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12-03-2010, 04:48 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 196
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Enclosed Trailer towing... what do you tow?
Used the search button for enclosed trailer and didn't pull up too much in this forum.
I'm currently looking at a 24' enclosed trailer with a dry weight of 3500 and a gross weight of 10,000. I have a Honda Odyssey which isn't really rated for towing that weighs 4500ish. That puts me at 8k with about 1500lbs of junk to spare. I will be towing with a 36' 6.7cummins powered rig with a weight distribution hitch.
What do you tow behind your home and how do you like it?
__________________
97 LX450, Lockers, ARB Winch Bumper modified to be towed behind -
2010 Gulfstream SuperMax 37' Super C Motorhome- Sleeps 10
Running BlueOx LX7445 Towbar / wireless Patriot Brake sys
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12-03-2010, 05:12 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Northeast, MD
Posts: 173
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Howdy,
My husband is working on getting a Enclosed trailer to pull behind our coach. We plan on putting in four wheelers and bikes and scooters and a doom buggy car. For right now my husband just had out F250 Super Crew powerstroke Diesel wired to tow beehind out coach we have towed the truck one time since we have gotten it wired the MH towed it just fine could not tell it was there. my husband it now workign on getting our excursion wired as well. then the trailer is next. as long as your H.P and tourqe is big enough u won't know it there... Best of luck
__________________
The Williams Family-Northeast, MD 21901
1999 Foretravel U320C-Gray, Black Mix W/ White
41 FT 9"-M11 450 H.P Cummins-1550 Ft Lbs of TQ
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12-03-2010, 09:06 PM
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#3
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Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Varies Depending on The Weather
Posts: 8,517
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I tow a 26 foot Pace Shadow with 2-7000 lb torsion axles. I generally have a little over 10,000 total weight with the trailer and junk inside. The big hefty items are my 2006 Saturn Vue & my 2004 Victory Alen Ness Signature Edition Vegas. The rest is what I would be normally be storing inside a garage. After all, it is my garage, a rolling one.
I tow it with a 40 foot Monaco Windsor PBT with an ISC 350HP Cummins and an Allison tranny. Wish I had some more HP but can't afford to upgrade the engine. I just installed the upgraded PacBrake to get a little more Horse-Braking power. The rig went to Alaska and back this past summer without any problems other than a flat tire on the trailer outside of Whitehorse, YK. The only time you know it's back there is when you are taking large grades, either up or down. Make sure you tie the car down really secure and check on it often to make sure all of the tie-downs are still tight. Always use four cinch straps and criss-cross them for added stability. I did some damage to my car and inside trailer tailgate due to not making sure the straps remained tight. Just got done this week rebuilding the damaged inside section of the trailer tailgate and the car has been repaired back to new. A very expensive lesson, but it won't happen again. You and others who read this post can learn from my mistakes.
I keep the rig at 50-55 and usually anywhere from 35-45 going down any sizable grade.
I like the trailer a lot, you just need to make sure you plan out where you stop for fuel, all of your turns and never go into a blind area without knowing how you are going to drive out. Otherwise you may find yourself trapped.
Dr4Film ----- Richard.
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12-03-2010, 10:14 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 298
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We tow a SouthWestern 20 1/2 enclosed trailer. Inside is a Smart Car and Goldwing TriCar, and other maybe needed items. I use a Trailer Toad for the tongue weight of the trailer which weighs in at almost 10,000 lbs. The V10 has plenty of power most of the time grades up and down are a little slower. I never go over 60 mph and the trailer has good brakes also. Have a Class V hitch and re-enforced the MH frame.
__________________
Dean & Mary (Retired U.S.A.F.)
Miss Lilly (Japanese Bob Tail)
2012 Itasca Sunova 33C, 2012 Cadillac SRX
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12-04-2010, 08:08 AM
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#5
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Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Varies Depending on The Weather
Posts: 8,517
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Quote:
Originally Posted by goldwingerx2
I use a Trailer Toad for the tongue weight of the trailer which weighs in at almost 10,000 lbs.
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Goldwinger,
I looked into getting one for my trailer because I really liked the Trailer Toad idea, however, for me I am already too long except in a few states and cannot add another 2 feet, and these things are pretty expensive too.
Great idea for the right rig.
Dr4Film ----- Richard
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12-04-2010, 10:17 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 196
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr4Film
Make sure you tie the car down really secure and check on it often to make sure all of the tie-downs are still tight. Always use four cinch straps and criss-cross them for added stability.
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Do you have a picture of how you secure your Saturn? What do you mean by criss cross?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr4Film
I keep the rig at 50-55 and usually anywhere from 35-45 going down any sizable grade.
I like the trailer a lot, you just need to make sure you plan out where you stop for fuel, all of your turns and never go into a blind area without knowing how you are going to drive out. Otherwise you may find yourself trapped.
Dr4Film ----- Richard.
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Just learning that I can't go up a steep hill or over a serious bump or I'll bottom out with my coach... It will be even more learning with a 20'+ trailer out back. Some gas stations cannot accomidate a RV with a Trailer I've noticed
Quote:
Originally Posted by goldwingerx2
I use a Trailer Toad for the tongue weight of the trailer which weighs in at almost 10,000 lbs.
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I'm so glad you mentioned this. I have never heard of this, so looked up the website www.trailertoad.com and called the number and spoke to John. This sounds like a must have item to protect my extended dodge 5500 chassis. Pricetag was $3450 shipped! I was hoping to keep my trailer budget under 7k. All your Hitch needs is pull and stop power, there is no weight on the hitch of your motorhome. Its all on the toad. That will keep an extended frame from tweaking and the slides in square. Now I have more to think about. Loving this site!
__________________
97 LX450, Lockers, ARB Winch Bumper modified to be towed behind -
2010 Gulfstream SuperMax 37' Super C Motorhome- Sleeps 10
Running BlueOx LX7445 Towbar / wireless Patriot Brake sys
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12-04-2010, 10:37 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: On the Road
Posts: 605
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Quote:
Originally Posted by goldwingerx2
I use a Trailer Toad for the tongue weight of the trailer which weighs in at almost 10,000 lbs.
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With the Trailer Toad do you loose the ability to backup?
__________________
Jerry J.
2008 Winnebago Vectra 40TD
2007 Honda CRV
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12-04-2010, 06:35 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 298
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Yes you can back up. The Trailer Toad turns like a tow dolly when going forward. But if you want to back up you just drop the 2 locks in place and it backs just like it was not there. It allows the MH to ride like it does without anything behind it since the toad carries the weight and equalizer hitch. It does add about 2 feet to your overall length. Another advantage is going over drive dips, it helps eliminate any dragging. They are pricey but very well built and I feel worth everything.
__________________
Dean & Mary (Retired U.S.A.F.)
Miss Lilly (Japanese Bob Tail)
2012 Itasca Sunova 33C, 2012 Cadillac SRX
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12-05-2010, 07:45 AM
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#9
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Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Varies Depending on The Weather
Posts: 8,517
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nwcanopies
Do you have a picture of how you secure your Saturn? What do you mean by criss cross?
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Nope, no photo but will take one in January when I load my car up for our trip back East to Florida.
Basically, I use "frame hooks" with E-track straps to the floor. I use the safety cable hook points on my front Blue Ox Baseplate and hook one into the right front Baseplate hook point and the other into the left front Baseplate hook point. Then I take the left one and secure it to the right side E-Track floor rail and the right is secured to the left side E-Track floor rail, and cinch them both down really tight. The two rear straps are attached to loops I had welded at each corner of my trailer hitch on the rear of the Saturn. Again, the left one is secured on the right side E-Track floor rail and the right one is secured on the left side E-Track floor rail.
I would check them about every 200 miles depending on how rough the road conditions are just to be sure the straps didn't loosen up. Of course chains would not likely loosen up as much as the straps but they weigh more and are heavier to handle.
Dr4Film ----- Richard.
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12-05-2010, 08:56 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,990
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I have a friend who tows two vintage race cars in an enclosed trailer. He bought a rear view TV camera to mount on the back of the trailer to aid in backing and added a second camera inside the trailer. He tows with the inside trailer lights on, and saved damage to a very rare car when he saw it beginning to move around when the tie down straps loosened.
I tow a race car on an open trailer, and always check the tie down straps at every rest stop. Remembering the old "Boomer" chains; they were always a half a link too loose or half a link too tight. Good tie down straps are much better than chains, but avoid the cheap versions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr4Film
...
I would check them about every 200 miles depending on how rough the road conditions are just to be sure the straps didn't loosen up. Of course chains would not likely loosen up as much as the straps but they weigh more and are heavier to handle.
Dr4Film ----- Richard.
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__________________
George Schweikle Lexington, KY
2005 Safari (Monaco)Trek 28RB2, Workhorse W20, 8.1, Allison 1000 5 spd, UltraPower engine & tranny, Track bars & sway bars, KONI FSD, FMCA 190830, Safari Int'l. chapter. 1999 Safari Trek 2830, 1995 Safari Trek 2430, 1983 Winnebago Chieftain, 1976 Midas Mini
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12-09-2010, 07:27 AM
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 431
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I have a 32' Haulmark Edge enclosed with WD hitch. I installed 3 rows of E track front to back. Works awesome. I have the straps that go over each tire. Car doesn't budge at all. Trailer makes my MH feel like it's on rails.
Here's a link to the picture of the straps....
http://www.autohaulersupply.com/inde..._detail&p=5752
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12-09-2010, 09:27 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,172
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I tow a 22 foot Sport Trailer (made in San Bernardino, Calif). I had it built to haul my rockcrawler, Jeep or other cars I might have. It is also able to carry a couple of dirt bikes. When I had it built, Sport Tailer added additional support to the frame under the tire width of my Jeep and rockcrawler. We added D rings at quite a few different places and these are welded. The trailer is extimated to weigh 3300 pounds, so similar to what you are looking at doing.
Our Alpine has the 350 HP Cummins and does just fine. Alpine built a 10,000 lb hitch to the frame.
You do not state where you are, but if you are in Southern California I would recommend looking at their trailers. I looked at most of the trailers in So Cal and went with them. One of the neat things they did was to have me go to the shop after all of the welding was completed to make sure everything was as I wanted and if there were any late additions. Great company to deal with. They were quite a bit more money than all of the others I looked into.
__________________
2014 Phaeton 36gh
2008 Jeep Rubicon or 2012 Ford F150 4x4 Lariat towds
or a couple of different trailers
Retired in Apple Valley, California
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12-09-2010, 10:42 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: On the Road
Posts: 605
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Would Sport Trailer have a web site?
Okay, I believe I have found it: http://sporttrailersonline.com/Home_Page.php
__________________
Jerry J.
2008 Winnebago Vectra 40TD
2007 Honda CRV
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12-09-2010, 02:16 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Dallas, Ga.
Posts: 224
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I tow my show cars in a 24' Pace American enclosed trailer. I have no issues towing it, I do use an electric trailer brake controller for the trailers brakes. Just remember to swing wide on turns and entry/exit points.
I wouldn't suggest cross strapping inside of an enclosed trailer. I have seen one strap break and the other one pull the car almost against the trailer wall after jouncing around for 100 miles. This could pull the vehicle into the fenders inside also.
__________________
Tommy Parker
2007 Newmar Kountry Star 3914, ISL400
2001 Jeep Cherokee toad, M&G brake/2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland
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