Community Forums

Old Dude 66 · 08-18-2013, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkgeiger

Sometime this coming week I will be setting up my 18' trailer to tow about a 4K# car and a 600# bike, with the bike in the front. I too will be concerned with tongue weight and will verify by connecting to my pickup truck and measuring the bumper height with no trailer, then with empty trailer, then with car on the back, and finally with the bike also. I should be able to get a good idea from that. If everything looks good I will take a good test drive with the pick up. Then if it tows well I will eventually test with the DP before I leave for FL.

I will be very interested to find out what you learn. Since we have a gas unit, our hitch is rated at 5,000 pounds and the three items together will weigh 5,800 pounds, based on the weight of an aluminum trailer. I have a set of weight distribution bars that I can use to transfer some of the tongue weight to the front of the MH, if necessary.

Our gas unit has no problem currently pulling everything down the road but I am still worried about tongue weight if I start using a trailer.

DegoRed · 08-19-2013, 08:41 AM

Old dude, if your going to buy a trailer, don't even think about a trailer smaller than 24 ft. On my 24 ft trailer, there is room for a jeep and your canam, but no way would they both fit on anything smaller.

I would also recomend a weight distribution hitch, they are very cheap, and seem to help, get one with the chains, I had one with out chains, and keept sheering off the mounting bolts to the trailer. The chains allow the trailer to articulate a bit more than the fixed attachement of the bar. Hope this makes sense. If it does not, look up Equalizer and Curt. My first was an Equalizer which I had problems with, now I have a Curt which has the chains.

Good luck!

huntnjim · 08-19-2013, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DegoRed

Old dude, if your going to buy a trailer, don't even think about a trailer smaller than 24 ft. On my 24 ft trailer, there is room for a jeep and your canam, but no way would they both fit on anything smaller.

I would also recomend a weight distribution hitch, they are very cheap, and seem to help, get one with the chains, I had one with out chains, and keept sheering off the mounting bolts to the trailer. The chains allow the trailer to articulate a bit more than the fixed attachement of the bar. Hope this makes sense. If it does not, look up Equalizer and Curt. My first was an Equalizer which I had problems with, now I have a Curt which has the chains.

Good luck!

DegoRed thanks for the reminder of what weight distribution is. when you put the word hitch with it I snapped to what it is. Have had several in my time.

gkgeiger · 08-19-2013, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DegoRed

Old dude, if your going to buy a trailer, don't even think about a trailer smaller than 24 ft. On my 24 ft trailer, there is room for a jeep and your canam, but no way would they both fit on anything smaller.

Good luck!

Dego,
I just wanted to stress again when you say 24' you are talking overall length. The bed length on my 8218 is 219" + 20" in front of the tilt portion. Overall length in brochure is 294" or 24.5'.

Old Dude 66 · 08-19-2013, 09:38 AM

My Jeep is 14 ft, bumper to bumper, and the Can Am uses 4 ft when turned sideways. I was thinking they would fit on 18 feet by loading the ATV first and letting the rear of the Jeep hang over a little.

ImagineIF · 08-19-2013, 09:41 AM

Does 4 feet include tie downs? And don't forget tie downs for the jeep.

Old Dude 66 · 08-19-2013, 09:45 AM

Yep, forgot about the tie downs. Probably should go to 20 feet bed.

DegoRed · 08-19-2013, 10:52 AM

Quote:

I just wanted to stress again when you say 24' you are talking overall length. The bed length on my 8218 is 219" + 20" in front of the tilt portion. Overall length in brochure is 294" or 24.5'.

Yes, sorry about that, mine is 24 ft, but actual usable deck is around 20 ft.

Quote:

Yep, forgot about the tie downs. Probably should go to 20 feet bed.

Don't think there is much of a cost difference, and you will need the extra room for tie downs and such.

Paoli · 08-19-2013, 11:42 AM

We have been using a Wells Cargo motorcycle for 8 years now.
Pulling it behind a Triple E motorhome with a Ford V10.
Works perfectly for us.

Old Dude 66 · 08-26-2013, 04:16 AM

I priced aluminum trailers and the least expensive 20 foot trailer I could find was $5,400 before taxes. I reckon I am going to stay with the Wells Cargo trailer behind the Jeep.

Y Roadrunner · 08-27-2013, 07:43 AM

Hey Old Dude 66, we are in North Texas also, finishing up work and then moving to New Mexico by December if all goes to plan. We love 4 wheeling in Colorado as well. We should meet up and go do that sometime! In case you don't want to say where you are located now, we can email offline. ours is Yelllowroadrunner@ymail.com. WE are staying at the Vineyards in Grapevine till then. Hope to see you on the road (or off road as the case may be)

Old Dude 66 · 08-27-2013, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Y Roadrunner

Hey Old Dude 66, we are in North Texas also, finishing up work and then moving to New Mexico by December if all goes to plan. We love 4 wheeling in Colorado as well. We should meet up and go do that sometime! In case you don't want to say where you are located now, we can email offline. ours is Yelllowroadrunner@ymail.com. WE are staying at the Vineyards in Grapevine till then. Hope to see you on the road (or off road as the case may be)

I sent you an email to the address above but it wouldn't deliver. Did you make a mistake on it?

Y Roadrunner · 08-28-2013, 08:11 PM

Yea, 1 too many l's, sorry. Yellowroadrunner@ymail.com

Old Dude 66 · 08-28-2013, 09:00 PM

I have finally decided that the only safe way to get our stuff out to Colorado is to buy an aluminum trailer to load it on. As a child, did you ever play "crack the whip"? A line of kids holding hands with the first one moving back and forth quickly. The kid on the end really gets the blunt of the movement.

The same thing would happen when pulling a long line of vehicles. A slight movement with the front vehicle is accelerated tremendously by the time it reaches the back one. Really unstable and dangerous if you have to suddenly veer to miss an obstruction or something in the highway.