Bull

If you are interested, there is a like-new trailer for sale in my area, used 3-4 times since purchased in '06, that is a 32' or 34' goose neck, 3 axles and loaded with MANY options. The build sheet was over $26k, and the asking price is $17k.

If you want more info, send me a PM and I will get you in touch with the guy, who is in our PCA Region.

Phokaioglaukos

Featherlite, and others, make 24' gooseneck trailers, but I have NEVER seen one that short. I wonder why that is? A 24 footer should be plenty for me, and I guess it will be a tag because that is what there is.

Mussl Kar

A 24 foot gooseneck would have only 16 feet of floor space. The"attic" eats up 8 feet of the space. The length that they give you, IE 36' is the OA length.

My 36' Pace Shadow GT (gooseneck) is still for sale if you are interested.

Geoffrey

Chris, the 24' aluminum trailers from the better companies Featherlight, Exiss, ATC, etc. tow nicely with a good tow vehicle. I don't have any load leveling or sway control on my Featherlight and don't seem to need it. I would recommend that you get the heavier axles and larger tires. They handle the load much better and make the trailer more reliable.

Phokaioglaukos

Thanks, Geoffrey. After walking the paddock this past weekend and talking with many, I'm settling on a 24' Featherlite and a Toyota Tundra to pull it. Thought hard about a diesel pickup, but I should not really need one for a light trailer, the maintenance/realiability issues give me pause and they do cost more without getting THAT much better mileage.

M758

I tow with a 2500 Dodge V10 so very similar tow ratings as you Chevy. Right now I use an open trailer, but have consided enclosed and LQ trailers.

When I researched thigns LQ trailers got heavy very fast. Putting a car plus stuff and then adding living space is what does it. I came to realize anything with seperate space for the car and living area would be hitting the limits of the 2500 truck. I could tongue load or overall weight. 5er's allowed me to have a larger overall trailer weight, but the 2500 chassis only can handle so much pin load. In the end the only kind of LQ trailer I could get and tow with my 2500 dodge was the car in LQ kind. These are the trailers where you pull the car out of the trailer and then fold down the benchs and live in there.

Then I got to thinking about what Bill W said. Not only do you need to deal with getting yourself and the car ready for a weekend you also need to worry about getting the "RV" stocked and ready. More time and effort for each weekend not less.

So for me I just stayed with an open trailer. I still would like LQ trailer, but mostly just to have a nice area at the track for my wife and daugther to come out and stay with me. The problem is I still don't think they would want to come out. Most of my races are close to home so I can sleep at home each night (no hotel) so where is the benefit?

I think if I ever do get and enclosed it would be a very simply one with maybe enough space for bathroom and the car. I can sleep on the floor in the trailer if need to.

Janni

I personally think that you are better off going with the LQ in your tow vehicle - i.e. toter or motor home - and then pulling a dedicated trailer.

Car trailers with LQ just don't seem to do well on resale and most folks that have them end up getting rid of them shortly.

Getting a motor home is a dual purpose vehicle - you can take the family camping, see the USA, etc. Having LQ in your trailer - in addition to being heavy, means that you have less space for car stuff.

Horse trailers seem to do OK with LQ, car trailers - not so much.

Hey - we're hear to help you spend money, right?

Geoffrey

Chris, I tow with a diesel and I'm not sure that I would want to tow with a gas engine. Several comments come to mind.

I think the wind resistance is the largest factor to fuel economy. Some trailers have the option of about 8" more height. While nice when using the trailer, it noticably reduces fuel mileage. The vee nose trailers seem to improve fuel mileage, my featherlight has a shallow 2 foot vee and I got between 1 and 2mpg more than when towing a friends featherlight without the vee. I recently had to tow at 65mph while waiting for someone to catch up with the group. I got 2mpg more than when towing at 75-80mph. I use Load rating 'E' truck tires on my trailer over trailer specific tires which, in general, have a speed rating of 65mph. With the diesel truck (2wd stick shift 10spd), I get between 13 and 16mpg depending on speed and which trailer I was towing. And I agree, it would be a long time to recoup the cost of a diesel by fuel mileage only.

2BWise

You should be alright with the 2500HD for awhile, but I would say go with something with higher towing capacity. As for the trailer go with the gooseneck. I've been towing a 36 ft gooseneck with a '03 2500hd for the past four years. The 2500 is probably the minimum I would use to tow with. I'm lucky to get 8 mpg with it and the drag is unbelievable. Downhill 80 mph in neutral and the drag is enough to SLOW the rig. It is very easy to tow though. Getting around town is not an issue and backing it is a breeze.

Phokaioglaukos

Ford F-250 Crew Cab (Toyota Tundra CrewMax)
Engine: 6.4L V-8 diesel (5.7L V-8 gas
HP: 350 @ 3000 rpm (381 @ 6500 rpm)
Torque: 650 @ 2000 rpm (401 @ 3600 rpm)
Transmission: 5-speed auto (6-speed auto)
Payload: 2770 (1495)
Towing capacity: 12,500 (10,100)
GVWR: 9,400 (7,200)
GCWR: 23,000 ( ? )

The Ford has nifty towing features such as telescoping mirrors, trailer brake controller and power adjustable pedals, but repair costs for a diesel can be significant and there is little cost advantage for diesel fuel over gasoline. The Toyota is a Toyota, and that means reliability.

For a 24' Featherlite and a 3200 pound car and typical gear, I think the Toyota should be fine. At least that is my current thought.

Phokaioglaukos

How does the interior of a 36' gooseneck (are they real goosenecks or fifth wheels?) compare to the interior of a 24' tag?

sublimate

The Tundra's GCWR is 16,000

The GCWR, Payload, and Torque differences are all pretty significant.

jrgordonsenior

I would compare the weight of that 24ft. Featherlite to the other V-nose trailer available. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the Feathelite comes in a all-aluminum version and a steel framed with aluminum sides/roof version just like most other trailers. The combined weight may be too much for the Tundra. For comparision purposes my 28ft. Pace Aerosport (which is really a 24 ft. box with the enclosed nose weights 4100 lbs. empty. Also the Pace has a much more severe V-nose than the Featherlite and it does make a difference towing.....

Crazy Canuck

Over 90% of enclosed auto trailers are gooseneck rather than 5th wheel. This also includes horse trailers. Why go goose vs. 5th? Cheaper, stronger, less stuff in the bed of the truck.

Gooseneck/FW will tow dramatically better than a tag along. It's all about weight over the axle instead of weight 3' behind the rear axle of the tow vehicle. Yes they cost more. If you do a lot of towing this won't matter after awhile. All you'll think of is how sweet your Goose tows.

A major factor determining fuel economy is frontal area. A taller, wider, square trailer will require more fuel to tow than another with a smaller frontal area.

2BWise

The 36 footer I use has a 5-6 ft overhang into the bed (I can lay down in it and am nearly head to toe with the front wall and rear edge), so you'd have 6 more usable feet than a rectangular 24' tag.