Trailer weights, Minimum weight of a car trailer Options

[y5e06]

What are the typical weights of trailers to tow a car with?
thinking 16'-18' w/ dual axle and electric brakes. Open or closed decks, and aluminum, diamond plate, and wood decks would be factors. What is the lightest & smallest trailer w/ brakes capable of carrying an f-body?
Trying to calculate possible total payload including trailer, car, spares, and tools.

thanks
morgan

[94bird]

You should probably put this post in the towing section so people can find it later with a search easier if they have the same question.

My steel full deck 18' trailer says it weighs 1700 lbs. on the title. I've never weighed it to see if it's accurate. I wouldn't be surprised if it was heavier than some others. It's a very thick diamond plate floor. You should be able to get something like this for about $1700 or so new.

I think aluminum ones from companies like Featherlite and Trailex are in the 1200 lbs. range even with a tire rack. They're VERY expensive though, above $3K.

[KeithO]

The lightest trailer that I found (and I searched like mad) is the Trailex Open Car Hauler. It tips in at just under 900lbs and costs $5,000 (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

http://www.trailex.com/viewprod.cfm?id=13&...at=92&cat_id=92

Steel, open-bottom trailers weigh about 1,400-1,600lbs depending on construction and length.

No matter what you do, you will need a dual axle trailer to carry an f-body. At a minimum, you will need brakes on at least one axle and it would probably be better to have brakes on both. Dual brakes will roughly double the amount of time between brake pad changes in addition to making braking situations less exciting.

If you are going to buy an open trailer, count on at least 5,000lbs towing weight with trailer, car and spares.

[y5e06]

A guy in my region has a very small custom trailer w/ dual axles, open aluminum decking, and single axle brakes. Each axle is a 2200lb axle, so I guess the rating is 4400lbs. Guess how much it weights....
725lbs! yeah, you read that right. Its light. But the trailer is barely big enough to hold the car and nothing else. Kinda what i'm thinking about.
Its very similar to the link you posted
http://www.trailex.com/viewprod.cfm?id=13&...at=92&cat_id=92

[94bird]

I guess I don't see the need to build something that custom just to have a lightweight trailer. There are any number of very cheap tow vehicles out there that can handle a normal 1500 lbs. or so 18' open trailer. Why not just do that?

Now, if you were trying to keep a 1500 truck or the like and tow an enclosed trailer I could more see trying to go very lightweight. A 1500 truck will ride a lot better than a 2500 for what I've seen.

[y5e06]

If you must know....
now don't laugh, but I would want to tow w/ my 9C1 Caprice. Factory tow package cars are rated at 5000lbs. I'd add shift kit, 3.73 gears, trans cooler, air bags, and possibly distribution hitch. I'd probably almost never go beyond 300 miles from home and its pretty flat every where I'd tow to. LT1 engine has plenty of power, trans and rear are the same as trucks. And it only weights couple hundred pounds less than a 1500 reg cab 2wd truck.
It comes to this: I hate trucks. I really do. And I'd spend extra money for a light trailer if I could get the b-body to work vs. a 1500 or equivalent.
Did I mention I really hate trucks? (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[94bird]

I think you'll need a weight distribution hitch on the trailer if you're towing with a passenger car. I've seen a Mustang tow a AC Cobra kit car on an open trailer before so I know it can be done, but I think you're making a lot of sacrifices just because you hate trucks. Believe me, I HATED trucks. I only bought one because I figured I needed to start towing the Firebird last year. I don't drive my truck but about once a week, but when I'm in it I don't mind it as much anymore. I'll never love them, but they have their uses. One of those uses is towing F bodies. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[rmackintosh]

yeah...I would REALLY hesitate to box myself into something like what you are talking about...I always buy my stuff thinking one or two moves down the road....i.e. I bought the steel deck open trailer like Mike is talking about for my Datsun....I could have bought the lightest trailer out there, but I knew I would be towing more than a Datsun some day.....and I DID....towed a ton of stuff on it...when I went to buy a new truck....and yes, I was a TRUCK HATER also....I bought the Ford F250 SD Deisel.....COULD TOW A SMALL HOUSE.....looked silly towing the small trailer for a while, but low and behold...after a few years I bought the enclosed trailer....when I bought that, I bought bigger and nicer than I needed figuring I would get to it sooner or later...

Well now.....the Camaro fits in there as snug as a bug in a rug....WITH ROOM TO SPARE! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

lesson is....you may not want the big truck/trailer now, but don't box yourself in...you just end up buying twice as much stuff!

[steve-d]

I ended up going the passenger car route. Its a '96 Buick Roadmaster Station Wagon, LS1, Trailer Tow Package (5,000 #, posi, trans cooler etc). 18 foot open deck trailer, weight distribution and dual cam anti-sway device (highly recommended for anyone). The car does fine for the 3-400 mile tow. Plus as a SW has a great interior carry capacity.

As far as cost, the only items that'd be a write-off if the Station Wagon were sold would be the hitch. Everything else would go on the new vehicle (truck). It is a cost effective solution for the near term.

Steve

[mitchntx]

The guy I bought my Sloan Kwikload from towed his '98 Formula with a B4C without a problem.

For ease of loading/unloading, you cannot beat a tilt bed trailer.

I drove a farm tractor delivery truck while in college. I hate ramps with a passion ...

[WOOS1]

I think that the Trailex trailer is made from 80/20 aluminum modular extrusions. I saw one at a TRSCCA event in Nashville. VERY cool stuff: lightweight and strong. Also very expensive. I have bought some of the 80/20 for various projects at work. They call the stuff the industrial erector set. Really, it is even more fun. You could probably build one yourself; all bolt together. Here is a link to the material:

http://www.8020.net/

[Spinmaster]

My trailer empty is 1750lbs and with the car it is right around 5350lbs loaded. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)