So next week I’ll officially be on the hunt for my first cargo trailer. With that being said, like everything I do, I am no expert. So with that being said I’m looking for advice. What should I being looking at?
New or used?
What brand, or at least, what brands to avoid?
Best size? (Thinking 7x16 or 8.5x18)
Options? V-Nose? Electric brakes?
I have up to $8,000 to spend.
And of course, any lessons learned from those who bought a trailer and regretted something they wish they knew before hand?
If I had it my way, I’d have room for both karts and something big enough to build a sleeping quarters.
So I’ve only owned one enclosed trailer, so I don’t have a big sample size to choose from, but I have a 7x14 vee nose and have been pretty happy with it in general. It has plenty of space to nicely lay out your mobile workshop, but would probably be pushing it to have any meaningful sleeping setup, the extra 2 feet of the 7x16 could probably make something work if you got creative. I like the vee nose, and will be fabricating a built in workbench to fit the vee, and plan to mount a tool chest under the bench in the vee. At that size any trailer would have electric brakes, when I was shopping for mine, I found most had brakes on one axle, mine has them on both.
One thing to add, I personally found when looking at 6 wide, and 7 wide trailers, that I found very few decent deals on used trailers, and found I could get a new trailer for a touch more than average used price.
With that size trailer I would guess you have a decent tow vehicle. However, in my experience wind resistance is as much of a consideration as weight. My trailer has a slight v nose with no slant to the roof. I would prefer a more drastic vee and a slanted roof. Its a tradeoff of max space or wind resisitance.
As for options, I know some swear by the e-track tie downs, but if you want to put a floor down that won’t work, and you can always put it on the wall too. I think brakes are required on anything over 1000lbs. I personally don’t want holes in the roof and would forgo any roof vents.
Something I am thinking about is Heating and Air Conditioning. I grew up in Savannah, GA and know how hot and humid that part of the Country can get. Currently living in Texas and just finished up a race today. The high today was around 96 Deg F and 78% humidity. Thankfully today had a pretty steady breeze that made it bearable under the canopy.
The other option I was considering was a Toy Hauler. Living space up front and garage space in the back. Might actually get wifey out to the track more. It comes with a few advantages over a standard trailer. One, being the living space. Kitchen, bathroom/shower and sleeping means you can drive in the night before the race and stay at the track. Two, with living quarters on site, if you do travel outside your normal area you don’t have to rent a hotel. Three, you are more likely to sell your spouse on it, as it is multifunctional and not just another racing expenditure.
The E track is mounted on top of the floor. No “issues”, but yes you do see the floor getting loose when it’s a hot day and on cool days the floor is nice and snug. The floor is adhered to the wood subfloor with double sided flooring tape around the edges and I think 5 strips in the middle, so even without the E track, I’d still get expansion and contraction between the strips of tape.
I loved the toy hauler route. Worked for me for a couple of years. Got the wife at the track, had a bathroom/AC/beds for her and the kids. Very nice if you can do it. The toy haulers are obviously heavier, so depending on your fuel cost increase, you are not saving as much as you would like. Cant beat the convenience of it, though.
I wanted to go the toy hauler route, but my half ton only has a 6,500lb towing capacity. So cargo trailer I go; until I decide to upgrade my truck. Which won’t happen anytime soon between the inflated used market prices and the chip shortage for something new.
Take a look at R&R trailer. They make a “toyhauler” as a cargo trailer. Can come with heat and air along with pop out bed on one or both sides. Front cabinets, fridge etc. All aluminum so definitely light weight and perfect for 1/2 ton and can use at and away from track.
Believe you can order as 7x14 up to 8.5x20+
R&P carriages in Illinois has some on hand from time to time.
Could also look at wolf pup toyhaulers. Usually under 22’ and pretty light for 1/2 ton. Could probably be under 7k loaded
Very nice, that’s the same size I have, I discovered last time I went to the track, that there is a big advantage to having a tandem axle trailer, which is when you get a flat tire, you still have control lol.
Very true. Moving forward my plan is to design sort of a bunk house, as my double kart stacker will afford me more room if I can design everything correctly and maximize the space. What I’d like to do is install a pop out sleeping quarters kinda like this:
Before you pour money and time into sleeping quarters, consider whether you’ll enjoy sleeping in the same enclosed spaces as race fuel and off-gassing tires.
Congrats on the purchase. First order of business should be insulating the trailer if it’s not already done. Regardless if you sleep in it or not, it’ll make the trailer bearable to be in on hot race days.
what did you use and how did you insulate? My trailer has zero insulation and the metal roof is exposed inside. I would like to at least do something on the roof as the side walls would be a major pita.
