Light Trailer - Sources?

Ron Earp

Ron Earp

Administrator
Next year I might be forced to tow my car with a Volvo wagon - not good but it might have to work. Before you say "no way" bear in mind the same Volvo, with the same motor, tranny, etc. tows up to 4500 lbs with no problem - something I've verified myself on numerous visits to the UK.

At any rate, the tow rating here is 3500 pounds, if the trailer has brakes. I figured I would get a braked trailer of course, and if I could get the weight of the trailer down it might be managable for a short while until I can persude my wife to get something more suitable. Think big tranny cooler, big cooler fan.

What are the sources for lightweight trailers? I'm thinking aluminum lightweight, maybe, if it doesn't cost a fortune. Car will weigh 2240 lbs, so it'd be nice to have a trailer at 1000lbs or less.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

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Ron
http://www.gt40s.com
Lotus Turbo Esprit
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Jensen-Healey: IT prep progressing!
 
Originally posted by rlearp:
Think big tranny cooler, big cooler fan.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
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Think big big brakes and big big tires. The Volvo may have the power needed to pull but you'll never be able to woe up your rig in a pinch.
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Sell the volvo and get an SUV or pick up. Check out the "what do you have" thread and get some ideas.
Most trailer places have some sort of aluminum trailer available. Sort of pricey but worth it(from what I've been told).
Ray
 
Wish I could sell it, but it is my wife's and that isn't an option yet. Besides, it is a T5 and it has bigger disc brakes - 13" vented front, 12" vented rear, than most SUV/trucks I see, half of which are wearing drums in the back and 11" single pistons up front. 17" wheels, but of course they are not high profile truck tires.

Will check that thread and see what is up.

[This message has been edited by rlearp (edited August 14, 2004).]
 
An Aluminum trailer is going to run you about $3500 from my checking. A steel trailer and a used 1/2 ton pickup (mid 90's) will run you the same.

What do you think is the better deal?
 
apr67, clearly what you suggest is the way to go but I'm limited on space too. I'm already out of garage space and have to park three in the driveway, my wife would kill me with a truck that got driven once every blue moon. I'm going to have to store the trailer in a storage place as is. Course, might could put the truck there too.
 
Later this year dodge is coming out with a diesel electric hybird....fuel mileage should be better....how much ??? I'm more concerned with cost....I know i'll want one !! The truck will also be able to switch over to a generator !! kool !! mike g.
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Hi, Ron. I have to chime in and add that I can't say enough for having the proper equipment for towing. I tried what you're suggesting, and there's just more to the equation than big brakes. There frame for the strength; hitch capacity for the load; suspension springs for the rear tongue weight; space for the tires, tool, and equipment; cooling capacity for the engine and transmission; drive axle strength for the torque; just a HOST of other things that must be considered for towing.

I just can't say enough how bad of an idea it is you're considering. In fact, it's damn near unsafe.

As for a lightweight trailer, the only way you'll get a decent trailer for a car that weighs in your range is aluminum, and it will EASILY cost you double what a steel trailer will (figure ~$1600 new for steel).

Since you're planning on buying storage space for the trailer anyway, it's not that much more to store both. Please consider getting a truck. If money is an issue, let me give you an example: I have for sale a 1993 Ford E-350 1-ton diesel cargo van with lots of new parts, plus a one-year-old two-axle 15' open-deck car trailer with all the towing equipment, coolers, new tires, ad nausea, ready to drive home for only $5000. When you consider that you're about to spend up to 3/4 of that amount on an aluminum trailer to tow with a sub-optimal tow vehicle, I think it's plain that there are better ways to do this...

Greg

http://www.gatm.com/cars/e350.html
 
I think I would investigate local rental of a truck and trailer from U-Haul, Ryder, etc before subjecting myself to trying to tow with any mid-size car. Nothing against the Volvo (great car) but when I am coming back from a race, tired and driving in the rain at night, I don't want to have any extra things to worry about. Like, will my rig stop in an emergency situation?

Having towed with both a 1990 Jeep Cherokee and a 3/4 T Chev long wheelbase with full tow package, I have vowed to quit racing before towing with something not capable of handling the job.
 
Originally posted by grega:
I just can't say enough how bad of an idea it is you're considering. In fact, it's damn near unsafe.
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Awww...c'mon, Greg...you've never been to England I guess. They do stuff like this ALL the time!

Kidding of course....there is also the tail wagging the dog issue. When the towed weight approaches the towers weight, things get hairy. (In this case the towed weight will be about 3500 with all the stuff that adds up, not sure what the Volvo will weigh, but 4000 is a guess)

That said, it can be done, sure...but the margins might be dicey in areas.

The upside to the alum trialer is that it is a much better peice of kit, and will hold its value much better than an old rusting hunk of steel.


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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]
 
<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">...hold its value much better than an old rusting hunk of steel...</font>
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Yes, but will that aluminum trailer depreciate by less than $1500? 'Cause that's the *most* you will lose with a rustin' old hunk o' steel trailer. In reality you could sell the rusty hulk for $500 - worst case - making your max loss $1000, so unless that aluminum trailer won't depreciate more than $1000 it's not a good deal, economically...

(Nothing against aluminum, I'd prefer it, simply pointing out the folly of such economical arguments. Kinda like my wife telling me she "saved us money" by shopping today... <grin> )
 
Enterprise rents Hemi Dodge Pickups. In Daytona they were $59 per day. The bumper hitch will haul 5k, and it had a trailer plug on it.

Now, you better have your own insurance to cover it, cause I doubt enterprise will, but I used it to haul my trailer when I had a problem and it worked like a champion.

Alan
 
Well, I can see where I'll need something to pull this off with. It is just I don't want to drive a stinking truck every day to and from work. No offense, but I like small cars for daily drivers. I'll have to start looking around and see what might be suitable. Looks to me a car and trailer can easily go over 4000, even if the trailer is Al and the car is light - once stuff starts getting attached the weight will add up.
 
Originally posted by rlearp:
...It is just I don't want to drive a stinking truck every day to and from work. No offense, but I like small cars for daily drivers.
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I had the same issue at one time. I loved my 1g integra, 2g RX-7, super riced out 93 Honda civic coupe(with the touring car wing of course), but came a time when I decided to get rid of all the little cars and get a full size Bronco(good deal came by). Going between the Bronco and the civic as an everyday driver, the Bronco won hands down. Sold the civic.(age might have had something to do with that decision). As time went by, I realized that I was carting more stuff to the track that could fit in the Bronco so that got sold. Needed something bigger. Found a great deal on a K2500 GMC Burban. Now I wish my commute to work was more than 15 mins and besides, if I need a rice fix, my girlfriend(Kim) has a 93 Sentra SE-R.
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Ray
PS-Kim said to me one day, "That Burban is so big, what could you possibly get next that's bigger?" I looked at her and grinned.........."dualley"
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Originally posted by moto62:

Ray
PS-Kim said to me one day, "That Burban is so big, what could you possibly get next that's bigger?" I looked at her and grinned.........."dualley"
biggrin.gif


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C'mon Ray, A Prevost will fit in your drive no problem!



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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]
 
Originally posted by grega:
....., simply pointing out the folly of such economical arguments. Kinda like my wife telling me she "saved us money" by shopping today... <grin> )
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Greg, Greg, Greg...we're talking percentagewise here! Ten years down the road the Aluminum trailer will catch the newbie Porsche club guys eye towing with a leased Cherokee, and he'll pay for it handsomely. The SCCA guy towing with an Exploder will buy the rust heap, but for pennies on the dollar. LOL.

And I don't think you wife would appreciate her shopping habits being mentioned here, do you??
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Besides, she just has to point to the toys in the driveway and runway and you've got little defense! hee hee...



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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]
 
Hey, Ron, why the resistance to having a single-purpose tow vehicle? Nothing says you have to use your tow truck as a daily driver. I personally drive around in my Audi or Miata daily, then I use the tow truck for race purposes only. Space is always an issue, but you said you were going to rent space to park the trailer anyway.

Percentages, Jake? Which would you rather lose to depreciation: 50% of $1500, or 25% of $4000? Same, same, 'cept you don't gotta finance the next guy's trailer for the 5 years you own it, and that's $2500 I can use on something else (like a dedicated diesel E-350 van...) Talking percentages are fine, but when it's all said and done cash flow dollars are what it's all about.

Oh, and trust me, I *never, ever, ever* make any disparaging comments on what my wifey-poo spends money on. I ain't that stupid...<grin>
 
Space, you said it. I just like the idea of "less is better" or the old axoim, "do more with less". Having a dedicated tow/tailer doesn't fit the "do more with less" bit! ;-)

Ideally, we'd drive our cars to the track but I gave up on that concept years ago. Then I thought, a light trailer and light car, I could manage it with a good car/wagon. Which I still think is possible, just not ideal.

But, if I rent a space, can get a rig as described above for $5k, heck, I'd be a fool to invest in a new car, new trailer, etc.

Ron
 
Don't let everyone scare ya. I totally understand the space issue (living in a condo with a single parking space that fits two cars sqeezed in).

People in the US typically way over size tow vehicles. If you get a light weight trailer the Volvo should do just fine (with trailer brakes of course).

Braking believe it or not you'll probably be MUCH better than the heaving monster trucks most people drive. Think about it this way, what percentage of weight of the vehicle is brakes? A whole lot higher percentage than a big ol' truck. Far as the trailer wagging the tow vehicle, if you load the trailer properly there should be no handling issues (I loaded a mid engine mr2 too far back once... at 65+ the trailer started weaving like mad. We just stopped, moved the car up and voila no more weaving - essentially I didn't have enough tongue weight)

I've hauled 4800+ lbs with my '97 4runner V6 and had no problems keeping up with the dualies in the mountains (2500 lb trailer, 2300 lb car plus extra tires, supplies, etc)... and stopped much better in emergency stopping too.
 
Dave, et al.

I belive he could tow with that setup (the Volvo) but for the money you are going to spend it is going to be a very difficult tow.

Trust me. I've had the worst tow vehicles in the world!

The other thing about being legally overloaded. If nothing goes wrong, great. But if you have an accident and someone gets wind that you were overloaded, your insurance company, and theirs will be all over you like brown on brown rice.

That said, I towed an 8 ft enclosed trailer with a shifter kart, welder, generator, tools, and tons of other stuff with my 1984 V8 Buick LeSabre. It did ok, but on long tows it would tire me out, and I had to do a lot more PM stuff.

Alan
 
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