Car Hauler Question

[afret]

Going to get an enclosed car trailer and there's a spread axle option.  Anyone here have a spread axle trailer and is it a good thing to get?

[fekbmax]

In my opinion from pulling around some heavy equipment is that the spread axle handles better going down the road but is a bit more difficult to get a feel for when backing up into tight spots.

[cjshaker]

They're harder on tires also. Since one pair doesn't follow a good arc, they drag 2 of the tires when turning, just like a 3 axle trailer.

[afret]

Thanks.  Sounds like it's not too good of an idea. 

If it comes with 4 D-rings on the floor, is there a need for more than that or getting E-Tracks in addition?  Are E-Tracks or D-rings necessary on the walls?

Just thinking of getting a small as possible trailer since I don't plan on carrying much.  Maybe just a couple of fuel jugs and a bike.  Will throw other stuff in the truck.

The old Torino loaded on the transport last week heading to it's new home:

[FElony]

You missed the part where the driver pumps the gas about 10 times to start the car, and carburetor goes kaboom. Now smells like gas and won't idle under a thou. Way rich out exhaust. What size PV you have in that? I see a vendor selling a 4-window Quick Fuel power valve. Is this somehow better than a 2-window? More is better?

[afret]

Yeah, that driver didn't know how to start the car.  I was telling him how to start it but he wouldn't listen so I told him to get out of the car and I started it for him so he could get it on the transport.  It fired up right away.  Kind of like he doesn't have a clue about carburetors and probably only drives FI cars.

Not sure on the jet size and the PV but I got the metering blocks from my backup 9380 since the ones on the car had gaskets pretty much dried up and glued to them after being on there for so long and I still need to get those scraped off.  I think I had the primary jets 2 steps leaner than what the carb came with for the altitude here, the secondary jets should be around 86-88, and the power valve is probably a 35 or 45 since my backup 9380 was set up for the red Mustang.  The secondary PV should be plugged. I guess I should have just stuck the 735 on there instead of just taking the sight window bowls off of them and sticking them on the 9380.   I would at least have one complete backup carb if I did that instead of now having 2 incomplete carbs.   LOL

[Falcon67]

I like our spread axle 34'.  Tows real nice.  Sure it scrubs a tire - how much time to you really spend backing, parking or scooching around in a parking lot?  All the work is out on the road - go for what pulls nice and doesn't try to wag the ass end of the truck near as bad as some of the regular spaced axles.

[afret]

I like our spread axle 34'.  Tows real nice.  Sure it scrubs a tire - how much time to you really spend backing, parking or scooching around in a parking lot?  All the work is out on the road - go for what pulls nice and doesn't try to wag the ass end of the truck near as bad as some of the regular spaced axles.

Does it help with sway?  Seems like ATC has gone to all spread axles and their specs shows the axels are 42" apart which means with a 30" tall tire the tires will only be 12" apart.  You would think a small move like that won't cause too much of a tire problem.  If it helps with sway,  I might get that option.

[Posi67]

Personally, I hate the look of a spread axle trailer especially when they have the trailer sides droop down at the wheel openings. I suppose there's some benefit otherwise why are most being built that way now although the regular spread has been fine forever as long as they are loaded properly. Mine tows great and I don't use a sway bar or equalizer hitch. Having a Dually helps.   

[RJP]

O/T...Afret, who makes those lower control arm struts that are on the Torino? I wish I'd had known about those before I searched high and low for a replacement, TIA

[afret]

Hey Dale, you helped me save some money and convinced me not choose that option.  Since even a bottom of the line truck costs so damn much, I need to try and not spend too much on a trailer and just get the essentials.  I'll just get Thor to give me a hand in loading the trailer since he knows what he's doing.

The strut rods are from here:

http://opentrackerracing.com/product-category/products-all/front-suspension/strut-rods/

[Posi67]

"If it comes with 4 D-rings on the floor, is there a need for more than that or getting E-Tracks in addition?  Are E-Tracks or D-rings necessary on the walls? "

When I ordered my trailer the dealer talked me out of E-track and I'm glad he did. I don't like stuff hanging on or off the walls and while I've seen E-track on a trailer floor I've never seen any use for that either. The D- rings you will need on the floor but they have to be in the correct location. A friend recently bought a 20' Pace and the front rings were too far back so he added a 2nd set. He also added E-track and some wall brackets for hanging stuff which is easy to do if the interior isn't finished. All depends on what you want to haul along. Bungee cords and eye hooks work well for a lot of things and don't run the cost of the trailer up much.   

[afret]

"If it comes with 4 D-rings on the floor, is there a need for more than that or getting E-Tracks in addition?  Are E-Tracks or D-rings necessary on the walls? "

When I ordered my trailer the dealer talked me out of E-track and I'm glad he did. I don't like stuff hanging on or off the walls and while I've seen E-track on a trailer floor I've never seen any use for that either. The D- rings you will need on the floor but they have to be in the correct location. A friend recently bought a 20' Pace and the front rings were too far back so he added a 2nd set. He also added E-track and some wall brackets for hanging stuff which is easy to do if the interior isn't finished. All depends on what you want to haul along. Bungee cords and eye hooks work well for a lot of things and don't run the cost of the trailer up much.

Thanks Dale.  You saved me more money.     Yeah, I was looking at videos of Pace/Look trailers and they seem to put the D-rings less than a foot from the back end of the trailer floor and the same in the front.  Was the front pair of rings on your friend's trailer way up front too and if they were, was it OK there?  I can look at Thor's trailer and see where the rings are on it and do the math for a smaller trailer.  Thanks for the tip!

[cjshaker]

Take a measurement of how long your cars are that you'll be hauling, figure the added space needed for proper tie downs, then give the trailer maker your measurements where you want them. That's what I did. Trailer makers will put them anyplace you want them. I took a measurement off of my Galaxie, even though it wasn't on the road then. I figured it would be the longest vehicle I'd ever haul. I figured out where the best place was for the car, for proper loading, then figured out where the D-rings should go. I added a 3rd ring at the front, in the middle, to use an offset winch, which is really nice to keep it out of the way. You can see the middle ring in this shot, although it was before I added the winch against the wall.



If you do add any D-rings, just make sure they're reinforced with a plate on the outside. I also put mine where it straddled one of the center rails from the tongue, so I think I could pull just about anything without worry of pulling through the floor.

Dale, Rory and Don gave me tons of good advice while I was researching on what options to get on mine. It saved me lots of headaches of realizing what I should have gotten before it was too late. I'd stay away from the vinyl faced walling because every one I've seen has the vinyl peeling or shrinking and starting to come loose. I also saved a bunch of weight and money by doing the floor myself with a 2 part epoxy floor paint with flakes added for traction.

[afret]

Take a measurement of how long your cars are that you'll be hauling, figure the added space needed for proper tie downs, then give the trailer maker your measurements where you want them. That's what I did. Trailer makers will put them anyplace you want them. I took a measurement off of my Galaxie, even though it wasn't on the road then. I figured it would be the longest vehicle I'd ever haul. I figured out where the best place was for the car, for proper loading, then figured out where the D-rings should go. I added a 3rd ring at the front, in the middle, to use an offset winch, which is really nice to keep it out of the way. You can see the middle ring in this shot, although it was before I added the winch against the wall.



If you do add any D-rings, just make sure they're reinforced with a plate on the outside. I also put mine where it straddled one of the center rails from the tongue, so I think I could pull just about anything without worry of pulling through the floor.

Dale, Rory and Don gave me tons of good advice while I was researching on what options to get on mine. It saved me lots of headaches of realizing what I should have gotten before it was too late. I'd stay away from the vinyl faced walling because every one I've seen has the vinyl peeling or shrinking and starting to come loose. I also saved a bunch of weight and money by doing the floor myself with a 2 part epoxy floor paint with flakes added for traction.

Thanks for the photo!  You have a very nice trailer.  Looks like a pretty large one.  Which brand did you end up getting?  I'm looking at a 20' Pace/Look trailer since I'll only be towing a Mustang and I don't plan on carrying much in the trailer other than a couple of fuel jugs.  Everything else will be in the truck.  I plan on getting a winch with a wireless remote.  The only other options other than upgraded tires will be an escape door and a couple of sliding windows since I don't want roof vents. 

I guess it's kind of hard to figure out where exactly the car will sit until you get it in there and get the tongue weight you want but I would think D-ring placement shouldn't have to be that precise.  I'm going to see if I can get a shorter (height) trailer so it will go through my 8' high garage door.  Roof vents will make it taller so that's why I don't want them.