Enclosed Trailers

[maxed_out_rpms]

Im getting ready to buy an enclosed race car hauler. I have raced dirt tracks for years but have always pulled an open trailer. Now im racing drag cars and think its about time to buy a enclosed trailer. I sure hope some of you guys who already own one can answer a few questions for me.

1) Is it better to have aluminum or vinyl interior walls and ceilings? ( not into painted plywood)

2) Theres a huge differance in price between say a Pro-Line trailer and a Pace trailer, is it worth it to pay the extra? I dont think i will be towing over 5-6 thousand miles a year. Are Haulmark Trailers as good as a Pace trailer? If there are better bang for the buck trailers out there please let me know ( Northern States suppliers )

3) Are the channel framed trailers as good as the boxed frame trailers? I have always pulled a channel framed open trailer without any problems.

Plain and simple, i guess im asking what brand of trailer you guys would recommend. Yes price is a big factor.
I talked to a guy at Pro-Line the other day and he informed me that a 2007 enclosed 24ft trailer with vinyl walls and ceiling, any colour i wanted, 10,000 lb. rating axles was in the $5,000.00 price range, I thought it was a good price, but are the trailers junk or are they worth the money?

Any help is always appreciated.
Thanks

[HWORRELL]

I 've ownd a U.S.Cargo 24 four footer. We pulled it a bunch of miles with no troubles whatsoever.I would shy away from the vinyl walls in a race enviroment,they mark and tear easily. Funny thing on your comment "it's about time you got an enclosed trailer". I'm going the opposite direction, We are going to pull the kids 305 sprint car on an open trailer. Its Just kinda kewl pulling a race car down the road and collecting all the thumbs ups,grins & waves..

[maxed_out_rpms]

Ya i have to agree 110%, it is kewl to pull the race car on an open trailer. Everyone talks to you at the gas stations, people ask where your from and where your going, everyone wants a closer look at the car etc. Hell, ive had so many parents stop me because they wanted a picture of there kids sitting in one of the race cars that it sometimes took a bit longer to get to the race tracks...ha ha ha...but, when its for the fans and kids, I always made time.
My favorite trailer was the one i sold with my dirt track modified. It had a 8ft x 8ft walk in work room on the front and the car was on the open part at the back of the trailer.
But, hard to find those trailers now, i built that one from the ground up. ( wasnt as pretty as the manufactured ones, but it worked good for me.)

[Dave Severson]

Well, I've had a Pace, a Chapparal, and a Featerlite. My new one is going to be a Featherlite.... Best pulling trailer I've ever had, not even so much as a blown tire in 15,000 miles on the old Featherlite, only reason I'm getting a new one is I need more room. I believe the name costs a bit extra, but they also bring a lot better $$$$$ on resale.... If you plan on keeping it forever though, IMO the Pace will do just fine. As for the walls, I did mine in pre-painted aluminum, very durable. The vinyl is ok, but it does tear and rip easily. Final point I will make is if you are CERTAIN you need a 24 foot trailer, then get one at least 2 feet bigger, they're always too small!!!!!!

[C9x]

I have a Haulmark 20 footer.

The interior length measures 20' 4".

Gross is 7000#.

Price two years ago was right at $6000.

It pulls nice and has worked out well.

Plywood walls are not a problem and in fact an advantage.
You ain't gonna live in it.

Plywood makes it easy to mount hooks etc. about anywhere you want.

[kennyd]

i was a happy pace owner also , untill my new 48ft pace showed up here . i alled pace direct to ask about a new 48 ft trailer ( after totaling my 44 ft ) they said they had a dealer in N.C. that had one . i payed them with a money wire , they said they would deliver it . it showed up here in the rain , i was happy UNTILL it stoped raining that day , it was hail damaged on one side .
i called them they said i was out of luck , to bad , go to he$$ . i called pace , they told me i was my fault .
after 3 weeks of calling pace ,the attorney general of N.C. and the dealer . i got no help , i still have a new 48 ft pace trailer with hail damage .
SO DO NOT BUY A PACE TRAILER BECAUSE YOU WILL GET NO HELP .
since then i have bought 3 24 ft interstate brand trailers an i am happy with them .

[C9x]

Keep in mind that fancy floors and other add-on's take away from what you can carry.

The 7000# gross on mine worked out well for transporting two roadsters and the shop from Sunny California to Sunnier Arizona.
Three trips fwiw.

The trailer weighs right at 3000#.

The pic shows my 2200# 31 on 32 rails roadster sitting in the normal spot.
Set for best balance etc.

Also seen in the pic is the potty room.
It doesn't take much room and the girls love it.
Beats heck out of the big green plastic box at the races.

The stand up front - bolted to a couple of crossmembers - holds an 1800# capacity boat trailer winch.
It drags the dead runners up with no problems.

I had a 1600# boat winch on my open trailer that had fairly steep ramps and it would drag 3300# cars up easily.

[C9x]

This pic shows the lightweight construction of the potty room walls.
Lots of ways to do it, but 1/4" hardwood plywood and 2 x 2's were easy.

The door jamb on the right side is a piece of aluminum angle.

The door swings on a 48" piano hinge.

When you buy your paper towel and TP roll holders, be sure to get the type that has a little friction.
I used a free running one for the paper towels, first trip the roll unrolled all over the floor.

[C9x]

Thought I had a pic, but couldn't find it.

Anyway, added four more floor tie-downs like the HD ones the trailer came with.
As well as several other lighter duty floor tie-downs and some eye hooks on the fender interiors and on the floor where you won't trip over them.
Invaluble when hauling the shop stuff.

Don't be afraid to bolt stuff to the floor, I lag screwed the lathe - sans carriage and tailstock and off the table - to the floor snce it's difficult to tie down well.

I see a lot of guys hauling this size - and similar - trailers with a standard hitch.
Do yourself a favor and get a load equalizin hitch and sway bar.
Makes a big difference.

[Blow by]

C9x your setup looks great,was wondering what you are using to tow with and where the potty came from.

[C9x]

C9x your setup looks great,was wondering what you are using to tow with and where the potty came from.

Thanks.

It worked out well and makes a heckuva storage shed....
All kidding aside, it takes about 15 minutes to get the few things out of it so it can be used.
I make a point to have it reasonably available.

Potty is a self contained Thetford.
Available at most any trailer store or camping/RV supply house.
I mail ordered mine.
With the chemicals they use, cleaning them is easy and not a problem.
Just watch out in the winter if the temps drop below freezing.
The pump should be empty and the reservoir & holding tank section should be dry as well.
Seems like the potty was about $110. or so.

Fwiw, I used to use one of these on a sailboat and sliding down some big waves and running rough water in the ocean, no problems.


Anyhoo, tow vehicle is a 2002 Ford F-150 SuperCrew with 5.0 liter.
I see guys buy this pickup with the 4.6 liter and it's not long after they're looking for heavier duty stuff etc.
The 5.0 liter is geared for towing and it really worked well.
Ford used to call this truck "their light 3/4 ton."
It has a 3/4 ton rear axle, big brakes etc.

Do a search for the F-150 board for more info.


We moved the shop, lotsa stuff - and the trailer was only a few hundred pounds over gross - in temps of 107 degrees F., A/C on and headed up the long and steep 12 mile grade going east on Hwy 68 up from the Colorado River at Laughlin, Nevada.
Some days, running on level ground, the temps were 109 - 110 degrees.

We did most of our move in July and August, across the desert from Central California to Las Vegas where we staged stuff at daughters house and then took it to Kingman, Arizona.

No probs with the pickup and it did amazingly well.
Nice part was, we didn't have to shut the air off.

I can't say enough about the Ford pickup, it did the job, got 10 mpg with truck and trailer loaded and had no problems keeping up with traffic.
Even if the traffic was in the slow lane - like Baker Grade out of Baker, California going toward Las Vegas.
That grade is close to the ultimate test for a towing vehicle.

Baker, California is down in a dry lake and the summer temps can be fierce.
Granddaughter and I took the last trailer load over and did the run at night.
0400, climbing the Baker grade, the temps were 95 degrees.
Lord only knows what they were during the day.

Fwiw, the Ford proving grounds is right down the road from where I live and they constantly test pickups and cars in the big loop running down I-40 to Needles, up the winding road to Laughlin and up the long grade to where they can cut across to the proving grounds.

They tow funny looking HD tandem axle - very short - trailers that have a dynamometer device on board as well as other recording equipment.

Sometimes the new models are 'disguised' with small black bra's and canvas at pertinent points.

55,000 miles on the pickup, no problems at all, replaced only the front disc pads and the original tires are still on the truck.
Looks like they'll make 60,000 miles with no trouble.

Sweetie loves the F-150 and calls it, "her truck."

[maxed_out_rpms]

Ya...where did that potty come from...looks like it has some kind of moisture or gas detection guage sitting on top of it...ha ha ha..( kidding...just couldnt let that one get by )

I like the toilet idea, my girlfreind hates the public washrooms also ( the wife hates them to...ha ha ha...kidding) But it is a good idea for the woman. I do like the aluminum or vinyl interiors because it looks cleaner and is alot easier to keep shinny clean.

I see why you buy the featherlite's Dave, they are really nice trailers. But, they are a little to rich for my blood at this time. (maybe you will offer me a dam good deal on your used one though...ha ha ha) My cougar would just fit into a 20ft hauler with cabinets at the front, but it would be tight, thats why i was thinking of a 24ft trailer. Or maybe now after the bathroom idea a 28ft trailer, plus i would have extra room to store the lawn chairs, luggage, small motor bikes etc.

Ok, here the deal guys, I live in Northern Ontario Canada, and the closest drag track to me is almost 600 miles away. So when i say im hauling the car to the races, Im really hauling to the races...ha ha ha. I used to race dirt track modifieds in Thunder Bay Ontario and that was only a 200 mile haul, so it wasnt that bad. ( accually ya it was...ha ha) Now maybe yous can understand why i cant afford to spend to much money on a trailer, If i spend all my money on a trailer i wont have any left to pay for the gas to and from the track.

Alot of people ask me why do i still race when its so far to the track, well, we all know the answer to that question dont we. Its because we love to race, and because i really enjoy being around my 21 and 8 year old sons. They were brought up around racing and enjoy it also. So we go to 4-5 races a year and have fun together as a family.

Holy crap kennyd...how many trailers do you own? You have boughten 3 24ft trailers and still have the pace with hail dammage? ( is it the one for sale on racingjunk web site advertised with hail damage?

[C9x]

Forgot the pic....

[C9x]

Ya...where did that potty come from...looks like it has some kind of moisture or gas detection guage sitting on top of it...ha ha ha..( kidding...just couldnt let that one get by )

Yeah, it's the ol volt/ohmmeter, I was in the middle of installing the fluorescent light for the potty room.
They're polarity conscious . . . which was a surprise to me.

I don't know what the other trailer guys do, but the wiring in my Haulmark won't let the two trailer ceiling interior lights work unless the truck ignition is on.

Far better imho to have a separate trailer battery, have all the lights plumbed to it and just have a charge wire from the pickup.
The potty room light has it's own switch at the light.
The ceiling lights have a switch near the door.

I'm guessing Haulmark wires their trailers this way so the trailer lights don't drain the truck battery overnight.


My little brother runs a 24' Wells Cargo.
Nice trailer, it has a potty room as well.
In his case, it was an option and has a skylight/vent overhead.
I think he put a light in the potty room, but it's only needed at night.
(My Haulmark ceiling vent is in the middle of the trailer.
It does help when parked.

Anyway, his Henry J race car (8.13 @ 166 mph) is probably 14-15' long and he has room for lots of stuff.
Workbenches up front, rollaway bolted in just inside the door hinges (left side if you're in the trailer looking out).
Shade poles etc. on the left wall up high.
Electric winch that plugs - mechanically - into a socket in the floor at the front, floor jack, jackstands, chairs etc.

Fwiw, my roadsters are both 12' long.
They have stock frame horns up front and the rear frame horns are bobbed off in the rear.

Not shown in the pics, is a spare tire bracket I made from 1" x 2" x .120 wall that sits just left of the left front tire.
It has provisions for an 8 ton hydraulic bottle jack and 4 way lugnut wrench.

One thing to keep in mind, leave yourself an aisle to walk down from rear of trailer to front once the car is in and tied down.
I can get around the left side of the highboy roadsters, but the spare tire gets in the way.
The right side is an easy walk....

[Blow by]

Thanks for all the info,is interesting to see what others are doing.We have considered a trailer as we could also use it for extra storage.At the moment we are paying to store our Mini and I was thinking about hauling my truck to a couple of shows.I didn't want my truck to be a trailer Queen but when you live in the snow for a good parrt of the year it might help.
C9x if you are happy with the towing capabilities of your Ford,I think I should be ok with my 04 F150 5.4.
Definitely something to think about.Thanks.I like the picture as we would probably look at a 20' also.