Hercules Rockefeller

Hey all,

I'm in the market for a simple, easy to use, get the job done trailer for my C6z. I want this primarily as trailer to haul my car to and from the track. Ease and speed of use are my priorities; I'm thinking an open trailer on which I can open the doors of the car without banging them into anything. I don't need any extra storage space on the trailer, my van has enough room to haul the rest of the world including tires, tools, everything. I've been told to check out Carson trailers, but if anyone has any other suggestions or things I might want to consider, all advice is welcome. I'm thinking a 16', maybe an 18' open trailer should be more than enough to get the job done, and maybe an open floor so the trailer could function a bit like a 4 post lift in a pinch. I would like to keep costs under $3k, but if I need to go higher for a good reason I will consider it. Thanks for any help

c4cruiser

Open trailers are good when it comes to rear visibility; you shouldn't need wider mirrors on the van. There are some excellent aluminum tilt back trailers out there but I'll bet they would eat up your budget quickly.

A tilt or roll back will make it easy to load the C6 but you still have to pay attention to the height of the driver's side fender on the trailer. Many trailers have a removable fender and that makes it easy to open the car door. If you aren't planning on loading any cargo on the trailer, a 16' should work but an 18' would be better. With that length, it's easy to add a tire rack. Having a rack for race tires and a trailer spare makes it simple to swap and store tires. No need to unhitch the trailer to get access to the back of the van.

You didn't say how big your van is but remember that you have to add in all of the weight you carry in the van, including any passengers, and the tongue weight of the trailer when figuring out the gross weight.

Most open trailers don't really need a weight distribution hitch but you should have a minimum of a Class IV hitch. You will need a trailer brake controller and I recommend a Tekonsha Prodigy P2 for ease of installation and operation. Both the tow rig and the trailer should be level when loaded and adding air bags can help with leveling instead of helper springs.

Hercules Rockefeller

Thanks C4. If there's one thing I don't have to worry about, it's my van. It's a 7.3L turbo diesel E350, it's got the prodigy brake controller, and I've already used it to haul two cars simultaneously over the mountains with a 31' enclosed trailer. It also had 3 people in it and at least 500 lbs of gear and equipment.

The van has SO MUCH room and space inside I'm not too worried about storing tires and everything else inside of it, in fact that's my plan. That's why I was leaning towards the 16 footer, because all things being equal it seemed like an easier trailer to store, move, etc.

the tilt back options sounds nice... what's that all about, and how much would it add to the price?

I'm also considering a winch, assuming the front tow hook can handle it, anyone else use a winch to load/unload their car?

crease-guard

Buy a used one. Go to Racingjunk.com and look for trailers in your neck of the woods. I looked and looked for new trailers, got quotes etc and it was going to be a royal PITA to go get it or really expensive to have it delivered. I looked on that site and found my trailer for a great price, local, we did the deal, I got a great trailer and no headaches.

Jay

lkelliott

Hey Rob, The Carson Trailers are decent for the money. The Deluxe Cal Hauler is the one to look at. It has a 4' dovetail and 5' ramps and go for the optional dropped axles to get the trailer lower to the ground. This allows you to be able to get your Z06 onto the trailer without ripping off the front splitter. Make sure you ask for a double layer of paint on the trailer since most trailer builders never put enough paint on their units.

Good Luck.

I will be shooting video at ACS this weekend, are you going?

2002rich

Hey Rob, I have the Sloan Rollback. I guess you didn't see it in
Action at the last CC at BWR earlier this year.
You can go to their web site and view the video.

ZedO6

Sloan easy load is the way to go. I had a Sloan and a Carson. Bought the Sloan used for $1800 and the Carson new for $1500. No comparison in use. With the Sloan I could have my Porsche racecar on the trailer and ready to tow in 5 mins without getting dirty or needing help. The Carson with the heavy ramps was always a PITA. Forget about using an open bottom trailer as a lift. Maybe an easy way to change the oil but I never considered it for working on the car.

Got $800 for the Carson when I sold it and $2000 for the Sloan. The Carson looks like a metal shop project, heavy, never towed all that great. It is made to sell competitively in the LA trailer market. I ended up brushing black Rustoleum on mine even after paying for underside paint. Had to repaint the Sloan too. Consider a trailer an investment. You'll get your money back on the Sloan

fatbillybob

sloan is cool but a fixed open trailer like a carson delux car hauler is compact. I cut the nose off mine and welded a "bolt on A frame nose" and tire rack then I could store my racecar on the trailer and it all fits in a regulation sized garage.