pksurveyor Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I am looking to buy a trailer for the Caterham. The game plan is a 7 x 14 low profile dual axle enclosed motorcycle trailer. The more I look and the more undecided I become due to data overload. Questions: 1. Any advantage in having a beaver tail? 2. Any one has experience with a fiberglass trailer? Chariot Trailer has a low profile 16 foot fiberglass motorcycle trailer that is very light weight in comparison to a regular trailer. http://chariotmanufacturing.com/gallery.asp 3. Is a V-nose a big improvement over a box front? The tow vehicle is a Toyota Landcruiser. 4. I like the Montrose trailer but they are located in Michigan. The shipping cost to Houston makes it economically not feasible. Is there another manufacturer in the southern part of USA? 5. The trailer needs to be as low as possible because it will be stored in the second story of a three story garage. It seems like a low profile trailer is about 82 inch tall. Does any one know a manufacturer makes one lower? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHKflyer52 Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I am looking to buy a trailer for the Caterham. The game plan is a 7 x 14 low profile dual axle enclosed motorcycle trailer. The more I look and the more undecided I become due to data overload. Questions: 1. Any advantage in having a beaver tail? 2. Any one has experience with a fiberglass trailer? Chariot Trailer has a low profile 16 foot fiberglass motorcycle trailer that is very light weight in comparison to a regular trailer. http://chariotmanufacturing.com/gallery.asp 3. Is a V-nose a big improvement over a box front? The tow vehicle is a Toyota Landcruiser. 4. I like the Montrose trailer but they are located in Michigan. The shipping cost to Houston makes it economically not feasible. Is there another manufacturer in the southern part of USA? 5. The trailer needs to be as low as possible because it will be stored in the second story of a three story garage. It seems like a low profile trailer is about 82 inch tall. Does any one know a manufacturer makes one lower? Question 1: The Bevertail as you called it is the best way to go as it lets the angle of the ramp extend into the trailer to help clear the bottom of a car or what ever is being loaded. Another words it keep the vehicle from bottoming at the gate hinge on the trailer and with some car such as a seven were clearance is low it helps a lot. Question 2: The first trailer that I had was fiberglass and it worked very well. Only draw back that I see is if it sits outside you have to insure you keep a good coat of wax on it or it will eventually look like and old boat that has been sitting outside for sometime as the UV rays tend to kill the fiberglass resien overtime if not properly kept up. Question 3: On a short trailer such as a 16' deck the V-nose will actually give you alittle more storage space and from talking to folks that have the in larger traillers they say their fuel consumption is less due to better aero but I also think it has a lot to do with the tow vehicle. Question 4: This might sound funny but do a search for Big Tex Trailers as the use to be built north west of Huston and they can make any size trailer you want and if you go to the factory you can cut out the middle man which helps the bottom line a lot. Question 5: Why not get an open trailer with a wind block if your going to store the trailer inside. One of the best reasons for an closed trailer in my humble belief is it can be used as an extra garage for storage of any vehicle / car when not being used to transport a vehicle. Also make sure you get brakes on the trailer as they really do make it much safer to tow especially with anything smaller than a full size truck and if your tow vehicle is a Landcruser then you will need them. Electric Brakes seem to be the easiest to maintain and are the more common brakes on most car haulers / motorcycle trailers, some folks like the surge brakes that you find on some trailers but they have some safety issues and will tend to pulse when going down a grade and can be trouble some if not maintained and serviced all the time. Not sure but in some states I do not think they are legal any more do to that. Also make sure the tie downs are rated for the weight of the vehicle your going to be putting in side and that they are mounted into the frame work and not the deck only. Just a thought but a 7 x 14 foot trailer is going to be a very tight squeeze for anything besides a couple of motorcycles especially when you go to try and tie your vehicle down to the deck. Measure the width of the vehicle you intend to cary and then add a minimum of six inches to that and then try to find a trailer that deck (open space) will meet that as you will need the clearance to get the vehicle into and out of the trailer with out hurting yourself or the vehicle also do not forget that you will want to tie down the object so you will want to get in front and behind the object with cargo straps to secure it from moving around. Then once you find the trailer that you want try loading the vehicle to make sure it dose fit the way you want and that you can tie it down with at least four cargo straps with out killing your self in the process. Hope this helps.:seeya: :driving: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I went through five trailers to get to the Haulmark Lowhauler I have now. I think I am finished buying & selling trailers unless Haulmark makes one 6" wider than this one. It is a 7 x 14 Lowhauler with a V-nose. It fits my Caterham SV wide body Se7en perfectly with little to spare. I have hauled several Miatas in it but you can't open the door enough to get out so you climb over the door and edge your way out. It is 80" tall, that's 20" shorter than the last standard height trailer I owned. The factory says it weighs 2,200 lb. I haven't weighed it myself so I can't verify that. With the shorter height and the V-nose the gas mileage went from 7 mpg with the tall trailer going to Kansas City and back to 12.5 mpg on my last trip over the mountains to Grand Junction, CO. I tow with a Chevy Silverado extended cab pickup with the 5.3 liter engine. I have no problem maintaining the speed limit up I-70 to the Eisenhower tunnels or over Vail pass. Just set the cruise control and let the ECU take care of the down and up shifts of the transmission. It tows far better than any other trailer I have had experience with. Several people have used it and they all make the same comment, it tows like a dream. The rubber mounted Torflex axles give it a smooth ride, watching it in the mirror over the bumps it seems to ride better than the truck towing it. I had to add new tie downs as the eight supplied are for a pair of motorcycles and not in the correct position for a car. Besides the fuel efficiency advantage of the V-nose the extra space allows for a stack of wheels and tires or anything else you want to stuff in there. The low ride height along with the beavertail (sometimes called a dovetail) allow my car with it's 2.5" sump clearance to drive right in with no scraping at all. I see a lot of trailers that have to use wood planks along with the back door ramp to get cars inside. The only clearance problem I have is the tight fit of the rear fenders between the cables that counterbalance the ramp. There is about an inch on each side and I have reached out from the driver seat a couple of times to push out the cable on that side to keep it from rubbing the fender. I keep that piece of cardboard in the first picture to lie on as that ramp can get really hot when the ramp has been down all day at the track. It's a great trailer and I highly recommend it. Skip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderbrake Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I completely concur with the choice of the Haulmark low profile trailer. I have the 7 X 14 high profile, and if I did it all over again, the low profile is the one I would buy. The electric brakes and the torsion suspension make it an absolutely great trailer. two suggestions/comments If the beavertail is free, then great. If not, I use a couple of plastic ramps from Wal Mart, and store them under the car when it is loaded. If you are not getting the Haulmark, get the measurements of the width at the floor line to insure the wheels fit, and well as the measurements of the rear door opening. I like Scannon have about a couple inches on each side clearance for the fenders from the cables when the door is down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pksurveyor Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 Thank you for the good information. Since the Haulmark trailer works on Skip's SV, it should be a perfect fit for my SV's. It is great to have a first hand report from a satisfied user. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pksurveyor Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 Skip, is that a come along in the v-nose to pull the SV in the trailer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Skip, is that a come along in the v-nose to pull the SV in the trailer? Yes, it is there in case the car cannot be driven in on it's own and I don't have any pushers available. However, having hauled two broken (other people's) Miatas back from the track so far, I can report that three people can push a Miata with driver into the trailer with no problem. You do need to fold back the mirrors or they will hit the cables. I bought this trailer used from a CL ad. It is a 2008 model only used to move furniture from Phoenix to Colorado Springs. It never had a car or bike in it before I bought it. It sold new for over $7k and I paid $4.5k for it. There were new ones on ebay last time I checked for about $5.4k. I used this fact to bargain down the seller's price. Haulmark has factories in about 5 different locations and dealers all over the country. It is a good quality trailer, Featherlite makes one in this size but it costs nearly double the Haulmark. Skip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanG Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 ... I use a couple of plastic ramps from Wal Mart, and store them under the car when it is loaded... What ramps do you use? I've looked at the "trailer" ramps but they are too expensive. All the inexpensive rams I have seen have a big lip on them which wouldn't work with my trailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I don't have a trailer but after scratching the heck out of the lower front side of my car due to the rear trailer height I bought one of these just in case I need to borrow/rent a trailer again. http://www.tiltahitch.com/photos/buick.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderbrake Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 What ramps do you use? I've looked at the "trailer" ramps but they are too expensive. All the inexpensive rams I have seen have a big lip on them which wouldn't work with my trailer. They are one piece plastic ramps that you use by driving your car up onto them to change the oil. Yes, they have a lump across the front of the ramp to keep your tire from running off the end. I cut that lump off with a saw, so they are flat on top. The trailer door ramp rests on these ramps, and they stick out from the end of the trailer door ramp. The trailer door does not rest on the flat top portion, it rests on the slanted part of the ramp, and it is enough to get you over the hump, and not hit the sump. I start the tires onto the portion that sticks out from the back of the trailer door, and drive right on up into the trailer. I have also seen these ramps at Auto Zone, they cost $40. check their part number 11903 Blitz 8000 lb ramp kit. It is under Truck accessories, Ramps. http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/accessories/accProductDetails.jsp?displayName=Ramp&itemId=371-10&navValue=100371&parentId=938-10&productId=391544&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=391544_0_0_&filterByKeyWord=Ramps&categoryNValue=100938&store=258&skuDisplayName=8000lbs.plasticrampkit&categoryDisplayName=TruckAccessories&_requestid=77192 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowflyer Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 Another vote for the Haulmark "Low Hauler" here. I picked mine up used, so the choices were more limited but I got it at a very good price. Mine is called the "Edge", which doesn't come in a V-nose. They used a cast aluminum beam at the two front edges, supposed to make it much more rigid, and therefore, last longer. It comes with a small beaver tail, so loading is no problem. I did lots of measuring before buying and, as you can see, my Stalker (which is larger than most LSIS's) fits fine. One point about putting it in the garage.... the angle of your driveway will have a large effect on whether you can get it into the garage. The fellow from whom I purchased mine intended on storing it in his garage but was unable to clear the garage door in its up position. All about the angles. The top of the trailer, at the rear, was hitting the edge of the garage door due to the angle of approach. I keep mine in the side yard and it's low enough not to be seen from the street. It tows very nicely, but I did just pick up a weight distributing hitch for it to take some of the weight off of the tongue. I tow with a Chevy Trailblazer, which is a little low on torque when towing in the mountains, but does fine "down on the flats". Ken Edney Chandler, AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pksurveyor Posted August 15, 2009 Author Share Posted August 15, 2009 Three "yes" for the Hallmark Low Hauler, therefore I am going to take that route. There is a dealer located 200 miles away with two orange 7x14 in stock. One is the V-nose and the other one is the Edge. The Edge is $ 500 more with LED lights and fancy wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 Go for the V-nose. Besides the small increase in efficiency, the extra space is welcome. Wish I could have found a yellow one. Skip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pksurveyor Posted August 16, 2009 Author Share Posted August 16, 2009 Skip - the Haulmark brochure shows the hitch height from the top of the ball is 14 inch. The other trailer manufacturers show 16 to 18 inch. This must require a deep drop hitch to make the trailer level. How do you manage on your truck? Another spec I noticed is the rear platform height is 11 inch. The other manufacturers have 15 to 16 inch. Do you have issue dragging the back at driveways? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowflyer Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 There's more to the "Edge" than chrome wheels and LED lights. The front corners of the trailer are cast aluminum pieces vs. the stamped aluminum ribs used on the non-Edge. Also, the Edge has a smooth exterior rather than a riveted one. Both are supposed to make for a stronger trailer - can't vouch for this, just repeating what I was told when I was looking. The reason for the lower hitch and rear floor are the frame design. The frame is dropped from the hitch and by using the torsion axles vs. leaf springs the entire unit sits closer to the ground. If you have a lifted truck, or just one that sits higher than stock, you may need an extended drop hitch. On the positive side, the lower rear floor area, along with the slight beaver tail make for a fairly shallow ramp angle, given that the ramp door is only about 5' feet long vs. the 6'+ on a standard height trailer. This makes loading a car such as a "7" fairly easy, even with their low clearance. I don't use any additional ramps to load mine. One point about the V-nose, many of them come with cabinets along one side of the V. They can be a real "head knocker" if you're not careful. Which brings up one more point on the "low hauler" family. The interior height is only about 5'4", so unless you are fairly short, you will bang your head at least once every time you use it! Trust me, I know of what I speak! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 I started with a 2" drop hitch but that gave me quite a forward rake on the trailer when it was coupled to the truck. I now have a straight ball mount which makes the trailer almost level, still with a slight forward rake. I might try reversing the 2" drop ball mount to see if I get the trailer closer to level. I measured the receiver on my truck. It is 17" to the top of the receiver hole. The ball is 3" for a total of 20" unladen. I leveled the trailer and it measures 19 3/4" to where the ball meets the coupler. The rear of my 2WD Silverado (with towing package) drops about 2" when the trailer is attached. I cannot find anything in my owner's manual or the more detailed on line manual to tell me if the trailer should be nose down, level or nose up. The previous trailer's manual specified a slight nose down attitude but it's wheels were more centered on the trailer. I don't understand why they put the trailer wheels so far back past the middle of the LoHauler trailer. This is only made worse when you load a couple of Harley Davidsons as the provided hold downs position the bikes very close to the front of the trailer. At least my Caterham puts more weight towards the rear of the trailer and weighs less than a couple of HD full dressers or a pair of Goldwings. It tows very well but at night my low beams seem to disturb some of the oncoming drivers. AFAIK I haven't dragged the rear of the trailer on the ground. The trailer sits lower than most due to the Torflex axles and the design of the trailer. My driveway is gravel and has a very mild slope. There are built in jacks on the rear of the trailer for loading if the trailer is not attached to a truck. Their pads make good skid plates. The axles being biased towards the rear of the trailer does make it more difficult to scrape the rear of the trailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian7 Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 ...I don't understand why they put the trailer wheels so far back past the middle of the LoHauler trailer.... While your observations about tongue weight in this configuration are valid, the longer the distance between the tow ball and the trailer tires the better the stability while towing. I think you find that the longer the trailer, the closer to "center" the axles are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderbrake Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 You may need an adjustable pintle to set the height. When I changed from my 1996 Tahoe to a 2007 Tahoe, the new car receiver was about 6" higher than the old one. I had a 1000 pound round bar weight distributing hitch assembly, but with the new height of the receiver I needed a new pintle. I got an adjustable one, and was able to tune in the height of the ball, and with the adjustments on the chains, able to level out the car with a loaded trailer. The instructions for load transfer come with the weight equalizing hitch. My weight distributing hitch is a Draw-Tite 3203 (up to 1000 pound tounge weight, 10,000 pound trailer weight) http://www.hitchesforless.com/roundbar_WD_hitch.htm My pintle is a model 3215 http://www.hitchesforless.com/wd_shanks.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pksurveyor Posted August 16, 2009 Author Share Posted August 16, 2009 The receiver on the 2008 Landcruiser is within the bumper. It is 23 inch from the ground to the top of the 2 inch square hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pksurveyor Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 Ken and I went to the Haulmark dealer today (Ken has both a Zetec and a Fireblade Caterham) to check out the Low Hauler trailers. The Edge has better trims and hardwares. The V-nose has more storage space. I decided on the V-nose. Now I need some help on the tie downs from Skip or Drew. Can you send me a picture and location of your tie downs so I can have the dealer duplicate your system? I have been thinking about the E-track but I don't know where to mount it or is it really necessary. I also need to learn where are the tie down points on a Caterham and the method of doing it properly. Another question: is a spare tire necessary on a dual axl trailer? The Seven is so light that the trailer should be able to handle the load if one tire goes flat. Since space is at a premium inside and there is no place to mount a spare tire on a V-nose outside, it would be nice to save the space for a set of slicks instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now