Hot Rods Light car trailer...

I have been kinda looking for an affordable lightweight trailer I could use to tow my T roadster behind my Jeep wrangler. My Jeep is rated for 2600lbs, the car probably weighs 1500-1800lbs. Is this doable? Getting too old to drive any distance to a show...

 

Have you considered flat towing with a tow bar? I think I would rather do that than tow a trailer. How far and fast are you thinking of towing?

 

Automatic or Standard trans? You are technically in the limits so so I guess it would be a go .

 

Towing with a Jeep Wrangler and that short wheelbase is not going to be fun. Unless you have one of those newer 4 door Wranglers. Even those small U-Haul car haulers are around 2000 lbs.

Maybe swap a friend or relative the Jeep for a pickup for the weekend when you want to tow something. My cousin used to borrow my truck and leave me his Jeep when he needed to haul something back when he only had a Jeep.

 

Maybe a tow dolly?

 

Got my wife a wrangler 4x4. We love it, fun car/truck/whateber it is. But I wouldn't tow with it. Not even because it won't, it just feels like beating on it. My buddy has a Ford raptor pickup, and same thing. Tows terrible. I assume your jeep has the tow package? Which motor and tranny?

I keep my 2005 f150 around basically just for towing stuff. Pick up a beater full size pickup if that's feasible. Or borrow a truck as stated earlier.

 

The T is an automatic. I've thought about towing it backwards with a tow dolly as disconnecting the drive shaft before, at, and leaving a show is beyond my capabilities. The Jeep is a 4 door wrangler with the tow package. It tows my boat "okay " (20' Grady White) but I don't go far. Probably just a "pipe" dream but thanks for the advice...

 

Yes, with a 4 dr wrangler, you can haul your T with a light single axle trailer, the wrangler has a 3.6 litre V6, 285 horse, the T will weigh around 1700, the jeep will pull it effortlessly and is big enough to handle the trailer. DO IT and enjoy your car.

 

the only trailer i have ever owned was a new 1000 econotrailer with an open deck 1600 dollars new in 99 weighed 1300 pounds towed for years with a isuzu (sp?) rodeo with a 1969 corvette on it no problems just it had to work a bit on some of the larger hills i am very satisfied with it also summit sells 10k 8 foot ratchet tie downs cheaoer than most others

 

What about something like this. Maybe without the ramp/gate.
https://www.kateskars.com/2020-load...-new-utility-trailer-arthur-il-61911-i2765155

 

Add some rear air bags to your back of your car. Use a load equalizing hitch set up and of course a trailer brake controller and you will be fine towing a car trailer.

 

This outfit sells some pretty decent looking single axle aluminum trailers with 3500 lb axles under them https://www.alumaklm.com/utility/single-heavy-axle Price may or may not fit the budget.

I'm repurposing this old Calkins boat trailer that I bought from a friend into a utility trailer with 6x6x4 box on it to haul trash to the dump.
Someone had the red one on the net for 500 but there is plenty of room to put a pair of runners down the sides of the frame rails (37 inches outside to outside on mine) to roll a car up on it if a guy put some cross braces under the frame in about 3 spots. The one I have had a tri hull inboard cruiser on it that was about 18 ft long and weighed at least 2000 and probably closer to 3000 lbs.
Not putting a full deck out of 2 inch planks saves a couple hundred pounds and keeps your brother in law from borrowing it to haul junk off. That would be on any car trailer though.

 

I've seen boat trailers repurposed for transporting farm "hydraulic cherry pickers" by using 3 x runners.
Most boats weigh more than the OP's roadster.

Just be vigilant with rust on used boat trailers

 

Like the one I have to make into a dump runner.
They call those three wheel hydraulic things "orchard apes" around here. Usually favored by the small operators who do most of their own work.

I was just thinking that Rustydusty might want to look for trailers used to haul ATV's The T probably weighs about the same as some of the bigger 4 seaters they have now and some of the trailers for them are pretty bare bones but strong.

 

This trailer build is from my Attic Anglia Project:

I took another slight detour - to build a trailer for the Attic Anglia. Last week I found a house trailer frame for sale nearby and bought it. In the succeeding week I chopped three feet off the back, moved the axle forward, fixed a faulty hitch, mitered in a skid plate to the tongue, added a third draw bar member to the tongue, boxed the front crossmember, added fenders, added three tie-down sites, and narrowed it down so the Anglia and Speedracer will just fit.

The electrical box on the tongue houses a HF winch with remote.
I only spent a few hundred bucks on the whole project.

 

I have a trailer that is made of gas pipe and angle iron. It has no suspension. The car on the trailer provides the bump absorbsion and damping. It was built for a mk1 Austin Healy sprite which weighs 1400 pounds. It has no deck. The wheel Chanel's are made like ladders with 3/4 inch square bar every 6 or 7 inches along two sections of 1 1/2 inch pipe per side. There is a piece of 1/4 inch cold rolled plate welded on top of the bar under each wheel the ladders sit stop 4 2 inch angle iron cross members. The two bar is welded to the first 2 crossmembers and lengths of angle iron triangulated to the front corners of the wheel Chanel's. Trailer hubs are bolted to square steel plates which are welded to a 3 inch steel tube that is the axle. The trailer is very light. I used to lift it up and lean it against the garage wall for storage by myself. It is just long enough and wide enough to accommodate the wheels. I tied it down with 2 crossed ratchet straps in the rear, and a three point come along at the front attached to a welded loop on the tongue. Can send pictures if interested. Used it to tow the Sprite to autocrosses for 20 years, then use it to haul a early Honda Civic to ice races for six or eight years. Just used it yesterday to retrieve my brothers Triumph Spitfire from storage. The spitfire weighs 1700 or so.

There are also a couple 1 in square tube truss bars from the tire channels to the axle front and rear on both sides to aid structural stiffness. It's only drawback is towing it empty with no suspension it does get a bit bouncy. I usually air down the tires to 12 to 15 psi when not loaded.

 

If you have an automatic you could use a driveshaft disconnect and a tow bar.https://www.remcodsc.com/coupling/

Another way is a set of bolt on adapters with bearings in them for the back wheels. Not as convenient but will not require modifying the drive shaft.

You say your tow vehicle has a limit of 2600 lbs and your T weighs 1800 lbs. You would have a hard time finding a trailer that weighs less than 800 lbs. Flat towing is easier and cheaper.

 

Find a old travel trailer that is falling apart. 3/4” plywood doubled will give you a 1 1/2” thick floor, plenty for a lightweight car. Add in a few cross members if you think it needs it.

My 16’ trailer is built on a boat trailer. I put a house trailer beam on each side, laid down flat on the trailer channel. I was intending to use that for ramps, but figured out I’d be limited as to what car would fit, so I added some cross members and floored it with 2x8” lumber to start with. When that rotted out, I floored it with 16”x2” x 8’ LVL beam cut offs I got at a lumber store. The LVL is just like plywood, only thicker, and comes in different widths and thickness. They gave away anything under 10 ft, so I only had the cost of a gallon of paint and some new carriage bolts in my floor.

 

The very first car trailer I ever used,was a boat trailer with ramps added an boat bunks temp removed,my Dad built it for his sports car,an used my boat trailer to do it,but let me put bunks back on when ever I needed to move my sailboat around{ Blue J } that had no ass when I got it,it had been in a backyard bow up filled with rain so long the ass fell off< I fixed it in 7th grade woodshop. Sold the BJ boat in late 60, Dad kept that trailer.
7 Years later I built my own out scrap I rounded up,an made axle from C-beam n pair of cut off spindles of a 55 Ford junked in the woods,still have trailer. it's less then 400 lbs with ramps. I used it most for my race cars.

 

Your Jeep is rated for 2600# GVWR . Lets say you found a trailer weighing 500# so add 1800# for your car plus supplies you're carrying in the Jeep. You've hit or are over the maximum. Might be worthwhile finding a cheap truck to tow the car. Just a thought.

 

Dano Barlow has an example of what you need IMO, If your going local shows, short travel (miles) avoiding Interstate you can get away with light weight trailer, w/o brakes, If your going to long haul, 70 mph, then rethink to a better tow vehicle with proper trailer w/ brakes. Remember the tail can and will wag the dog pretty quick if everything is not correct.

 

Here are a few pictures of a trailer I built a year or so ago. It is 13-1/2 feet long plus the tongue. 66 inches inside the load surface. Suspension is two 3500# Dexter axles with brakes. It weighs in at about 1150 pounds. It is specifically sized for your typical hot rod...a '32 with bumpers comes in at about 12' overall length...not designed to carry '59 Caddies...just hot rods or projects.

Not what the OP needs nor what his tow vehicle would handle but an example of what can be done for way under the weight of a typical 18' wooden deck trailer.

 

Bought a $1500 CARSON trailer to haul my dragster around with my 2004 Chevy Colorado and have had no issues with. For stability , I had them move the axle back further. Tows like a dream

 

I had a 2012 Wrangler with 35s on it and it had trouble towing a utility trailer with 3 atv's on it. I think it had 3:42 gears and it was a dog on the hills. The a/t seemed to really strain.

 

I had a tandem axle race car trailer built with that same open runner material in the mid 70's, made with 2x3" rectangular tubing, was both lightweight and strong.
A car as light as a T would only require a single axle and if built with these runners would not require more that 2x2" heavy wall tubing.
As with any trailer/tow vehicle, half the battle is axle placement and tongue weight, meaning where the vehicle is placed on the trailer.

 

I haven't towed an automatic from Detroit to Dallas but I've logged many a mile without disconnecting the driveshaft. The old rule used to be if it had a front or rear pump, and I think the rear pump cars were the danger. I also know the rear pump cars can be pull/push started. Neutral, key on, up to speed, drop it in gear, turns over and starts. Now new computer controlled OD and other odd FWD AWD stuff, leave me outta that but I've dragged many a turbo 350/400/PG and never a problem. Again, not from New York to Paris but still. Are we overthinking or was I just lucky a couple dozen times? I did drag two Mopars with 727s in em for about 25+ miles, again nothing happened. School me, what changed?

As to towing with a Jeep, no thanks. I towed with an F-Series Bronco a couple times but just from Dearborn to Detroit Dragway. It was ok but I didn't like it. Twichy is a good description. I towed a utility trailer with a 472 Cad and trans on it with an H3. Limp-wristed is charitable and even empty with the expanded metal gate it was like a sail. I also dragged 2 sleds on an open trailer with it, once was enough. Also twitchy and that thing has a higher rating than a Wrangler, just no nuts. Your results may vary, I don't like it.

 

That's nice.

 

I have built a few of this style, single axle with brakes, 13' deck, tilt tongue, with ramps attached. They handle an 1800 lb car, and tow with a long WB Ranger PU.

 

Thanks for some great suggestions. Boat trailers are easy to find around here. The home made trailers shown are nice, but the one Marty Strode built is a work of art!

 

What about a 3-4 place snowmobile trailer. I have a 2 place that's really light....