Looking to buy a trailer and need feedback.

[DavidKFla]

I have a hook-up welded to the front bumper but you can wrap the cradle underneath if you wanna be ghetto 😝 View attachment 89616

That hook won't work on my car. The heat exchanger is in that location.

 

[DavidKFla]

I just bought an atc aluminum. About 30 mins ago

Pictures?

 

[Stormtrooper1320]

Almost none of the trailer side doors are low enough to open your car door. You will have to build up the floor to raise the car a few inches or get the aluminum trailer $$$ like Dave K has with the gull wing door and a removable fender. In any case, you need an open trailer. The 3.21 rear kills you. If you expect to tow on interstates at 70+ mph, you should still plan to get the adjustable load distribution hitch and maybe the additional anti-sway device.

I don't need anything because I'm not planning to tow anything like that anymore.

I would never buy a truck that had anything lower than 3.55 gears and preferably not below 3.73's. I usually try to get 4.10's but those aren't available from all manufacturers depending on the series of truck.

Side door height/location seems to vary with trailer manufacturer from what I found during my trailer search days. Door size/location could be a problem if you have a vehicle that sits very low and may necessitate actions like you mentioned. Improvise, adapt, overcome. The good lord invented 2x12's for many purpose's. \

If I were planning to go back to towing anything with regularity I would just trade for a 3/4 ton and be done. Now I just need to look pretty getting there.

 

[DavidKFla]

I don't need anything because I'm not planning to tow anything like that anymore.

I would never buy a truck that had anything lower than 3.55 gears and preferably not below 3.73's. I usually try to get 4.10's but those aren't available from all manufacturers depending on the series of truck.

Side door height/location seems to vary with trailer manufacturer from what I found during my trailer search days. Door size/location could be a problem if you have a vehicle that sits very low and may necessitate actions like you mentioned. Improvise, adapt, overcome. The good lord invented 2x12's for many purpose's. \

If I were planning to go back to towing anything with regularity I would just trade for a 3/4 ton and be done. Now I just need to look pretty getting there.

Who wants to screw around with 2x12s when you can just buy the right trailer from the beginning?

 

[Hatermkr]

I will say it again just get the right truck. The problem is most need the newest best trucks. I tow with a 2003 crew car duramax. Paid 2500 for it in Texas back in 2017 has not a speck of rust and runs great.

 

[Stormtrooper1320]

Who wants to screw around with 2x12s when you can just buy the right trailer from the beginning?

How the F would I know. I'm not trying to solve everyone elses every possible problem/contingency they might run into, I'm just throwing some suggestions and pitfalls into the discussion.

Not everyone can afford $30k for a trailer. Some of us have had to get a basic open deck, twin runner trailer in the past because it was what we could afford, and what we could find for the purpose. Was it the best one that we ever wanted? No. It was what we could get that would work at the time. Sometimes you have to use what you can get and make modifications to it. Improvise, adapt, overcome. Looks like you had to do some of that with the ramps you had to retro onto the ramp of your trailer.

I've had several types of trailers over my lifetime and they all were a compromise in one fashion or another. Doesn't come with a winch, add one. Doesn't come with a box on the front, add one. Needs more tie-down points, add them. Ramps need a little more lip added, add it.

When I ordered my first open deck trailer, I made sure to order the things on that I wanted based on my experience with previous trailers, and even after that I still had to make slight modifications depending on the car I was hauling. My Cougar sat too low to open the drivers door without removing the trailer fender. My Dart on the same trailer would allow the door to open over the fender if I lifted it up slightly. Improvise, adapt, overcome. That trailer had the front box, but no winch. I spent and got what I could afford when I got it, it didn't have exactly everything I wanted, so I had to make some mods after the fact.

There are compromises to everything like this, and you have to get what you can afford, what will do the job, how much you're willing to mod after the fact, etc. If I found a trailer I wanted and all I had to do was add some 2x12's to solve the problem, then I would do it. That's small potatoes in the world of problems in my view, but I might be more tolerant of things like that than others.

 

[DavidKFla]

How the F would I know. I'm not trying to solve everyone elses every possible problem/contingency they might run into, I'm just throwing some suggestions and pitfalls into the discussion.

Not everyone can afford $30k for a trailer. Some of us have had to get a basic open deck, twin runner trailer in the past because it was what we could afford, and what we could find for the purpose. Was it the best one that we ever wanted? No. It was what we could get that would work at the time. Sometimes you have to use what you can get and make modifications to it. Improvise, adapt, overcome. Looks like you had to do some of that with the ramps you had to retro onto the ramp of your trailer.

I've had several types of trailers over my lifetime and they all were a compromise in one fashion or another. Doesn't come with a winch, add one. Doesn't come with a box on the front, add one. Needs more tie-down points, add them. Ramps need a little more lip added, add it.

When I ordered my first open deck trailer, I made sure to order the things on that I wanted based on my experience with previous trailers, and even after that I still had to make slight modifications depending on the car I was hauling. My Cougar sat too low to open the drivers door without removing the trailer fender. My Dart on the same trailer would allow the door to open over the fender if I lifted it up slightly. Improvise, adapt, overcome. That trailer had the front box, but no winch. I spent and got what I could afford when I got it, it didn't have exactly everything I wanted, so I had to make some mods after the fact.

There are compromises to everything like this, and you have to get what you can afford, what will do the job, how much you're willing to mod after the fact, etc. If I found a trailer I wanted and all I had to do was add some 2x12's to solve the problem, then I would do it. That's small potatoes in the world of problems in my view, but I might be more tolerant of things like that than others.

Don't get your panties in a bunch.

Even when looking for something used and not costing alot you can find 1 that will work for you. You just can't go out and buy something because it's easy to find and cheap.

I know because I've done exactly this for years no matter what it was.

 

[vortecd]

That hook won't work on my car. The heat exchanger is in that location.

After market? Those hooks attach to bumper in front of it on the dodges

 

[DavidKFla]

After market? Those hooks attach to bumper in front of it on the dodges

Not enough clearance. They did send me the wrong bracket that goes on the bumper.

 

[vortecd]

Not enough clearance.

So you have an aftermarket cooler?

 

[DavidKFla]

So you have an aftermarket cooler?

Bwoody race cooler.
https://www.bwoodyperformance.com/proddetail.php?prod=410.4007

 

[SilverBillet]

Who wants to screw around with 2x12s when you can just buy the right trailer from the beginning?

Your trailer cost more than twice as much as @fumanchu182 wants to spend. Using a few 2x12’s makes it more affordable but looks like he would also need a new Ram2500 to go along with the right trailer you are thinking he should get. Seems to me he is leaning towards a nice open trailer and keeping the tow vehicle he already has?

 

[DavidKFla]

Your trailer cost more than twice as much as @fumanchu182 wants to spend. Using a few 2x12’s makes it more affordable but looks like he would also need a new Ram2500 to go along with the right trailer you are thinking he should get. Seems to me he is leaning towards a nice open trailer and keeping the tow vehicle he already has?

You are correct. Why do you think that I said what I said? Before he goes and gets a trailer that he can't pull with his 1500.

 

[fumanchu182]

Your trailer cost more than twice as much as @fumanchu182 wants to spend. Using a few 2x12’s makes it more affordable but looks like he would also need a new Ram2500 to go along with the right trailer you are thinking he should get. Seems to me he is leaning towards a nice open trailer and keeping the tow vehicle he already has?

You are correct. Why do you think that I said what I said? Before he goes and gets a trailer that he can't pull with his 1500.

You are both correct, the 1500 will be able to pull an open trailer no problem with car on it. Have done it multiple times. I am going to see a nice open kwik loader this weekend. 🤞🏻

an upgrade to a 2500 is not in the options not do i feel like upgrading the rear or springs on the 1500 the farthest ill be towing is Milan on the MSHS schedule. Florida is a no go right now.

 

[SilverBillet]

You are correct. Why do you think that I said what I said? Before he goes and gets a trailer that he can't pull with his 1500.

You were the one that said why screw with 2x12’s when you can just get the right trailer from the beginning. The right trailer would be an enclosed trailer with the nice side door like you have and that was not an option…

 

[DavidKFla]

You were the one that said why screw with 2x12’s when you can just get the right trailer from the beginning. The right trailer would be an enclosed trailer with the nice side door like you have and that was not an option…

The right trailer is 1 that won't break the bank and does the job right. Added bonus. No 2x12s!!
👍👍

 

[Jimmy N.]

Something like this then?

 

[DavidKFla]

Something like this then? View attachment 89700

I would think that it needs to be a bumper pull?

 

[Marc W]

Something to consider when looking for a trailer.... They don't really depreciate if taken care of. They're like money in the bank.... you get it back when you sell. I sold my 28' for more than I had in it, and I bought it new. Prices have gone up and that is part of that, but still... You can pay a little more than you might want, knowing that its going into a rolling savings account.

 

[Jimmy N.]

I would think that it needs to be a bumper pull?

Oh, you mean more like this?