rand5204

Considering purchasing my first enclosed trailer. Looking at a 24 ft. V nose. I would really appreciate any advice, do's, don'ts and experiences from anybody that has one.


Thanks

Gary M

I'm told goose-neck distributes the load better and handles better. Bumper mount gives that pushed feeling.
A trailer salesman told me that there are two types of brakes, hydraulic and electric. one ends up needing replaced more often and adds to cost of owning it. Don't remember which but thought you should know to ask.
Good luck with the search.

slantflat

I was told by a trailer salesman that if you have a strong tow vehicle, such as a diesel or big block, the V-nose really doesn't make any difference. He had a 7.3 Ford dually and towed both kinds, said he never noticed any difference.

Run to Rund

I tow with a Ram diesel one ton and it handles the trailer easily. On other boards, people seem to agree that the v nose doesn't help fuel mileage etc. They also recommend 24' as a minimum, which I what I got. Get a 2x6 tube frame, not channel on its side. Dexter Tor-flex axles tow much better than leaf sprung axles. With the car positioned for proper tongue weight, you want it near the rear of the trailer to maximize storage room in the front. Then you want an escape door on the left side so you can drive the car into the trailer, and it has to be positioned correctly, of course. The thicker outer skin, if an option, is good (.040" or so vs. .030").

CRUZN 66

I have two Wells Cargo box trailers and very happy with both (16' V-Nose & 24' with slight curve nose), both are frame ball mount... Gooseneck/fifthwheel versus frame ball mount is a matter of preference based on your towing skills, turning and backing require different skills to maneuver... Size & power of towing vehicle in function with the trailer braking system will determine the amount of push that exist, if any at all... Also, in some instances sway control and weight distribution bars will help... Definitely go with a 48" minimum left side door for exit from the vehicle while in the trailer...

jensenracing77

I have pulled flat and V nose with my 8.1 3/4 ton Chevy and found no difference either. 10 MPG either way for me. I have to say, the driver side access door is a VERY nice feature. It can be a tight squeeze getting in and out of the car without it and not bumping the door on the side.

davebw31

The preferred trailer of racers is a Pace American. I have a 1994 24' Pace American that has over 180,000 miles. Yes, a 1994, and it is the best towing trailer, will built, top quality, and durable to say the lease, I ever have had!

What ever you get do your best to spend the $$$ and up grade as much as you can in the frame rails and GVWR. Two important features should be Tor-Flex axles and larger frame rails than std. Mine was 4X5 std. and I upgraded to 4X7 which increased the GVWR from 10,000 #s to 11,400 #s and also "stiffened" the chassis causing less flex, which increases longevity. Have you been driving by a car trailer and the side wall sheets of alumn. appear to have a rippled effect? That is from chassis flex. Mine look as good as it did back in 1994. Going with this option included higher rated Tor-Flex axles and brakes.

I had Pace add four (4) 3/16"X8"X15" welded to the cross floor braces for tie down "D" rings and one (1) 3/16"X12"X12" plate at the front of the trailer for mounting a 12v winch.

Also you should look at "car trailers" that state "low profile dove tail model" My Pace is about 14" from the ground so it is great when I load my drag car that sets very low in the front. It also provides a "low center of gravity". Finally up grade to a 42" or 48" side door you will thank me for that advice.

rand5204

Thanks everyone for your comments. I really appreciate it. I definitely would not buy one without a side escape door and will upgrade structure as much as I can afford. I appreciate the comments on the torsion bar suspension as I was not planning on doing that before. The tow vehicle will be a 2016 F150 with the twin turbo V6. It's rated for around 11,000 lbs so should be able to handle it.

Run to Rund

Yes, you should get the 5000 lb axles, not the 3500 lb to have enough capacity. However, in some states you can be considered commercial at 10,001 lb. gvw and then need log books, etc. My Wells Cargo is rated 10,000.

garykrig

I tow a 20' aluminum V nose stealth with a 2013 F150 with a Eco-Boost V6, it has plenty of power. On any kind of incline the transmission will drop down a gear. The bad news it only gets 8 miles per gallon when I tow with it. I run 70-75 MPH, I probably could slow down and improve my MPG. I would not buy a trailer without a side access door,you have to be sure your door clears the bottom of the door opening, I have seen guys lay 2X10's on their floors so they can open their doors.

oldsmobiledave

Cargo Mate 26' trailer. Love it. The extra 2' allows room at the front for a bike or quad even when you have full cabinets at the front & a 442 in the trailer. Resale on the 26' is also higher since 8 out of 10 trailers is a 24'

junior supercar

my 2 cents. get an electronic brake controller. a weight distributing hitch setup, with or without sway control, is great idea also. nothing shorter than a 24' enclosed either.

while those 1/2T vehicles may have the power, it's the braking and suspension I would be equally concerned about. I used to tow my Haulmark enclosed with a 99 1/2T Sierra ext cab and it wasn't safe nor did I feel safe. Thankfully the shoulder was clear one time otherwise I would have turned a lincoln towncar into an escort, not to mention substantial damage to my truck and probably the car in the trailer. The weight distributing hitch setup helped, but I upgraded to a 3/4T Sierra crew cab duramax about 11 years ago and have no issues towing, stopping or hauling things with the trailer now. I'm really looking forward to the brand new aluminum enclosed from ATC I will be picking up next week (I bit the bullet and splurged since I have two freshly painted cars and have really been wanting a street side door)