jaje

I'm looking at upgrading to an enclosed trailer for 2010. I have a 1/2 ton truck with a 6,600 lb towing capacity so I can't pull too large of a trailer. I was looking into a 18' long x 7' wide snowmobile trailer (14" long with 4" V nose) as the car is just at 14". The snowmobile trailer has a beavertail rear entrance and also a front ramp door from one side of the V nose (instead of the typical RV side door). Opening the front would make it much easier to hook up the front tie downs. I'd like the trailer to be 2,500 lbs tops and can't afford an expensive all aluminum trailer. Anyone know of someone who uses a snowmobile trailer to also haul cars? I've looked into it and the heavy duty models are listed to also be able to haul cars.

Here is a pic of what I'm talking about.

Crazy Canuck

Man that's going to be tight.

How wide is the car?

SundayDriver

Frankly, I think you are asking for a lot of problems. It will be tight, so you will have zero ability to move things around. Everyone who gets an enclosed trailer seems to fight for space. With this setup, and your limited towing capacity, you may have some real issues.

So the car can only go in one location because of trailer length. Then means you have almost no control over % tongue weight. Now if you had a bigger tow vehicle, that wouldn't matter so much as you can deal with marginal % tongue weight. But if you are near capacity and it is not near perfect balance, you may find it does not tow very well.

I would hold out for something longer - gives you decent space and the ability to control the weight balance.

jaje

It's a 944 so it's about 6 1/2 feet wide. I was looking at the 7' wide model with the driver escape door. But might just look into a 18' long (no v nose) by 8' 6" wide model. That gives me about 4' up front. I don't want to really go to a 20' model and will use the truck bed for most of the equipment.

smlporsche

That's a common misconception...Once you get one you'll find yourself sticking more and more stuff in there...Maybe you need to upgrade your truck??(Sorry)
or just get an open trailer...

ajcjr

i was going to ask what car would fit into there, i had an 18' trailer for my karts and it was tight by the time you pack it in. 22' is the shortest i would go.

SundayDriver

Loading the bed does not help with towing capacity - quite the opposite.

But I may be confused. Your sig lists a 2500HD as the tow vehicle. Isn't that a 3/4 ton with 10,000+ towing capacity?

WHB Porsche

I was gonna ask the exact same thing...

carreracoupe997

Too narrow for me. I have a Haulmark Thrifty 18'. It is perfect. I even had them put in checkered flag flooring. I purchased a 3000 lb winch from Harbor Freight, a plastic battery box, and a 12V garden tractor battery and installed it myself. I think the trailer weighs 2750 lbs. I pull with a bone stock 1998 GMC Yukon with tow package rated the same as yours. You can install for a couple of hundred dollars the air lift bags on your rear suspension. I have been towing for 4 years and it's been perfect.

carreracoupe997

Oh I forgot...it cost me $5300 new. Color choice, brite plate trim, brite plate covered loading ramp, and flooring

CWay27

Will the tail ramp from the snowmobile trailer be strong enough to support your car??

A.Wayne

Damn....now dats a WEDGE

jaje

That is likely what I'm going to look into (I want to get a used one to save some money). I'll be towing a 2,400lb car (Spec 944) and gear or sometimes my 2,100lb Civic. I thought about the winch inside and pulling it in and securing the front using that and then just locking down the rears. I was looking at weight distributing hitches and maybe some airbags in the rear suspension or just upgrading to a heavier duty rear springs and shocks.

It is a heavy duty ramp they say is rated for 3,000 lbs. I'm figuring it's the normal car hauler rear beavertail. It's major drawback is that it is only 7' wide though making it a very tight fit width wise.

WHB Porsche

For what it's worth, I helped put a car in an enclosed trailer today that had literally less than an inch of clearance on either side. However, this was an 8' wide trailer and the clearance was at the bottom, between the interior fenders, which made climbing out of the car easier. I don't think he could have gotten out had there been a 7' interior width.

jaje

Thanks for the input guys. I just sold my open trailer. Got a call in the morning that buyer was on his way down to look at it and buy it on spot.

Anyway - I'm highly considering a standard 16' x 8' trailer. It will be to carry most of the items I'll need. I've also seen several other trailers with welded in winch plates so the owner could simply secure the front with the winch from a remote switch. That way I don't have to climb in the front to affix the tie downs.