Technical Trailers - Show & Tell

I bought a totaled (jackknife damaged the front skin) 18' enclosed trailer several years ago, and haven't regretted it. It's a portable, temporary garage, hauled cars too uncomfortable to drive any distance (see photo...), bring home projects, move our son, move nieces and nephews, lend to friends to move businesses, and generally just handy to have. I have an electric winch for it, great for dragging non running cars in.

 

Mine is similar. 18' by 8' wide steel bed flatbed with winch. Some don't understand why I would want one that sits so high but it is handy for cars plus heavy vehicles but also I can load all kinds of parts,palettes etc. From any side with my forklift . Outweighs the lower loading advantage in my opinion.

 

Yeah and use correct rated tires for your trailer not old car tires.
It is well worth it.
Last thing you need is a blow out on a busy highway with a full load on, probably even worse on some narrow back road actually.
I carry 2 spares, cos I just ain't that lucky...

 

still need to see some single axle trailer pics ! i want to build one for my anglia gasser ! want to use a torsion axle w-some 8 bolt 235-85 16 -12 ply tires - adj height reciever, electric brakes,2 5/16 ball,fenders & tilt bed or small flip down ramps ?? i know lots of people are down on single axle trailers -but this will be done ! i seen a company that makes some for small const & manlift equiptment -very similiar to what i want ? any ideas or pics ?? thanks mike

 

Here is my small Trailer built from aluminum boat trailer


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

...specially if the trailer sits outside without tire covers,..ozone is hard on em.

 

I've had several trailers, 4 enclosed, 24, 2 28's and 1 40 ft goose neck. I have a 18 ft solid steel bed one now, was in pretty nice shape but 4 yrs of cutting wood has took it's toll on it. Going to redo it this winter and make some changes. Going to make the ramps slide out, new fenders, new tires, and install a winch. It has brakes on both axles, I installed new backing plates, complete, and all new bearings about 4 yrs ago. Going to get back to racing so it needs to look decent. I just bought a single axle, used 12 ft trailer that I'm going to use to haul wood, junk or whatever I don't want to haul on my 18 ft one. It doesn't have brakes and I'm going to add them this winter. It has the 5x5 1/4 bp right now, since I'll have to have new hub and drums, I'm going to change that. What bp would you all recommend where I can get away from a 15 in tire and go to a 16? The axle is a 3500 so I'll need to stay with a 5 lug from what I've researched. Didn't some of the s10's have a 5 on 4.75 16in wheel? 16 in tires are easy to find used.

 

Here's my open trailer. It's a H & H trailer that was new in 1986, I bought it six years ago from my old boss for $50. I've refurbished the lights, wiring, brakes, tires, added a winch, new paint and storage box, I have about $1000 in it.


I decided I needed a 20' enclosed trailer this year to go to the Turkey Run, here I am picking it up at the dealer outside of Charlotte, NC. I've put in a new floor, extra interior lights, winch.

My wife can't understand why I need to keep both trailers, although I like the new enclosed trailer, I'm still really partial to the open trailer, for some reason. I'll probably sell the enclosed trailer before I part with the open one.

I agree with everyone statement about maintaining good tires on your trailer. Another thing I've learned, just like tools, don't loan your trailer out to your friends. I tell them, "I'll tow you if you need towed, just pay for the fuel, but I'm not loaning you my trailer!

 

with a little help from my grandson getting the trailer ready for a power drive to kansas for a 51 ford half ton pickup

 

I explain that differently....... I tell them I never loan out my chainsaw, trailer, or girlfriend because they always come back "F***ed"

 

Nuttin special, but here's a home built one I made from an old house trailer frame to haul around my champ car and Anglia projects. I tried to make it look somewhat period correct. I put on a dropped center xmbr, removable fenders made from plastic oil drums, and a winch up front.

 

This one works for me.

 

I started with a 16' open in 92 then in 06 extended it to 24' and added a 40" semi sleeper to it. Used this for 6 years then bought a 34' open added a 63" semi sleeper. I prefer open center but I put planks down 12' of it so that I can put things such as a motor in the center and not have to worry about it sliding around. In 25 years of doing this I've never regretted having an open center. I've even used it like a hoist to see the bottom side of a car I was considering buying.
Since 07 I've done 14 trips west to bring back bodies and parts so some of what I've done to my present trailer is based on what I've experienced doing that. My present 34' has a 12K winch, electric tongue jack and because you can't have enough tie downs I have 66 of them. I also have a removable rack system I built so that I can stack bodies, roadsters or truck beds on the bottom. A couple of removable uprights on the side in order to carry frames on their side instead of flat therefore taking up less space. Keeping the trailer in good working order is important, brakes, wheel bearing greased, lights in good working order and good tires. For tires I run 16" 10 ply truck tires. When I was using the 16' trailer I had car tires but once I went to a larger trailer I started using the 16" tires. Like most I NEVER loan my trailers out
A couple of other nice options are, a box on the tongue for holding tie downs etc and back up lights plus loading lights for night time use

 

Me too. Tire trouble is bad...

 

I have a 20 ft all aluminum H&H enclosed trailer and while it's a nice trailer it sits about a foot taller than my old H&H steel trailer which while it's a V nose I feel it pulls harder than the old steel one. Had an interesting moment taking a car to Louisville this summer. We were in what they call mountains and in a rain the wind took the trailer side ways to about a 45 degree angle to the tow vehicle. Had my 3/4 ton suburban not been heavy enough and with the power to pull us out of the slide, it could have been a disaster. Definitely a dry goods soiling moment! Thinking of letting someone else own it and going back to another steel framed lower trailer like before.

 

Here's an older pic of my trailer. It's an old Formula car trailer, pretty light and not too wide, has surge brakes.

 

I'm very interested in the sleeper cab idea. I had considered converting a gutted camper into an enclosed trailer/sleeper but the semi sleeper idea had not occurred to me!

 

patmanta, I'll answer any questions I can. It's worked great for me, saves a ton on motel bills

 

I was getting ready to leave for the 5000K+ mile trip pulling my two axle car trailer. I had blown two tires on a previous trip and have all 4 tires that were just over two years old. I buy all my tires from the same place and they are a distributor as well as provide commercial service. I got talking to the manager about trailer tires and he said the biggest problem with tires on trailers is that they sit with the tires in the same position over an extended period of time. When the trailer is finally moved the steel belting has taken a 'set' along with the rubber with it and the two break apart to start the failure as soon as it is moved from that position. He said the secret to making the tires on a trailer last is to move it around routinely and not to park with the tires in the same position. I had moved the trailer around and it hadn't set that much so I had a trouble free trip trailer tire wise on the two + year old tires. Not to hijack the thread but a consideration especially if you are going to use the trailer for storage as the OP mentioned.

 

so you could even put it on jack stands when it sits for a while, eh?

 

How do you go about mounting them, how tall/wide do they run, & where's a good place to get them?

 

Get a tiltbed and a good winch if you're projects don't run. Mine is 20' and I don't think I could ever own one any shorter after having it. I know I won't own a trailer with ramps ever after having a tilt bed. My winch is an XRC8 Smittybilt and with a doubler I haven't found anything I can't winch on. The 57 Ford was past the center of the hubs in dirt.

 

patmanta, pm sent

 

I have a 16 foot open trailer that I want to add a 2 foot dovetail but can't decide to have two separate tails or just one all the way across the back.

 

The split tail trailer makes a really easy job of attaching chains or axle straps. The difference is lying on your back or kneeling in the gravel to attach the straps.

 

Loaning your trailer to someone who assures you that his tow vehicle is wired properly and getting your trailer back with the 7 pin plug cut off so he could put on a 4 pin flat plug to fit his vehicle will just about guarantee the end of a friendship. If you get a trailer with a 2 5/16" coupler, most of the guys who would want to borrow it won't have that size ball. Widest trailer you can haul legally without permits is 102". Go with that plus whatever length you need and don't buy any of those 3" x 3" x 3'16" angle iron, welded on the top side only things you see coming out of Texas. They are generally sold at big box home centers, Lowes, Home Depot, Tractor Supply and such. They're put together cheap and they bend and fall apart fast.

 

Trailer can be very handy,my first was just a near free bee,old boat trailer in 1958 I added some wood 2x8 ramps too for a car. That one was small an didn't really hold anything bigger then Modal A size. Next one was made by me from 37Chrysl.Crown front axle laying in a field an a lot of anlge iron n pipes,didn't last long. So I built one from box tube an WW2 temp runway strips=really good stuff an still have it for like 30+ years now,carryed more race cars an hot rods then I can count.

 

I have a 10,000 lb. trailer with a 20 ft. wood deck, looks simular to Squirrel's....
I have 16 in. side boards I can put it on for junk or furniture or ?????
When I first bought it, it sat empty for a couple months and I kept looking at it and thinking it
was bigger than I really needed...... The first time I put a car on it (a 1964 Comet wagon) all my
miss givings went away, It is an ideal size for my needs.....
I don't loan my trailers either, the only friends I have that I would trust with it have their own
trailers, so it is a non-issue.....

LynnW

 

Pretty sure .250 tread plate won't get you to a realistic weight, a steel deck 8' x 16' would weigh over 1300 pounds, aluminum would be close to 500 pounds. The cost would probably be prohibitive also.

 

Like others, I really like to have a trailer. I used to borrow my Uncle’s trailer- 18’ U-Name-It (brand) with tube side rails around it. They are at least 18” high and are a real bummer with a wide car because you get it on and can’t open the door. I ran an ad locally and someone had a trailer they didn’t need anymore that I bought. An 18’ U-Name-It.. But, mine didn’t have the rails around it. The ramps bent and wouldn’t slide into the carry slots anymore. Used it quite a bit for several years and then when I bought my tractor, the seller offered a trailer for a small amount more. It’s a bit larger, I believe a 22’ that has heavier axles with 6 lug wheels. I’m using it currently (as in today/tomorrow) to haul home my new to me Ford Coe. Had a little swing on the freeway and I stopped, pumped the air pressure evenly in the tires and much better.
My old trailer I had mounted a winch to, and I’ll be doing the same with this one. Funny thing is- you don’t need a winch that can lift your entire truck and trailer. I used an “atv” winch on the last one. Rated at 3500 pounds, it pulled everything from a 65 Ltd to a 70s dually Truck with 16’ flatbed up the ramps. It’s just rolling up ramps not hanging the car from a tree! Anyway, I’m sure there are situations where you would need more, but if it rolls the $100 winch will probably do the job.
An aluminum trailer sounds neat, no experience but being light would help with fuel I’m sure. Someday a tilt bed trailer may be the next step, I’d like to hear the reason why someone above seemed to discourage them. I’ve also thought that a beavertail added to my current trailer might be nice? What about the beavertail do you especially like or not like?
There’s today’s pic..


If it's not broke, fix it till it is!