Went shopping again.....

[Martin 2,131]

Been looking for quite awhile and have been torn between an open or enclosed trailer. Both have their positives and negatives for my intended use, which other than hauling a few red ones around the place, I sometimes need to haul lumber/building materials, maybe a car, whatever......

I also needed to consider the possibility of a larger full size tractor in the future, (maybe)...

I've liked the fact that the enclosed I used was secure and kept everything dry, but it was like towing a brick wall behind my old red Sierra, gas mileage sucked,

Been using an open just recently and it's like there's nothing there.

Well, I've gone and dragged an 18 ft flat bed car hauler home for future hauling duties. It's staying open at the moment, but may end up getting some tractor height front and sides, sort of like the low height motorcycle haulers.....

At least I can take 3 or 4 comfortably now, the enclosed would only fit two and it was a pain in the rear to load....

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[dclarke 4,032]

That looks pretty nice, Martin....   Some times I wish my little 5 x 8 was bigger.

[smoreau 658]

Looks like a great investment Martin. should be able to haul every thing you would need to haul.

[Kelly 1,029]

I have owned a 18' car trailer for about 12-13 years now it has hauled everything you can think of, mine the deck is extra wide at 83" to haul big cars and trucks on, I can fit 6 tractors with ease on it, you will love it. 

[Vinylguy 4,674]

Awesome!!! 

Where will I put graphics? 

[Martin 2,131]

im already loving it and havent even loaded it yet.

towing empty with the new sierra i hardly even know its there. the gas milage hardly dropped 0.2 mpg avg on the dash with the 80 mile trip home. will be interesting to see how it goes loaded. still im getting 20.3 at the moment over 3 full to empty tanks and thats calculated from miles and actual gallons from the pump. (the dash is telling me 18.5 avg so im liking that my calculations are even more favorable). truck only has 1500 miles so im happy im already getting at least 5 mpg more than old red.....

best thing of all was the ease of hookup. i wasnt sure what drop i was going to need on the hitch hookup so i stole the 2" off my c125 with the smoreau towing apparatus and put a 2 5/16 ball on that for the time being. 2" drop worked out just right. 

another thing that i was real happy with was no messing around with trailer brake controllers as the truck has a factory controller, just plug it in, the controller is integrated in the lower part of the dash panel and all the gain and brake info comes up on the dash. you could just call it "plug and play". just have to work out if the truck wiring charges the breakaway battery on the trailer as well, im not sure if the dedicated + wire goes to the battery or not.......

 

back to the trailer itself, this ones 6'10" wide between the fenders (82") i had a choice from something like 77 and the 82. figured 77 still worked out wider than the truck overall, so may as well go to the 82 (think its about 102"something overall). trailer has brakes on both axles.

 

terry, im sure we can find some room for some horse vinyl on there........

Edited June 28, 2013 by Martin

[rmaynard 15,425]

That's a nice size. My 6 x 12 single-axle trailer is okay, but if I upgrade, it will be a tandem axle and a bit bigger.

[Fun Engineer 859]

Nice trailer Martin. I've been thinking of the same thing. I currently have a two place snowmobile trailer with a clamshell cover and a 6 x 12 aluminum flatbed. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. The car hauler gives you many more hauling opportunities. I like the idea of a removable front and side panel to protect that special cargo.

[Vinylguy 4,674]

I like the removable panel idea.

 

[Vinylguy 4,674]

Or maybe like a stake bed smaller removable panels for versatility?

 

[KC9KAS 4,741]

Very nice trailer.....I wish it were mine!

 

My 2003 Chevy Silverado 4 X 4 with 150K miles got a wooping 16.1 MPG over the 1800 mile trip to "The Big Show" and back.

Actually got better MPG's at 70-80 MPH than it does @ 55-60 MPH.

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,175]

Nice Trailer Martin!!   I've been looking around to for a horse hauler also..but more in the catagory of about a 6'x 10' size, open with sides and a short ramp.   But I think i'm renting a U-HAUL trailer to try out for the jacksonville show just to see if I really like the idea. 

[wh500special 2,160]

I'm no trailer expert, but one of the things that meant a lot to me when i bought mine was that it doesn't have any railing around the perimeter of the deck.  That way, you can load tractors on sideways as needed anywhere on there...just like yours.

 

That's a nice one!

 

Steve

[Martin 2,131]

got a little red on it now. deck was weathered from sitting on the trailer lot for 4 months or so. waxed the powdercoat and stained the lumber on the deck a nice redwood color......just need to load it with tractors and go traveling.....

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2013 by Martin

[AMC RULES 37,127]

One handsome looking trailer now.  

[CasualObserver 3,408]

Martin... dragging up this old topic, but wondering what stain you used, and how well you like how it's holding up?  Are you parking yours outside, or does it winter indoors with tractors stored on it?

[Martin 2,131]

Jason,

its funny you ask because i was looking at the deck this past weekend while loading and unloading for the mid mo meet and greet. i think its held up well for the amount of effort i put in and how weathered it already was before staining it. there are a few areas around knots etc where the harder wood grain didn't let the stain soak as much.

the trailer gets used every few weeks or so for hauling either tractors or some construction materials etc. not as much as some people here use them hoarding tractors down south, but it does get used. there are a few areas where the wood is damaged a little and it has lost its color, it probably could do with another coat, that will depend on what time i have before winter.

as far as storage goes, i think it spent a week inside last winter, the rest of the time I've had it (15 months now) its spent its time outside. it gets almost full sun in the middle of summer and the brunt of our winters. i think for a horizontal surface (not like a fence where moisture runs off) its done fairly well......

heres some pics that should help for the rest of what you asked......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Geno 1,929]

I'll be on the look out for that trailer.  

[AMC RULES 37,127]

  How's that Cabot holding up Martin.    

[CasualObserver 3,408]

Thanks Martin.

I've been looking into this a little bit and Cabot is what I've been seeing a lot of recommendations for. The other popular option appears to be a 50/50 mix of used motor oil and something to thin it with so it will soak in and dry.

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