Buy a trailer (instead of a pickup truck)

[HHOTDI]

Originally Posted by P-hack

got a tow hitch on my prius, and a $300 menards 4x8 trailer. A few people have actually gotten angry at seeing a tow hitch on a prius, strange country this is, doesn't fit their worldview or something, but it is perfect for my occasional hauling/camping purposes.

P-Hack....No kidding, I get that a lot from folks. Some love it and smile/laugh when they pass. Other slow down and take pictures with their phones..! I bought several sheets of Coroplast with the idea of making an easily removable body for the sides/top of my little trailer to make it more Aerodynamic.

NoD...There are a few companies that make really nice Cartop or Rooftop tents. One in Oregon looks to make one of the nicest I have ever seen. Depending on your location in the country, one might be in driving distance for you. I have seen them on Ebay as well. Some companies make them for/to be pulled behind Motorcycles as another option. Then there is always the little Teardrop trailers you can easily build/buy...

Mike :{)

[NoD~]

Well, I can throw a rock and hit Oregon... course, I'm sure none of those are around Eastern Oregon! I'll have to take a look and see what I can find. I go towards the Portland area ~every other year.

[HHOTDI]

Originally Posted by NoD~

Anybody use their car for camping... like pulling a pop-up tent trailer? Curious on that one.

I have seen these and they are amazing! Cascadia Vehicle Tents | Best Roof Top Tents In The Industry | Cascadia Vehicle Roof Top Tents

These guys are in Salem it looks like, also looks a lot like the one you can get at Cabela's! Lightweight Rooftop Tents offered by Compact Camping Trailers Concepts featuring the Roof Top Tent

Enjoy your day! :{)

[NoD~]

Interesting! One could throw that on top of a regular flat trailer for a cheap/easy portable tent!

[BlueCruxHF]

I wonder if my HF even has a tow rating, no book came with the car.
It would look cool to find a totaled HF and make the rear into a trailer to pull behind mine...I could put a cloroplast bubble front end, make a tent in the back hatch for a camper...replace the gas tank for fresh water tank...hmm...sounds like something else to junk up my yard with lol.

[HighMPG]

Interesting post, I am looking for a trailer to compliment my brand new 2012 Super Duty 6.7 Diesel! Now time to figure out ways to boost my MPG!

[trooper Tdiesel]

in OR...
trailers are free of title plates and tags for as long as the GTW is less then 1,800lbs. (IE the load on the trailer wheels)Oregon DMV Boats & Boat Trailers
though lights are still required, even if there abal to be seen on the tow auto.

after 1,800 to 8,000lbs its the same fee as a passenger auto, for light Utility trailer plates $86 two years for tags. though title, plates and tags is about $180 the first time..Oregon DMV Light Trailers


after 8K your in to HU, hevey utility plates and they must be pulled by a auto registered by weight.Oregon DMV Heavy Trailers
farm, truck or PUC plates. though there a permrmanet regestraton on the trailer, the fee for the auto is quite steep.
only the farm for 8K is less then the passenger auto by $16 every two years.
Motor Carrier Transportation Farm Trucking in Oregon

so if you file the paper work for farm plates "and get approved" and register the trailer as a HU title fee is about $20 more.
the first year would cost about $300 for the title, plates and tags for the tow auto and trailer. but there after it would be $35 every year for the farm plates on the tow auto and the trailer would be free.
talk about a loop hole in the system

[freebeard]

trooper Tdiesel -- Thanks for that. From the Oregon DMV:

A camper permanently mounted on a trailer is registered as a travel trailer.

A travel trailer is designed to provide facilities for human habitation (permanent sleeping and cooking facilities). Travel trailers are not used for commercial or business purposes. A travel trailer is any of the following that is 8.5 feet wide or less:

Recreational vehicle
Prefabricated structure

The width of 8.5 feet is measured when any expansion sides or “tipouts” are in the usual travel position

I wonder, what would they make of a 20' shipping container on a trailer that has a center spine and a sliding wheel dolly, like a log truck trailer?

I guess if a teardrop trailer has a Coleman camp stove and a place to roll out a sleeping bag, those aren't permanent facilities?

[trooper Tdiesel]

fees on RVs are steep.
http://www.odot.state.or.us/forms/dmv/465.pdf
the base fee is not to bad $54 but the trailer must be under 14' over all, not just the living space. after that 15' up it starts at $163
at the top end a 45' RV its $388.50 for two years of tags.

for a 20' RV it would be $201 every two years.


i guess if you look at it as a savings compared to hotels it would be worth it on a long trip.
its just i remember a few years ago the fee base was upped 50% same for truck PUC and farm. car tags went from 54 to 86 as well.

needless to say i spend way to much time at the DMV with all the autos and trailers we have. seems like every 3rd month something needs tags on it.

[gone7]

Aw, the vicissitudes of state legislatures. Probably nothing more bizarre.

But regarding utility trailers, here's a couple tips for folks in similar situations.

First, a trailer should have the fenders mounted to the axle and not the body. That way they will never rub the tires.

Second, a trailer's tires, suspension and shocks are very important considerations; even on a small one. This guarantees the proper handling characteristics of, particularly, smaller trailers.

Third, invest in the best hitch for your car. Get a load-leveling type if any serious weight will be pulled. Without it, a heavy trailer, especially one with dual axles, will tend to lift up the rear of a car when braking. The car must control the trailer; never the other way around, regardless of speed. And don't forget that tongue weight goes up by a big factor when braking, especially without trailer brakes. Also make sure that load is properly distributed.

Fourth, love those tongue-mounted brakes that work when the weight of the trailer pushes against the hitch. No fancy wiring or controls to install, and nothing to do when driving. They work automatically.

Fifth, adding a plywood floor can be done with most utility trailers. However, make sure that there are enough cross members to support it, and you get rid of any steel mesh. But you will likely need 3/4" pressure-treated plywood, which is a little heavier than non-treated. Weigh the different options to see which actually saves weight and fuel down the road.

Finally, a big car often has a big trunk. For small landscaping jobs around the house, one only needs to get a heavy tarp to line the trunk and over the fenders when loading or unloading.

Believe it or not, I used my TownCar trunk to haul some gravel. I went to the gravel yard, weighed in, then drove to the gravel pile. I got out, opened the trunk, and stretched out the tarp to cover everything, including the outside fenders, body and bumpers, etc.. The loader came up to the trunk and gently started to pour in. Half way thru, we stopped to make sure that the air ride suspension was fully lifting the load, and slowly finished loading, making sure the car remained level. Then I folded in the tarp, closed the trunk and weighed out. Simple.

Sorry, but I don't remember the amount, but would guess at one and a half or two cubic yards. Anyway, the car ran great and the brakes worked fine. (No hot-rodding, please.) One could reach in and shovel out with a big bucket or a short-handled shovel. When you get to the end, you just get a friend to help lift out the tarp and all the remainder.

Bottom line; only get a trailer once the job gets bigger than that (which is, admittedly, often). But get a trailer before a pickup.

In any situation, the important thing to remember with increasing load capacities, is to drive a little slower, increase stopping and following distances so as to save the brakes. Make sure the trailer weight, loaded or unloaded is appropriate for proper tow vehicle handling of it, and that tongue length is increased enough to stop any fishtailing action. At every stop, check wheel bearing temperature on that trailer!

There is nothing more utilitarian than a utility trailer.