I am going to buy an enclosed trailer, again. I used to have a 24 foot enclosed 10,000 gvw trailer I used for my plumbing business. It was very handy but was a pig to pull around. Also had a 16 foot stock trailer that was really handy and behind the dodge you did not even know it was there. I have a 32 Roadster and am thinking of getting a 20 foot enclosed trailer. Now in the 20 foot 8 1/2 foot wide you basically have two choices. You can get it in the 7000 GVW model or the 10,000 GVW model. You sure do not need 10,000 to haul around a 32 Roadster. The 10 has floor beams on 16 inch centers while the 7 has floor beams on 24 inch centers. They both have 3/4" floors. I would hate to buy the 7 and later wish i had the 10. Or buy the 10 and think why am I hauling all this extra weight
Get a 10.000 way easier to sell. Better/bigger tires and brakes (get all 4 wheel). I've got tires rated at 12,000 now and still carry 2 spares. If your worried about weight get an aluminum Featherweight.. You probably know all this....
I agree, the higher capacity will be easier to get rid of later on. Might hold up better to road hazards, too. You might buy a heavier car sometime in the future, so you would be set with the 10 instead of over with the 8.
I have hauled damn nere every thing I think I would have ever thought of times ten over the last 30 years, and most of the time I've wished I had more trailer........ Period. As an edit: I have never halled for money. Only for friends but I still kick myself for not having a heavy duty trailer.
First of all, what are you towing this trailer with? I would definitely buy the heavier trailer. Better to have too much and not need, than to not have enough and need it. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
You didn't say what your going to pull this trailer with. Just remember don't have more trailer than you have truck, it won't be fun.
I would buy the 10k trailer just for the bigger tires and better brakes. I carry 2 spares as well. I have a 20’ enclosed 10k trailer I use for hauling my cars. You may only have a ‘32 Roadster now, but what does the future hold???
I've had 4 enclosed trailers over the years ( sold the last one 2 weeks ago) 3 #7000 GVW, 1 #10000 GVW. IMO a #7000 with brakes on both axles is good enough for what you're talking about and will haul any car you will buy. Look at trailer empty weights vs GVW, there is a considerable price difference to go to #10000. IMO, the biggest problem of owning this type of trailer is everyone wants to borrow it, It's a PIA to say No, I have stuff stored in it. My thought is, If you need one, Buy one or Rent one, Never had anybody offer to rent my trailer, they expect it for free, as always the guys that always borrow stuff are the freeloader types. It was suggested to me years ago to buy trailers with leaf springs, easier/cheaper to fix if a problem arises, can say, never had a problem. Good Luck !
GO with the 10000. You will have better brakes, better tires, better resale. If you care about weight, get an all aluminum. The upfront cost is more, but the overall cost of ownership is less due to resale value.
If you have enough truck I'd say go for the 10K. As far as you guys who carry 2 spares. How many times have you needed them? I know I have over 100K mi towing my trailers and in all that time have only had 2 flats and 1 blowout. Keep good tires on the trailer and you won't have those problems. The blowout I had was because I was trying to get a little more life out of the tires that were on the used trailer when I bought it, I knew better but decided to do it anyway. Was over 2000 mi from home and ended up buying 4 new tires
Look at the speed ratings on your tires. Most trailer tires are speed rated for 62mph and less. I see way too many people going 75+ mph while towing a trailer. Weight + Speed + incorrect tire pressure will cause tire failure. I put 17.5" Alcoas with tires rated for 75 mph on my fifth wheel even though I keep it at 65 mph or lower.
We have had several different trailers. Our best enclosed trailer was an H&H with more standard height than others, no rivets on the sheeting, torsion axles, LED lights (when they first came out) and an adjustable height tongue. I would also suggest the 10,000# trailer. Axles, tires, wheels and brakes are all better and usually require a better hitch and bigger ball. Be sure to check the trailer empty weight when shopping, there are huge differences there between manufacturers. We found some 10,000#ers that could only haul 3500# because the trailer was so heavy! You aren't going to be pushing the GVWR hauling a '32 but you may need to rescue something else that will. I would also suggest going with a 24' instead of 20'. Not that much difference in purchase price or towing but a huge difference when you decide to sell it. Our dirt late models or modifieds are right at 17' long. With a 4 wheeler backed in in front of the race car they were nose to nose with about a foot to spare. Most racers looking for a trailer wouldn't consider a 20' trailer so that kills a big future market. We added air lines, lights, power to the back door, a winch, work bench, tire rack and rampovers with storage under them. When we sold it after 9 years of steady use we got more out of it than we had invested in it. Sold it in 2012 and that buyer sold it 3 or 4 years later and said he made money. I still see it occasionally at the races earning it's keep. SPark
Every thread about a stolen trailer says paint your phone number on the roof. Just something to keep in mind.
Your budget & the number of miles per year are large factors in determining what trailer to buy! I am not generally a fan of the #7000lb enclosed trailer, especially if it is NOT aluminum. Just too heavy empty & with full bodied type cars, you are always bumping up against the max GVWR. Obviously if you 32 is going to be in it most of the time, you could get away with it. As mentioned above numerous times : The bigger brakes are a big plus. After 1.3 million miles on my open Featherlite, I replace the axles with the larger 6 lug axles. Not because I plan on putting any heavier weight on it, but because of the bigger brakes & now the wheels & tires are the same as my AMeri-Lite aluminum enclosed trailer. If your budget allows, buy an ATC or a Featherlite all aluminum trailer, so much higher quality, less weight & just the best available. If not don't cheap out on the suspension, most trailers these days come with 4 wheel brakes, but don't go backwards by getting leaf springs. Get the Tor-Flex suspension. Both my trailers went well over a million miles each with absolutely no problems with the suspensions They ride SO much better & last forever (nothing to break, unless you snap off a spindle which could happen on either type) The El Cheapo trailers still use leaf springs, which have so many issues,causing you to be stuck on the side of the road. Also since obviously you will be transporting a car, get a drive in rear door & a dovetail rear would be nice as well for ease of loading the lowest of vehicles. As a transporter for 36 + years with well over 3.5 million accident free miles, I cannot afford to buy any of the cheap trailers, but if you are only going to use it less than 10,000 miles per year it does not matter as much. I have not run less than 123,000 miles per year in the last 16 years, so I need to use the best. God Bless Bill Squires(owner) Bill's Auto Works https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/
My trailers are only pulled by my trucks, and only driven by myself or Dad. Will not ever loan or rent my trailers or equipment for that matter. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I am not a professional hauler, however, I have towed a car hauler trailer for 20+ years about 6 to 7 thousand miles a year. I have owned 7000# gvw much of that time and a 10,000 gvw since 2010. I agree with the heavier capacity axles, wheels/tires and brakes. That said, do pay attention to the gvw vs the empty weight......you'll want a reasonable balance between the strength (empty wt) and the useful load capacity (gvw). Ray
Good Choice, that’s exactly what I have. We can tow anything we need to! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
What is the tow capacity of your vehicle ? That - is the starting point. Figure that out - deduct the curb weight of the vehicle you plan to haul - take whatever is left over - multiply that by 80% - that is empty weight of the trailer you can pull. Example: Tow vehicle capacity - 10,000 pounds Towed vehicle curb weight - 4000 pounds Net tow capacity - 6000 pounds Multiply by 80% - 4800 pounds The empty curb weight of your trailer ideally should not exceed 4800 pounds. Buy a new trailer instead of a used one. Unless you know the history and use. Any trailer with a million miles on it is scrap metal on tires - particularly an aluminum frame trailer - the roads beat them to Hell .... I buy a new custom enclosed car hauler trailer every two years on average. Jim
The 10,000 lbs trailer sounds great until you start to haul a light car in it. The suspension has no give. The car gets beat to death. Order a trailers suspension to carry the actual load you are hauling. I agree with the comment on the tires with the higher rating. They are usually 16 inch. If a spread axle option is available its worth the money. It makes going down the road much more stable. I have been very happy with the vintage brand trailer I ordered.
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