Help picking a tow vehicle and trailer for my Caterham

[JB455]

100% AI. I was looking at the trailer details when I noticed the "Caterham" lettering on the side of the car. 🤣

[Slonie]

On 1/19/2026 at 6:10 AM, Vovchandr said:

 

Just like the OP said, I looked up Serpent Express and wow, they look really trick! I don't want to know the price. https://serpentexpress.com/home

 

It's cool that you can order them with the "escape door" (their term) located for your car. Not that we need the extra clearance to open a door with our cars...

 

Their ordering seems to be very customizable, normally the roof is 72" tall but this orange one is super low, must have been ordered by one of us:

 

 

[pethier]

On 11/29/2025 at 8:44 AM, KnifeySpoony said:

Why not load the car in backwards to increase tongue weight? 

Mostly because putting a car into or onto a trailer backwards is a pain.

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

Good morning,  savagete2860.

 

Now that you have thoroughly overthought the entire issue, and we've gone down rabbit holes like tongue weight, I'd really like to hear your conclusion. In the meantime, some dimensions:

 

Weight- Steel versus aluminum, with aluminum costing a bunch of money (about twice the price).

Weight- Open versus enclosed, with enclosed weighing more and costing more, but better protection.

Cost- Open is cheapest, and might safe you on the cost of the tow vehicle

Cost- Enclosed steel is cheaper than enclosed aluminum

Cost and weight- Single axle is cheaper and weighs less, and is adequate for a Cat.

 

Those dimensions caused me to settle on a single axle 7x12 enclosed steel when I overthought the issue.

 

Best wishes, --Tim.

 

[IamScotticus]

11 hours ago, Timothy Keith-Lucas said:

Good morning,  savagete2860.

 

Now that you have thoroughly overthought the entire issue, and we've gone down rabbit holes like tongue weight, I'd really like to hear your conclusion. In the meantime, some dimensions:

 

Weight- Steel versus aluminum, with aluminum costing a bunch of money (about twice the price).

Weight- Open versus enclosed, with enclosed weighing more and costing more, but better protection.

Cost- Open is cheapest, and might safe you on the cost of the tow vehicle

Cost- Enclosed steel is cheaper than enclosed aluminum

Cost and weight- Single axle is cheaper and weighs less, and is adequate for a Cat.

 

Those dimensions caused me to settle on a single axle 7x12 enclosed steel when I overthought the issue.

 

Best wishes, --Tim.

 

All I can say is, if I ever saw your trailer and the Mrs' T didn't come out, I would be disappointed. 

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

Lisa's 1924 Model T is pretty and lots of fun. She's pretty well finished work on it and is moving to renovation of another one.

 

Actually, the enclosed trailer was bought for the T before I bought the 7. It just happens to fit. My usual 7 trailer is a generic 6x12 open utility trailer. Both are the least expensive options in the two classes of trailer, with the down side being having to own a truck to haul the enclosed one. Her Dodge Caravan Soccer Mom minivan will haul the 7 on the open trailer. If we both go to a show too far for me to drive the 7 there, she gets the enclosed trailer and the truck and I take the open trailer and the mini van.

[demoray]

The seller, Brian Garfield, of the trailer from the Facebook screenshot is one of the louder voices pushing for the SCCA's XU class, which is where 7s on Street tires fit.

 

We're planning on building a new garage to store our future trailer (and a few other vehicles), at which point I'm strongly considering buying one of these.  

[savagete2860]

On 1/21/2026 at 9:30 AM, Timothy Keith-Lucas said:

Good morning,  savagete2860.

 

Now that you have thoroughly overthought the entire issue, and we've gone down rabbit holes like tongue weight, I'd really like to hear your conclusion. In the meantime, some dimensions:

 

Weight- Steel versus aluminum, with aluminum costing a bunch of money (about twice the price).

Weight- Open versus enclosed, with enclosed weighing more and costing more, but better protection.

Cost- Open is cheapest, and might safe you on the cost of the tow vehicle

Cost- Enclosed steel is cheaper than enclosed aluminum

Cost and weight- Single axle is cheaper and weighs less, and is adequate for a Cat.

 

Those dimensions caused me to settle on a single axle 7x12 enclosed steel when I overthought the issue.

 

Best wishes, --Tim.

 

 

I haven't decided anything yet and probably won't buy anything until closer to spring. It still largely depends on the tow vehicle for me, which is what I need to figure out first. After this winter storm, I am hoping to checkout some mid-sized trucks to see if they fit in my garage or not. With something like the Maverick, I will likely end up playing it safe and going with an aluminum open trailer. If I bump up to something where trailer weight would be less of a concern, no question, I would go with a run of the mill aluminum 7x14 enclosed. Either option would be tandem axle with brakes.

 

I am also leaning towards renting a Uhaul trailer at first (this might be too heavy for a Maverick though, not sure). Then I can spend some time checking out local trailer places and seeing what trailers fit the Caterham and can still hit appropriate tongue weights on my specific vehicle - assuming they let me figure that stuff out.

 

However, if I smack the lotto, I am going to order one of these fancy custom trailers that have been posted.

 

[JB455]

Just my opinions and you can do with them what you want... I would go a little bit bigger on both the tow vehicle and the trailer than what you need for the right now. If you're absolutely sure that the only thing you'll ever tow is a Seven, then that's fine. Myself, I've been through a few trailers and a whole bunch of tow vehicles. Each time increasing the capacity from the previous. I'm not saying you should have an f-250 and 10k rated trailer like me, but I'd go a little bigger than the bare minimum that you need. Especially on the tow vehicle. You want power, stability and braking so you can comfortably tow, without feeling like you're on the edge all the time. 

I'd recommend something like a Nissan Frontier if you want a smallish truck. It'll tow 7000 lbs for the same price as a Maverick that will only tow 4k. My son's got a '23 and they're decent little trucks. Had good power and decent road manners.... and averaged 22MPG with me driving 85+ the whole way from CT to Pittsburgh and back.

[savagete2860]

On 1/24/2026 at 10:29 AM, JB455 said:

Just my opinions and you can do with them what you want... I would go a little bit bigger on both the tow vehicle and the trailer than what you need for the right now. If you're absolutely sure that the only thing you'll ever tow is a Seven, then that's fine. Myself, I've been through a few trailers and a whole bunch of tow vehicles. Each time increasing the capacity from the previous. I'm not saying you should have an f-250 and 10k rated trailer like me, but I'd go a little bigger than the bare minimum that you need. Especially on the tow vehicle. You want power, stability and braking so you can comfortably tow, without feeling like you're on the edge all the time. 

I'd recommend something like a Nissan Frontier if you want a smallish truck. It'll tow 7000 lbs for the same price as a Maverick that will only tow 4k. My son's got a '23 and they're decent little trucks. Had good power and decent road manners.... and averaged 22MPG with me driving 85+ the whole way from CT to Pittsburgh and back.

I agree and I think you are spot on. Bumping up to a mid-sized truck gives plenty of head room for towing. I think before I was really trying to fit a smaller truck into my use case but really that's probably not the best decision. Funny you mention the Frontier, that is the truck I was planning on test driving soon. I have read/watched mostly good things.

[IamScotticus]

@savagete2860

I wrecked my 7 putting it on a Uhaul car Hauler.   Never again.  Be certain your muffler is not too low, or it will catch.

Edited January 26 by IamScotticus

[slowdude]

6 hours ago, IamScotticus said:

@savagete2860

I wrecked my 7 putting it on a Uhaul car Hauler.   Never again.  Be certain your muffler is not too low, or it will catch.

Gotta take muffler off on the car, or put 2 x4s down to adjust angle. Apparently uhaul is moving away from those trailers though.

[Slonie]

12 hours ago, slowdude said:

Apparently uhaul is moving away from those trailers though.

Yeah, the old ones were tricky, for me it was actually the license plate frame (welded in, and made out of thick steel) that felt like it was gonna tear out my oil pan getting the car off the trailer. I eventually backed it up to a curb to get a gentler angle and rolled it off that way. The new trailer U-haul launched (the officially "Toy Hauler", despite some people calling it the trackday trailer) has amazing features and can carry anything from a truck to a three-wheeler, but weighs 3165 lbs empty(!). For Sevens, I think people have gotten away with their motorcycle/utility/equipment trailer.

 

[fastg]

Alas I am looking for a new tow vehicle. Black ice on I66 in Virginia. My passenger and I were unharmed but my Tahoe did not survive. 

 

Graham

[mrmustang]

Sorry to hear about the Tahoe, it did it's job and sacrificed itself to protect you, the passenger though.......Keep that in mind.

 

Also, it may or may not be totaled, unless it's age related......When I still had my bodyshop, I fixed worse.

 

 

Bill 

[pethier]

"but weighs 3165 lbs empty"

 

That's more than my full-width 20-foot-box enclosed trailer!  And mine has steel frame, studs, and rafters!

[Slonie]

I know, right? Maybe it started out as an enclosed trailer and they melted the rest of it down, filled the frame rails with it?*

 

*I stole this joke from an old review of the Chevy SSR, which was somehow I believe heavier than the truck it was based on despite having objectively less vehicle.

[pethier]

On 12/1/2025 at 3:20 PM, CarlB said:

I have had a trailer going out of control because the load shifted and it lost tong weight. DO NOT STEP ON THE BRAKES, AND DO NOT MAKE ANY FAST MOVES. SLOW DOWN SLOWLY AND KEEP IT IN A STRAIT LINE. This was with a 3/4 ton Suburban and a 7 thousand gross weight two axle trailer. I had 3 chevy engines in the back and they shifted so two were behind the axles. 

Just my own personal way of doing things: Anything heavier than an appliance dolly that goes into my trailer gets seriously strapped down.  If I have a car in there, stuff lighter than an appliance dolly, like my Race Ramps, gets strapped down. If I have nothing in my trailer but a lawnmower, the lawnmower gets strapped down.

[slowdude]

5 hours ago, fastg said:

Alas I am looking for a new tow vehicle. Black ice on I66 in Virginia. My passenger and I were unharmed but my Tahoe did not survive. 

 

Graham

I am only laughing at this because I read the first sentence in your voice.

I'm sad to see this, but more happy the car did its job and you and your passenger are safe.

 

If you want to take the plunge on a german vehicle of a specific brand, I can help you out. (It won't be as good as your trusty tahoe).

[toldfield]

All of this talk about trailers forced me to go out and find one.  I ended up with the trailer that Dave Bean built to haul his Lotus 26R race car.  It is small and light with a bunch of really neat features like the ramps being secure in the bed under the car.