Car Trailer HELP! | FerrariChat

Car Trailer HELP!

Discussion in 'Tracking & Driver Education' started by indaville, Aug 3, 2010.

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  1. indaville

    indaville Formula 3

    Oct 6, 2005
    2,309
    Louisville, KY
    I am looking for an enclosed car trailer for my new GT3 RS that I have on order. It is supposed to be in later this month. I plan on tracking the car a good bit and am wanting to buy my first trailer. I have contacted a few places that I found on Ebay and they seem to think that I need to have a trailer custom built because of how low the GTS RS sits to the ground. One also recommended an "E-track" in the floor.

    What should I look for in a trailer? Should I be concerned with how low my car sits? The prices range widely is there any real difference between a $5,000 and a $10,000 trailer?

    Thanks in advance for you help!!

    Matt
     
  2. henryr

    henryr Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Nov 10, 2003
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    Juan Sánchez Villa-L
    hmmmm.... i'll get blasted for saying this but.....

    depends on how long you plan on keeping it, what you are towing it with and what kind of gas mileage you'd like to get.

    i have a buddy that tows his GT3RS in a 20ft haulmark with a new tundra. he has etrack. i think his trailer was $5k or so.
     
  3. indaville

    indaville Formula 3

    Oct 6, 2005
    2,309
    Louisville, KY
    Plan on pulling it with my wife's Cayenne. Don't really care about the gas mileage and I would keep the trailer for a long time.

    Matt
     
  4. furnacerepair

    furnacerepair Formula Junior

    Feb 9, 2009
    744
    Wisconsin
    Full Name:
    Martini
    This sounds about right to me. You can get a nice Haulmark for 5 to 6K. Plywood floor would be just fine.
     
  5. normv

    normv F1 Rookie
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    May 3, 2005
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    Hello look through some of the trailers offered here and learn up. If youre tracking then you will work on the car, so you need storage for tools, suits, helmets, chairs, popup tents and coolers for your food and drinks. Get overhead lights, white walls inside or its a cave inside, insulation in the walls maybe an A/C unit as they get very hot inside. 20ft at the minium 24ft will do with at least good radial 15" tires e-rated and a spare with tools and a jack to change out, if you tow sooner or later you will get a flat. E-track is nice on the floor for an open wheel where you can use wheel tie downs but a heavier car as your car you need D-rings with ratchet 10,000lbs straps. E-track along the wall sides of the trailer is nice as you can strap and hold things more securely in place so they dont roll around and hit your car which costs 12x more than the trailer that you want to protect it. You can get a nice new trailer for around $10-12,000 more if you go aluminium as FeatherLites. A nice touch is to have side entry doors over the wheel wells of the trailer so you can open your car door to get out rather than climb through the window unless your real skinny. Forget the Cayenne for towing, it will do in a pinch but its not enough to safely haul anywhere. Get a real truck that you will be safe and comfortable in for example a Ford 350 dually crew cab desiel or Dodge Ram dually with a Cummins forget the Chevy there nice and comfey with a smooth ride but wont hold up in the long run. Thanks Norm http://www.racingjunk.com/category/13/Towing_Trailers.html
     
  6. henryr

    henryr Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Nov 10, 2003
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    i agree.

    i have been debated buying a featherlite alum open trailer

    vs

    biting the bullet and getting a used diesel and enclosed.

    u really need to decide how comfortable you would be with trailering an enclosed and how much tracking you are going to do.

    lumberman here on fchat sells nice V head enclosed. i think he towed a 22' with his 360 challenge car with a range rover.
     
  7. jal

    jal Formula Junior

    Jul 26, 2009
    293
    MA.
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    John
    Agree with above. Enclosed trailers need real trucks to haul them. Keep in mind the tongue weight when you buy a hitch and don't forget trailer's tires. Most will be underated for the weight ( you will be suprised how much junk you "need" to carry around). Open trailers are lighter and easier to haul even with some SUV's but you will regret not having an enclosed space especially in ill weather.
     
  8. ar4me

    ar4me F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Apr 4, 2010
    3,114
    Southern California
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    Jes
    I have a 20' Featherlite enclosed aluminum trailer I use for my race car (2400 lbs Alfa Romeo). I tow it with an Infiniti QX56 (9000 lbs tow capacity). It has been from SoCal to Seattle and back twice, from SoCal to Salt Lake City and back recently to pick up a 360. The Inifiniti will tow it all day long, and if you don't care about gas mileage it will easily do 65 MPH over all the passes. There should be some pics in this thread from the trip to Utah picking up the 360: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=291435
    This combo handles very well. Though, I doubt the Cayenne would do the job.

    I have had it for about 5 years and although I have plans to add storage etc the only thing I have added so far is an electrical winch with remote - handy for loading race car if it has mechanical breakdown at the track.

    Jes
     
  9. normv

    normv F1 Rookie
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    Wow towing with a Range Rover while it may do it for a short term, thats no way in real life. The Range Rover is too short of a wheel base, it will be bumpy and lumpy on the freeway and any crosswinds will upset it. Plus lets say your car weighs 3000Lbs you have some tools and equipment maybe some tires/wheels, now youre at approx 4000Lbs add a trailer even a open one at 1500Lbs and youre at 6500Lbs if a enclosed add another 700Lbs Im at the light side and you have already exceeded the pulling GVWR of most SUVs. You need a long wheelbase in a towing vehicle thats the key plus tourque with Good Brakes to get you over that hill without being white knuckled scared out of your mind when you go over the hill and start fish tailing over three lanes, I know Ive done that, Whew. The Best way to tow especially for the novice if you can afford it is a Gooseneck or a Fifth wheel trailer both will be easier to turn around and back up in plus less back and forth motion in the hookup area, I prefer a Gooseneck as I routinely haul our 44ft Pace 3 axle Gooseneck with our Dodge Dually crew cab Cumminns, way overloaded (not supposed to, but thats another story) at 70mph without even a worry about whats behind you. I find that 65mph we get the best mileage as our truck is a 6spd manual which I like, but the new 2011 auto transmissions are awesome now. Thanks Norm
     
  10. henryr

    henryr Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Nov 10, 2003
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    i agree but we see it all the time. i was up at Road Atlanta for a PCA event. there was a Tuareg (sp?) v10 diesel towing what had to be a 24' enclosed.....

    u should be able to pick up a work class diesel in the teens............the vans are cheap also.
     
  11. henryr

    henryr Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Nov 10, 2003
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    are u in the car while you remote winch it in ?

    i've seen people standing alongside guiding it in and making sure everything clears. always wondered "that cable could snap"....
     
  12. normv

    normv F1 Rookie
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    #12 normv, Aug 4, 2010
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2010
    Hello nice pics in your thread and youre good with your towing combo, though dont add too much more weight, no need to abuse the QX any further. Its been 5 years check your tires even if they look good its the Sun UV that breakdown the tires. The one pic of your 360 in the trailer is a good example of what I mean about access doors over the wheel wells which allow you to open the doors without climbing on the seats through windows and being a clown on a nice car to get out of. Get a 430 with the long doors and width and you see what I mean. there hard to get out off inside a trailer. Thanks again Norm
     
  13. ar4me

    ar4me F1 Rookie
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    Apr 4, 2010
    3,114
    Southern California
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    Jes
    I try to have someone in the car when winching it in, but in a pinch where I have to do it alone I will stand by the side door of the trailer (don't want to be in the line of a snapping cable) and take provision for car rolling back, e.g. blocks behind wheels, plenty run-off, etc. Though, I usually drive the car in unless it cannot move under its own power (for whatever reason).

    I just replaced tires on trailer a few months back due to age - still looked good, but time, UV, etc. Good advice!

    You are correct that a side-exit door on trailer would be very, very nice! It does however mean that center of gravity will go up as car has to sit high enough for door to clear trailer wheel well (no car I have had in there would allow its door to clear the top of the wheel well) - not sure how much that would affect handling. When entrance and exit through door is impossible, winch it in and out. With the race car I don't mind climbing in and out, but I can also drive it in far enough for door to clear trailer wheel well and roll it back to proper position for weight distribution.

    Jes
     
  14. normv

    normv F1 Rookie
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    Hello sounds like your in control, have fun and enjoy.
     
  15. F458Italia

    F458Italia Karting

    Sep 2, 2009
    79
    Sarasota Lido Key Fl
    Full Name:
    Michael Lentini
    I just went thru getting a trailer. I bought one trailer cheaper and learned all about the trailer industry. DO NOT by cheap unless that is what you want cheap. If you have a nice car you want a nice trailer.

    I had one custom biult from Well Cargo and everywhere I go poeple want to know where I got it.

    Let me know if you are interested in finding out the truth about the industry. I can send you photos of this one.
     
  16. switchcars

    switchcars Formula 3

    Jul 28, 2005
    2,216
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    Doug
    I use Trailex. 2100' all-aluminum enclosed trailer.....you can haul that and a car with pretty much any suv.

    Featherlite and ATC are good too....but I believe featherlite uses a steel frame so it's heavier.

    I agree with F458Italia.....don't buy cheap. You absolutely get what you pay for.....I can't tell you how many people I have met at the track that wish they spent more money on a trailer.
     
  17. indaville

    indaville Formula 3

    Oct 6, 2005
    2,309
    Louisville, KY

    Pictures would be great!

    Matt
     
  18. indaville

    indaville Formula 3

    Oct 6, 2005
    2,309
    Louisville, KY

    I am only considering an enclosed trailer. I am told that the Cayenne will pull 7,000 lbs. Is that not enough? I have noticed that most of the enclosed trailers at the track are pulled by trucks, but I have seen a good number of SUV's pulling trailers. What is wrong with the SUV, does it tear them up over time or are they too low on power typically?

    Thanks! Matt
     
  19. SMS

    SMS F1 Veteran

    Jan 7, 2004
    6,772
    Indy
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    Bill S.
    #19 SMS, Aug 4, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Matt,
    My buddy in Indy sells enclosed trailers. Let me know if you want to run up here, should get you a smokin deal.

    http://www.brucelitton.com/

    As far as SUVs, I pull my 24' with a 1/2 ton GMC Yukon XL. The key to that and your SUV will be a weight distributing hitch system with sway bars. Gets rid of the fishtailing and really levels out the whole deal by sending load up to the front of the tow vehicle as well.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  20. davem

    davem F1 Veteran
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    Jan 21, 2002
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    dave m
    If your set on an enclosed trailer then make sure the axles are rated for 5k, not 3.5k like most come with standard. The former ones will be at max capacity right from the get go.
     
  21. Hexnut72

    Hexnut72 Formula Junior

    Nov 22, 2006
    331
  22. solofast

    solofast Formula 3

    Oct 8, 2007
    1,773
    Indianapolis
    There's nothing wrong with and SUV, so long as it's the right SUV. The large SUV's are really just trucks with a fancy body, and if you equip it properly they are great tow vehicles. I've done several cross country trips with a Yukon Xl (long wheelbase), but it was equipped for towing with an Allison transmission, a heavy duty tow package from the factory and the large engine and it was a very comfortable and it towed great. Ok, so it isn't a dually, but it was more than adequate for towing a race car in an enclosed trailer.

    There's a big difference between what you need if you are towing every weekend, or are towing six or eight times a year. If you are towing large distances every weekend then maybe you need a truck, but if not a full size SUV will do the job just fine.
     
  23. sainthoo

    sainthoo Formula 3
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    Jan 20, 2007
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    Christian
    #23 sainthoo, Aug 4, 2010
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2010
    Agree, I tow a 20' steel Haulmark to the track with an Expedition XL. I would prefer a diesel, but it is adequate.

    I will absolutely stress that with any trailer pulling it is not the total weight that makes for scary stuff, but the weight DISTRIBUTION. Too much weight forward pushes down on the hitch which lifts the front wheels of your car (this gets way worse with braking, really not good). Too much weight in the back of the trailer makes the hitch too light and can lift the rear tires of the tow vehicle.

    Someone may be able to tell you the proper method of setting the perfect amount of weight on the hitch for your trailer/tow vehicle combination. I just did a little trial and error (thankfully less error). I place the side mirror of my car at a specific point inside the trailer to keep track of car placement.
     
  24. n9013c

    n9013c Rookie

    Aug 13, 2006
    31
    Carmichael, CA
    Full Name:
    Jim Smith
    If you are planning to keep this trailer a long time, you owe it to yourself to consider a JimGlo trailer. Check them out at www.jimglo.com. I had a JimGlo tilt bed open trailer for about 5 years and recently purchased an enclosed Jimglo. Having used several different brands of trailers over the past 30+ years, the Jimglo's (IMHO) are the best engineered and built trailers on the market. They tow great, are very easy to load with a low car, look great, and are more aerodynamic than most others. You can even drive your car in and open the driver's door all the way to get out of the car (try that with some of the other brands of trailers).

    BTW, I have no affiliation, just a satisfied customer. Give them a call, you will find they are very down to earth, honest, straight-forward people to deal with.

    If you do get an open trailer, it won't be long before you start looking for an enclosed one. If you go anywhere overnight, you will want the security of the enclosed trailer. Good luck with the new toy. Keep us posted on whatever you decide on.
     
  25. normv

    normv F1 Rookie
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    #25 normv, Aug 4, 2010
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2010
    Hello now thats a beautiful trailer. I like the lights in the floor so you can see where to hook up on, nice touch and that side opening is a little complicated but still looks very user friendly. Thats what Im talking about room for storage and walls are white so its not a cave inside. Thanks Norm
     

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