View Full Version : Anyone ever regret trailering?
BillaVista
07-01-2002, 05:35 PM
OK, assuming once you go tow rig and trailer, your trail rig no longer keeps it's road legal status, anyone ever regret it? Ever really long for a road legal trail rig again?
Like, it's a PITA, or too expensive to maintain/insure/fuel/etc. the tow rig, trailer, and trail rig?
Or what if your local area has a lot of trails that start at one place, and end in another - what do you guys do? Drive the trail back? Hightail it from trail-end back to trailer, keeping an eye out for 5-0h?
Thinking about making the leap to full-on not even close to road-legal trail rig, just kinda cold feat...no going back.
I can imagine the great things of towing...give me the honest pitfalls and drawbacks.
Tan Wheeler No Mo
07-01-2002, 05:42 PM
The only time was when I towed and my friend that didn't to tow broke. So his truck ended up on my trailer and my truck ended up on the road for the drive home.
I can't really see any regrets with towing.
Alot of pros, Dam I rolled my truck, wait I I have to do is get it to the trailer, Jump int the tow rig turn on the A/C and drive home.
RE:Todd
07-01-2002, 06:43 PM
I'm in the middle of this dilema now. I return through Rubicon, haven't figured out Dusy yet.
I will NEVER regret the ability to not worry about having to make the drive home after a long ride. I will never again have to skip an obstacle because I may break a crucial component requied to drive home.
I do however regret modifying a rig to the point where I can't drive it reasonbly safely on the road if the desire arrises...
Chris Geiger
07-01-2002, 07:14 PM
So far it's been great! I stopped driving the rig on the hwy when I got my 38" tires. Now that it's a full time trail rig, I don't have to worry about breaking the glass and can go for it!
Brandon
07-01-2002, 09:50 PM
Originally posted by DRM
I will NEVER regret the ability to not worry about having to make the drive home after a long ride. I will never again have to skip an obstacle because I may break a crucial component requied to drive home.
I do however regret modifying a rig to the point where I can't drive it reasonbly safely on the road if the desire arrises...
you couldn't drive your truck on the road safely?? Man, my 5.0 flatbed topless hydro assist, 38" TSL, blah blah truck will always be road worthy!
tail_lite
07-01-2002, 10:30 PM
I don't regret trailering at all..... my rig can be driven on the road but with 38's turning for 150 miles or more, I'd rather not....:eek:
Lance
07-02-2002, 12:23 AM
I still drive my rig around town all the time. It's fun!!! But towing is where it's at! :cool2:
Brandon
07-02-2002, 12:32 AM
Originally posted by Lance
I still drive my rig around town all the time. It's fun!!! But towing is where it's at! :cool2:
LOL a cop would just be speechless if they pulled ya over
I don't intend to drive my truck to moab anymore but yea, I do want to be able to cruise around town if I want to or even drive it to work
Tx4x4Fun
07-02-2002, 09:44 AM
No regrets here. The ability to jump into that A/C and "RICH CORINTHIAN LEATHER" after a long day more than makes up for it. Like others mentioned above, I would be more likely to try the harder obstacle knowing that I'll still have a ride home! :flipoff2:
fj40charles
07-02-2002, 03:38 PM
I would never go wheeling without trailering it unless it was real close. I just don't see the comfort for driving a short wheelbase vehicle in the heat with no top for long distances.
Also, I can go 85 mph when I'm towing and get decent mileage with my Cummins.
Charles
Rudezuk
07-02-2002, 03:50 PM
Originally posted by Tx4x4Fun
Like others mentioned above, I would be more likely to try the harder obstacle knowing that I'll still have a ride home! :flipoff2:
Thats why i got my trailer......Cause i did break things and had to rely on others to tow my $hit home for me!
Its actually alot cheaper for me to drive the trail rig than it is the truck and trailer...........zuk gets like 20mpg!! But the comfort factor and knowing that you have a guarenteed ride home is nice!
welndmn
07-02-2002, 04:17 PM
Originally posted by Brandon
LOL a cop would just be speechless if they pulled ya over
I don't intend to drive my truck to moab anymore but yea, I do want to be able to cruise around town if I want to or even drive it to work
I feel the same,
I love trailering but i do love driving my junk to work evey so often
BillaVista
07-02-2002, 05:13 PM
Hmmm, interesting thoughts.
It sounds as if you guys are saying:
1) Trailering is it...you can fully get it - AND get home!
2) If at all possible, it is cool to still be able to street drive the rig.
I guess it's the last point that is the kicker....I'm starting a "from-scratch" total hybrid rig build (and I'm WAY over my head :flipoff2: ) and as you can imagine....if I don't have to even pretend to keep it road=legal, it will be exponentially easier....but you give up a lot if you HAVE to trailer it even down to the mailbox !!
Originally posted by Brandon
you couldn't drive your truck on the road safely?? Man, my 5.0 flatbed topless hydro assist, 38" TSL, blah blah truck will always be road worthy!
Oh, I actually drove it for about 6 months as my daily driver - 100+ miles per day most days. That being said, the gearing sucked for interstate driving, and would have worn through tires after much longer.
A better comment would be I would have liked a truck the wife could feel comfortable driving around town if she wanted to... and feel safe putting our little girl in there too.
surveyboy
07-08-2002, 03:59 PM
well I have the access to a trailer and its great for the long trips and the comfort of getting home- even if the rigs broke. for the local trails, It's to much of a hassel to hook it up, tie it down, untie it, and drive. My jeep is road legal and thats the way I like it. but, if you're building a rig, then your option for highway driveing is alot lower.
fj40guy
07-09-2002, 01:32 PM
My FJ40 works fine for around town (street legal), but after tossing in a couple of kids, camping gear, big dog... and driving for three hours to get to a camping spot.... Whew! Just a little too cramped. Repeat that, but towing the FJ40, with a 2500HD Crew Cab with A/C, decent stereo, and being able to TALK with my sons while on the road.... worth it! :D
Funny sight at Gilmer: A Ford Crew cab with no one around, but the engine running. Finally realized two guys were reclining back, AC blowing full blast, and they were sound asleep! 20 years ago I would have thought "What a wusss" These days I just think "Cool!" :p
Of course the way my son's are going through food, I'll need a friggin RV just to haul a weekends worth of food!
Tom :usa:
Having my off-pavement ride completely un-streetworthy isn't so cool. But, it's cheaper than making the mods to make it work on pavement, so no worries.
As for the tow rig AND the trailer, it's really a no-brainer for me. I have far too many other uses for both to ever part with either, whether I have a wheelin' truck or not. Though, I probably would still have a 1/2 ton pickup if I didn't tow the racer.
TEX
Originally posted by TEX
As for the tow rig AND the trailer, it's really a no-brainer for me. I have far too many other uses for both to ever part with either, whether I have a wheelin' truck or not. Though, I probably would still have a 1/2 ton pickup if I didn't tow the racer.
TEX
AMEN!
The trailer meant when we moved - we did not have to rent a U-Haul... Same for when we helped some friends of ours move too.
I have picked up rocks, bags of mulch, parts vehicles (generally 15 or so a year), picked up friend's broke down junk, lumber for building projects, and on, and on...
Rover Addiction
07-09-2002, 04:04 PM
If you have the money for the tow rig and trailer, it's great to have. I keep my trail rig street legal because I enjoy driving it to work like a lot of you guys, but for me it actually comes out cheaper to tow than to drive. I get 9 mpg from the trail rig and 15 from my tow rig. In addition, after missing 2 days of work hauling my broken rig home, I was told that if I wanted to keep working, I had to either trailer or stay home!
yeah, the insurance for both kinda sucks, but having an extra vehicle to drive whenever I need it is great and it's a whole lot more comfortable coming home from the trail.
A few months ago, I made a run to Las Cruces from the San Francisco area in 24 hours straight through in order to participate in the Chile Challenge. No way could I have done that in the trail rig! Yeah, it could do it and it's legal, but it would have been a whole lot more tiring.
So.. heck yeah! Get the tow rig!
-John
vBulletin® v3.7.3, Copyright ©2000-2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.