Do you use a trailer with your car?

[woodsmith]

I have two trailers that I use for work and household running about, both self built for specific uses.
The first is an enclosed box trailer for hauling furniture about. The body is 10' long, 4'8" wide and 3'10" high.


The second is an open box trailer that also extends at the front. It is made from two folding pallet crates giving me 8'x3' of load space that can extend to 15'. I use it for carrying logs, machinery, building materials and waste. I can also fold the crates flat when travelling empty to reduce the air resistance.


I decided to use trailers because for my lifestyle and work I would need a car, a van and a pick up but can only have one vehicle. This gives me the best options and prevents me from travelling solo and empty in a big panel van or pick up for 80% of the time.

I still get good fuel economy with loaded trailers, better then I would get with a large van or pick up, and I have the flexibility of use and I still get a nice clean car for the family.

[Ryland]

This one is not for my car, but I have a Burly trailer that I bought to tow behind my bicycle so I can avoid using my car for short trips that I need to haul cargo, it folds flat for easy towing and storage, bought it for $5 at a garage sale.

[wagonman76]

I'm all for staying within weight limits too. I just think if I ever got into an accident while towing, even if it wasn't my fault, if I was towing overweight I'd probably be up for a lawsuit. Besides, I've towed up near the limit, and I don't think I would want to go more than that anyway.

I added quality brakes to my trailers to help keep things safer, even though Michigan doesn't require brakes on anything under 3000 lbs. I also think typical hitch mountings are pretty sad with their little nuts that could pull through. I back my hitches with angle iron inside the frame to distribute the load through the entire rear end. And I use a lot heavier safety chain than the wimpy little dog chain that comes on most trailers.

[woodsmith]

Originally Posted by wagonman76

I'm all for staying within weight limits too. I just think if I ever got into an accident while towing, even if it wasn't my fault, if I was towing overweight I'd probably be up for a lawsuit. Besides, I've towed up near the limit, and I don't think I would want to go more than that anyway.

I added quality brakes to my trailers to help keep things safer, even though Michigan doesn't require brakes on anything under 3000 lbs. I also think typical hitch mountings are pretty sad with their little nuts that could pull through. I back my hitches with angle iron inside the frame to distribute the load through the entire rear end. And I use a lot heavier safety chain than the wimpy little dog chain that comes on most trailers.

I agree with you on all this.
In the UK we have amaximum unbrakes trailer weight of 750kg or half the vehicles kerb weight or manufacturers specified limit which ever is the smaller. I can't imagine 3000lbs unbraked!

I did once tow when the load in my box trailer shifted and I ended up with negative nose weight. I couldn't go above 20mph without the trailer weaving the car a I tried to find somewhere safe to pull over. That was scary.

I would like to improve the strength of my hitch but here we are also stuck with type approval so if it hasn't been approved, or has been modified, then it isn't legal.

Even though I made my trailers out of scrap yard finds I made sure the brakes and the hitch were new and spot on.

[ATaylorRacing]

I don't use a trailer (no need) BUT my neighbor traded one of his 2 older crew cab 4x4 trucks foe a Neon and bought a trailer to use with it. He did this last year after he saw me get the 3 banger Geo to use for wheel and tire delivery (I can fit in a set of 4 275x40x17 tires with 10.5" rims and another set of 245x45x17s on 9" rims) He uses the trailer and Neon a lot when he used to use the worse of the 2 trucks....he is a landlord and moves large appliances and stuff. He is VERY happy about his usage!

[IndyIan]

I have two trailers, a 4x7 one with 1' sides and a boat trailer with a 4x8 sheet of plywood on it, the boat trailer has a rack on it so I can carry two small snowmobiles on it. I've had both trailers up to 1500lbs hauling hay or firewood and the tracker hauls that around fine. I read that in europe and australia the same vehicle could tow 3300lbs with trailer brakes. That would make the engine work on the uphills for sure but with a manual trans it should be no big deal.

[dremd]

I tow stuff all the time.
I love the comments I get (in the golf).

Normally 4x8 trailer or 14 foot boat(s)


Wildest thing I ever towed? (NOT RECOMMENDED!!!!)
99 Suburban towing a 76 Camaro on a Steel trailer ALL Towed with an 87 Supra. Took 6 PSI of boost basically sustained to go 55; didn't help that the transmission was locked up on the suburban and I was spinning the 5.7 to just about redline (unknown to me!) Pulled it about 40 miles.
!!!Don't try this at home !!!

Edit: Best golf towing pic

[dcb]

HEY!!! Thats my trailer!! (and probably more than a few other folks trailer) They sure get the job done and are inexpensive, and fold up by the back wall of the garage is nice if you don't use it much.

Nice supra story BTW

[zjrog]

We were discussing smaller cars and too big traielrs on a camping forum I frequent. Even though my tent trailer weighs less than 1500 pounds, I will put brakes on it before next season. My Jeep would appreciate the extra stopping power, but my F150 won't even notice its there. I briefly considered seeing my Neon would pull it, but don't think I want to mess with that idea.