Say, a 2000lb enclosed trailer versus a 2000lb open car hauler? Is wind resistance the largest factor? Or are there other considerations? Will the same vehicle tow these two trailers in a similar manner?

Crosswind handling?

Over 50 mph, wind resistence > weight.

Below 50 mph, weight > wind resistence.

Crosswind handling?I understand the crosswind issue. I am more concerned with the actual towing. I guess I don't know how to phrase the question, I guess, just given a certain truck and two trailers of the same weight but one is an enclosed and one is open, are there any differences other than wind factors. I have never towed an enclosed trailer longer than ten feet or so but I have towed lots and lots of opens.

I understand the crosswind issue. I am more concerned with the actual towing. I guess I don't know how to phrase the question, I guess, just given a certain truck and two trailers of the same weight but one is an enclosed and one is open, are there any differences other than wind factors. I have never towed an enclosed trailer longer than ten feet or so but I have towed lots and lots of opens.

Absolutely there are differences... Read my post above.

I have a 22' car hauler / durango / 2 ATVs.... combined load is roughly 10,000 lbs. I load it up and i can feel it from a dead stop.. But at highway speed, it reacts quickly to throttle inputs.

I also have a wide body 32' travel trailer. It weighs less than 10k... About 7,500 lbs.... From a dead stop, it's easier to get off the line because it's 2500 lbs less than the TT. However at highway speed it feels much heavier than the car hauler load. At 96" wide and 9' tall, it's a lot like pulling a parachute.

Fuel economy is reflected in this too. People who compare weight/mpg figures without considering wind resistence are really missing the boat... Pulling the car hauler/durango, I can get 13-14 mpg. Pulling the camper, I get 10-11 mpg.

Now re-reading both of your posts, I'm not convinced I've helped or understand ~exactly~ what you're asking... :confused:

I've never really noticed a major difference between my 8,000lb 16' car hauler and my 19' 7,000lb camper. Not in fuel economy anyway, I start quicker with the camper and stop faster with the car hauler.

I've never really noticed a major difference between my 8,000lb 16' car hauler and my 19' 7,000lb camper. Not in fuel economy anyway, I start quicker with the camper and stop faster with the car hauler.

You have a 19' camper that weighs 7000 lbs?? What's it made of, bricks? :flipoff2:

I towed a small snowmobile trailer to southern CA from Oregon a few years back and got HORRIBLE mileage. When I towed my toyota on a car hauler a couple years later I got 4 MPG better mileage with the same tow rig. The enclosed snowmobile trailer weighed maybe $2500 lbs loaded and my Toy on the car hauler is over 7000 lbs. I towed up and over Siskiyou summit and through the northern CA mountains in both cases. I towed about about 65 to 70 mph both times. I'm just making the point that wind resistance is MUCH more of a factor than weight.

Chass
ct

You have a 19' camper that weighs 7000 lbs?? What's it made of, bricks? :flipoff2:

well, it was built in 1977.

Start throwing in water, clothes, food, and everything else.