homes on wheels pulled by many folks returning after the war.
The work force was more mobile - Spartan trailers boasted their aluminum framed trailers
were designed to survive rollovers with minimum damage.

But road speeds were lower - traffic was lighter - folks were not in such a hurry.

You can certainly build a hot rod for towing by re-inforcing the frame - increasing the rear
differential - tranny - engine cooling to handle the increased demand.

Jim

 

Don't fall into a false sense of security here.
A smaller trailer can kill you just as easily as a large one.
1. Electric brakes.
2. Brake controller.
3. Reese hitch.
4. Outreaching mirrors.
5. Do your home work, when selecting the "right equipment" for your specific needs.
6. Finally, don't come a knockin', if the trailer is a rockin'.

 

There is a huge ongoing 53 page thread,it will keep you busy for several hours. HRP

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/old-campers-lets-see-what-you-got.368140/

 

That is my first thought when I read this or one of the similar threads asking what it takes to pull a trailer. How fast do you want to drive to get there. If comfortable at 55 mph or so, a car works and a lighter trailer may not need brakes on the trailer. If you want to get onto interstate and get somewhere before dark, it takes more. When I was a kid, my folks pulled a 16 foot or so trailer with a Ford LTD. It had brakes on the trailer. It worked fine and would probably work today. Today, we have a 25 foot trailer and use a heavier pickup just because I want to get there today.

If I had the wagon and the trailer that you have, I would be comfortable pulling it. I would keep the speed down until I had a feel for how it handled in traffic; braking and side draft from passing vehicles.

You will get much attention and questions asked whenever you stop somewhere, such a gas stations. I get more people coming up to me asking about my camper than when I have any of my cars. You will have both.

 

How did you do your tow hitch for the 27 Coupe?

 

If you look at vintage photos just about every one of these trailers is being pulled by a wagon or sedan. I think you will be A. O. K.

 

A little off topic of this thread but just too cool not to post.

Paul Aldrich's clone of Fran and Ralph Bannister’s 324 Olds powered Ford wagon and dragster, The dragster does have many of original pieces.


Paul Aldrich does drive the car with trailer I have seen it at many shows in the North East

 

My thoughts exactly,It's not a race when I travel it is the enjoyment of the journey,I'll get there when I arrive.

i can assure you 85 MPH ain't gonna happen.

I like taking the back roads and hope to do the same with the camper.

 

Dont mess around. Be safe, put brakes on your rig. Why build a hot rod with upgraded brakes and
Leave trailer safety to chance.

 

a real beauty!!

be sure to check/replace wheel bearings, wiring, etc

 

There was an old camper thread that I posted mine on a while back. If you didn't see it, here it is. I found the rear haft of a 36 Dodge Delivery in a farmer's field. It was a freebie. I built this camper out of it. Pulled it with my 38 coupe. I still have it , but I don't use it anymore.{ I know it looks like a porta potty.} lol I used wood from my Granddads chicken coupe. You should have seen the campers with their motor homes, when my wife and I pulled into the camp ground in this. lol Ron...

 

Also pulled my delivery too.

 

The camper was totally rebuilt 4 years ago,wheel bearings repacked a couple of months ago,I've pulled it about 200 miles.HRP

 

Pull ours without trailer brakes but plan on installing some before doing it this summer...


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Drop a note to flyingbrian, he tows an older airstream with his Pontiac wagon.

 

Thanks for all the links Root,a lot of food for thought. HRP

 

There must be something in the water in Virginia. Crazy Scott Phelps drinks that water too:

http://yugopwr.tripod.com/1110fea0.jpg

 

A lot of people will tell you that you need a one ton dually to tow your 4000 pound trailer safely. I am not kidding.

In fact the way your rig is set up has more to do with safe towing. The original conversation was about towing a canned ham or other small trailer in the 2000 - 4000 pound class, with an American car from the fifties or sixties that probably weighs about 3500 pounds.

This is quite possible, and safe if you have the right setup. Take off with no brakes, no sway control, weak hitch, badly balanced tongue weight, and a car in bad repair and you are asking for trouble.