by "ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
Published 11/21/2017 at 10:07
by "ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
Published 11/21/2017 at 10:07
Tags: Trailerlopnik
STARS: 13
The real reason I went out to Tucson was to take delivery of the trailer I ordered about six weeks ago. As a result, after only 14 years I own a trailer that both has enough axles and isn’t primarily held together by rust. It took me awhile to find a manufacturer that made exactly what I wanted, but I’m a pretty happy camper that I finally did. I don’t miss my rusty-ass old trailer at all.
The trailer is basically Carson’s standard 16ft open-center car hauler with brakes on one axle, but six inches narrower. I checked the option boxes for the breakaway kit, spare tire and mount, and 4" drop axles. Combined with the dove tail at the rear, I think the drop axles will make easy work of loading low clearance things like racecars. I went with the white wheels on red to match the race car’s color scheme. For $2600, I think I’m pretty happy with it.
While I’ve got a few planned improvements, I think it is going to work really well. As a bonus, the F150 got 24mpg from El Paso to Tucson with the cruise set at 82mph, and 18mpg towing on the way back with the cruise set at 80mph. While the trailer wasn’t loaded, I’ll take that fuel mileage. Most of the trucks I’ve owned in the past didn’t get 18mpg coasting downhill unloaded, much less towing anything.
"atfsgeoff" (atfsgeoff)
11/21/2017 at 10:11, STARS: 2
So what’s the width between wheel wells? How wide of a car will actually fit on that puppy?
"Captain of the Enterprise" (justanotherdayinparadise)
11/21/2017 at 10:16, STARS: 1
Congradulations! That looks awesome. I’d love to have one like that some day (and a race car to put on it lol)
"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
11/21/2017 at 10:20, STARS: 1
Ooh, nice and low! I like how the tongue has the raised coupler frame, and those steps next to the wheel-wells are a nice touch, too. And that ramp storage...
"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
11/21/2017 at 10:26, STARS: 1
76" between the fenders, while the standard car hauler width is 82". Most cars will still fit, and I definitely don’t need the extra width for an 80's Honda. A current mustang should fit on it just fine. The between the fender width is basically the same width as my F150.
"PartyPooper2012" (PartyPooper2012)
11/21/2017 at 10:28, STARS: 1
Red eh? Looks nice. Would look a lot nicer with say.... Integra on it...
"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
11/21/2017 at 10:34, STARS: 1
I’m going to play around with the Integra on it this weekend, both to see how the ramp set up works and to see how my current tie down scheme works with this trailer.
"Mr. Plastics powered by GreyGoose" (greygoose)
11/21/2017 at 10:36, STARS: 1
Nice looking trailer!
"RacinBob" (racinbob)
11/21/2017 at 21:21, STARS: 1
A couple of tie down suggestion. I am a big fan of using chains as tie down. They are far less hassle than straps, they are easy to store and no matter how I try, they don’t let the car fall off the trailer.
First I bolted a piece of 4" L channel to the bed where I want the front wheel to sit as a chock. Then I welded a link to the trailer frame and adapted a tensioner by putting a hook with a safety catch on one end. So then connect the chain to the link and use the tensioner and hook to connect to the front frame tie down. I wrap a bungee around it so it doesn’t pop off.
I use a second chain with hook to provide a safety chain on the front.
I then bolted 4 1/2" tie down rings on the inside of the of the rear ramps behind the location of the of the rear tie down. I then maid a chain with hooks on the ends and use a D ring the middle to install a hook in the middle to connect to the tied down. This rear chain prevents it from falling forward or too much back. should the front fail.
By using safety hooks, I can tie the thing down in less than 3 minutes. And by using chains, I trust it will not come off.
Ps rust looks worse on camera than in person.
"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
11/21/2017 at 22:46, STARS: 0
I’ve never had a problem with straps. It is more of a question of if I need to replace or modify any of the straps or buckles. I had each strap set up for a specific corner of the car on the old trailer, and the front two with the buckles shortened to prevent clearance problems with latching them and the front lip. I’ll probably add a couple of D-rings at the rear once I determine exactly which cross member I want them on.
"RacinBob" (racinbob)
11/21/2017 at 23:00, STARS: 1
BTW, basically the same as my 27 year old homebuilt..... Pictures from 2008 and 2015.
"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
11/21/2017 at 23:53, STARS: 0
I dig the progression of minivans. I’m guessing that trailer was built with Hondas in mind, looking at how far forward the axles are?
"RacinBob" (racinbob)
11/22/2017 at 07:55, STARS: 1
Yes to the FWD, but the trailer predates both my Honda and Minivan era.
The interesting thing about this rig is it has no suspension. It uses junkyard Chevy Cavalier rear hub and brake assemblies bolted to the frame. That’s why it sits so low. Amazing thing is that after probably 27 years of usage and 100,000 miles the bearings are still good and tight.
This picture was just before we did the 700 mile tow to Nelson Ledges for the Longest Day 24 hour race. We finished third to a pair of CRX’s. That was the X-11's las ride, if you can’t beat them, join em.....
PS - Air lift air bags let you get away with towing far more than the car is rated for.
"RacinBob" (racinbob)
11/22/2017 at 09:08, STARS: 0
Amazing amount of steel, tires and fabrication for $2600.....
"PartyPooper2012" (PartyPooper2012)
11/24/2017 at 07:04, STARS: 0
Red and yellow, bruh... looks really good - take a look
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1995-ferrari-355-challenge/
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
10/09/2019 at 12:19, STARS: 0
Spiffy, though if all you were towing was a RAV-4, ever, I bet you could have a smaller one.
"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
10/09/2019 at 12:23, STARS: 0
Indeed. They'll build you one to whatever deck lenght you want. Doing it again, a 14ft deck would probably be the way to go instead of my 16 ft.
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
10/09/2019 at 12:28, STARS: 0
That does look like a rather long trailer. I don’t know what my brother-in-law’s Sprinter-based Winnebago gives for a towing capacity.
"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
10/09/2019 at 12:32, STARS: 0
The other thing I might consi der differently for an RV tag along application is the drop axles. They’re great for loading low clearance cars, but the trade off is you can’t open the doors on the trailer. For a racecar without windows this doesn’t matter, but I’d want to make sure a RAV4 or similar had enough clearance to open the doors over the fenders before ordering the drop axles. With standard axles this doesn't matter as the fenders only stick up a few inches over the deck.
"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
10/09/2019 at 12:36, STARS: 1
16ft deck is pretty standard for car hauler/utility trailer. The open center may be giving something of an optical illusion. The only real advantage of the two extra feet over the 14ft deck I was originally going to order is it gives more room to play around with positioning a f car tounge weight.