flat bed, open trailer
 

Once my Lamplighter project is race-ready I am considering a return to towing with an open trailer. [after having several enclosed trailers] [considering lighter, easier to maneuver, easier access to tie-downs, etc.]

For those of you who tow with an open trailer, let me hear about your trailer, length, equipment, ease of loading, etc.

I am even considering aluminum and a tilt bed design.

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

I had a C-20 pick up pulling a 20 ft. Big Tex with a Chevelle station Wagon.
White Knuckler most of the time, until I put stabilizer bars ( forgot the name) on it. Towed like a dream after that.
I wouldn't do it without those bars.
MJ

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

I have an older model Top Hat tilt made in East Texas. It's very low and easy to load my 68 Mustang onto. I added an ATV winch to pull it up without messing with the neighbors and a snatch block to load on the slope of my drive. It was not expensive, around $2000. I creamed the tail light with a tree pulling out but it was repairable/replaceable. Quality of the fender brackets isn't great and the hinges rusted out in two years. Went from tilt down to lift off fenders. Need to fix that. I painted the deck with cheap exterior latex before the rains came in and it is holding up good. Stored outside uncovered. It's pulled by a 2013 F150 base model 4x4 and you need to remind yourself that it's back there. Brakes are good for the price. I'm sure they have better models and they are East Texas made. Good luck.


By the way, all the Ford racers out here seem to use open flatbeds. My friend Brian got a new AlumiLite last Spring and likes it a lot. He also has a 30 foot 2 car rig.

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

Have over 20,000 miles towing open with this Featherlight aluminum trailer behind a Dodge 2500 or F250. No bars and moving the weight fore and aft didn’t seem to make much difference. Can’t beat a quality aluminum trailer for ease of loading, strapping down and towing. 1000 mile days no sweat. With the 24 foot Pace enclosed behind my 3500 DRW and I was ready to stop after 750 miles. ~30-40% fuel mileage difference as well. Currently looking for a another enclosed so I can go either way depending on where I’m racing. Pros and cons both ways.

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

My set up is a 1994 Caprice Wagon set up to Tow a Featherlight 3130 17.5 foot trailer with a 1995 Impala SS.

Trailer is 1550 lbs with box and accessories.
At G/PS weight 6000 lbs, F/PS about 5800 lbs probably close to 5700 lbs.

Added an Airlift system with electric pump.
Handles well and does not need the Stabilizer Bars.
Over the years improved the Wagons towing capability.
Especially driving over the Appalachian mountains.

Looking at a Truck and Closed Trailer.
But that brings in drive-ability issues such as wind.
Have zero issues with that now.

D

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

I just got done building my ramp truck and I also have an aluminum open trailer that I pull behind it. I can take two cars. consider the ramp truck, way cool and very easy to haul. And I also only pay the toll of a car when it’s just the ramp truck!

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

Open trailers are a great advertisement for drag racing.And I always tell people where the racing is at. And I've seen some of them there!

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

We use a 32 FT Deck to haul two stockers around Western States with Triple 4000 Dexter Axles (Tagged 9900 to keep DOT away).
I pull with a Ram 1500 Hemi Crew cab.If going out of state = I hook up leverage bars. Pulls Great! It cost about $6,500. last year from my son who builds/sells them.

To haul one we use a 7,000 GVW Diamond Plate Open Center with Electric brakes (Not Surge) with a 16 Ft. Deck and a 5 Ft. triple tongue. Trailer weighs under 1500 lbs and we never uses leverage bars even with a 1500 and my Wagon Stocker. These trailers are about a $2,900. Deal. These are really not much heavier than my Featherlite Aluminum BUT not nearly as fragile to use for me.

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

I've got a home-made 18' plus 6 feet of tongue. Tool box up front and about half of the tongue. Brakes on both axles. Pulls like a dream and you get lots of friendly waves and thumbs up as you go down the road. Pull it with a 79 one-ton flatbed. Great if your on a day trip.
Pete

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

Me and a friend bought 2 trailer city gold rush 18' open trailers from Fred Hartman (G/MP fame) with consecutive vin numbers in 1983 I sold mine in 1990 and bought my buddies a couple of years later, I still have it to this day! best towing open trailer I have ever owned or used!

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

This works well for me.

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

HP, what brand and where did you buy?

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

A lot of nice open trailers out there. I just moved up to an enclosed after many years with an open U&W. Towed great and was easy to load. I would recommend the trailer have a decent tool box and 4 wheel brakes. Material is your choice, both have advantages and disadvantages.

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

I have been using an all Aluminum open for the past few years and for my money if going in that direction the best trailer out there was my 19' Imperial full deck (all Aluminum) which I just sold to go back to an enclosed - but it was easy to load and unload - could tow our Dakota Stocker on it with a Dodge 1500 with no problem at any speed with no sway and no need for bars however the down side is all the junk we have to bring in bad weather it is a problem to try and keep things under cover and if you bring a scooter or bike no problem but if a golf cart is in your plans than you would need something longer to provide space to load a cart maybe sideways - just my $.02

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

Custom trailer sales in Ok city, told them what I wanted, they made it. 4395.00

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

Not sure I would go with a tilt style but that's just rumours I heard when I was looking. I had an enclosed 24 Classic and it was the nicest enclosed for the $$$. My Buick weighs 3700 lbs and with it in the enclosed my Silverado 1500 could smell the hills. The 1/2 tonne is just too light and springs and brakes are marginal for that weight IMHO.

I went with an ATC alum 18 foot and it tows like a dream. Looks great, easy access and as said 50% fuel savings is exact. I get so many thumbs up when towing. This is a perfect fit for a 1/2 tonne pick up.

With that said I would like a 20 ft ATC alum enclosed as I am so happy with the open, It would be nice to have the car out of the elements some days, however it would mean getting a 3/4 tonne pick up and the costs to buy and everyday driving fuel costs go up so I am still sitting on the fence post. The open is hard to beat for close to home and I don't go far so this might be the deciding factor.

One last thought is the alum open is very easy to sell down the road and hold there value very good. I have a few people inline to buy mine if I sell.

How the H E double hockey sticks to you post pics on this form???

Good luck

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

I dont' know about needing a 3/4 ton for a 20-24 ATC enclosed. They can be super light, I have the Raven with upgraded walls, 16 inch on center posts, a winch and commercial floor covering and its 3,000 lbs, the 20 foot featherlite was 1925 I think.

You have seen my v8 08 4runner and it tows the 24 foot enclosed ATC like a dream, 12-13 mpg towing if keeping the rpm's in the motors sweet spot. Open towing the featherlite would get around 13-13.5 towing best ever was dragpak at 14.7(good areodynamics), dakota could be under 13.

As a comparison the 24 foot steel Vintage bandit was more $ towing like 10 mpg, but it wasn't too bad all things considered.

Oddly my 20 foot all aluminum endlosed goldrush tows just like the Bandit, 10mpg-11mpg it might be getting nailed with drag with the 4runner.

The 2015 tacoma v6 towing the same 20 foot goldrush is in the 13MPG zone.

Diffferent tow vehicles do matter....the 93 one ton dodge magnum 360 with 4.10 rear doesn't care what trailer is back there, its going to get the same mpg, 10-11.

With careful driving a good brake controller, etc, you can do like I did the tow to Bradenton FL and back in January event free with a 1/2 ton, bigger, ie diesel would be even better of course, but not a got to have, super nice to have.

96 ford Diesel rollback I had would tow up the hill on the mass pike on cruise with the ac on at 70 no drama, miss that truck.

I towed a lot with the featherlite open 20' it was perfect for the smaller tow rig, even fun in the mountains, something not to be said about an enclosed wind brake!


Eric

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

I bought a Sundowner Ultra it tows great came with toolbox that looked like it belonged on the trailer. The craftsmanship is unbelievable. All aluminum and they have a great warranty

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

I like the Sundowner and there is a dealer 60 miles from me in Canton Tx

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

For single car tow I use a 22' Featherlite 3180. Great length for 1 car + golf cart. Weighs 1550 empty.
What was very nice are all of the standard Featherlite features....aircraft type adjustable tie down tracks...premium tires, aluminum wheels...self adjust brakes...torsion axles..removable fenders..low height..led lights...I love this trailer and how it tows.

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

Used to haul my 68 gto bracket car on a homemade trailer behind my 77 Monte 305 w/2.56 rear.:eek:
Trailer pulls much better behind my DMax though.:D

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

In the Mid 70's: I towed my F/SA 1968 340 Dart on a 16' Open with NO BRAKES and a Jeep CJ 5 with a Chev. 2.5 Iron Duke ( 4 Cyl. ) with a homemade hitch.

I was Stupid and it was Slow....But I wanted to race and it was all I had.

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

We first towed a open trailer with a Chevrolet wagon and then a Chrysler Town & Country wagon, and someone in the tech line said to me "I can see see that all the money went into the race car".

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

That`s perfect! Brings back memories of hauling my Skylark Stocker on a tow dolly behind a `75 Pontiac Grand Safari! Sold the dolly and bought an open trailer in `96 and still have that open. Haul it with a `72 GMC Pickup now.

Re: flat bed, open trailer
 

I found the 1500 pick up a little light duty for my endlosed. I have always said " its all good until something bad happens then you wished you would have done it differently" I think for an enclosed a 3/4 ton is a must. Better braking on the truck and more spring rate. If you encounter an evasive maneuver or bad weather it will shine.

For the enclosed I just updated tires to a 10 ply and noticed the truck feels tighter and less of a sway feeling in the rear. Great posts and opinions on here.