Since we are talking trailer tires...what enclosed trailers do you guys have?

[chris401]

A medium ground would be the 7000 lb axles. 8 lug and should come with the 7.5 or so trailer tires that are about the same as the 235/85R16 LT. I forget what is different about the 7000 vs 8000 that both use an 8 lug 3/4 ton pickup wheel. Not to be confused with a Super 8 axle that has solid forklift looking rims and 14/16 ply tires.

I recomend you verify that the lights and brakes work like they should before you leave the lot. There are at least three different official wiring patterns and what ever else is made up along the way.

Most all truck and trailers are National/Traditional standard.

[Rory428]

A few other considerations;one is color. When I was looking at new trailers, it was a pretty warm summer day. When I stepped out of one white trailer, into a black trailer parked right next to it, I could not believe how much hotter the black trailer was inside. Also I have seen many black trailers in the pits on a hot day, and the outside walls were very noticably buckling. When the sun went down, the panels got straight again, but I would think that all that panel flexing can not be doing anything good sealing the panels to each other.
At the time I thought they were kinda ugly, but I have grown to really appreciate having a door in the middle on the left side. Although I normally winch the Fairmont into the trailer, it is nice to be able to fully open the drivers door with the car inside the trailer, even if only to put the trans in gear (or Park with an automatic) or set the park brake if you have one. It also helps with air circulation at the track, having both side doors , plus the rear ramp door down.
My trailer has a 20 foot awning on the right side. Nice to keep the rain off, or hopefully, the sun.
Although my trailer does not have them, but after seeing Dales, I really wish I had at least 1, preferably 2, covered, in floor storage bins. Handy to get the trailer spare tire out of the way, plus room for a lot of other stuff, to get more useable space inside.
My trailer also has 3 12 volt ceiling lights, as well as a pair of 4 foot 120 Volt flouresent fixtures. There is a long "Shoreline" power cable that I can either run off my generator, or at home, connect to an extension cord to the house or garage. I also have 2 adjustable outside flush mounted halogen 120 Volt lights, which really lights up the right side.
Jay, what about some more info about you F150. Last week I went to my local Ford dealership, after checking out the 2018 F150s online. If you order the right combination, you can get a 2018 F150 rated to tow 11,200 pounds,with the 3.5L Eco Boost, plus the new 5.0L V8 is rated at 400 HP (supposedly can run mid to low 13sin the 1/4 stock!), with a 10 speed automatic. You can get the new F150s with the Pro Trailer Assist which basically backs up the trailer for you. Man, could I use THAT!!

[Leny Mason]

The trailers I'm looking at are all aluminum, frames included, with 5200 pound Dexter torsion bar axles, and 6 lug 15" wheels.  I was thinking about just taking off the 15" wheels and tires and replacing them with 16", but as Rory mentioned I'm not certain that the 16" wheels and tires will fit, so that is up in the air at this point.  The Lightning trailer I'm looking at will supposedly take the 16" wheels and tires, and only weighs 2950 pounds empty.  The Pace American trailer may not take the bigger wheels and tires, I haven't measured it yet, and it weighs 3250 pounds.  The Lightning is $10,500 and the Pace is $9,600. 

Pretty sure my truck will handle this.  Curb weight of the truck is 5400 pounds, maximum weight of the truck is 7200 pounds, and the total weight of truck and trailer can be up to 15,400 pounds, according to the stickers on the truck and the owners manual.  I figure with two people and some luggage in the truck it will be 6000 pounds.  I estimate putting 800 pounds on the hitch for 6800 pounds total weight on the truck tires.  This equates to an 8000 pound trailer with about 10% of the weight on the hitch.  If the trailer empty weight is around 3000 pounds, then I have 5000 pounds I can carry in the trailer, and still have a total weight of truck and trailer of 14,000 pounds, which is well under the 15,400 pound maximum weight.  And I might actually need 5000 pounds in the trailer; my Galaxie is almost 4000 pounds...

Jay if you are going to use a half ton truck be sure to put air bags on it, they will make it handle way better than load levelers. Leny Mason

[Falcon67]

>A few other considerations;one is color.

People buy the crap out of black trailers down here - I'll never understand why.  Talked with both Rezner (our dealer) and Phil's Trailer in Waco - they don't get it either.  But they sell the hell out of 'em.  Gimme white, thanks.  Here it's nothing for the concrete in out pit to run 120~140F in the summer and the west trailer wall way up there too.  I need to get about 3 gallons of Mobile Coat and paint the top of this trailer.  That REALLY cuts down on the heat generated by a bare aluminum roof.  On the old trailer it cut heat gain by 20F easy.  Also, our walls are .040 aluminum, which is an upgrade.  .030 is minimum really. 

Can't afford all aluminum - ours was $24K as it is.  The 1993 F-350 DRW is rated at "10,000"  1994 is rated at "12,000" - no difference I can tell between the trucks.  Pulls it just fine.  The rear in that thing is some floating axle Dana looking deal that will put up with a hella lot.  Right now we're about 17,300 loaded.  The dragster weighs 1450 and the Falcon is 3060.  Ratings put us at 24,400 which is under the 26,001 that triggers CDL in Texas.  Shockingly, the truck only weighs about 5800.

I put Air Lift bags on the F-350 and run those at 45~50 lbs.  On the F-150 Super Crew, I put in a hefty rear sway bar and upgraded shocks.  The old 24' was around 8900 loaded with the car and a electric golf cart.  (Got rid of the cart - that be-otch was heavy)  Both used the same Reese load leveling hitch to distribute weight.  I will only pull the 18' car hauler without the load levelers.  But I've had about 8000 total weigh on that without issue pulling with the F-150.  (trailer + skid loader). 

[ec164]

Jay I also tow with a F150 Crew FX4 2011 3.5 ECO, I went with an aluminum NEO built in S.West lower MI original builder of Dominator Trailers. 28 foot V-nose with cabinets weighs 3100#, 5200 Dexter axles pulls like a dream, truck acts like it is not back there! Doug made great choice getting wide side door, I also put added height diamond plate on front for stones, and for just a few dollars upgraded to swivel tie-downs that have much higher # rating also...I got one piece rounded roof with side vents so no worries on leaks, a exterior loading light really helps out back too! Blair made great statement on stepping up to the 8 lug axles, my next will have them. .....Good luck in your choice....................Al

[Falcon67]

cjshaker has a nice unit - one thing I'll mention is that we deleted the generator compartment and the floor storage for the spare tire.  The spare is mounted high on the right rear at the back door.  If it's in the floor, you have to unload the trailer to get to it - something to consider.  Especially what it would take to unload a dragster on the side of the highway.  The generator compartment in most - as is anyway - would have to be changed based on your generator size.  The common genny boxes won't handle a square Honda and similar.  They'll fit an Onan - $$$$ - and they you need exhaust, a fuel tank, etc, etc.  We opted for storage under the desk instead and it was the right decision for us.

[cjshaker]

The floor mounted spare wells were a concern for me when I laid out my plans. I considered just storing them against the wall, or keeping them in the back of the truck, but concerns about theft, and the lack of wall space inside the trailer made me decide to go ahead with the floor mounts. Unloading the car would be a pain, but I also considered the ability of my jack to handle the trailer while fully loaded, and I thought that might be iffy.

I also considered a generator compartment, but I don't race regularly, and the generator/fuel etc would have added a bunch of weight that I didn't want or need. If I raced like Chris or others do, I might have considered it more. I DO wish I would have gone with a rear facing LED light, but hindsight being what it is...

[Rory428]

Regarding the floor mounted spare tire compartment(s), I wish my trailer had at least 1. I have seen the mounts that store the spare tire on the wall, either at floor level, or up high, personally I don`t like having all that weight hanging on the side wall, plus either way, they are often in the way. On my trailer, I just let my tire lay flat on the floor, under the rear of the car, and roll it in & out for loading unloading the car. In the 4 years I have had my enclosed trailer, I have only needed the spare once, so acess isn`t a huge deal in normal use. Plus if the trailer is long enough, the trap door may be in front of the car. Not really a big deal to roll the car back a few feet anyhow. Getting the tow vehicles spare tire, mounted underneath the truck bed is at least as much of a pain.Instead of using a floor jack to lift the loaded trailer, I keep some 1 foot pieces of lumber in the trailer, 2x4, 2x10s, and when I had to change the trailer tire on the side of the highway, I made a quick wood ramp to allow the good tire to drive up high enough to get the flat tire off the ground. Not sure how well that would work with leaf spring axles though.
Regarding generator compartments in the side of the trailer, I know a couple of guys who have had thieves break the flimsy generator door and steal the generators, & in 1 case, they used the generator door as an acess point to get inside the trailer and steal items inside (tools, helmets, carb etc). Most generator compartments just have thin plywood walls, a couple of kicks can usually knock the walls out of the way. Same with some of the flimsy hardware that locks the trailer doors. Some are very easy to defeat, or pry off. My trailer has those round locks and surrounds like you often see on contractor trucks and vans, and strong bar latches that have hooks on both ends. Nothing is impossible to break into, but may as well make them work hard at it!

[mike7570]

Looks good, I haven't tried them (easier than lumber)

https://www.etrailer.com/Wheel-Chocks/Andersen/AM3604.html?feed=npn&gclid=Cj0KCQjwy9LVBRDOARIsAGqoVnttdMAH67aXH9aVtvLalLHpIWZ_LxLl_b91xI6HB75hN1vWFKeYtTEaAk-eEALw_wcB