Car trailers sturdy enough to haul a B body.

[Kern Dog]

Here it is almost a year later and I'm looking again.
Same situation as before....I'd prefer an 18' unit with dove-tail for easier loading. The heaviest vehicle I'd tow would be 5000 lbs. I'll be towing using my 2007 Ram 1500 Regular cab 2wd.
Prices seem to have stabilized. I may go and look at some trailers at a Big Tex dealer tomorrow.

 

[Bighouse]

I’ve noticed the prices on the used stuff is also creeping back down

 

[patrick66]

Coming down very, very slowly.

I had this great dream last night that the cops recovered my missing car hauler, now gone seven years to the day. However, in the dream, the thief had wrapped his stolen truck (tow vehicle) around a utility pole with my trailer in tow, and a stolen tractor attached to that! The trailer had come off the coupler, rammed the truck, and also the tractor broke the whopping two straps that was "holding it on" the trailer, and it impacted the cab full-on, flattening the driver to the thickness of a debit card from the waist up. In the dream, I went ahead and recovered the trailer to use as yard art,

Some dreams, you can only hope come true! I wish nothing but pain and suffering to the thief. A man can dream...And yes, I do hold a grudge. Forever, if necessary.

 

[Nxcoupe]

I have an aluminum open trailer with a full floor on it. Tows like a dream behind my 22 1500 3.0 eco diesel. I got it with a race car purchase and have a couple guys that want it if I ever sell it. I also own a 26 ft enclosed that I am selling to some friends. I prefer my open trailer. It just tows so much better. Make sure to get removable fenders on both sides and a place to mount a storage box for belts and battery for the winch. A winch is a must have imho, too.

 

[Kern Dog]

I went to a couple of trailer dealers today. The Big Tex 18' flat deck seems to be readily available but the dove tails are hard to get. One guy said their supplier stated that a price increase is imminent and that the dove tail could be ordered but it takes months to get.
I started thinking of ways to make a flat deck trailer work if the need arises.
I could make ramp extensions.....something like a 6 x 12 beam cut in a long wedge shape. The end nearest the trailer could be left flat for the steel ramps to sit on. The tongue of the trailer could be lifted to improve the angle as well.

Looking at some of the pictures here, I am also wondering if a 16 footer would be good enough. I looked back through the pictures and looked at these again....

That is a C body wagon on a 16 footer.

That is another C body on the same trailer. I was nervous of the idea of the back of the car hanging off of the trailer but suddenly remembered that when I am driving these cars, the back end is closer to the pavement anyway.

This Plymouth is about the same length as my Charger.....

16' may be enough. I have no plans to haul limousines.
A trailer dealer I spoke with had this ad on craigslist....

I saw their trailers. They seem robust. The hand crank stand at the front is back far enough to allow the tailgate to clear. 10" brakes on one axle only.
LED lights, I'd need a brake controller for it but from what I understand, my truck is wired for it. I have the 4 pin and 7 pin outlets in the bumper already.

 

[Kern Dog]

Forgive the crudity of the drawing......

The front of the trailer could also be lifted with the stand or a floor jack for loading and unloading.

 

[patrick66]

If your axles are far enough back on a 16' or 18' trailer, simply add a dovetail on it yourself or have a welder weld it for you. Your weight bias is still where it needs to be, and you have the length you want.

 

[Cliff Ramsdell]

I don’t know if these are available out on the west coast but I had one of these and it was a great trailer for years, up and down the east coast, close to 100k miles with nothing but normal maintenance, brakes, a set of wheel bearings and two right side fenders (novice driver, not me)

Open

Cliff Ramsdell

 

[33 IMP]

I have a fourteen footer, without a dovetail. I have never had to do any kind of shenanigans to get a car on or off. Maybe because I haven't hauled any seriously lowered cars. I HAVE had one car I had to go through the window, cause the door was too low to open, and if I had been carrying that car on a regular basis, I would have made some spacers to sit on.
Five foot ramps, slide out of the frame.
If I had to, the easiest way to get a low car off a non dovetail is to put ramps under the rear tires of the tow vehicle. I MAY have to do that with my opel.
The rear overhang has not bothered me for a moment. I'm more worried about the trailer getting hit when there is no car on it.

 

[Kern Dog]

If I had to, the easiest way to get a low car off a non dovetail is to put ramps under the rear tires of the tow vehicle.

I have seen that done. That would work as well.

 

[Nxcoupe]

Jmho, but if you are going to buy a trailer, buy exactly what you want, don't skimp and don't settle. Mine is an 18 footer and it works great.

 

[haywire 440]

I can’t let an opportunity to recommend the Aluma 18’ trailer go by. It’s a dream to haul with and brakes on both axles adds security.

The tool box on the front and spare tire on the side are what I added on. Also just changed all the brake components myself this year. This trailer will outlast me unless the apocalypse is right around the corner.

You’ll forget what it cost after your first trip.

 

[Virg464]

I don't know if you've ever towed a trailer with a hyd surge break system, but if you know someone that has one you might want to pull it to compare it to the elec brake trailers. IMHO, they are way better.

 

[Kern Dog]

This will be my first trailer. For my needs, I would be happy if the lights work, the brakes work and the car doesn't fall off.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I don't know if you've ever towed a trailer with a hyd surge break system, but if you know someone that has one you might want to pull it to compare it to the elec brake trailers. IMHO, they are way better.

Problem with surge brakes is on a down grade they tend to stay applied...On a short down grade no problem, a long down grade you'll cook the trailer brakes... Then theres that thing about backing up, the brakes tend to apply as you back up, you give I a little throttle & the brakes lock tighter.... Gotta learn to put it in reverse & wait, hopefully the trailer will start to roll backwards... Usually it does but if your on a surface where the trailer resists rolling say grass or gravel, you ain't backing up...

Virg464 lives in a relatively flat state, KD lives at the edge of the Sierras... Worlds apart...

 

[patrick66]

If you want to try the surge brake experience, rent a U-Haul auto transporter. They are right at 15' in length. I happen to like surge brakes, in that it allows you to pull with a vehicle you don't have an electric brake controller installed on. Surge brakes are on a lot of boat trailers, too. The thing I DON'T like about them is if you get in a situation where your vehicle combination starts to fishtail, you can't operate the trailer brakes separately to help straighten out and recover easily.

Personally, I prefer the extra safety aspect of having the ability to apply the trailer brakes separate from the truck; and the fact with a proper-adjusted controller resistance, you can get a good stop every time - uphill, downhill, or level

 

[Virg464]

Problem with surge brakes is on a down grade they tend to stay applied...On a short down grade no problem, a long down grade you'll cook the trailer brakes... Then theres that thing about backing up, the brakes tend to apply as you back up, you give I a little throttle & the brakes lock tighter.... Gotta learn to put it in reverse & wait, hopefully the trailer will start to roll backwards... Usually it does but if your on a surface where the trailer resists rolling say grass or gravel, you ain't backing up...

Virg464 lives in a relatively flat state, KD lives at the edge of the Sierras... Worlds apart...

Yup, things are pretty flat here in Michigan. I have had to lock the surge to back up a driveway once, but that's its. The option to hit the trailer brakes separate from the tow vehicle if things go sideways is a good thing, similar to the air brakes on a big rig (if that's even an option anymore). I just don't like all the wires on elec systems, too many things can go wrong, but I guess if you stay up on it (maint check) should be good to go.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I just don't like all the wires on elec systems, too many things can go wrong, but I guess if you stay up on it (maint check) should be good to go.

If done correctly the wiring is pretty trouble free, problem is most folks who wire trailers either don't know or don't care about doing a quality job.... First time I wired a trailer I did what I saw on every other trailer... Three months later I was dealing with trailer wiring a second time on the same trailer.... I realized doing it right once was less frustrating... First thing I do when wiring a trailer these days is install sections of 1/2" EMT conduit along both sides with small gaps where theres gonna be lights or the fixed end of the spring pack where I need a wire for the brakes... The wires to the brakes get run in 1/4" fuel line so they have abrasion resistance... Just do it right the first time & you'll rarely have problems after that...

 

[Richard Cranium]

I have an aluminum open trailer with a full floor on it. Tows like a dream behind my 22 1500 3.0 eco diesel. I got it with a race car purchase and have a couple guys that want it if I ever sell it. I also own a 26 ft enclosed that I am selling to some friends. I prefer my open trailer. It just tows so much better. Make sure to get removable fenders on both sides and a place to mount a storage box for belts and battery for the winch. A winch is a must have imho, too. View attachment 1314664View attachment 1314665View attachment 1314666View attachment 1314667

Trailer World built my trailer back in '09 & it's served me very well. The gravel shield is something that I highly recommend.

 

[Nxcoupe]

Trailer World built my trailer back in '09 & it's served me very well. The gravel shield is something that I highly recommend.

View attachment 1315681

Is that in BG KY or thereabouts? I would have liked mine to have that as well.