moespeeds

I'm looking for a 24' enclosed trailer to haul around my '00 frc. I'm having a really hard time finding anything more than #7000 axles. On a 24' trailer the weight is around #3500, with a #3200 car I'm pushing it, or am I? I have no experience towing cars. Is #7000 ok, or should I hold out for a #10,000 axle?

Painrace

I have 10,000# axles but if you don't put a lot of other items in the trailer you should be "OK" with 7,000# axles. I have ocasionally used such a trailer. However, I don't know what would happen if DOT weighed you? I have never had that happen.

Jim

sabastian458

You mean 2 7k axle enclosed trailer? If so, wouldnt that make it a total of 14k weight? Or are we speaking about a single axle trailer?

moespeeds

Dual #3500 axles. #7000 total axle weight.

varkwso

I have been doing it for about 7 years now - probably 50,000 tow miles on the trailer since I had it and it was well used when I bought it. It is not a real problem - tires wear at expected rate and I have replaced both axles.

My next trailer will have 14000 pound of axles and capacity for two cars!

#3500 x2 for most enclosed for #7000.

moespeeds

I'm thinking I should just get it, and if it turns out to be a problem I could just throw #5000 axles on it. I already priced them, and it would cost me around $1400 more. Didn't find any #10000 trailers local to me, but #7000 are all over the place in the $4-5k range.

travisnd

I have 3500lb axles on my 18' open trailer. My father has 5000lb on his 24' enclosed. Cheaper enclosed trailers usually come with 3500lb axles. It'll work fine if you just haul the car and a few spares. However, you'll quickly find that you start bringing more and more stuff to the track (because you can) and you'll easily get up over the 7000lb rating.

Personally I would wait for one with 10k axles as that's my preference. The other thing to pay close attention to is the tire size. Lots of cheaper enclosed trailers come with smaller 205/75/15 tires like I have on my open trailer. They are more prone to blow-outs since they're relatively small. Most larger trailers have larger tires. My father's 24' has upgraded 225/75/15 tires and it seems to make a noticeable difference. Note I'm not talking about the tire load rating (which is also important to pay attention to), just the physical size.

varkwso

Towing #10000 pound trailer with a vehicle not rated for #10000 can get you in interesting conversations with the DOT police or state patrol.

travisnd

AFAIK there's a difference between towing a trailer rated for 10k and towing 10k. My truck is rated to tow 9600 lbs. Yes I'd be illegal towing 10k, but I'd also be illegal towing 8500 in a trailer rated to tow 7000.

moespeeds

If you are not for hire, and towing recreationally, then commercial DOT regulations do not apply, and you do not have to pull into weigh stations. If the cop pulls you over and try's to tell you you're over tongue load, then you just tell him you've got a #10,000 towing package on the car and let him prove you wrong on the side of the road. Each individual state has it's own towing regulations. (I run 18 commercial trucks for a living).

I'm curious what most guys are doing, since in the past week all I can find in car haulers are #7000, yet all these guys were pulling race cars...

JerryTX

I have an open with an enclosed small box on the nose plus a tire rack. Put a C6 Vette on it and a half full box (and empty tire rack) and my admittedly heavy trailer is now almost 6200lbs. I wish the previous owner built it with bigger than 3500lb axles and I wish I knew more then I do now before I pulled the trigger. If it were me I'd hold out.

travisnd

Not to hijack your thread, but I just reviewed my states DOT rules for towing/trailers etc.

http://www.dmvnow.com/webdoc/pdf/dmv109.pdf

Page 6 states:

The following situations exempt operators of certain vehicles from the CDL requirements.

1. Operation of a vehicle for personal use only, such as a recreational vehicle or truck to move your personal belongings.

2. Operation of a fire truck or other emergency vehicle.

3. Operation of a farm vehicle that meets all of the following conditions:
 Controlled and operated by a farmer.
 Used to transport agricultural products, farm
machinery or farm supplies to and from a farm.
 Strictly for farm use and not used in the
operation of a common or contract motor carrier.
 Used within 150 miles of the vehicle owner’s
farm.

4. Operation of a vehicle for military purposes while the operator is on active duty."

So like you said the DOT rules don't apply if you're towing your car for recreation as a non-business enterprise. There's a huge thread floating around in here about putting graphics on your trailer and at what point your are considered a "business" and subject to DOT rules regs.

I don't see anything in my state's DOT handbook that has penalties for being over-weight during recreational use... wonder where those laws are?

For a CDL it states:

Operators of vehicles having a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 or more or a combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 pounds or more if the vehicle(s) being towed has a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds are required to hold a valid CDL permit.

The way I read that the 10,001 and more rule for trailers only applies if the combined rating is 26,001 or more. Thus, you could have a 7500lb truck pulling a 15,000lb trailer and be "OK". Regardless it apparently doesn't apply for non-commercial use.



Back on topic... a 3500lb axle enclosed will work fine. However, once you start packing spares you can easily get up over 7000lbs. Plus, the more you go to the track and look around the more great ideas you get for stuff you just have to have I figure if you're profession is hauling you know more about this stuff than most of us.

moespeeds

We haul wastepaper, my smallest truck is 30,000 GVW. I've never hauled cars, but I do understand that over axle weight is overweight. That's why it boggles my mind that I'm finding so many #7000 car trailers. Either guys don't know, or don't care, but it seems to be working for them. I'm gonna keep looking for a #10000 trailer. Budget just went up again...

travisnd

I'd wager that a good portion don't know or don't pay attention. Towing and towing prep should be taken as seriously as race car prep, but I've seen some crazy stuff at the track. Too many people just hitch and go. What's funny is in some cases you'll see trailers with 5000lbs axles that still have the lower load range tires on them

Lots of people get trailers that are listed as car haulers to haul recreational equipment and/or camp in so 7000lbs max capacity is fine. Or you get the show car hauler guys who just tow a car and some buffing rags and it works for them fin as well. However, for the road racer where you're taking a 3200lb car, extra sets of wheels/tires, tools, spare parts, air beds, clothes, racing gear, etc. etc. etc. it can add up in a hurry.

Falcon

I had lots of opportunities at 24' ers with 3,500# axles and I passed. I held out and finally found one with #5,000 axles.

Get rid of the "D" rated tires and get "E" rated, The E's are a 10 ply tire, the D is only 8. D's blowout like a candle at a birthday party, the E's don't.

John Shiels

most are registered / rated from the manufacturer at 9990. 10,000 up is a new ball game.

trailer tires should be rated ST

.

I doubt it but not sure.

When you move up in axle capacity you get more than springs. You get bigger brakes, tires, wheel bearings, and rims. All which will add many trouble free miles. My friend had an enclosed with 7000 lb. He towed all over the country for shows may be 60,000 a year. He had nothing but troubles. He had a Chevy Cameo in the trailer and some polish. Went to 10,000 and had zero problems.

If you swap axles it won't raise the rated weight of the trailer for DOT unless you get it re-certified.

Get Dexter axles so if you are stuck you can gets parts at decent auto parts stores.

moespeeds

Well I just got a brand new #10400 8.5' x 24' V nose for $5500 from the guy who sold me my motorcycle trailer. Busted the budget but not by much. To clarify all the stuff about who is allowed to pull what, each state varies, but GVW isn't so much the issue as total length/width and weather or not it has air brakes. Commercial must have commercial plates, cop might try to bust your ***** but it will come down to how it's registered. No commercial registration, and you're exempt from DOT. Here's a list by state:

http://www.readybrake.com/state_laws.html

Canam

I tow a 20 footer with my Avalanche. The trailer weighs 3000 pounds and the car 2880. With my extra equipment I'm just shy of 7000 lbs total. It tows straight and perfect. Been doing it for years.

Gas mileage sure sucks as usual though

varkwso

Get as big a trailer as you can possibly imagine. It will still not be big enough. My #7000 pound trailer has hauled the car and gear for a long, long time now. Outlasting many others cars and trailers. No matter what one you buy get two mounted trailer spares. You never know what you will hit.

Bigger is almost always better.

gmccreary

Get a diesel 3/4 ton too. You'll be glad you did.