Poor-sha

I'm thinking of finally upgrading my open featherlite trailer to an enclosed trailer. Primarily because I'm tired of the gravel road I live on beating up the front of the car and so that I can stop on the road without leaving my car out in the open.

I'm thinking of either a 24' tag or 32' gooseneck. I really don't want to go any bigger due to logistical concerns and I have plenty of truck (3500HD dually Duramax).

So my question to all of you far more experienced folks out there is what features do you get the most use out of, are really glad you got, or in retrospect wish you had gotten? It seems like there is a never ending set of options on these trailers and deciding what to get is daunting.

I realize everyone's use case is a little different but let's hear it from the voices of experience.

msracing

i just send to make 2 trailer .. here is what i ended up with...for the car trailer

24 x 8.5 with a v nose.. black 3m screw less outed Panel with polish stainless trim,,,, 5200 lbs dexter axles,,, diamond plate ramp with rubber diamond plated floor covering.. 3 full row of E-track that is flush with the floor ( embedded)
full white finish walls and ceiling ,, upper cabinets and middle work bench across the front ... LED lights... its perfect for my race car..not to big or to small


my other trailer i order was for our toys ( RC jets airplane and our bikes
20 x8.5 same v nose with all the above goodies plus a generator box..


i have ordered 5 trailer for this builder,, and i am happy with there pricing and the quality they delivered...

Manny

Cobra4B

Got a left side escape door for the trailer, but then went and installed a winch. I haven't driven the car into the trailer in over two years now. Make sure you get properly rated axles and tiers for the load. Oh... and e-track everywhere and mount your AC unit in the center of the trailer for better cooling. Ours was ordered with that specified but they screwed up and put it in the standard position at the front of the trailer, they knocked $1000 off the price because of it. Pretty basic 24' enclosed... since the below pictures were taken we added ramp extensions for loading low cars. The rubber flooring is really nice too vs. the VCT most people lay down.

Superbee

Depends on how much stuff you're going to carry
But the bigger the trailer the more you take, been there done that. My latest is an all aluminum enclosed 22" V nose tag that i custom ordered.
LED lighting, custom ramp, winch, awning, gun metal grey (hides dirt and doesn't fade) screwless exterior, roof vent, interior lighting, white aluminum interior, electric tonque jack, rubber flooring, Pit Pal for accessories. Best yet, pulls great and has all the room needed for extra tires, jack, tools etc.

Cheers

JohnAlley

For those of us who are more experienced ( old) the best option is the exit door of the drivers side of the car. Does not need to be a full door , just something the opens up so the car door can be fully extended. The days of getting in and out of the window with a side wall real close are nothing more than a memory at this point.

I also installed a winch for that time when the car is broke and you can't drive it into the trailer. Kind of like an insurance policy , nice to have but hope you never need it.

Cobra4B

Like I said in my first post... use the winch! Once you do you'll wonder why you ever bothered driving the car into the trailer in the first place

1991Z07

Extendable jacks on the back to take the weight off the tongue when driving the car in/out.

Seems to me I've seen a lot of people getting track ramps (extra long) to go under the flip-up door ramp so they don't damage splitters, too.

Either that or make sure you get folding door ramps nearly the length of the door itself...I forget who had some pictures here of theirs but it was very nice.

As others have said...a small generator to run 120v tools. An A/C unit on the roof was a lifesaver for me (until we bought the bus)...hot days at the track makes it VERY nice to get cooled off between sessions. You'll become everyone's best friend when temps climb...could get you free beers

Some people get a small compressor to run air tools, but I just used a pair of dry nitrogen tanks with a regulator. PLENTY of air for nearly anything over the weekend. I had an access door put into the V-nose and that's where I mounted the bottles, 50' hose reel and the generator.

What else...

• Wheel nets for securing the car...allows the suspension to move.
• Tire rack inside...I put mine over the hood of the car & removed it at the track. Stacked the tires on the floor. Putting it closer to the axles helped to lighten the tongue weight.
• I found the best flooring was to get it Rhino-lined. They can spray it in any color you want and it's tough stuff. Non-skid and very durable.
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System! This is by far THE BEST thing I ever did! It literally paid for itself within the first 24 hours of installing it! Rolled onto the highway after checking everything and suddenly the system started screaming at me. One of the trailer tires was rapidly losing air and I got it off the road and to a tire shop a few miles away. If I had not known, a major blowout and damage to the trailer were sure bets. Instead of a blown tire...only a patch.

Supercharged111

Can you guys share your experiences with how these beasts pulled? How much harder is it on the truck to pull an enclosed vs open deck? I too want to go enclosed (was thinking 24' as that seems to be a common size) so I can bring tools and **** and have it all locked up out of sight. I've got a beefed up half ton (bigger springs, brakes, tires, enough hp and cooling) that'll take it, but I have to draw the line somewhere because it's not a 2500. Open deck is absolutely no sweat for the truck, I don't get bullied and I can set the cruise at 80 with the AC cranked through the hills of CO and usually maintain it. My concern (prob not so much for the OP) is how much wind an enclosed will catch and if an anti-sway WD hitch is enough.

1991Z07

When I first got my 24' enclosed, I had a 1500 series (1/2 ton) Suburban...'96 version I think. I got pushed around quite a bit in the wind...even with an anti-sway WD hitch. I was pushing the envelope going 70 mph...

When I went to the 3/4 ton version of the Suburban, I had no issues at all.

Pulling it behind a 45k pound diesel pusher bus?

There's a trailer back there? Really?

The bus was the main reason I got the TPMS system...I had a catastrophic steering tire blowout doing nearly 80 mph in West Texas. Once I got to my destination, I installed the TPMS system and it not only caught a trailer tire but the next day also caught the tag axle tire leak. Those skins cost ~$700/ea. PLUS the roadside service call (another $250+).

I'd get a 3/4 ton to tow an enclosed trailer the next time...if I didn't have a big bus to "substitute" for one.

Poor-sha

Thanks everyone, keep the ideas coming!

On the side door suggestion, why not just winch the car in and out each time instead of crawling in and out?

Also, since I'm debating between a gooseneck and a tag is the general consensus that I'm going to need a sway control hitch if I get a tag?

Supercharged111

Well for one it's slow, but don't forget you're going to want to stick it in gear and set the parking brake. I suppose you could leave a window open, but that side door sound way cooler.

SLandstra_Z06

Not really necessary with your tow rig, Sean. But, the Draw Tite weight distribution hitches are very nice and heavy duty. A gooseneck will cost more, but has a better turning radius and is more stable than a tag. A winch is a wise choice for two reasons - easier to pull the car in/out and if you have a mechanical issue, you can winch the car in, even without drive to the rear wheels.

69427

Sold my open Featherlite and bought a vee-nose 20' Featherlite. The combination of aluminum and 20' makes it light (I'm hauling cargo instead of trailer weight) and easy to maneuver around the typical McDonald's parking lot when on the road. Twenty foot carries all I need (car, tires, tools, etc), and the bunkbed setup I put in it lets me sleep there and save on hotel bills. The trailer is also nice for getting out of the sun or rain at the track.

It's painful to buy a Featherlite, but they do seem to keep a decent resale price.

Edit: The bunkbed is mounted about four feet up, and the tires are stored underneath in the nose area. I've got a crank-open vent in the roof for fresh air and a slight convection airflow on hot days.



A few of my old club members getting out of the sun.



A rubber floor mat (as mentioned in a later post) is something I think I'll look into. It's deafening inside the trailer if you happen to drop a wrench onto the aluminum floor.

Supercharged111

Pics or ban.

I've wondered what the inside of a car trailer smells like and if it's conducive to a good night's sleep.

Painrace

Build some cabinets and put a battery in them that will fit the car. Then you have an extra battery wit you! Run a wire from the tow vehicle that charges the battery when towing. Use the trailer installed battery for the winch. There are many winches on the market. I have had about 15 Super Winches and I have never had on fail!

If you buy a new one (my recomendation) lay it out before you buy and have the builder install small D-rings in the sides where you need then to hold tool boxes, etc.

Plan a tire rack but I recommend you install it after you get the trailer. Mine is aluminum and it really made the trailer a lot stiffer.

I got one of those adjustable bars that goes into trailers that pushed against the trailer interior to install. I put it in front of the car when towing to protect the car and up in the top at the track for coat hangers for driving suits etc.

I always use the winch to load and just let the car roll out when unloading.

We have a compressor and generator we take when the track does not have them.

Load leveling hitch is a must with anti sway control.

Good luck

Jim

dfinke23

Not really a good idea to tow with the car in gear and the hand brake on.

Winch it in and strap it down.

crease-guard

Smells like a garage. As long as it's got A/C, I could sleep just about anywhere.

Jay

bb69

I tow a 40' gooseneck with my Dodge 2500. I ordered the trailer from Haulmark.

Options that I strongly recommend:
-extra foot of heighth. It makes the trailer feel much larger inside.
-windows. I put 3 windows in mine, two in the gooseneck and one more on the curb side. They provide for air movement and light.
-RV style latch on door. This lets you close and open the door from inside instead of just havinf the lock bars.
-LED lights everywhere. They reduce the electrical load on the truck and last longer.

Options I should have ordered:
-electric landing gear. Cranking that trailer up and down by hand is not fun, especially after a long hot weekend at the track. It seemed expensive when I was ordering the trailer, but I would pay anything now.
-vent covers. These allow you to leave the vents open while going down the road or when leaving the trailer parked. The last thing you want is a trailer completely closed up. You want to keep air moving through them.

I ordered a side escape door, but find it to be pretty much useless. It's right above the fenders and the car doors never clear the fender to use the door. I could raise the car using ramps, but that just raises the CG of the trailer and adds weight. My track car is easy to get in and out of, but I am getting a winch for other cars.

Ken

Poor-sha

Interesting idea on the windows in the gooseneck. Any pics?

Poor-sha

What about outdoor lights on the side or back? I see them on a lot of high end trailers but never see them in use. Do the folks that have them use them?