[Real Blackdog]

I need to buy a trailer to haul the 4X4. It will be used for many other things as well. I spent the day looking and the one I like best is a gravity tilt 7X16 trailer good for a 5500 lb payload. My last trailer had flip up ramps that were a pain in the ass. I think the tilt loading would be great, quick on and off loading and no ramps to mess with. Any input?
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[Ben W]

Tilt deck would definately be nice. My trailer has slide out ramps, they get the job done but they can be a pain. Get the widest deck you can, mine is 82" between the fenders. Get brakes on both axles. Make sure you get good tires, some trailers come with crappy car tires instead of trailer tires.

Where are you shopping for trailers? ITEC in Yakima? There are also several places in Tri-Cities that have trailers in stock, Columbia River Trading Co, Ranch and Home, and B&B Enterprises.

 

[ibrocun]

I've got a Millenium tilt-deck for hauling my forklift. It's a great trailer.

 

[Real Blackdog]

I checked ITEC and Luft today. Luft has a real nice 7X16 tilt for 3K. I just dropped a PM to the guy in Tri cities. Where are the nice used ones when you need them?

 

[ChiScouter]

I think that with a gravity tilt deck the wheels are usually pretty close to the middle of the trailer. If that is the case proper balance may be difficult with less than a 18 ft trailer. My .02 is to get a utility trailer if you are going to be using it for a lot of different uses. The deck height is lower than a standard car hauler, it is much eaasier to quickly frame up plywood walls if necessary or to tie down different loads. No matter what get the widest, 102" you can.

 

[Real Blackdog]

I ended up buying a real nice 7X16 ramp type. It's good for a payload of 5500 lbs, my Scout weights 4,000. The sales girl was a fox, I think I love her.

 

[pmurf1]

I have a manual tilt 20' flat deck with steel diamondplate deck. It can be slick as hell and you definitely need 4wheel to get up it wet. Wet wood is the same. Something to consider if you don't have a winch and need to load up when you're broken, I've been there. If you're gonna do any kind of tilt, spend the extra money and get at least power up. It gets old pumping mine up by hand since I didn't dovetail it for better clearance.

 

[TornadoTJ]

I have a gravity tilt that's a dual frame setup, not the type that breaks at the tongue. It's a piece of cake to load and unload. But like said before, the wheels are not in the same location as most trailers, and the overhang off the back is long as hell. I hit stuff with it turning corners, and it doesn't pull very well. Also it's around 3,000 lbs empty because of the dual frame setup. Oh, and it has torsion axles which are now worn out from overloading it, and the cost to replace them is $$$. So I just bought a regular flat deck and the tilt bed sits.

 

[FYRMAN]

The sales girl was a fox, I think I love her.

Where did you buy from? I may have to go put in an application. :smokin:

 

[Real Blackdog]

I bought it from your X-coworker Cara at Columbia River Trading co.

 

[ibrocun]

I have a manual tilt 20' flat deck with steel diamondplate deck. It can be slick as hell and you definitely need 4wheel to get up it wet. Wet wood is the same. Something to consider if you don't have a winch and need to load up when you're broken, I've been there. If you're gonna do any kind of tilt, spend the extra money and get at least power up. It gets old pumping mine up by hand since I didn't dovetail it for better clearance.

I painted two strips down 2/3 of my deck with grip-paint from Grainger. I drive my forklift (w/ solid warehouse tires) up the ramp in the rain with no problem.

 

[Grim Reaper]

My .02 is to get a utility trailer if you are going to be using it for a lot of different uses. The deck height is lower than a standard car hauler, it is much easier to quickly frame up plywood walls if necessary or to tie down different loads. No matter what get the widest, 102" you can.

Thats a new one on me. Lot of hot rods where I am and a lot of low slung "car" trailers to haul them with. I think you are mistaking a "construction equipment trailer" for a "car trailer". Their is a difference and most people that 4x4 are using equipment trailers.

Yeah I have seen some really low Utility trailer but the reason was they are made with short main rails or angle iron main rails and they have to have a top rail to make a girder out of the side to get any strength.

My buddy has a REAL car trailer and they bought it because of the low load high. Its low enough for their slammed hot rods and Porsche's to get on without dragging. It runs a 3 inch drop axle (Construction typically runs a straight axle) to get it down that low. Because its a real car trailer it doesn't have top rails like a utility trailer and the fenders are removable so the don't have to climb out the windows once it on the trailer. It has stake pockets all the way around so I don't see where its any harder to put a 2ft cargo side on it. It pulls like a dream. You don't even notice it behind you it tracks so well.

My problem with it is its too low for me to tow to the trails I go. It would drag on trail 1 at Tellico and the mail road in at Beasley A LOT. Enough that I would fear my 2wd tow rig would be getting stuck.

I plan to copy that trailer and build my own about 4 inches taller to help with ground clearance. Actually I am kicking my self for not buying a trailer that was for sale here that a dude built down in South GA. Its ride hight was adjustable. The Spring eyes could be moved up and down as well as the coupler to level it out. Its about the lowest 20ft I have ever seen. For long hwy runs it would be sweet to have it down on the ground for better aerodynamics and CG. Think the guy said it had 6 inches of adjustment.

 

[B.C. 05]

Scroll down to the end of this page this company sells a 102" wide with drive over fenders, 8" channel frame, 12K jack, slide in ramps or fold up, dual 7K brake axles and you can have rails put on too. Looks and sounds like a well built trailer, but don't know the price yet. Called them Fri. and they are supposed to call me back with a price.

 

[ChiScouter]

Thats a new one on me. Lot of hot rods where I am and a lot of low slung "car" trailers to haul them with. I think you are mistaking a "construction equipment trailer" for a "car trailer". Their is a difference and most people that 4x4 are using equipment trailers.

Yeah I have seen some really low Utility trailer but the reason was they are made with short main rails or angle iron main rails and they have to have a top rail to make a girder out of the side to get any strength.

My buddy has a REAL car trailer and they bought it because of the low load high. Its low enough for their slammed hot rods and Porsche's to get on without dragging. It runs a 3 inch drop axle (Construction typically runs a straight axle) to get it down that low. Because its a real car trailer it doesn't have top rails like a utility trailer and the fenders are removable so the don't have to climb out the windows once it on the trailer. It has stake pockets all the way around so I don't see where its any harder to put a 2ft cargo side on it. It pulls like a dream. You don't even notice it behind you it tracks so well.

My problem with it is its too low for me to tow to the trails I go. It would drag on trail 1 at Tellico and the mail road in at Beasley A LOT. Enough that I would fear my 2wd tow rig would be getting stuck.

I plan to copy that trailer and build my own about 4 inches taller to help with ground clearance. Actually I am kicking my self for not buying a trailer that was for sale here that a dude built down in South GA. Its ride hight was adjustable. The Spring eyes could be moved up and down as well as the coupler to level it out. Its about the lowest 20ft I have ever seen. For long hwy runs it would be sweet to have it down on the ground for better aerodynamics and CG. Think the guy said it had 6 inches of adjustment.

For mostly hauling cars I would never recommend a utility trailer, for 4x's a 12 or 16 inch side should not be a obstacle to opening a door. To make sides on mine I can take a sheet of plywood against the sides with a 2x4 outside and run 3 inch drywall screws from the inside out, it makes for very stiff walls that do not rattle around at all. With stake pockets the sides flop around a lot unless you take a ton of time to drive shims in the pockets, and if you do, taking it apart is even more of a pain in the ass. I have built temp walls on my utility at least twice a year for the past 9 years, and have built walls on several car haulers as well as equipment trailers, and it is a much easier setup on the utility trailer. Because of the angle iron/truss construction a utility trailer can be made lower than a car hauler with C channel or tube frame construction with the same axles. I think the sides can be a added safety factor if your rig moves around on the trailer, at least they will rub up on the sides rather than slipping a wheel off the side of the trailer.

For cars a utility trailer is not practical, but for hauling trucks and 4x's as long as they fit between the wheelwells I have never heard a sound argument why they are not a viable option