Car hauler or utility trailer?

[BBR]

I'd like to get a trailer, but cannot decide which to get. A car trailer of course would be better for hauling the Mustang, but honestly, I won't really be doing that very often. Couple times a year maybe? A utility trailer would probably be better for 90% of the stuff I need a trailer for.

Anybody use a utility trailer for hauling a car?

Opinions?

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?

I'd like to get a trailer, but cannot decide which to get. A car trailer of course would be better for hauling the Mustang, but honestly, I won't really be doing that very often. Couple times a yearday maybe? A utility trailer would probably be better for 90% of the stuff I need a trailer for.

Anybody use a utility trailer for hauling a car?

Opinions?

there, fixed it for you.


actually I use a bobcat trailer for hauling cars - 14' long, it's really the perfect size (hauled a extended cab sb chev truck on it - to test the trailer of course). :

[Bamfster]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?

I used a utility trailer for years, it was a little tight between the rails, but worked just fine.

[BBR]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?

bg always looking to take a free shot.... :D :D

Found 2 ads for trailers on CL.

One is a utility and is willing to trade for a big air compressor.

The other is a car hauler and is willing to trade for a utility trailer.

So I could trade my big air compressor for the utility trailer and then the utility for the car hauler!

lol

[457Brodix]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?


why not a car trailer with a full floor that you could use for a utility trailer, attach side boards (stakes) to it and remove them when you're using it for a car hauler of course.

[squirrel]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?

16' tandem axle with a full floor and removable sides....you can call it whatever you want, but you'll be glad you have it many times.

[milkovich]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?

why not a car trailer with a full floor that you could use for a utility trailer, attach side boards (stakes) to it and remove them when you're using it for a car hauler of course.

That's my plan. Car trailers have the ramp or beavertail already set up for a car. Stake pockets are easy to weld on when you need sides for hauling brush or scrap.

[squirrel]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?

Having a beavertail makes it less of a utility trailer, and really isn't needed. Also, you don't need a heavy trailer, it's ok if the trailer flexes. Mine is pretty light, made of angle with a wood deck, it flexes a lot, but that makes it easier to load a car, too! 6' ramps made of 2x12 with steel edges work fine. Short pieces of 2x3 steel tube welded on to the outside makes easy stake pockets, sides aren't needed often but when they are (like for hauling scrap or moving household stuff) they're very handy.

[STINEY]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?

I built my trailer 18 years ago in my Gpa's barnyard with a buzz-box welder. Its 7x14 and has had 3 different axle set-ups under it, grew sideboards at one point, even grew a beavertail on its own (that's a different story!) started out as a flatdeck.

In short, I'd be lost without it. It gets used for everything you can think of and a few that should never been thought of. Has moved probably about 30 households, loads of dirt, swingsets, huge loads of lumber, drywall, and more junk VW's than I care to remember.

Don't know if I'd call it a utility or car hauler, don't care either. Suprisingly to me, it gets lots of compliments as well. Lots of older guys are always checking it out at gas stations and commenting on the little "extras" that make it more "useable". It has been a continually evolving workhorse, and I guess it shows.

My advice, if you get a utility build good handy ramps. It you get a hauler, add sideboards and a solid center floor. You'll never regret either one.

(I've hauled my '86 mustang on this as well. Tail end hangs off some, and it needs to be loaded front first, but pulls fine.)





This is a '70 C10 longbed truck frame on it. I also hauled my old '68 camaro home with it, and a Ford 8N has been for a couple rides as well. Just examples of what will fit on a 14' deck.



Here it is almost when it was original. Its already sporting the "custom beavertail" my cousin added to it somehow.... ?!



Jim is spot-on with the flexing too. It may be unsettling to witness at first, isn't really an issue in my experience. Just use common sense, severe bending = do not tow, being slightly flexy = hit the road.

[squirrel]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?

One thing I'd caution against is adding a permanent part across the front, which would limit how far you can pull a car onto the trailer. My experience with a trailer which had one was bad....can't load the car forward enough to get the trailer balances (need some tongue weight), and the result is very bad, dangerous trailer sway. As stiney points out he has to put his mustang on backwards....and if a mustang has to go on backwards, imagine a complete full size car

[STINEY]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?

No Jim......the mustang loads engine to the front, but you are exactly correct, the front "sideboard" has to come off often to load stuff correctly. All my sideboards pin off and on easily and quickly, for exactly the reasons you state though.

[squirrel]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?

Oh, sorry I must have read it wrong.

But anyways, being able to haul a bigger car than you think you'll have to might be wise. Remember, big blocks come in big vehicles. I've had to haul a couple suburbans in the past year because of that little fact. I've hauled a lincoln on my trailer too. It didn't like it.

[Tom Slick]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?

I'd like to get a trailer, but cannot decide which to get. A car trailer of course would be better for hauling the Mustang, but honestly, I won't really be doing that very often. Couple times a year maybe? A utility trailer would probably be better for 90% of the stuff I need a trailer for.

Anybody use a utility trailer for hauling a car?

Opinions?

I see it done all the time. The only real concern I have are the axles should really be at least 3500 pound and 5000 would be better, they usually don't have brakes, and if the side rails are very high at all you run into door opening issues. There's probably 3 or 4 manufacturers between here and Sherman, and they show up on CL constantly.

On the flip side, I use my car trailer like a utility trailer all the time, 16' x83" with just a little bit of dovetail. Mine has stake pockets but I've never built / used rails for it. I did close it in with 4x8 plywood sides once when pulling a bunch of loose stuff. I hated that - made it very noticeable to pull. The sides came off as soon as I was done. Looking back, I should have just built rail sides for it.

The only time I ever saw it flex was when I was pulling it with no deck, all the timber had rotted and I took it to the lumber yard "naked" to pick up the new decking. That was a full day of fun drilling and tapping and countersinking oh my. I've had a extended cab F150 on it, and it pretty much filled it up, but it didn't care.

Looking back some more, I'm seriously considering getting brakes for it. :|

[ford141]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?

I'm not sure about your state, but here in Pa the state fuzz are really cracking down on personal use trailers. Used to be as long as it didn't have stuff falling off of it, you were fine. Now, if they see a light out, they will pull you over and do a complete inspection, including weighing the trailer and checking against licensed weight. If you are overloaded, it is big money fines. I only say this so you make sure to check the weight capacity of the trailer if you are going to be hauling a car on it. My car trailer is licensed for 7000lbs, and my pulling truck weighs 6500lbs. Sounds good, but the trailer weighs 2500lbs dry. 6500 + 2500 - 1000(tongue weight) = 8000lbs, or 1000lbs overloaded. Long story short, my trailer is for sale, and I'm looking for a 9900lb capacity trailer (largest you can pull in Pa without a CDL).

[milner351]

Re: Car hauler or utility trailer?

My trailer is in some ways a lesson in what NOT to do, and in other ways a good pattern.

I would go with 18' flat deck, you can haul shorter loads on a longer trailer, but it's tough to go the other way.

Pay special attention to how the front of the trailer is laid out - with the idea of tight cornering in your mind - some trailers have longer decks because they push the deck out close to the hitch point - which really limits how much you can turn the trailer when backing into a tight space - many a bedside and tail light have payed the ultimate price as an expensive learning lesson.

The more D rings / tie down points the better.

Stake pockets are something I'm going to add - I think I will make the sides out of wood unless I can get some scrap metal cheap.... pining them as STINEY suggests is a great idea.

Brakes on both axles is much preferred - especially for general use - dirt, mulch, gravel, paver bricks, bags of concrete, treated lumber - etc - are all a lot heavier than you think once you start loading them in bulk.

Make sure you have a good brake controller in the tow vehicle as well - Tekonsha Prodigy has treated me very well.