buying a car hauler - what to look for?

[01yellerCobra]

^^ correct

I do not have the air bags installed on the F250 yet, so I can only pull the 20 ft. enclosed right now. (it has wd bars)
However, the '05 will not fit into the 20 footer ( too narrow of a trailer)

I think that's the only thing that really bugs me about my truck. The rear springs seem soft. And they put the shorter blocks on the 250's. I've been thinking of getting the blocks for the 350's. At least then when I tow my car I might not get lights flashed at me.

 

[85GT 7.0]

I was curious, my 24 footer had a work bench on one side at the front a tool chest on the other side a generator mounted on the tongue and I parked a golf cart between them all the way against the front wall. This left me about 4 inches between the cart and the front bumper of my fox body. I never needed a weight distribution hitch although I did add a sway brake that ended any swaying problems.

^^ correct

I do not have the air bags installed on the F250 yet, so I can only pull the 20 ft. enclosed right now. (it has wd bars)
However, the '05 will not fit into the 20 footer ( too narrow of a trailer)

 

[Mach2burnout]

Why don't you guys with the enclosed trailers install a small winch in the front of your trailer? This will eliminate the need to ever open the door inside the trailer. It's the only way to load a car in my opinion enclosed or open.


Sent from iPhone

 

[swflastang05]

Why don't you guys with the enclosed trailers install a small winch in the front of your trailer? This will eliminate the need to ever open the door inside the trailer. It's the only way to load a car in my opinion enclosed or open.


Sent from iPhone

I have one, but it's more for loading the car in the event something breaks, it's way too slow otherwise lol

 

[Mach2burnout]

I have one, but it's more for loading the car in the event something breaks, it's way too slow otherwise lol

Sure is easier on clutches though. Plus if you usually are by yourself like I am, it sure helps with no spotter.


Sent from iPhone

 

[swflastang05]

Sure is easier on clutches though. Plus if you usually are by yourself like I am, it sure helps with no spotter.


Sent from iPhone

I have an auto so no issues with clutches, but it would be better when loading by myself, which I also have to do more times than not. There's not much wiggle room b/w the fenders in there!

 

[Mach2burnout]

I have an auto so no issues with clutches, but it would be better when loading by myself, which I also have to do more times than not. There's not much wiggle room b/w the fenders in there!

Some cheap winches are actually pretty fast. Mine (not really cheap) is Warn 8000# and it's not really slow IMO.


Sent from iPhone

 

[ford20]

If I might ask, why doesn't anyone ever get one of these?

Used they are in the 20-40 range which is about as much as a tow vehicle and trailer would be and you can build mounts on there for tires and fuel canisters. I guess by the same token you would be able to use your tow vehicle as a primary vehicle.

 

[Boone]

I don't even want to think what would happen if I parked a flat bed in my driveway. I'd have to add the lawyer's fees and 1/2 my net worth to the price of the truck.

 

[83-88T-Bird Guy]

I have one, but it's more for loading the car in the event something breaks, it's way too slow otherwise lol

Same here. I have an emergency winch that hooks into the 2 tie down strap anchors in the floor.

Sure is easier on clutches though. Plus if you usually are by yourself like I am, it sure helps with no spotter.


Sent from iPhone

When I switch the car to a manual trans this winter, I may have to permanently install a winch just for the '05.

 

[83-88T-Bird Guy]

If I might ask, why doesn't anyone ever get one of these?

Used they are in the 20-40 range which is about as much as a tow vehicle and trailer would be and you can build mounts on there for tires and fuel canisters. I guess by the same token you would be able to use your tow vehicle as a primary vehicle.

I had thought of that years ago.
Way too expensive to buy used and then only use it 15 times (or less) a year and maybe drive a total of 5,000 miles a year.

Plus, have you ever seen one cheap that did not have a gazzillion miles on it ?

Every reasonably priced rollback I have ever seen have been worked hard.

 

[redfirepearlgt]

^^^ If I had 40K to throw at a roll back, I'd never bothered starting this thread. LOL! Would be nice to have that kind of loot lying (laying, whatever) around for miscellaneous support equipment. If however I had 40K laying (or is it lying) around I'd spend it on building a garage and putting a lift in and still use the left over to buy a trailer I could pull with my F150 that's paid off. The remainder I would host a party and invite the whole website to come hang out...but that's if I had 40K lying (how does that work laying?) around.

 

[Mach2burnout]

Same here. I have an emergency winch that hooks into the 2 tie down strap anchors in the floor.




When I switch the car to a manual trans this winter, I may have to permanently install a winch just for the '05.

There are some hitch type mounts you can get so that you don't have to permanently mount it on the trailer.


Sent from iPhone

 

[83-88T-Bird Guy]

There are some hitch type mounts you can get so that you don't have to permanently mount it on the trailer.


Sent from iPhone

The winch I have now is attached to an "A frame" trailer tongue coupler.

I can attach it to any 2 inch ball and start winching away. So all I have to do is mount a 2 inch ball inside the trailer up front

 

[Speedboosted]

There are some hitch type mounts you can get so that you don't have to permanently mount it on the trailer.


Sent from iPhone

We've got one of these on our service body truck, it's pretty slick.

 

[skwerl]

For enclosed trailers, you can mount the winch off to the side and route the cable through a pulley mounted at the front center of the trailer. Or even mount the winch outside of the box and use multiple pulleys to route the cable under and up through the floor.

 

[HeavyDuty]

Car haulers-

The best made that I've found are the ones like my black one- its an Imperial, and you can load a Corvette on it without dunnage to make up the ramp height.

The green one I've pulled so many miles its crazy, it rolls like nothing is behind the truck, which is nice on the fuel, until you load it. The black one, you felt all the time.

If I were you, I'd be getting an enclosed, hands down. Pointy front will help.

 

[05stroker]

The best made that I've found are the ones like my black one- its an Imperial, and you can load a Corvette on it without dunnage to make up the ramp height.

The green one I've pulled so many miles its crazy, it rolls like nothing is behind the truck, which is nice on the fuel, until you load it. The black one, you felt all the time.

If I were you, I'd be getting an enclosed, hands down. Pointy front will help.

I have a 32' enclosed Haulmark I will trade you for the black one.

 

[redfirepearlgt]

The best made that I've found are the ones like my black one- its an Imperial, and you can load a Corvette on it without dunnage to make up the ramp height.

The green one I've pulled so many miles its crazy, it rolls like nothing is behind the truck, which is nice on the fuel, until you load it. The black one, you felt all the time.

If I were you, I'd be getting an enclosed, hands down. Pointy front will help.

Holy crap is that a car hauler or an Aircraft Carrier behind that truck? GEEZ! That thing looks like you could land an F14 TOMCAT on it. Enclosed isn't in the picture regardless of price. I would if I were going to do the whole NMRA circuit but that isn't going to happen in this decade anyway.

 

[psfracer]

Why don't you guys with the enclosed trailers install a small winch in the front of your trailer? This will eliminate the need to ever open the door inside the trailer. It's the only way to load a car in my opinion enclosed or open.


Sent from iPhone

Thats exactly what I did--except I installed a 9000lb winch, with its own power supply. I find it convenient as I can load the car by myself, if it breaks, and I can put it exactly where I want--all without having to climb out of the car.