Race time is near and I would like to trailer my C5 this year. What kind of trailer should I look for? I am well aware of the clearance problems. Would a doevtail trailer work? Please share your experiences and what worked for you.

 

I have hauled my C5 a couple of times with my 18' open trailer. It has a 2' dovetail and the deck at the back of the dovetail is about 18" off the ground.

My C5 is lowered all the way on the stock bolts and I had to use 6 extra feet of 2x12 to raise my 6' ramps and the 3' stepped extensions I use for my stock-height C4 autocross car.

Maybe a stock height C5 could be loaded more easily on a trailer with a dovetail, but lots of people use trailers with tilt decks. They are more expensive compared to a fixed-height trailer with a dovetail, but the tilt decks do make it easier and quicker to load the car and not have to worry about extra ramps and storing them.

You also need to consider the height of the trailer fenders and the height of the C5's open door from the ground. If you go with an open trailer, you should get one with removable fenders. You may even have to add some 2x12 on the deck to raise the left side of the car.

Enclosed trailers should easily handle a C5 as the rear door is longer than most ramps and the deck will be lower to the ground. You get the benefit of security with an enclosed trailer.

 

is your car lowered? do you want to remove the fender to open your door? Because those 2 factors may restrict your available choices. I have a trailex alum trailer (trailex.com) and it has long ramps for my lowered car and I do not have to remove the fender...

 

I have a 18' dovetail open trailer with 10' homemade ramps to get the clearance for the nose to clear.

 

My car is not lowered and it would make sense to take off the fender for door access.

How is an enclosed trailer lower to the ground? That's confusing.

How do you access the car to park and remove it from and enclosed trailer?

Also, How long a trailer do I need?

 

Just traded up from my 18' open trailer to a 24' enclosed. The 18''s got plenty of room once you clear the dovetail. Wouldn't go under 18' for the 'vette. My 'vette's not lowered, and I clear the fender juuusst so. Enough to get out at least.

 

Thanks for the info. What brand trailer do you have? Would an 18' enclosed work or did you want storage space?

 

I believe the vette is about 16ft long. I got a 20ft enclosed car hauler. It weighs 3000lbs empty, so with the vette and stuff I'm pulling 6500lbs. Here's a couple pics loaded.

 

Chris...Cool! Over the years I've gotten so much crap from CF about using and H2 w/enclosed trailer (for a number of reasons). We have a 20' trailer and same truck. It's a great rig! We've hauled C3, C4, C5 and C6...

 

Here is our open aluminum trailer from last October... different truck although we still have (and love) our H2...

 

What is wrong with A Hummer or 20' enclosed trailer? I am kinda new here but I don't get why people here would give you a hard time about that. Hummers are great tow rigs. Especially the H3s.

 

Great input. How do you get in an out of the car with the enclosed trailer. Looks kind of tight.

The vette is 16'. Is an 18' enclosed to small? I don't need the storage space.

 

Crawl out the drivers side window


an 18" trailer may not have the proper axles wts to hold the trailer, the vette and junk weight. Need a min of twin 3500 lb axles. twin 5000 lb axles would be ideal.

Here is my 24' Pace Pursuit




No need for storage ??

I have a workbench used heavely, under cabinets storage, filled. spare wheel rack on the wall, cooler and garbage box, three six gallon fuel jugs, on the right, and air compression on the left sides of the cabinets.

Rack above the bench for light things, like the car cover, car log book, my cars set up book, track map and track notes book a radio, to hear track announcements, a light. place to put helmet and other things as needed.

 

Front and rear hooks to hang tri down straps and drivers suite





Rubber garage floor stops to put the front wheels into and keep the car in the right place before tie downs


Bulletin board to place notes, clock and thermometer



in short you will be surprised how fast the space you get will be used up.

When trailering to an event, any event, the trailer needs things too:

TWO spare tires, tires tend to blow in twos. most the two right side trailer tires, blow from falling off the edge of the pavement. GET "D" rated trailer tires.

Wood block / ramp to drive one trailer wheel up onto so you can change the other wheel when one goes flat.

socket for the trailer lug buts, cordless impact wrench, work gloves, a few general assortment of wood block. 2x4x 2'. several 2x12x12 boards to put under the trials jack plat. chauks for the wheels.

 

Sorry I do not any photo's of my trailer, it's 29" V Nose multi purpose sort of thing.

I made sure my doors would clear the inner fenders of the trailer, I also have doors in the wall's above the trailer fenders so you can open both doors of the car. You can easily get in & out of the car, also you can back the car in.

Rac Ramps manufacturer's a neat ramp that sits under the trailer door if you need to soften that angle. My car is lowered so I need all the help I can.

 

The type of trailer you get greatly depends on the capability of your tow vehicle. Check out it's capabilities BEFORE you purchase any trailer. Add weight of car, trailer and miscellaneous ( at least 1000 lbs) and leave yourself at least a 20% cushion. It must have a quality hitch rated for more than you want to haul. Trailer brake controler installed with wiring receptacle near hitch.
Trailers - 18 ft dovetail open minimum - lighter is better - feather lite or aluminum trailex if your budget can handle it.
Drive on ramps included
Removable left fender for driver access
Dual 3500 LB axles with electric brakes on BOTH axles.
D ring tiedowns at both ends
E rated heavy duty tires WITH A SPARE
Lockable hitch with screw jack for unloading purposes.
Light weight tool box for jack, fluids and other junk
Tire rack for the spare set of tires

 

also, if it is an open trailer, make sure you get an 8.5 foot wide one (there are 8 foot ones out there, and thats too narrow for the vette).

 

CHJ is CORRECT

Most smaller enclosed trailers up to 24' can be towed with a 1500 pickup.

Open trailers with Tahoe or Suburban as well.

IDEALLY the total tow weight should be no more then 80% of the tow vehicles capacity for safety

with an enclosed trailer one also needs an load leveling anti sway hitch

 

Excellent!

Are custom ramps required to load it on an 18' dovetail trailer?

Another question. I am looking at a Silverado 1500 V8 as a tow vehicle. The tow rating is 7000lbs but should I be concerned whether it has a class III or class IV hitch? How can I tell the difference?

Also, any other twing components I should look for on the used truck?

 

I towed w/18' open trailer 5 years. Trailer wt 1'800# Vette I haulled was a C4 wt 3,280#. Towed w/chevy 350 Vortec engine. A Z06 weights 3,180 ? close. I just bought a 2004 Z06Your vehicle manual will tell you towing capacitys. Truck pulled it but big hills will drag it down. I don't beleive you can succesfull tow an enclosed trailer of any size comfortably w/350ci or 5.3 (speaking Chevy) engine. Extra height will drag you down unmergifully. What kind and where you gonna Race?