Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

chevytrucks92 · 10-07-2006, 08:02 PM

So here's my delima. This off season, I'm going to buy a new trailer to pull my car with. The one I use now is just too small for it, plus its not mine, its my uncles. Anyways, I'm a little bit hung up on what kind of trailer to get.

My options are: a 20' open car trailer, with alluminum floors, brakes, ramps, and new tires and wheels. The price on those are around $2500. The advantage of an open trailer is they are easy to pull. They're pretty light and there's no wind drag other then your car. Plus there's the cool factor of everybody gettin to see your car when you go somewhere, lol. The disadvantage of an open trailer is the car gets all the weather you run into going to and from the track. More then once I've rolled in to the races and had a dirty race car due to a stray rain shower.

Then there's the enclosed car haulers. Those can be very pricey. I would atleast want a 24' version, and the cheapest price I've ever seen on one of those is $5000. That's plain jane on the insides too. But anyways, you guys can pretty well figure out the advantages to an enclosed trailer. You can also probably figure out the disadvantage: they are hard to pull! Major wind drag!

Anyways, I'm goign to check around on them and find some exact prices. I've always wanted an enclosed trailer and they are far superior to an open trailer when you're at the track and even at home, becuase your car never sees any weather. But they are expensive and they are a big load for a 1/2-ton truck.

So that's what I've got on my mind for the time being. I'm going to get one or the other for next year.

302exploder · 10-07-2006, 09:04 PM

this may sound kinda crazy, but maybe you can build a enclosed trailer. start with an open one, build an aluminun fram and hang some sheetmetal on it. you can even slope the front to help with wind drag. i don't know how much metal costs are though, so that might not be any cheaper, but its an idea

clawhammer · 10-07-2006, 10:51 PM

Buy used

RACER D12 · 10-08-2006, 10:23 AM

Go with an open and get a car cover

chevytrucks92 · 10-08-2006, 04:25 PM

Thanks for the replies. I guess I've still got some time before I make any decisions. I guess what it will all come down to is just how expensive a 24, or 26 foot enclosed trailer is, when you get one that has cabinets, and a finished interior, instead of just bare bones.

2.2 Straight six · 10-08-2006, 04:44 PM

why don't you get an open trailer and cover the car with a tarpaulin or car cover?

chevytrucks92 · 10-08-2006, 04:58 PM

Well I hate to leave a cover on it all the time. That will ruin the paint.

2.2 Straight six · 10-08-2006, 06:21 PM

they do that? how?

-The Stig- · 10-08-2006, 06:23 PM

The fabric constantly whipping against the paint maybe...

Normally, when a car is under a car cover it's stationary.

VR43000GT · 10-08-2006, 06:33 PM

Just nail a piece of plywood to the front of the trailor to stop wind and dirt.

No, not seriously.

chevytrucks92 · 10-08-2006, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SL3000gt

Just nail a piece of plywood to the front of the trailor to stop wind and dirt.

No, not seriously.

LOL. I was going to say man, lol.

Chad82 · 10-09-2006, 08:25 PM

I would say if you have a covered place to keep it off season, open is the way to go, unless you are doing some serious treking where a semi-mobile workshop is good (that you couldn't carry in your truck for whatever reason).

When I was younger I had to do a lot of trailer moving (worked at rental yard/u-haul) and even with a couple hundred of hours with a closed trailer behind me, I could never get completely comfortable with the reduced visibility, whereas I am sure driving with an open trailer is practically second nature to you by now. But, thats just me.

chevytrucks92 · 10-09-2006, 08:53 PM

The only thing I got against an open trailer is the fact that the car gets rained on going to and from a track, provided it rains. And I've been racing at a track that's about 2 and a half hours away, and all but 1 time this season its rained on me going down there and so I've had a dirty car, lol.

And then I think open trailers are a lot more useful then a boxed trailer. Its not like you're going to pull a 24 or 26 feet enclosed trailer to Lowes to buy some lumber, lol. But you would pull a 20' open trailer.

I just keep going around and around with myself on this, lol.

carrrnuttt · 10-10-2006, 06:39 AM

In terms of overall practicality, the enclosed trailer wins, hands down. Not only can you use it as lockable emergency storage for not only your car, but other things, you can also haul more than just a car in it in relative safety.

chevytrucks92 · 10-10-2006, 05:03 PM

That's very true. And I know from experience that its alot more comfortable setting inside an enclosed trailer with a fan blowing on ya (or an A/C, which is somethign I would most def. get on one if I get one, lol), when its 100+ outside, then it is setting on an open trailer with the sun beaming down on ya, lol.

My uncle has a 24 foot enclosed trailer, and you can pretty much figure out that's where we all hang out between rounds. Its so conveniant to have somethign like that at the track. So I do know first hand the major benefits, but I also know first hand the drawbacks.

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD