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Trailer
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I have seen this on Youtube and wondering how this might work to reduce the weight on the back or a coach and improve towing characteristics and reduce backing up trauma. Have no idea how legal or practical this might be but thought this is a very interesting concept. There are several being manufactured around the country. Michael
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Wow that Tracks works great towing that trailer DOWN HILL., Do not buy the Parkit360 for anything other than a little trailer. I bought one rated for 15,000 pounds for my 7,000 pound stacker and went about 6 feet before the motor started smoking and quit. On level concrete no less.
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Cliff,
For what it is worth in this conversation, I have a 22′ body enclosed with a five foot extension on the tongue. (Just like Charlie’s in the previous pictures….I can’t tell if he has the extended tongue or not.) Mine also has the fold down door with the extra ramps. I built a support across the top of the door to support it better when lowered and I also have a driver’s exit door so you can exit the car without climbing out of the window. Super important.
I have the 7000 # axles and they are reversed meaning that they are upside down which raises the bed and effectively lowers the fender wells inside of the trailer. I also have aluminum tracks about 3 or 4 inches high inside of the trailer upon which the car is loaded and rides. I have four pull downs in front (one set shorter and the other against the front 3000 # each. In the back I have two 6000# tie downs which I use cris-crossed for safety reasons and stability. Lights are at all pull down locations and ceiling.
I have all four wheel electric brakes.
It will carry a normal car and a cycle … I have a front shelf that holds a total 750# of whatever including the clothes on a clothes hanging rack across the front as well.
It trails great and is a pleasure to put the car in at night when I am carrying my Corvette. I know the tie down stuff is a pain fro some but I enjoy the project each time.
The trailer weights 4200# and I have also carried a full Suburban in it before they got as big as they are today but it does have the taller entrance for taller vehicles. I recommend no more that 9000# 0r 10000 # at most total. I do not recommend more weight because it can crack the frame.
The tongue weight is about 800# under most circumstances.
I guess it cuts my mileage when fully loaded traveling 65 MPH by about 1.5 to 2 MPG. However, I have never measured it. So, I drop from 7.8 MPG to 5.8 ??? Maybe less… I am 73 feet long when traveling and it has never been a problem in driving or with local limits of length. Texas says 65′ but does not enforce it.
I do not agree that all trailer tires by definition are not well made. I buy expensive tires for that very reason. I have never lost a tire and I keep the bearings serviced.
If you plan a trailer, I will be glad to talk to you about mine. (713) 735 9486. I have enjoyed it.
Best in your endeavors,
Pres
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Ronald, awesome post! Thanks for sharing!
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I always winch my cars in and out, don’t have to worry about climbing out of the doors, and can load it by my self and put it exactly where I want it.
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Looks like a perfect solution for you trailer guys at our Rally next year in Orange Beach, 100’ pull through sites.
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Pres,
Your trailer sound very interesting and custom. Who made it for you? What brand? The reversed axles and raised track allows you the open the car door for easier entering and exiting, correct?
Thanks,
Roy
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If you’ve never owned or regularly used a car hauler trailer, don’t just buy the first trailer you see. There are little subtle things about trailers that will make a big difference between a trailer that really fits your bill or becomes a PITA. Before you buy a trailer, load and unload the car you’re going to haul in that trailer (by yourself).
Reversing the axles to reduce the height of the wheel wells inside the trailer is usually available as a custom option from most trailer manufacturers if you go the bespoke route. Just keep in mind that reversing the axles raises the center of gravity of the trailer, increases the deck level of the trailer, and makes the ramp steeper (unless you go with tall ramp bumpers and a very long flap). Some low slung cars (like a Corvette) might have trouble with the frame dragging at the hinge due to the steepness of the ramp.
If you’re going to get a trailer, I’d recommend in most if not all situations to get a trailer with what is known as a “beaver tail”. A beaver tail is NOT a ramp door, but a trailer with a beaver tail has the last three to four feet of the trailer floor sloped back to the ramp door hinges. The beaver tail decreases the steepness of the ramp door and lessens the sharpness of the angle between the trailer floor and the ramp door at the hinge. Helps in loading and unloading low slung vehicles or vehicles with a long overhang ahead of the front tires.
A winch is a good idea; bigger is better! Long tongue (five foot) will be appreciated when making sharp turns.
When tying down any vehicle in the trailer “X” at least the straps in the back (if you don’t, you might find the vehicle moved over to one side. Put the trans in neutral; otherwise as the web straps stretch (and they will as you travel) the weight of the vehicle will be banging back and forth on the “parking pall” for an automatic and the slop in the drive train of a manual.
Nothing wrong with steel trailers. But consider an aluminum ramp door. your back will appreciate it down the road. Don’t be afraid to ask the trailer dealer to put an extra turn or more in the ramp door springs. Over time you’ll appreciate under floor compartments for spare tires, a floor jack, and the battery.
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Ditto on what Dick said.
I used a trailer to transport cars for a while and it was equipped with multiple methods of securing a car. After a very short period of time however it was abundantly clear I had to be really in need of a trailer to ever want to tow one behind the coach.
I am spoiled in that towing a vehicle 4 wheels down has become the standard by which I measure every other method of bringing stuff with us. Nothing is quicker or easier. Every time I would load the trailer I was made painfully aware of how much of a hassle it is to get a car in, get a car out, get in and out of the car and finally to secure the car.
Some vehicles were a snap to load. My Model A was so small I could drive it in and then get in and out of it as easily as if it was parked on the street. Securing it was also very easy because it sat high and it was quite easy to strap down. Despite the ease of strapping I still ended up laying on the trailer floor fishing the straps over the chassis members and trying to keep my hands and clothes clean.
Other cars were increasingly more difficult for a variety of reasons. My 50 Ford was not as easy to enter or exit and since it sat lower securing the straps was more time consuming. A Mercedes SL600 was a bitch. I had no option but to run the straps over the tires, which was OK but then I had to insure the straps and ratchet mechanism would not come in contact with the body which literally wrapped around the tires.
Despite the trailer being a beaver tail the ramp approach angle would have required me to add planking on at least two of my cars to get the nose of the car up before it hit the ramp. The pitch over would not have caught the center of the car but getting the nose in the air before it hit the ramp was an added job.
Then there is the added work of trying to keep the trailer clean. When towing 4 down the toad gets dirty. When it rains it gets filthy. But a trailer will also and it is a lot bigger than any toad and especially if it is a tall trailer.
If I absolutely had to use a trailer it would have a very great impact on getting ready for a trip. From hooking up to loading to adding one more item to maintain I would give very serious thought to the question of what I wanted to bring before the use of a trailer even entered my mind. This says nothing about the impact of hauling the extra weight. The only advantage is if I had a trailer I could back into any space without ever unhooking.
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😉 In Texas we call the taper on the rear of a trailer a”Dove Tail”
Torsion axles can be ordered with a 10 degree( or more) down angle, as opposed to using a spring “drop” axle and turn it over.
axles have a “camber” built in so upside down changes the stance.
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Like Jon stated in his post, when strapping down a car, you often find yourself down on your knees and reaching under the car in the hopes of being able to grab the straps.
It was like this for me, too, until I met somebody who had apparently done this job many more times than I have done it because he told me to go out and buy a grabber.
No more crawling under cars for me. Just use the grabber and pull the tail end of the strap towards you. Works like a charm.
Here is a photo.
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I used to hate strapping down the car in the trailer. I have tried everything I could think of on three different vehicles we have owned and two different trailers and could not keep it from bouncing around for long.
Then I found these low profile wheel straps and never looked back. I get zero movement of the car with these. They make them to strap to various surfaces and systems. I happen to use etrack.
The first pictures is a stock photo but the rest are from the Green Machine in our trailer.
Davy
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Saw this today. Another option.
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Roy,
Sorry I did not see your post responding to mine until today.
Pace made the trailer and I had it customized by a dealer that handles them. That generally is standard practice.
The reversed axles do exactly as you suggest. They raise the trailer “bed” and by definition, the fender wells can be lower.
The tracks are set and marked to balance the car being carried. With a Corvette, which is lower than for example, a Viper, you can still open the door and exit as long as the side door is is opened as well.
My trailer has a marble tile floor with a white vinyl siding…stays very bright.
I have enjoyed the fun of having the trailer because I put my car up in bad weather or at night. It also has twin jacks for stationary support on the base of the ramp which gives stability.
For electricity power to the trailer, all I need to do is put in a wall-through 120 volt plug and be able to plug that into a source. (Camp ground or coach).
I also like to “fiddle” with the cars so it is also nice to have a fan and a shaded area ready made…
As to Dick’s observation and excellent post, it is correct that a higher bed “can” cause a problem loading but I have the long extended ramps beyond the drop down door and can load a NASCAR … I built a 4″ support across the top of the drop down door that “lifts” and therefore flattens out the ramp… we also load a very low to the ground “Super Stock ‘Vette” with relative ease obviously harder to “tie down” … … ( it loads great, just needs to be faster)
… boys n’ their toys ! !
Pres
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RickdeSilva, Just curious what kind of cover is that on the bike and does it rub the paint anywhere??
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