Enclosed car trailersI

I am considering purchasing an enclosed trailer to haul my 68 Runner to car shows that are too distant to drive the car to. I have never owned or even used an enclosed trailer before so I am looking for any advice or input on what to be sure to get, as well as what to be sure to avoid. The Runner is approximately 17 feet bumper to bumper. I have a Ram 1500 with the Hemi to tow it with, which may not be ideal but should be up to the task. Thanks in advance for your input and advice.

Rule #1, DO NOT buy an enclosed trailer manufactured in GEORGIA! Now having said that, what do you plan on bringing with you to shows besides you car? I have owned around 20 enclosed trailers in the last 35 years and tow for a living. My minimum is 24' for that, but I also have a 32' LQ trailer with a 20' garage and it is adequate for most anything and will work for a Roadrunner. Being that you tow with a 1500 I would consider a 20'-22' but if you plan on taking a grille, lots of chairs, a pop-up tent, and larger coolers then a 24' would be good. Trailers have gone nuts in pricing and you get what you pay for. Aluminum such as ATC, Featherlite, and Rance are the best out there and pricey! Some of the better non-aluminum are Load Trail, H&H, Sure Trac, Stealth, and Vintage/Millenium. There are dozens of brands, so do your homework!

Read this thread. There's a lot of food for thought in it...

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/3164089/Searchpage/1/Main/258471/Words/%2Btrailer/Search/true/looking-at-trailers-so-many-options-and-choices.html#Post3164089

Rhinodart is right !!! do your homework ... I have a 2000 Haulmark 20 foot its been a great trailer but the paint is shot. I was pricing a new one and the price is about triple what I paid for mine ( $5,000 ) there are cheaper trailers but as the saying goes " you get what you pay for ' . I had a dealer show me a brand new trailer , he was saying how great it was and it was $12,000 , I looked inside after a rain storm and the floor already had water stains from a leak. I decided to just put some $$ in my old trailer ( new axles, brakes and bearings ) and I put some clear coat on the faded paint and it now looks presentable. I have a 21 Ram 1500 Hemi quad cab 4x4 with 3.92 gears and tow package ... it tows awesome ! IF I had a trailer bigger than 24 ft I would consider a 2500.

I agree with everything Rhinodart mentioned. A 20-22' will work but for a RR 24" would be ideal. I have a 20' Featherlite which is perfect for me since I tow small cars to the track. I have used it for my e-body, it is doable but tight.
I was lucky I bought it the summer before COVID. I ran across some good deals on used AL trailers.Should of bought some extra.
Also, I didn't search typical places for car/race trailers.

My advice would be to be sure and get 16" wheels and tires, at least 24 foot and a winch.

Overkill for what he needs. I did look at a set of 16" 6-bolt aluminum wheels and tires for $1000 yesterday, just can't justify the cost. As much as he is going to use it the upgrade wouldn't be cost effective, he doesn't need 5200 lb axles either...

I just bought a used 20ft enclosed to haul my 66 Satellite for a couple long distance shows this summer.

For what I need it for , it will work just fine. The street side escape door is a bonus. Not to mention it already has a winch in it to pull the car in
I have a 10x10 popup tent and some folding chairs in the trunk of the car . The Cooler,,,, if needed ,,,,, can go in the bed of the truck under the locking cover.

He should read his state laws because with his car and the trailer he would be pushing the 7000 pound legal weight with 3500 pound axles

Be sure you have a left side door to get in and out of the car when loaded..

Here is a bit odd trailer I almost bought. Nice top of the line ATC all aluminum 22' mobile clothing store w/bathroom, gen set and sofa. $11k
Should of bought it.

Once again, overkill unless you don't have a leg to stand on... I have only had two of my 20 trailers with the escape door and have trailered thousands, yes thousands of cars! That 4-car stacker was the most fun to get in and out of, but again it is not really needed. I have towed new Challengers, Chargers, Mustangs, and Camaro's with no escape door and on 3500 lb axles without having issues getting in and out of them, and I have quite the overhang, and not being overweight either...

Agreed, Mine has it. But wouldn't say with 100% certainty I truly need it. But I think its a good resale option to have.

For me, the winch was / is the most important option to have.
An hour after I picked up the trailer, I picked up a non-operational car. For a short haul to help offset my expenses. Getting it inside was easy peasy with the winch.

Friend of mine back east gave me a killer buy on this one and it will serve my purposes just fine.
I'll resell it in about a year or so and get all my money back easily.


If I could have hand-picked a used trailer, I would have liked a 22ft with the V vose.
But on my budget. / price range I wanted to stay in, I found one, and it sold in a matter of hours of being listed.

I went and looked at a 24 that had the 6inch added height. And felt it might be pushing the tow / load limits of my Ram 1500s capacity safely. So I passed and decided on a 20-22 footer.
I gave some thoughts to buying new. But best I could come up with . $12-15K was the range for something decent.

What brand of trailers should you stay away from? I'm considering a 20 ft mostly for winter storage to give me more garage space. I currently have an open for track use.

Pro Line, any new Haulmark,( quality declined greatly the last few years ) ITI, Look . I have heard and read good things about Sure Tracs and as Rhinodart said stay away from any trailer built in Georgia . I was considering a new trailer and thru research I learned to stay away from these brands . I am sure there are more.

I have an older 28' Hallmark. It is very heavy duty compared to how trailers are built today. It is wide enough that I can get in an out of my B an E bodies along with anyone else's cars I have hauled without any escape door. To me the more doors the more access for the theives.

My trailer is a 2000 Haulmark 20 foot, its wide enough that I haul my 92 D150 short bed / regular cab in it also . I can't open the truck doors when it is in , I used to crawl out thru the rear sliding window now I have a winch and just pull it in . I can see how the extra side door would make it easier, I personally don't like the looks of them . My local trailer dealer has several ATC aluminum trailers in stock , practically the whole side of the trailer opens up to gain access to the drivers side door , thats a awfully big door to try and seal from the elements and to me just looks like a problem waiting to happen. Evidently others feel the same way as the trailers have been there a long time and they keep dropping the price.

I have a 2003 Haulmark 24' trailer. I wouldn't consider anything smaller than 24' for hauling a B body.
You're gonna want to put some stuff in the trailer w/ the car and have some room for hooking straps up.

I also wouldn't want to pull one with a 1/2 ton truck either. The weight isn't as big of a deal as the wind resistance...as far as power goes. If you don't go very far or use it much, the 1/2 ton truck may be ok.
BIG difference in towing an enclosed versus an open trailer when it comes to power and MPG.

When I ordered my new 26 foot trailer back in 2017 I had zero interest in the escape door and I still don’t. At 68 years old I can still climb in and out of my duster window. When I start struggling I lose a few pounds. I installed a new winch but never hooked it up. I should do that because I would like to eventually take some passes in my heads up car just for fun and it has fiberglass doors and lexan windows so it would need winched in.

I agree on the escape door not being needed. If you can't get out of the car in the trailer, winch it in.

Ive used my half ton quad cab truck with an open behind it a few times. No issues . Even averaged almost 14 mpg like that

I can / will say the enclosed behind it is definitely noticeable difference in how it pulls and fuel mileage change from the open.

I just pulled it 2000 miles home . Plan is use it again later this spring / summer trip back east with my car. I was in the 8 to 10 mpg range most of the trip. Speeds ranged from 65 to 75 mph for most of the way.
Im sure a 3/4 ton diesel would be a better option.
BUT,

I have no long term plans to keep the enclosed past the spring of next year . So I have have zero interest to upgrade my truck for a once a year trip with the trailer behind it.

As someone who has towed a whole lot I respect your opinion, however after he blows out a few 15" tires he might feel different, if buying new I don't think (but don't know) if it would be that much more.

I recommended 24ft for resale value and the winch for convenience.

I agree with all your statements, if he was planning on towing a lot. I did blow out 4 tires last year while towing 120K miles, but most of that was on me for knowing the tires needed replaced. The one thing I do recommend is to inflate your tires cold 10 lbs more than the tire rating says, and keep them covered when the trailer is sitting... If you but a trailer for resale then you are doing it wrong, though most enclosed trailers lose little value over the years. 24' is always the best bet...

I have used a 24ft Interstate for the last 10 years to haul my 68 road runner. It has worked flawlessly!

Interstate is a good brand, not a bad price for the new one's near me... https://www.trailersplus.com/Wisconsin/Milwaukee/inventory/Hauler/EncCC/

I have had three different enclosed car trailers,with 15 inch rims and trailer tires, never again on those size 15 inch tires and rims.
The 16 inch trailer tires outlive the 15 inch by a big bunch, that is keeping in mind most enclosed car trailer sit a lot more than they get used and the 15 inch trailer tires suck as far as long life's without dying, blowing apart on the road

Then there are some of us who actually wear them out, and still blow them because we are pushing too hard...

are these blowouts related to your transmission woes ? [asking for a fiend, er, i mean, friend.......... ]

Nope, totally independent of my tranny problems. I am just ahead of the curve on tranny's...

Just for comparison...as far as fuel mileage.

2005 Chevrolet 2500HD 4x4 6.0 GAS engine.
unloaded (no trailer) normal driving...12 mpg
loaded OPEN car trailer...10-11 mpg and felt like it had plenty of power.
loaded 24' ENCLOSED trailer...around 5 mpg (at best) and felt like it had NO power.

2006 GMC 2500HD 4x4 Duramax diesel
unloaded (no trailer) normal driving...16-17 mpg
never calculated it w/ the open car trailer b/c I rarely use it anymore.
loaded 24' ENCLOSED trailer...10 mpg and has plenty of power. Feels like it would still drag it 80 mph w/ 4 flat tires. The truck is basically stock, no programmer/tuner or anything.
I don't tend to drive very easy when pulling the trailer. It has the power so I like to use it, lol.

When I say the enclosed is loaded, it has my 3500 lb. cuda, a golf cart, plus tools and other crap in it.

My 24 Ft Pace Shadow 10,000Lb rated weighed right at 8600 lbs. loaded on the two axles, it added 700 lbs. on the trucks rear axle weight and removed 300 lbs. from the front axle weight, that was with my old pump gas Duster street and strip car that weighed 3450 lbs. with me in it

My truck is a 2012 Ram quad cab, Hemi auto, 3.92 rear axle.
Gets right at 18-20 mpg empty
I rented an open U haul trailer last year to pick up a car in Ca averaged right at 14mpg. and you could barely notice it was even there.
my trip back form Ky with this enclosed and a partial load is getting in the 8-10 range
It never felt like it didnt have any power or did it have any trouble pulling or stopping it

The newer trucks are much better power-wise than the older stuff I drive. I was just sharing that for comparison reasons.
I have a 2017 Ram 1500 hemi I drive daily, but after towing the open trailer w/ it, I don't feel it would handle my enclosed very well.

No arguments from me.

I'll agree a half ton pickup may not be ideal. But I dont plan to use it enough to justify a newer / bigger truck purchase , And so far from people I've talked to . A diesel doesnt get much better mileage towing then mine does, if at all

But for the limited number of times I plan to use this trailer.
My truck will live.

Living in tire he77 (desert SW) there’s no WAY I’d ever settle for a 15” trailer tire again, but our environment and towing needs are different than what the OP is after. Race car, golf cart, summertime 150 degree + road temps and tire temps that’ll run in the 160s. 16” G rated tire at 100psi has been a game changer over us throwing away good appearing tires every two years not to mention the side of the road “fun” changing a tire and repairing the trailer

Funny thing on the modern 1500 is some have an equal job rating as my old 01 2500 diesel……
A nice 3500 srw crew 8ft bed 17 came in on trade two years ago at work so even though I’d convinced myself that a 6.4 Hemi 2500 would probably suit our needs nicely, we replaced the 01 with another oil burner. I will say it’s an absolute joy to tow with.

Rhino - are any of them air-ride yet?

These are real nice, saw them at the PRI show, expensive but worth it.


https://maxxdtrailers.com/drop-n-load-trailers/

They hade an enclosed trailer there, I think it had removable sides...

There have been some fairly priced ones on Facebook over the past two months for some reason. They need some fancying up but have lots of miles left in Them for 5000.00-5800.00

Ive been watching for a decent enclosed trailer out here for the better part of the last 6 - 8 months or more.
Trailers in that price range either dont exist. If they do, They are gone instantly. Ive not seen anything under about $7000 around here for a 20 plus year old trailer .

I called on a 2014 ish 22ft with V nose back in Jan listed for $8500 and it was gone in an hour

With expenses I spent to go get it Im in mine for right about $5000 . I bought it from a long time friend of mine . It isn't my ideal length. But will do exactly what I need it to do this summer and next spring. Then will most likely,,,get resold.

Once you decide on a trailer. You will have to consider upgrades.

I drove flatbed tow truck for 5 years. Secured the cars on the bed with chains, wheel straps through the rims and wheel straps. Holding the car by the frame is the worst thing you can do to a car. It feels solid but when that bed or trailer hits bumps it will bang into the chains and oval out holes. If the car dips on the suspension, all good. When it extends up, it will smash into the chains so hard dirt and rust will be sitting on the bed to prove what happened.

E tracks to secure all 4 tires is the best method. Have 3 fail and the car will still be there. This is how all the manufacturers tow the new cars.

Not all new cars, like the Vipers the frames were reinforced to chain them down, some other high-end cars are the same. Axle straps are still the safest and easiest to use besides straps through the wheels if it is possible to do that. Using wheel straps in an enclosed trailer is not always easy, especially for us old guys. I have never had an issue with axle straps over the rear axle and trough the lower control arms...

I have always wrapped around the rear axle and thru the K frame on the front.
I am considering getting a pair of the brackets that bolt on with the rear axle U bolts for the rear though.

I have always wrapped around the rear axle and thru the K frame on the front.

Those are nice, I wish everyone had them! When I worked for Mr. Norms Garage all our custom builds had oval rings welded on front and rear, made my job much easier, especially when I had the 4 car stacker!

Vipers are not new cars and I'm not saying this to argue. Only to educate that I've seen the difference and sharing my reasons why I think it's better.
Axles or control arms is almost the same as wheel or tire securement. Either allows the suspension to absorb the bumps in the road. I used to tow alot of Mopars with a strap forward from the K member. This is not bad because it's pretty horizontal, not quite chaining a frame downwards on an angle.

Interested on hearing why you think frame is better.

By the way. E tracks is very easy to use. Especially for "old guys" The system secures onto the track, over the tire, onto the track then a clip is used to change the strap from a vertical pull to a horizontal pull. Which will be a ratchet mechanism any distance away like 2 or 3 feet.

I do NOT think tying it down by the frame is better, in fact Reliable used the holes in the frame of a survivor 69 Daytona bringing it to the MCACN show a couple years ago and ripped 6" tears in the frame! I just don't like the e-track with wheel straps in enclosed trailers because it is hard to the straps buckled correctly on the e-track, it is simple on open trailers! Us old fat guys only bend to much in enclosed trailers...