Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

SShink · 3K+ Club

Enclosed Trailer

gearlube · Active Member

Ah. Wow true car guy trust. I bet it's gonna suck some gas too. Good luck driving.

SShink · 3K+ Club

Yep, he's a good guy for sure. I only think about gas when it's time to fill it up every couple of hours or so...

She's all loaded up and hitting the road in an hour or so.

dashboard · 2K+ Club

Stan, report in when you arrive so we know you made it ok, also like to know how your PU pulled it. I think you said you had storage set up?

Not to hijack your post but while we are talking enclosed trailers.....could someone give me a reality check on enclosed trailer prices/value. I saw this one on C list and would like some feedback on the price. It's close by and I do have the space to park it. Not sure how the 2002 V6 F150 would pull it.

http://limaohio.craigslist.org/for/4933661013.html

-- Edited by dashboard on Sunday 19th of April 2015 08:50:32 PM

SShink · 3K+ Club

Arrived safe and sound. About a 12 hour day all in all, but the Malibu is in safe storage and the trailer is back in its lot in 1 piece and no different than when I picked it up Friday.

Drove through 2 heavy T-storms with rain and wind in Iowa and Missouri, but handled it just fine. I spent a lot of time at 4500 RPM going up hills in southern Iowa and northern Missouri, and I kept telling myself 'LS engines like RPM... LS engines like RPM...'. I'm guessing I was pulling close to 7000 pounds between the trailer, the Malibu, the extra set of rims/tires, 4 bumpers, and some misc. stuff. I kept it around 65 MPH the whole way, and no issues. That little 5.3 engine earned it's keep today.

Great respect now for truckers and people that drive large vehicles/trailers all day long!

Lost in the 60s · President

Once you get south of Des Moines, the flat land is over. LOTS of hills to pull. Been down there many times with the Pete. Fuel mileage is out the window and your working the truck just to keep up.

The 5.3 in my pick up REALLY got the heck beat out of it bringing my '66 Malibu back from Columbia Falls MT last fall. The rocky mountains are much worse than IA/MO.

Check the oil level after that marathon, Stan. It may have used some to maintain that rpm.

That is a cool trailer, with the large side door for an exit. I've never seen one like that before.

Back in Black · Active Member

dashboard wrote:
Stan, report in when you arrive so we know you made it ok, also like to know how your PU pulled it. I think you said you had storage set up?

Not to hijack your post but while we are talking enclosed trailers.....could someone give me a reality check on enclosed trailer prices/value. I saw this one on C list and would like some feedback on the price. It's close by and I do have the space to park it. Not sure how the 2002 V6 F150 would pull it.

http://limaohio.craigslist.org/for/4933661013.html

-- Edited by dashboard on Sunday 19th of April 2015 08:50:32 PM

Not enough info. on that trailer to say if it's a good deal or not.

I have a 22' V-nose and would not want anything smaller. I paid $4500 for it and had to drive to West Virginia to pick it up. It was thousands less than anything comparable locally. That was 5 years ago. Might be different now.

You'll struggle towing with a V-6. I tow with my 2003 Ram Hemi and wish I had more power sometimes.

John D · 2K+ Club

Hate to say the "F" word here...

A few weeks ago John Jr's car crapped out in Winona, and I had to rent a dolly and drag it back home for some repairs... Honestly, I didn't even know it was back there. Used the "Tow/Haul" mode on the trans and locked out 6th gear, and just drove. Fuel economy went down about 30%, but "drive-ability" was unchanged. If I needed to pass someone, I just punched it and blasted past.

hkgmillette · President

I remember those hills. I went to KC to pick up the SS. I had the pleasure of borrowing my friends 1-ton Ford diesel dually and his enclosed trailer. It handled those hill nicely and the head wind on the way home.

Chris R · 2K+ Club

Coincidentially, this was brought up on Team Chevelle recently. A lot of good tips given on selecting the right trailer. Seems the consensus is to buy a name brand trailer and avoid cheap unknown brands.

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=748713

Back in Black · Active Member

Nothing wrong with the bargain basement trailers as long as their built right. I have over 15,000 trouble free towing miles on mine.

Back in Black · Active Member

John D wrote:
Hate to say the "F" word here...

A few weeks ago John Jr's car crapped out in Winona, and I had to rent a dolly and drag it back home for some repairs... Honestly, I didn't even know it was back there. Used the "Tow/Haul" mode on the trans and locked out 6th gear, and just drove. Fuel economy went down about 30%, but "drive-ability" was unchanged. If I needed to pass someone, I just punched it and blasted past.

Totally different than towing a 7000+ lb enclosed car trailer. Even a flat bed car trailer tows easier than an enclosed.

SShink · 3K+ Club

Back in Black wrote:
John D wrote:
Hate to say the "F" word here...

A few weeks ago John Jr's car crapped out in Winona, and I had to rent a dolly and drag it back home for some repairs... Honestly, I didn't even know it was back there. Used the "Tow/Haul" mode on the trans and locked out 6th gear, and just drove. Fuel economy went down about 30%, but "drive-ability" was unchanged. If I needed to pass someone, I just punched it and blasted past.

Totally different than towing a 7000+ lb enclosed car trailer. Even a flat bed car trailer tows easier than an enclosed.

I agree Keith. I've towed other Chevelles on the UHaul open auto trailers, and while the UHaul trailer is heavy and the truck worked a little harder, nothing like this enclosed trailer. I'm guessing it was either 28 or 30 feet long too, which made for fun at the tight turn gas stations!

JD-I'm guessing the Chevelle was a thousand pounds or more heavier than Jr.'s car too, which makes a difference...

Mitch-I checked the oil this a.m., and it maybe used a fourth of a quart if that, so the 135K mile engine didn't burn much at all. It goes in for an oil change tomorrow since I'm up against the time to change anyway.

All I can say is props go to those that drive this kind of stuff every day.

Lost in the 60s · President

John D wrote:
Hate to say the "F" word here...

A few weeks ago John Jr's car crapped out in Winona, and I had to rent a dolly and drag it back home for some repairs... Honestly, I didn't even know it was back there. Used the "Tow/Haul" mode on the trans and locked out 6th gear, and just drove. Fuel economy went down about 30%, but "drive-ability" was unchanged. If I needed to pass someone, I just punched it and blasted past.

Forced induction makes a world of difference in pulling power too. The torque rating on yours is most likely much higher than dashboards V6.

Pulling an enclosed is like having a parachute behind you.

67ss · 1K+ Club

Those eco boost motors are are pretty impressive. My uncle used his to tow a 24' enclosed trailer when he had his race car and it hardly seemed like it was working. Granted he was not going through hilly areas but I was impressed with it none the less.

Jon H · 1K+ Club

Lost in the 60s wrote:
John D wrote:
Hate to say the "F" word here...

A few weeks ago John Jr's car crapped out in Winona, and I had to rent a dolly and drag it back home for some repairs... Honestly, I didn't even know it was back there. Used the "Tow/Haul" mode on the trans and locked out 6th gear, and just drove. Fuel economy went down about 30%, but "drive-ability" was unchanged. If I needed to pass someone, I just punched it and blasted past.

I was never a big believer in the tow/haul mode button until I started hauling the MC trailer through the mountains. My economy did suffer but not to the 30% you experienced, granted I had a 5.3L V8 vs your V6. Drive ability sure was better and a lot less punishment on the transmission for sure.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

The only complaint I've heard about the ecoboost is the poor fuel economy while towing. Seems when there's much load, they stay in boost all the time, and pour the fuel in.

Lost in the 60s · President

Derek69SS wrote:
The only complaint I've heard about the ecoboost is the poor fuel economy while towing. Seems when there's much load, they stay in boost all the time, and pour the fuel in.

A worthy sacrifice for occasional towing. Even at that, what mileage was he getting and what did it drop to ??

If the truck was getting 20 mpg and dropped to 14, that is about a 30% drop but still very respectable for what it was called on to do. My 5.3 gets ~12 mpg pulling the trailer with a car on it... Coming back thru the Rockies and the continental divide in MT it was more like 8 mpg.

SShink · 3K+ Club

I agree Mitch. I'm guessing I was in the 8-10 mpg range on avg with the car/trailer, wind, rain, and extra weight in the bed of the truck.

Sounds like the F brand still does better for towing though...

Jon, I used the trailer tow mode too, and can't imagine how much harder it would have worked withou it.

-- Edited by SShink on Tuesday 21st of April 2015 03:34:06 PM

John D · 2K+ Club

Didn't mean to start a "heated" discussion here, and agreed, - my towing comparison is apples to oranges, but getting 365hp@5K, 420tq@2500 out of 214 cubes is pretty nutz.

I was a die-hard "Trucks need a V8" until I started shopping and doing research. I was always going to go F-150, but the video I attached put me over the edge for the V6.

dashboard · 2K+ Club

Hey guys my real question was the value of a used trailer and if the one posted was worth 3100.00

Land around here for many miles resembles the top of a pool table. I've towed a couple of what I thought where heavy loads with my F150. A 7000# John Deer tractor on a 2000# trailer, I didn't set any speed records, kept it at 55-60 on level roads, it pulled fine and stopped well with trailer brakes. My little V6 with it's whopping 250 ft lbs tq won't do hills and would struggle with strong headwinds. As stated, the real killer is the large drag chute effect of the big box trailer plus wind and slope.

But that Eco Boost engine is impressive and truly built for lots of low end torque, wish I had one. Fords next generation engine is going to combine both direct injection and fuel injection, that should be wild.

Any way just pondering the trailer value, If I need to go up and down hills, I have access to a F350.

Back in Black · Active Member

dashboard wrote:
Hey guys my real question was the value of a used trailer and if the one posted was worth 3100.00

Land around here for many miles resembles the top of a pool table. I've towed a couple of what I thought where heavy loads with my F150. A 7000# John Deer tractor on a 2000# trailer, I didn't set any speed records, kept it at 55-60 on level roads, it pulled fine and stopped well with trailer brakes. My little V6 with it's whopping 250 ft lbs tq won't do hills and would struggle with strong headwinds. As stated, the real killer is the large drag chute effect of the big box trailer plus wind and slope.

But that Eco Boost engine is impressive and truly built for lots of low end torque, wish I had one. Fords next generation engine is going to combine both direct injection and fuel injection, that should be wild.

Any way just pondering the trailer value, If I need to go up and down hills, I have access to a F350.

As I mentioned in my post above, it's hard to determine what the value of that trailer is without additional info. Assuming it's been maintained and isn't falling apart, it's probably worth $3100 though. You'll have a hard time finding a decent flat bed for that $$. But is it the right trailer for you?

Who is the manufacturer?

How old is it?

How heavy are the axles?

Do the axles and brakes need servicing?

Does it have electric brakes on both axles?

It looks like it has seen a bit of moisture. How corroded is the frame?

Is the frame straight?

Does it need tires?

Were the sides re-skinned? Never seen that type of siding on a trailer before.

I don't know what you plan to haul in that thing. Assuming it's a full size vehicle, 18' doesn't leave you much room to work with inside.

For less than $1500 more, you could get a brand new one in the 22-24 foot range and with an escape door. Trust me, you'll want an escape door.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2015-New-8-5x22-Enclosed-Cargo-Trailer-Car-Hauler-Motorcycle-Auto-Racing-VNose-/181720581677?forcerrptr=true&hash=item2a4f64062d&item=181720581677

-- Edited by Back in Black on Wednesday 22nd of April 2015 12:24:45 AM

Back in Black · Active Member

John D wrote:
Didn't mean to start a "heated" discussion here, and agreed, - my towing comparison is apples to oranges, but getting 365hp@5K, 420tq@2500 out of 214 cubes is pretty nutz.
I was a die-hard "Trucks need a V8" until I started shopping and doing research. I was always going to go F-150, but the video I attached put me over the edge for the V6.

I don't feel like it's a "heated" discussion John. I think it's a good discussion.

When I said "You'll struggle towing with a V-6", that was in reference to Kevin's 2002 V6 F150. It's not a V6 vs. V8 thing. You just need power. Clearly your 365 hp turbo V6 is in another league.

My Ram is rated at 345 hp. I've towed from here to Texas, New Mexico, Salt Lake City, and back. The Ram gets the job done....barely. Hills and headwinds are a beach. Short distances are no big deal but if you're going on a long trip, it will get real old real quick if your tow vehicle is underpowered.

When I lived in San Antonio back in the early 90's, I flat towed my El Camino to the drag strip with my '79 Datsun 4 cylinder mini pickup. What a sight that was. Ya it worked but it was FAR from ideal. But I digress... LOL

Lost in the 60s · President

dashboard wrote:
Hey guys my real question was the value of a used trailer and if the one posted was worth 3100.00

Land around here for many miles resembles the top of a pool table. I've towed a couple of what I thought where heavy loads with my F150. A 7000# John Deer tractor on a 2000# trailer, I didn't set any speed records, kept it at 55-60 on level roads, it pulled fine and stopped well with trailer brakes. My little V6 with it's whopping 250 ft lbs tq won't do hills and would struggle with strong headwinds. As stated, the real killer is the large drag chute effect of the big box trailer plus wind and slope.

But that Eco Boost engine is impressive and truly built for lots of low end torque, wish I had one. Fords next generation engine is going to combine both direct injection and fuel injection, that should be wild.

Any way just pondering the trailer value, If I need to go up and down hills, I have access to a F350.

Keith brings up the length issue with an enclosed. My open trailer is 18', 2 ft of that is the beavertail. It would be tight moving around the front to strap down a car in an enclosed and not having an escape door would make getting out of the car a real pain. The door would only open ~8-10" and you'd need to shimmy along the side to get to the back.

The pics of the trailer in OH seem to indicate it is an older unit and if it needs much in the way of upgrading/repairs, it's a $2500 trailer at best, IMO.

Couple pics of my Impala on my trailer. There isn't a lot of room around it.

Chevelle is about the same size. I had this one sitting flush with the back of the trailer to keep the weight off the truck so there was more room in the front. This is the car I hauled back thru the Rockies and as Keith said, not having enough power on hills got old very quickly, but it was fine once I got to ND.

John D · 2K+ Club

OK... shoulda read more. Didn't realize Dashboard's truck was normally aspirated, and mine's on a CPAP!

And yes, pulling an enclosed trailer is like dragging a cinder-block.

SShink · 3K+ Club

Stopped over to my friend's place and took the Malibu out for a drive this afternoon, and he had moved it to the other side of the garage to get out the lawn mower, and low and behold the Malibu found a new friend!

Turns out my friend's BIL has a '71 Malibu with 21K original miles! And, it's Mulsanne blue. It's a 2 barrel 350, but still a very clean car.

Good to know my Malibu won't be lonely over the next few weeks while in storage.