GetBoosted

Hi everyone,

I'm thinking of upgrading from an open trailer to an enclosed setup but I have a few questions...

For context, I am towing with a 3/4 ton diesel Silverado and I am currently planning to tow around a Miata and a Porsche 996 Turbo. Currently I don't have a gooseneck however I wouldn't mind installing one if it would make sense to do so. Also, I have a fairly tight driveway & street so as much as I think it would be cool, I cannot get away with a monster sized trailer.

Onto the questions:
- What size trailer makes sense?- Are there any aluminum enclosed options that aren't through the roof price wise? I'd love to keep the budget in the under 6-8k range.- At the tracks for the DE events, can I typically leave the trailer for the weekend while competing?Thanks!

LuigiVampa

My thoughts:

1. Get the biggest trailer that your budget and space allow. 24 is better than a 20. 27 is better than a 24. Those few extra feet will mean something.

2. When it came time to buy I could either afford a 27 foot steel trailer or a much smaller aluminum trailer. I opted for steel and have a F350 diesel. At $6-$8k you are better off going steel.

3. Most tracks let you leave trailers overnight on multi-day events in my experience.

Once you go enclosed you will not look back!

LostSouth

1. Get the most you can. I think a 20' is pushing it. I have a 22' (got a deal) with cabinets up front which have a lot of stuff in it. I have enough room to open the cabinets when the car is in the trailer, but not much more. A 24' would be ideal. Bigger isn't always better-it just means you're hauling more crap to the track.
2. I paid $11,000 for my 22' aluminum and thought it was a steal. I can't say I've seen anything aluminum priced below $10k.
3. I've probably been to 15 tracks and have always been able to leave over night. I can only think of one (Indianapolis) that I couldn't drop the trailer at the track the night before.

dogger15

Not sure what you mean by this. If you opted for a gooseneck and wanted 24' of useable car space, you would need a 32' (24' lower deck and 8' upper deck). So the overall trailer+truck length is the same as a 24' tag.

You're right, a 20' is pushing it on size. It will accommodate your car and a minimum amount of necessities. If a 24' is too long to fit in the space you have, you might consider a 22' as a compromise solution.

As far as finding Aluminum in the price range you specified, I would check out the used trailer listings. I'm guessing there would be a number of trailers in the smaller sizes being sold by folks that started out small and wanted to move up. You could probably get a basic box with an unfinished interior and plywood floor in that price range. A steel trailer can be made to work in your conditions by having the underside Line-Xed or something similar and spending the time to thoroughly clean it after each use. I have owned both kinds and while I prefer Aluminum for the weight savings, rust resistance and resell value, a steely will save you some money up front.

Jferrante

I have a 20 footer and have a reasonably large driveway and it takes up more than you would think. I am in Princeton if you wanted to come take a peak at it.

GPA951s

I have a 24 ft enclosed steel, it was 2 years old and got it for $4k and tow with a 2500 GMC Duramax Its not bad but loaded up with tools and a 2800lb car you do know its back there.. I can say that WGI lets you keep your trailer there.. I drop it there Day before the event, then goto the hotel..
I am Really good at backing up a bumper mounted Trailer, The first time I backed up a gooseneck I found out I REALLY Suck, it tows nicer but its a different way things move around.. If you go gooseneck, Find a wal-mart and practice.. The Advantage to backing up the gooseneck is that you can jackknife it into really tight spots.. All Personal preference..

GetBoosted

Thanks for all the great replies guys. Very helpful indeed.

Any input on places to find used trailers. So far I have been focusing in on:
- Craigslist
- Forums (6speedonline, rennlist, PCA RTR, miata.net, and clubroadster)
- Localish RV & trailer dealers

I've found quite a few steel enclosed trailers that fit both the budget & the size but they are all bumper pulls. lol, the unicorn trailer that I'd love to find would be a 22-24 foot gooseneck in aluminum and then even stretch the budget for it. But it seems that a vast majority of the smaller (ie. under 28') enclosed car trailers are all bumper pulls that I've found.

Having trailered both bumper pulls and goosenecks before with other trailer setups I totally agree that the gooseneck is a different animal and better for backing up. My old gripe with them is that they are more of a pain in the butt to hook up and the 8' lead versus a typical 4' lead in front of the trailer.

ohenryinatlanta

me thinks your going to have trouble finding a 20-24 aluminum gooseneck.... ?????

LuigiVampa

Just a response to people who say "you will only lug around more junk".

Ever drive hours only to have to go back home because a part failed and you have the replacement in your garage? That doesn't happen as much when you have the room to carry what you need.

Sure, it adds up, but if you have a big truck like the OP does (or like me) it matters less. With a fully loaded 27 foot steel trailer loaded to the gills I sometimes forget it is back there.

Remember to buy a weight distribution hitch - it is a must. I have the equal-i-zer brand. The best.

GetBoosted

Oh agreed. If I can find a steel trailer that fits the bill being 22-24 feet and a gooseneck I think that's going to be where I need to land. Well assuming I can find that. Harder to find those too.

hf1

As someone else noted, you'll need a 32' goose-neck to match the space and truck+trailer length of a 24' bumper-pull. I don't think 22-24ft goose-necks even exist -- you won't be able to fit a car in them even if they did.

Also try racingjunk.com

GetBoosted

So when I was saying gooseneck trailer sizes I was giving the length of the main area. lol, this is probably showing my noobish nature with that. I was assuming when you look up sizes for those trailers it worked like a bumper pull trailer... ie. when I look at a 20' enclosed, it's 20' in the cargo area + 4' for the tongue (typically at least). So when you guys are saying the sizes for a gooseneck, you are stating the overall size of the trailer including the 8' upper deck portion as well?

rlm328

With a 3/4 ton truck it doesn't make ant difference if you get steel or aluminum. I have a 26' tag enclosed trailer and can jockey it around in a lot of close places. I typically leave my trailer in a storage lot, something you did not mention as an option. I was looking at a 24' trailer and was advised to get a 26' as you always need more room, i.e. scooter, compressor, etc. I have never been to a track that did not allow for overnight storage during an event.

Goosenecks can be tricky as they do not follow the truck track as well as a tag trailer does, also the repercussions of jack knifing while backing up is a lot more expensive than with a tag trailer.

Coochas

Do what I did and move to another house where you can put whatever kind of trailer you want. This is a VERY important step. Don't fight it.

GetBoosted

lol, yeah I am 100% on board with that. Just need to con the wife into that.