JBH Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I think if I were to do,it again, I would spend the extra dollars for an aluminum trailer like those offerd by Trailex. I tow a 20' X 8.5' with a Nissan Armada and it works well but I'd like less weight behind me. The beaver tail is essential for a low clearance vehicle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 I have a 7 x 14 homemade enclosed trailer that my book build se7en fits in perfectly. It is aerodynamic and tows great. I took a homemade trailer that had angle iron sides and filled in the spaces between the angle and the bed. Then I added a sloped front square tubing frame on top of the angle iron and covered it with .040 aluminum sheets. The rear door lifts up with gas springs making a covered awning to sit under Works out great. Tows like a dream. Been to Estes Park, CO and Door County, WI and several Midwest Se7ens Gatherings with it. Russ Russ, That's one of the ideas I've been bouncing around in my head, but doing it with a tandem axle trailer. I do like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Guy's Thanks for ALL the great input today on this thread! :hurray: The consensus is definitely in favor of enclosed trailers which is what I’ve been leaning toward. :iagree: I like the lower weight of an open trailer, but I do, for all the reason listed here, gravitate toward an enclosed trailer; be it an open trailer with a fabricated cover or a factory built enclosed trailer. Thanks again for all the input, great ideas, suggestions, experiences, etc. :cheers: Shane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locost7018 Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Come up to the Midwest Se7ens Gathering In Cuba, MO, in June, and you can see it in person. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Come up to the Midwest Se7ens Gathering In Cuba, MO, in June, and you can see it in person. Russ Russ, I wish I could squeeze it in (would really like to see that trailer), but I'm planning on heading up to NJMP for the July 4th weekend. Between that and other family summer adventures, my vacation time is spread pretty thin. Dale has hit me up to do the Gathering for two years in a row since buying my car back from Sharkey. Maybe next year? If you could spare it, some more photos of your trailer (especially the cover you built) posted in this thread would be greatly appreciated by me as well as by others who are considering doing what you've done. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhubbard422 Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Oh my... this topic can go on and on. I've been thinking about a small open aluminum tilt bed trailer for my 7, primarily because I could tow it with just about anything and the gas mileage would be about as good as it gets. I've also considered solutions that would let me convert the open trailer to a tiny enclosed trailer, one in which the top hugs the 7. Alternatively, it can be very nice to have a trailer in which one can work in. Full stand up height, a work bench, a rack for tires, cabinet(s) for tools... This is deluxe. Of course, one can gold plate it with a lounge, bathroom, etc... You'll also pay in terms of gas mileage and towability. Pulling a tall trailer is like pulling a drag chute down the highway and your gas mileage will plummet, 10 - 11 mpg may be optimistic if you're in a hurry. Years and years ago I towed formula cars in a 40' 5th wheel trailer behind a 1 ton dually, clocking several hundred thousand miles, and the 5th wheel was really, really nice - you hardly know it;s back there. I really don't like pulling a heavy tongue trailer; it can be really important to load the trailer properly in order to keep it from wagging your tow vehicle. The security issue is tricky. I've been lucky with both open and enclosed setups, but I've had a friend that has had the entire rig stolen. Stuff stays neat and clean with an enclosed trailer, but unless the size is generous they are harder to load. Trade-offs. It's all about trade-offs. But you already know that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I'm on my 4th trailer for my Caterham. The first was an 8 x 18 open all aluminum H&H tilt bed trailer. I towed it with a 2005 Subaru Legacy GT and got around 20 mpg. I got the above mentioned paranoia about having the Caterham exposed overnight in motel parking lots and bought a home built enclosed trailer from an SCCA racer. It was horrible towing, swaying all over the place and very inconvenient to use. I towed it with a 2005 Silverado 1500. The next trailer was an 8 x 16 full height, flat front enclosed trailer by United Trailer. It towed well but I got only 7 mpg at highway speeds. It was also towed with the Silverado. The current trailer is a 7 x 14 Haulmark LoHauler motorcycle trailer. It has a V nose and you cannot stand up straight in it. Gas mileage went up to 11 mpg with the Silverado. I traded in the Silverado on a 2011 Ram 1500 and gas mileage went to 12 mpg and I can exceed the speed limit going over Vail Pass (10,600') and the run up to the Eisenhower tunnel (11,XXX') on the cruise control. Even if I get slowed down by traffic it can recover back to speed. This trailer is perfect for what I haul. The Caterham fits nicely with room behind it for the 10 - 10' canopy and room in the V-nose for tires and tools. I can even get a Miata in it but have lower the top and climb over the doors to get in and out of it. Both pickups have a topper over the bed and anything that doesn't fit in the trailer goes in the bed. It is the best towing trailer I've owned or borrowed. Never sways at all and I don't have the special antisway bars or equalizer hitch. I've towed it to both coasts and up into Canada and many trips over the Rockies. The Ram pickup has the towing package with mirrors that rotate from horizontal to vertical for towing although I prefer to tow with them in the normal position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedwagon Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Just bought a used 12' aluminum snowmobile trailer for less than 1k it is not tilt but will be easy to convert. will use an outboard tilt pump and a hydraulic cylinder for power tilt. To enclose will fab a aluminum top frame like a boat top that will tilt from front or rear and cover it with boat storage shrink wrap. In Utah trailers under 750lbs empty need no plates or title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locost7018 Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 OK Xcarguy here are some more pic's. The long door in the front is an RV access door. It allows me to tie down the front of my car without having to squeeze my fat arse inside the front of the trailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderbrake Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 A little additional info. I have a Haulmark 7 X 16, and the wheels and fenders are fully outside the sides of the trailer. When towing with my Tahoe, I tilt the standard mirrors a little downward, and can see the tire where it touches the road. Very handy for those situations where you need to control the right side. The point is I don't need extended mirrors. Also: I do not have a beavertail, ie angled section at the rear of the trailer, so on my trailer the seven would scrape the edge of the ramp. I bought a pair of plastic ramps at WalMart. These had small bumps on the top to keep your car from running off the end. I cut these bumps off, and use the ramps under the rear ramp of the trailer to eliminate the scrapes. These are shown in the second link below. These are links to previous trailer threads, and have lots of pictures and good ideas. http://www.usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3725 http://www.usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4052 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdog Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I guess we are fortunate here in Europe. This is what one can get for the same price as the haulmark lohauler. [/url]http://www.prgtrailers.co.uk/cms/resources/prg-trailers-pricelist-2014.pdf http://www.winnertrailers.com/prg-minisporter.htm That enclosed trailer has a GVW of 1500Kgs and a 1000Kgs load capacity, So nets at 500Kgs empty. That's pretty light. Is made of Galvanized steel so is easy to repair or modify. Has 4 wheel hyd surge brakes, spare tire, & a manual winch. Not bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Other advantages I have enjoyed with a fully enclosed trailer: A place to hang a change of clothes and a private place to change into those clothes, while standing up, after a day at the track. Regardless of the ambient temperature, I manage to sweat thru whatever I am wearing during the day on track. Making the long drive home in a fresh set of clothes does wonders for my mental health. It is also nice to have a place to sit out of the sun/rain/wind on those (all-too-frequent) days when the weather gods are not smiling. A set of RaceRamps will solve most clearance problems into the trailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locost7018 Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I use the Bulldog trailer jack on my trailer to raise the front of the trailer (and the back of the truck) while still attached to the truck and use my straight H/F steel ramps. I just take my e-brake off and the se7en just rolls out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carsport Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) Shane, Here's my take on trailers. I owned a Tundra, and it replaced an old 454 Suburban. My Europa was in the front of a 22 foot enclosed trailer and as I turned a corner and accelerated with the Tundra, the Europa jumped over the wooden blocks and ran to the back of the trailer hitting the back trailer door, then I braked and it came back to the front of the trailer hitting it and parked itself back where it started. SO YOU DON'T have to worry about the Tundra not having the power. The Europa suffered a broken nose!! I delivered Birkins for a while for Dick Brink. I used an open one wheel 6x12 open trailer, with a wooden frame for putting a tarp over in bad weather. This was used for three trips to California, one to Kentucky, one to Tennessee, one to Connecticutt, two trips to Colorado and many trips to Stalker Ambush, Cresson Texas and midwest gatherings, plus home chore use. You, in my opinion do not need more than a 14 foot double axle low profile trailer. This would give you enough room for your Stalker and extra tires/wheels (rack mounted on side or front and your tools/spare parts. Go with the same 14 foot but high profile it you want standing room. Go with a 16 foot or 18 foot either low/high profile and you can add in a hanging cot/cots for resting. Electrify it with a generator and you will have a small mobile home - plus garage. If you want to go hog-out, then get an 18 foot with the lift package and you can either haul two cars or have a full garage with lift capability and storage. Or, one of those play-type mobile trailers with the garage in back. I had no problem with the rearview mirrors and the 22 foot high profile enclosed trailer. If you remember back when I came to Arkansas to see you, I had the 454 Suburban - 22 foot enclosed trailer with a Birkin and Stalker both in it (on the floor), so I had excess room even with two cars loaded. Doesn't Haulmark have a factory in Arkansas or Southern Missouri? They will custom make what you want - for a price!! So will Pace or any other trailer maker. Dale Edited February 16, 2014 by carsport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestTexasS2K Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I have looking at one of these large enough for a seven. Aerodynamic better gas mileage. Only down side is single axle. http://www.ironhorsetrailers.com/thetrailers/bigbiketrailer.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2k7 Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I have looking at one of these large enough for a seven. Aerodynamic better gas mileage. Only down side is single axle. http://www.ironhorsetrailers.com/thetrailers/bigbiketrailer.html That's neat! How much is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 I have looking at one of these large enough for a seven. Aerodynamic better gas mileage. Only down side is single axle. http://www.ironhorsetrailers.com/thetrailers/bigbiketrailer.html Great looking trailer, but I too have dual axles on my wish list. :iagree: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 If you are feeling particularly flush with cash, I always thought this one was pretty appealing. A Bit pricey but supposedly is very aerodynamic. :iagree: http://www.bre2.net/pdfs/bre2_aerovault_brochure_2011_11_27.pdf?phpMyAdmin=k9QIsjCI-UCmbjFU6X2usBJKjz3 Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Shane, . . . the Europa jumped over the wooden blocks and ran to the back of the trailer hitting the back trailer door . . . . and it came back to the front of the trailer hitting it and parked itself back where it started. . . . The Europa suffered a broken nose!! You, in my opinion do not need more than a 14 foot double axle low profile trailer. This would give you enough room for your Stalker and extra tires/wheels (rack mounted on side or front and your tools/spare parts. Go with the same 14 foot but high profile it you want standing room. Go with a 16 foot or 18 foot either low/high profile and you can add in a hanging cot/cots for resting. Electrify it with a generator and you will have a small mobile home - plus garage. If you want to go hog-out, then get an 18 foot with the lift package and you can either haul two cars or have a full garage with lift capability and storage. Or, one of those play-type mobile trailers with the garage in back. I had no problem with the rearview mirrors and the 22 foot high profile enclosed trailer. If you remember back when I came to Arkansas to see you, I had the 454 Suburban - 22 foot enclosed trailer with a Birkin and Stalker both in it (on the floor), so I had excess room even with two cars loaded. Doesn't Haulmark have a factory in Arkansas or Southern Missouri? They will custom make what you want - for a price!! So will Pace or any other trailer maker. Dale Dale, Are you sure the Europa wasn't just trying to get out and go for a spirited run? :jester: As for trailers, you blew my budget with the lift package. :svengo: In reference to the visit, I remember your trailer and it having both the Stalker and the Birkin inside. In all fairness, I was pretty enamored with your cars that day and didn't pay much attention to the tow vehicle (sorry ). As for the Haulmark factory location, I'll have to do a bit of research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 If you are feeling particularly flush with cash, I always thought this one was pretty appealing. A Bit pricey but supposedly is very aerodynamic. :iagree: http://www.bre2.net/pdfs/bre2_aerovault_brochure_2011_11_27.pdf?phpMyAdmin=k9QIsjCI-UCmbjFU6X2usBJKjz3 Tom That's a great looking trailer! Maybe a weeeee bit out of my budget? :ack: But hey, if the temptation is too much, here's the perfect helmet to go with. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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