Enclosed trailer....

G&N Farms

G&N Farms

Senior Member
Once everything is good on our little pick-up, we plan on taking her places. I have a 24 foot utility trailer now we haul cars, trucks and tractors around with. After reading about high speed driving and the effects of aerodynamics on the Model A, we have decided on an enclosed trailer for the A. As with everything else, I have been researching trailers. Why not go to the people using them for what you want.

1. I think the P/U weighs around 2300 lbs. Close ?

2. 16, 18 or 20 foot ? I know bigger is better but not for me in this case. My hot-rods can ride outside.

3. Weight distributing set up ? We have an F 250 for 5th wheel.

4. Brands to stay away from ?

Thanks and hope this hasn't been beat to death.
 
16 will work but 18 may give you space for cabinets if you desire
All trailers Made in the south i.e. Georgia are inferior
Trailers made in Indiana area are of better quality. United , millennia are a couple That's the way it is You get what you pay for.
A weight distribution set up is always good to have

Mine is a 24 lots of extra space
 
With a F250 you won't need a weight distribution or sway control system though it won't hurt anything but your pocketbook. The trucks springs and tires will safely carry the trailers tongue load, especially with only a loaded trailer at about 7500 pounds (car 2300# and trailer about 5000 pounds). Weight on the hitch should be 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight. You need to adjust where you position the car for tie down so that the the tongue load is in the 10 -15% range. The closer you park the car to the front of the trailer the more tongue weight you will have.

BTW your premise that an enclosed trailer will be more aerodynamic than a car on an open trailer may not be right. I had an open trailer for a 55 Chevy and then got an enclosed trailer and the tow vehicle mileage went down. I decided the I was pushing more air with an enclosed trailer than with a 55 Chevy sitting on top of a 2 foot trailer.
 
jbond said:
With a F250 you won't need a weight distribution or sway control system though it won't hurt anything but your pocketbook. The trucks springs and tires will safely carry the trailers tongue load, especially with only a loaded trailer at about 7500 pounds (car 2300# and trailer about 5000 pounds). Weight on the hitch should be 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight. You need to adjust where you position the car for tie down so that the the tongue load is in the 10 -15% range. The closer you park the car to the front of the trailer the more tongue weight you will have.

BTW your premise that an enclosed trailer will be more aerodynamic than a car on an open trailer may not be right. I had an open trailer for a 55 Chevy and then got an enclosed trailer and the tow vehicle mileage went down. I decided the I was pushing more air with an enclosed trailer than with a 55 Chevy sitting on top of a 2 foot trailer.
Click to expand...

would a V nose trailer help the aerodynamics? sometimes on the interstate i see the pickup cab has a air scoop to help deflect the wind up over the top of the front of the trailer (if its taller than the cab)
 
It will help to load it backwards so that the aerodynamics are at least a little better with the rear end pointing forward. I hauled my Model A tudor in this manner from Owensboro, KY to Wichita Falls, TX. Open carry with a U-Haul trailer.

Check the tie downs on anything you rent from them, as they may loosen or not be working correctly. Their staff may not do the best job in checking things. I don't recall what size our trailer was, but we pulled it with a Chevy S-10 at the time.

I had a friend tow me with my 16" trailer a few years later. We hauled the tudor from Iowa Park, TX to Arlington, TX with no issues noted. I don't recall what make and model his truck was, but it was sure bigger than the old Chevy S-10 was, for sure. Be sure you know how to balance everything correctly when it is up on the trailer.

To me, hauling the car with it backwards seemed to make quite a bit of difference as we trailered the ol' Gal. Others may not like it, but it worked for me for quite a few miles and on different long haul occasions. Good tie downs are essential, but a good chocking system adds to security and make sure all of your trailer lights work, as people can tailgate just about anywhere and anytime when you least expect them to do so.

Good luck with it.
 
I have a 20 ft "Interstate 1" enclosed trailer - V-nose front with cabinets. Upgraded to 9,900 lb weight. Trailer is also wider - 8' 6".

I usually haul my 1930 Model A Roadster, but have also hauled my 1930 Town Sedan and a few times my 1990 Chevrolet Corsica. The Model A's are easy to load and lot of space. The trailer is also equipped with flourescent lights, finished interior, etc.

I do not use a weight distribution or swag bar system. No issues with stability. My tow vehicle is a 1994 Chevrolet 3/4 ton heavy duty extended cab with 8 foot box with a 8 foot slide-in camper. Never had any stability problems when I ran without the camper for the first 7 years I had the trailer. I believe the 3/4 HD with the full 8' box (8,600 lb GVW) is the key to having no issues.
 
Thanks guys. The aerodynamics was from an earlier post were I posted a picture of my A upside down on a trailer. :D We pull a 34 foot 5th wheel but not an enclosed trailer. Our friends have large trailer campers and use the equalizer hitches. Our car/utility trailer tracks fine at 80 but it's not a brick going down the road.

I did see cheaper ones out of Mississippi. We are looking at an Interstate at this time, it's not the cheapest but not the most ether.

We haul the A on the open trailer now. How sad is it that I'm more worried about our Little Truck that I'm looking for an enclosed trailer. If it's in the trailer, it won't get wet or in case of hail or bugs or rocks or anything else. I don't worry about our 57 Chevy like this. Sheesh what happen to me ????:eek:
 
I use an Interstate for our Model As. Have covered a lot of miles and really like it. I went with the 20' version as I wanted a place for cabinets since the trailer is used to accompany the Summer tours we do with subscribers. Gives us a work space and place for the tools.
 
Regarding the weight distribution yea or nea. ?????

I tested my truck both ways with and without the weight distribution (no anti sway) (proper tire pressure etc) pulling a 24' box and the A....

There is a noticeable difference using it. The truck has a better ride less up and down bounce on certain road conditions...

When going on a trip I always use it/// locally not so much

I can see my findings not being accurate testing on a worn out tow vehicle but that is not the case...

2015 gmc 3500 HD ..Diesel. Crew cab 6.5 box
 
I have hauled enclosed and open trailers
Currently have a Sundowner Aluminum 20 FT. I was able to add a storage box with a winch. The Aluminum save a lot of weight! Weights 1,400# tandem axle with electric brakes on all four. I pull with an Explorer with a V8. It hauls the CCPU just fine and average around 13 mpg hauling which is pretty darn good.

No problems with the A in the open and I run 65 on the interstates. Now the enclosed the trailer is much heavier so I doubt my Explorer would do well. I have pulled them with an Expedition with the 5.4 V8 and it was fine. Lots more drag and more difficult with a cross wind.

Advantages to both. I have hauled several vehicles where I had to winch them on and they would have been too high for the enclosed rig.

Any 1.5 ton pickup with towing package will haul great. I pulled with a Ford 150 with six Ecoboost and it was fine also.
 
If you are worried about air pressure on your car, just put and air dam / rock guard on the front your existing trailer. This will protect your other vehicles also. Pretty low cost and save added license and insurance costs.

By the war I have a 36 foot race car hauler for my cars and with full work shopwork shop.

GDG
 
As far as fuel mileage goes, I drive a Ford. It gets the same pulling our 10,000# camper as it does driving through town unloaded, 11/12 . We have an aluminum 12 ft trailer for our Kubota and it is so light, very nice when moving around.

The Interstate is close to home but I found another brand Stealth about an hour away. The Stealth is made in Bristol Indiana, that is where most R/V's are made. My wife and I visited there last year, go figure.

The dealer here is closed today so before I buy, I'll have to wait to see. Thanks for the info.
 
Colony Cargo Trailers

Colony Cargo LLC in Fitzgerald, GA is who to buy from

Tim Woods the owner is who to deal with

Arising Industries is also located in Fitzgerald, GA

They custom build all my enclosed car hauling trailers to my specs

Who builds your trailer combined with who you buy your trailer from comes into play if you have problems - it is how the problems are handled that sets trailer dealers and trailer manufacturers apart

I would never go anywhere else


Jim
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    66.4 KB · Views: 10
Re: Colony Cargo Trailers

I've hauled different cars on different trailers with different tow vehicles for many years. My first caution is weight distribution. Ten percent of the total weight of trailer and car goes on the hitch. Tongue weight scales are available. Usually the center of the car's wheelbase centered over the front trailer axle is close. Use equalizer bars to shift some of the weight onto the front truck axle. A true story. My friend with a pickup towing a car in an enclosed trailer had the load too far forward, no equalizer bars. Cresting a rise on an interstate highway at a fast speed got air under the front of his pickup due to too much weight behind his rear axle, lost steering control, truck, car and trailer. The end.
 
I pull a 16 foot enclosed trailer with a F250 power stroke Diesel with no sway bars and no problems.

Ron
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top