MarkDFW

Here's the situation:

After a couple years of HPDE and driving my car to the track and back, I will be taking the plunge in 2014 and plan on big changes. I'm most likely selling the grand sport, buying a truck, dedicated track car, and trailer. I will be brand new to towing, so I want to make sure I avoid any obvious mistakes that a newbie could easily make. I used the oft forgotten search button and found a few good threads on here to help narrow a few things down. If I go with an open trailer, I'll go with a new kwik load unless I'm lucky enough to find a gently used one that is local.

Part of me figures why not just get an enclosed, since I'll eventually want one anyway, right? My budget for an enclosed would be 10k or less, which means it will be used or new with fewer features. It will be a bumper pull and the tow vehicle will, at a minimum, be a loaded silverado 1500 with max trailer package and 3.73 rear rated to trailer 11,000 pounds. I'd appreciate any guidance you can offer on the following:

Brands - which are safe to buy and which would you avoid? I used the search on this forum and names like Featherlite, Haul Mark, Pace American and Continental seem solid, but more expensive. What about Cargo Craft, which seems like it may be in my budget? I want to avoid any brands that are known to have problems.

Features - Based on previous threads a 8.5 X 20 foot is the minimum but 24 seems more practical. Needs curb side access door. A 5000 lb winch with remote does the job, but 10,000 seems preferred in the event the car won't even roll. Beavertail is also a must, and 5k axles as the 3k seems to be cutting it close. What about floors? Is the plywood ok to start? 15 inch wheels and electric brakes. 2 spare tires/wheels as opposed to just one, as trailer tires apparently don't last very long. I can install tire rack for race tires and gasoline storage area after purchase. Cabinets and A/C are nice, but not required day 1.

Towing - load leveling/weight distribution hitch and electronic brake controller. Universal coupling lock.

What am I missing and is this reasonable for 10k or less for an enclosed?

Donny Brass

I opted to have a consession door put in plase of the smaller escapre door

and I had them raise the box on the frame 4 inches, so there is only 6 inches on wheel well inside the trailer

I'd tell you where i got it, but they went bankrupt this spring.

24 ft V nose
5000 lb torsion axles
I did the interior myself with high density - rubber backed carpet and FRP panels

Supercharged111

If you buy used, 10k ought to get you a real nice trailer with all the fixins listed. Texas tends to have good open deck prices, I'm inclined to thinking their enclosed would be no different. I'm open deck and want to go enclosed, but that would mean skipping most of a season of racing to afford it. I thought 24' might be a little small, in a perfect world I'd have a 28 footer so I can sleep inside the trailer with the car in the event of rain. My open deck trailer is a 20 footer and it barely holds a toolbox in front of the vette or the camaro. The enclosed also tend to have torsion axles which ride so much nicer than leaf springs. I'm guessing you're looking at strictly 6 speed trucks, are you also looking at the L92 Vortec Max? WD hitches can be had for under $500, just don't forget the brake controller. Also, be sure to fit load range E tires on your halfer to make it more stable under load.

RX-Ben

You'll probably want a 26 or 28' length after a few trips to the track, unless you have a tiny race car. Lots of used trailers are on racingjunk and craigslist. Ideally get one with loads of cabinets, lights, etc.
Get a 2006 or early '07 Duramax (2500). Something with around 150k miles is ideal. This will be the only smart decision you make in terms of spending money on racing (at least it has been for me).

MarkDFW

I considered the Duramax but its hard to justify the added cost. I can pull over 11,000 with a 1500 with max trailer package and 3.73. Figure the car is around 2600 plus 4,000 or less for trailer. Add in 900 pounds at most of random junk and I'm 7,500 pounds maximum.

The truck I buy will also become my daily driver. The 1500 is a bit more practical and cost effective from what I can tell. I will probably tow an average of once a month. If I was towing regularly, I can see the diesel making a little more sense.

Feffman

Mark:

The 22 foot should be the minimum, a full sized car eats up trailer space fast especially if you carry fuel containers, extra tires, etc.

Consider renting a truck. I set up a commercial account with Enterprise Commercial Trucks (not the regular car rental place) and they rent new Ford F250, GM and Dodge 2500 diesels at reasonable rates. I get a new, serviced truck every rental with no service, no personal property tax and insurance costs. Just a though to help the budget.

Feff

Supercharged111

2,600#? You buying a stock car?

MarkDFW

Most likely buying a GTA car. Faster, cheaper, and more cost effective to operate.

Supercharged111

This year, the ARRS had a weak showing which shyed me away from that class. Then on the last event of the year, there were like 6 or 8 of the things with a few more that were still being tweaked for the class. Definitely the way to go IMO, the tires are takeoffs and are like $25 each. They come still mounted too. The motors are allowed to make right around 400hp/tq at the crank. I've heard it's quite the animal to learn but it sounds like good, cheap, fast as ***** fun. What rules will you fall under in TX?

Oh, and back on topic, are you going for the 5.3 or the 6.2 in the tow pig?

MarkDFW

Scca has made GTA a national class.
http://scca.cdn.racersites.com/prod/...s%20rule-1.pdf

There aren't enough GTA cars in my region to have a group to run against. Solution: I can run scca gt2 or NASA TT1/ST1 with a small ballast in a GTA car. They're around 2600 pounds without driver and 420 rwhp.

The 5.3 is the way I'm leaning in a silverado 1500 with max trailer package and 3.73 in a 2014 silverado woukd be rated to over 11,000 pounds. Nice thing about 2014 silverado is v8 for acceleration but switches to v4 when cruising on highway which = much better mileage.

topmover

Your towing and stopping experience will be much more enjoyable if you stay at least 20% below max towing.

racer313g

I hate when people always say this but, I don't think you have enough truck for anything over a 24ft aluminum trailer. My 28ft vnose weighs in at 4600#. Add 2600-2800 for the car and 1000 for the extra stuff and you're at 8000-9000 pretty quick.

I towed an open trailer, corvette, and extras with a '03 Hemi 1500 and I was creeping up hills and getting single digit fuel mileage. The last time I towed to VIR it was buried on the helper springs.

I think you'll want to go with a 2500 chassis at least, but ultimately you'll probably want a diesel. I've got a 2500 Cummins with airbags, weight distribution hitch, etc. to tow my setup now and after a trip to Florida I'm going to try to pick up a dually.

naschmitz

I started towing with the same idea -- a new 2009 Silverado 1500 winter daily driver towing 7500 lbs. It worked, but I was never sure if I abused the truck more that weekend or the car. The 1500 had a four speed tranny and spent a lot of time in 2nd and 3rd.

Last year I stepped up to a 2013 Silverado 2500 Duramax. Night and day difference for towing -- feels like the 1500 towing the empty trailer. The 2500 is also my daily driver when I am not driving the Corvette and with the tire pressures dropped to the lowest range before the TPMS warnings kick in, it is quite comfortable as well.

So if you apply your same logic from the trailer to the tow vehicle, consider the diesel.

JerryTX

Not to turn this into a tow vehicle thread Mark but I'd say no way on the 5.3. 6 spd and big cubes or go diesel. As you know I have the Ecoboost and I should have bought it with the Max Tow package so that the door sticker says 11K pound tow rating. As it is, I'm missing out on the larger mirrors (which you do need when you tow an enclosed). My open steel trailer and vette weigh 7500lbs loaded for a race weekend and I have it setup with 15% tongue weight and a WDH hitch. The F150 pulls it great and I can average high 7mpg towing at 80mph (no lectures from the peanut gallery please). BUT, add the air drag of the flat back of an enclosed trailer and the fuel mileage plummets. I rented a 2700lb 18' tiny bumper pull single axle camper to take the wife to Big Bend national park last week. With a 20mph head wind I couldn't tow that stupid thing at **65mph** and get over 7.3mpg. If I wasn't careful on the uphills I would have averaged in the high 6's! On the way home with no wind I was able to tow 75mph and get 8.3mpg. So for the 1100mile trip: almost $500 in 87 octane unleaded. Do that 12x/year and a diesel looks far more attractive!

RX-Ben

I avg 9-10mpg towing a loaded 42' trailer w/race car and tons of parts with a 3500 dually dmax through the hilly northeast.
19-20mpg on the highway with no trailer
A Duramax engine will last many times longer than its gasoline counterparts, even more so with modest fuel and oil filtration upgrades. You can also get into neat things like 100+hp worth of turbo braking with a PCM reflash (via the variable nozzle turbo, depending on which dmax version).

MarkDFW

Looks like I might need to start looking for a 2500 duramax!

I've already made calls for trailer storage options and found a pretty good deal on 12x30 outdoor parking space, which is very encouraging.

Love this hobby but it sure is a money pit!

CorvetteZ51Racer

I just bought a friends 2006 F350 dually w/ max towing with the intention of getting a 44'+ enclosed later this year. You think this hobby is expensive? Imagine if both you AND your significant other do it!!

That being said, I have been using a 2012 F150 ecoboost with max towing and saw the same 7-ish that another poster saw. Previous to that, I had a 2010 Ram 2500 4x4 cummins that was a daily driver and tow vehicle. Got 14 @ 80 mph towing an 8,000 lb open trailer. Truck would never even unlock the converter in 6th gear going up hills at 80, and the 2010+ Rams have factory operational exhaust brakes with no programmer needed. After 55k miles, over 10% of it towing, you could still see the lathe tooling marks on the trucks rotors from brand new. Selling that truck and going to the Ecoboost was a huge mistake - in the name of "daily driver comfort". The dodge was actually a better daily driver than the F150.

MarkDFW

Ok you guys got me in an arm bar and I'm tapping out. I'm on Chevy's site right now narrowing down the features I want in a 2500 duramax.

4 wheel drive
Crew cab, Standard Box
3.73 rear axle is standard
Heavy-duty automatic locking rear differential
Heavy-duty Handling/Trailering Suspension Package is standard
Heavy-duty trailering equipment

Achievement unlocked: Level 1 redneck

JerryTX

LOL!! Welcome to the club!

CorvetteZ51Racer

Check "diesel" for Level 2
Check "3500 DRW 4x4" to enable all cheat codes