I need to buy a 24ft enclosed car hauler. I have looked at just about every brand out there (Wells Cargo, Pace, Haulmark etc. ,). Construction seems to be pretty much standard between equivalent levels. Have any of you had any experiences good, bad or indifferent with any of these? How well have they held up? If you've had any problems what were they and did the factory make good on the warranty?
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Which enclosed auto hauler?
- Thread starter SFranzer
- Start Date
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they're mostly the same. my dad has a 24' enclosed car hauler built by United Expressline. it's very well built, but is still a trailer off an assembly line. He replaced all the screws with stainless screws. as far as the quality, they're about the same. the trailer is loaded--interior is built with quality. you have to look at frames (design and size), interior (how well are the cabinets built, are the locks cheap?), and obviously color and your other options. personally i'd stick with haulmark, united expressline, or pace because i like the looks of those 3 better. i don't like the boxiness of other trailers.
H&H Trailer, www.hhtrailer.com. Their web site showes tank like construction. Pretty heavy empty. 30 ft bumper hitch about 4400#. Jim.
SFranzer:
I'm thinking about buying exactly the same trailer you described and have also been doing a little information gathering. I keep returning to the basic premise that buying a brand name such as Haulmark or Pace is probably wise since I don't really know much about them and know nothing about some of the rarer brand names. I do have a friend who has an old Haulmark with an 8' by 24' box. It has held up well but it pulls badly. It "wags" when going down the highway. I didn't feel it behind my dually but could see it swinging side to side in the mirrors. It is unstable behind a 1/2 ton truck.
I would appreciate hearing what you have learned because it sounds like you are ahead of me in the search. Where are you planning to buy and is it the best price you've found? I found a couple of dealers advertising on e-bay who will sell one at a good price.
Harvey
I'm thinking about buying exactly the same trailer you described and have also been doing a little information gathering. I keep returning to the basic premise that buying a brand name such as Haulmark or Pace is probably wise since I don't really know much about them and know nothing about some of the rarer brand names. I do have a friend who has an old Haulmark with an 8' by 24' box. It has held up well but it pulls badly. It "wags" when going down the highway. I didn't feel it behind my dually but could see it swinging side to side in the mirrors. It is unstable behind a 1/2 ton truck.
I would appreciate hearing what you have learned because it sounds like you are ahead of me in the search. Where are you planning to buy and is it the best price you've found? I found a couple of dealers advertising on e-bay who will sell one at a good price.
Harvey
Everybody's experiences are different but after substantial research I bought a 24' Haulmark. The trailer leaked when I got it, the flush locks were not aligned properly so the dead bolts would not work and there were a few other issues of poor craftsmanship.
Having said that, I will look at H&H, Pace and Wells Cargo if I buy another steal trailer. For the weight savings I would love to go aluminum with Featherlite or some of the other manufacturers but big $$$.
I think the most important point has already been mentioned, make sure you have local service support. The dealer I bought mine from had no in house service and used a contractor for repair work. I was not comfortable with this and ended up driving about 4 hours each way the mltiple times I had to have someone attempt to fix the leak and deal with the other issues.
After all is said and done, the problems have been fixed, the trailer pulls great and stays nice and dry. I will be looking to upgrade soon as I want living quarters. I am not looking forward to going through all of the research again with the added hassle of having to investigate the living quarters. It just seems like its hard to get straight answers from anyone.
Good luck!!
Having said that, I will look at H&H, Pace and Wells Cargo if I buy another steal trailer. For the weight savings I would love to go aluminum with Featherlite or some of the other manufacturers but big $$$.
I think the most important point has already been mentioned, make sure you have local service support. The dealer I bought mine from had no in house service and used a contractor for repair work. I was not comfortable with this and ended up driving about 4 hours each way the mltiple times I had to have someone attempt to fix the leak and deal with the other issues.
After all is said and done, the problems have been fixed, the trailer pulls great and stays nice and dry. I will be looking to upgrade soon as I want living quarters. I am not looking forward to going through all of the research again with the added hassle of having to investigate the living quarters. It just seems like its hard to get straight answers from anyone.
Good luck!!
One thing I learned when looking at trailer, and I have looked at a bunch. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT skimp on axles. Get the heaviest axle available. Trailers like to get goofy when loaded to near axle capacity. My new 40' Featherlite claims empty weight of around 5500 lbs and it has a gvwr of 14,000. also best to get a load range "E" tire, usually comes with 6000 lb or up axles. Some Featherlite trailers come with 5??? axles with the 10 ply tires as well.....
I currently have a 97 20' Haulmark, have the small axles on it, but pulls extremely well, even at high speeds. Of course I use a weight distributing hitch set up which helps a bunch. Going to look at going to a 28' or 32 ' tri- axle trailer , hopefully before next race season begins. Will stick with Haulmark or possibly Pace. Now to find some tires that will hold up, ( can't keep Goodyears POS's on the box to save my behind!!!!) :{ Anyone looking for a used 20' er?
I bought a ShadowMaster racing trailer four years ago. It's 8x20 and has 5200# axles, leaf springs, box beams on 12" centers, three hinges on side door, five on rear ramp and Huber board floors. I would not own a torsion axle for any reason. I load this trailer all the way to the limit and have about ten thousand miles on it. Lawdog is right, get the heavy axles and e rated tires also get the underneath spray on protection unless you like crawling around underneath protecting your investment. Most trailer swaying can be attributed to incorrect weight distribution in my experience and I have corrected it several times by just rolling a big toolbox forward another foot and locking it down. Weight distributing hitches for sure particularly if you're hauling at the limit or are inexperienced.
I've got an H&H 32' enclosed gooseneck with 1' additional height and the walk on roof. It's a hard trailer to beat as far as construction strength but they are super heavy. My 32' is 8800# EMPTY! If you go with H&H get the heaviest axles they offer for the trailer size and you'll never look back.
Richard
Richard
I've owned a 24' Innovator V-nose enclosed trailer for almost a year and love it. I tow a race car all over the country , and this trailer is simply awsome. Stainless steel upper & lower cabinets/counter tops , standard L. E. D lights all around , powder coated frame , metal trusses every 16" , and a smooth gel coated fiberglass outer shell . I did a lot of research before buying and IMO this is one of the best on the market. Go to LBtrailers.com for some good pics or Innovator.com 
jrlawler, expound on your issue with torsion axles, please. At work I use three tandem axle expanded steel deck trailers for hauling Sno-Cats all over northern Cal and LOVE them. Handle great, track great and we put at least 10k per season per trailer. I get a lot more bounce and bobble from my 29' toybox with leaf springs at 10k lbs than I get from the other trailers maxed out at 10,200 on the axles. I guess opinions can vary...
I bought a 1999 Classic Dominator 24' enclosed and like it very well. I could not afford the all alum trailer so I got what they call a composit. Steel frame and the rest is alum.
I agree with the comment on getting the axles that use truck 3/4 t bolt pattern. The tires are easier to find than the 6 lug 15" tires.
I also made arrangements to go to the factory and pick mine up. In 1999 they were charging like $1. 50 per mile to deliver the trailer to the dealer. So I took some vacation and saved myself a little under $2k + tax on that money. So with fuel and time I still came out ahead.
Something I though was funny is Pace now has a factory in Waco. A trailer from Waco was more expensive than a trailer bought from there Indiana plant... go figure. Featherlite would not give any break on delivery charges but I have to agree they are the standard.
Good Luck
I agree with the comment on getting the axles that use truck 3/4 t bolt pattern. The tires are easier to find than the 6 lug 15" tires.
I also made arrangements to go to the factory and pick mine up. In 1999 they were charging like $1. 50 per mile to deliver the trailer to the dealer. So I took some vacation and saved myself a little under $2k + tax on that money. So with fuel and time I still came out ahead.
Something I though was funny is Pace now has a factory in Waco. A trailer from Waco was more expensive than a trailer bought from there Indiana plant... go figure. Featherlite would not give any break on delivery charges but I have to agree they are the standard.
Good Luck
Trailers are a funny business, we have been selling them for the last 12 years or so, and everyone wants the cheapest they can get. The price is always the key ingredient in every conversation, very few actually look for quality and professionalism. Consequently we are forced to carry the cheapest line we can get. I could not get rid of a high quality trailer, while it is surrounded by cheap ones, everybody wants as big as they can get for the least amount of money.
I have never been like that, I look for materials used and how often, craftsmanship and fit and finish. I have always opted for the better brands, and did not mind waiting and saving till I could afford the better make. So, it was odd for me when I started selling trailers, I had to learn very quickly to stop pointing out the good and start proclaiming the CHEAP price. Most just want to brag about the size of trailer, so they get the biggest they can get for the price they can handle. Never stoping to think about the the construction, materials used or build quality. Believe it or not, there is a huge difference in trailers. It's just not so evident to the novice.
You will ultimately buy the trailer YOU decide on, not what I recommend or what anyone else recommends. I could write a small book of the differences between a cheap-O trailer and a quality built one, but it does no good if you can not afford one. Most people have champagne taste and beer budgets, so talk is relatively cheap compared to actions. Bottom line is trailers are like anything else, they span the range between great and bad, and can be compared to cars, you get what you paid ed for.
I like to look at the materials used, like the main I-beams running the length of the trailer, the floor joist, up-rights and and roof supports. As a mini mun the spacing should be 16" OC for all wall and roof supports, many w use 24"OC for the floor which is OK for the minimum. The size and gauge of materials used should look appropriate, if you look under a 36' trailer and see a 4 or 6" main beam walk away, unfortunately they are out there. The floors should all be 3/4" or bigger,treated or marine grade plywood. Roofs should be one piece aluminum or galvanized, the multi section roofs leak. Wiring should be contained in conduit or run inside channels, the wiring run Thur holes burned in the cross pieces usually ends up getting snagged or shorted by rubbing Thur. Doors should have three (3) hinges to support them not two(2). Hitches should be adjustable for gooseneck trailers and fifth wheelers. The fenders should be Aluminum, not fiberglass or steel. Running gear should be Dexter, and on a car hauler the suspension should be Torsion bar. Also, many CHEAP trailers are built with second quality (2nd's) axles, ask what they use and look ate the spindles, many 2nd's have the grease fitting drilled off center, or bearing races scored. Check the quality of the welds, they are important and should look smooth and even, not splattered and rough. Look under the trailer and check down the main beams, are they already tweaked? Does the materials look heavy enough for the rated loads, are the floor supports correct and strong enough? It is very hard to sit here and tell you what gauge and size everything should be, so I would suggest looking on the web for other trailer manufacturers and comparing what materials they use for similar sized trailers. The better trailers will use Rectangular steel tubing for the floor supports, side walls and roofs. Many better markers will use tubing for the main beams as well. Structurally, the steel tubing is far Superior to angle iron which is the most used material. It also cost much more, so that is one reason the better built trailers cost more, another would be craftsmanship or skill, good welders and fabricators make more money then those with less skill or experience.
If you are going to be loading cars with your new trailer, make sure you get a beaver tail they load much nicer especially for race cars that sit low, they are a must. The side door should be at least 48", they bring more if you decide to sell it. There is so many areas, I cannot list everything. Your budget will dictate most of the options, and on better trailers there is generally 3-4 pages of options to chose from. I have owned many trailers, and it seems every time I went to order a new one, I found new things I wanted on try on the new one, options I hadn't thought of or new things they came out with. On a tag trailer, make sure you get the third member added to the tongue, it really stiffens it up. Good luck and look around and compare as many brands as you can find.
I have never been like that, I look for materials used and how often, craftsmanship and fit and finish. I have always opted for the better brands, and did not mind waiting and saving till I could afford the better make. So, it was odd for me when I started selling trailers, I had to learn very quickly to stop pointing out the good and start proclaiming the CHEAP price. Most just want to brag about the size of trailer, so they get the biggest they can get for the price they can handle. Never stoping to think about the the construction, materials used or build quality. Believe it or not, there is a huge difference in trailers. It's just not so evident to the novice.
You will ultimately buy the trailer YOU decide on, not what I recommend or what anyone else recommends. I could write a small book of the differences between a cheap-O trailer and a quality built one, but it does no good if you can not afford one. Most people have champagne taste and beer budgets, so talk is relatively cheap compared to actions. Bottom line is trailers are like anything else, they span the range between great and bad, and can be compared to cars, you get what you paid ed for.
I like to look at the materials used, like the main I-beams running the length of the trailer, the floor joist, up-rights and and roof supports. As a mini mun the spacing should be 16" OC for all wall and roof supports, many w use 24"OC for the floor which is OK for the minimum. The size and gauge of materials used should look appropriate, if you look under a 36' trailer and see a 4 or 6" main beam walk away, unfortunately they are out there. The floors should all be 3/4" or bigger,treated or marine grade plywood. Roofs should be one piece aluminum or galvanized, the multi section roofs leak. Wiring should be contained in conduit or run inside channels, the wiring run Thur holes burned in the cross pieces usually ends up getting snagged or shorted by rubbing Thur. Doors should have three (3) hinges to support them not two(2). Hitches should be adjustable for gooseneck trailers and fifth wheelers. The fenders should be Aluminum, not fiberglass or steel. Running gear should be Dexter, and on a car hauler the suspension should be Torsion bar. Also, many CHEAP trailers are built with second quality (2nd's) axles, ask what they use and look ate the spindles, many 2nd's have the grease fitting drilled off center, or bearing races scored. Check the quality of the welds, they are important and should look smooth and even, not splattered and rough. Look under the trailer and check down the main beams, are they already tweaked? Does the materials look heavy enough for the rated loads, are the floor supports correct and strong enough? It is very hard to sit here and tell you what gauge and size everything should be, so I would suggest looking on the web for other trailer manufacturers and comparing what materials they use for similar sized trailers. The better trailers will use Rectangular steel tubing for the floor supports, side walls and roofs. Many better markers will use tubing for the main beams as well. Structurally, the steel tubing is far Superior to angle iron which is the most used material. It also cost much more, so that is one reason the better built trailers cost more, another would be craftsmanship or skill, good welders and fabricators make more money then those with less skill or experience.
If you are going to be loading cars with your new trailer, make sure you get a beaver tail they load much nicer especially for race cars that sit low, they are a must. The side door should be at least 48", they bring more if you decide to sell it. There is so many areas, I cannot list everything. Your budget will dictate most of the options, and on better trailers there is generally 3-4 pages of options to chose from. I have owned many trailers, and it seems every time I went to order a new one, I found new things I wanted on try on the new one, options I hadn't thought of or new things they came out with. On a tag trailer, make sure you get the third member added to the tongue, it really stiffens it up. Good luck and look around and compare as many brands as you can find.
y-knot:
I read your post with interest. Everything you wrote makes a lot of sense and I would like to follow your advice but, unfortunately, my budget probably won't allow me to. I appreciate quality but frequently can't afford it. At least not in a new product. With some products, travel trailers for example, I prefer quality used over cheap new.
Do you sell a quality trailer as well as the cheaper ones you are forced to offer? How about sending me a PM and tell me what brands you sell and how to contact you at your place of business. I'll e-mail or call you.
Harvey
I read your post with interest. Everything you wrote makes a lot of sense and I would like to follow your advice but, unfortunately, my budget probably won't allow me to. I appreciate quality but frequently can't afford it. At least not in a new product. With some products, travel trailers for example, I prefer quality used over cheap new.
Do you sell a quality trailer as well as the cheaper ones you are forced to offer? How about sending me a PM and tell me what brands you sell and how to contact you at your place of business. I'll e-mail or call you.
Harvey
y-knot,
Excellent post... .
My Featherlite construction is one of the reasons I bought it. It is like I said before all aluminum with a steel hitch and axle cradle. the floor is aluminum diamond plate and has floor I-beam crossmembers on 12" centers, 4 1/2" hat posts for the side walls on 16" centers. The wiring is all run inside and is a very nice custom harness. Even the running lights are wired in with special molded rubber bullet style connectors. NO scotch locks anywhere..... Again, I could barely afford the trailer and could not have if not for 10 yr financing, but the resale and quality is what was important to me.
Excellent post... .
My Featherlite construction is one of the reasons I bought it. It is like I said before all aluminum with a steel hitch and axle cradle. the floor is aluminum diamond plate and has floor I-beam crossmembers on 12" centers, 4 1/2" hat posts for the side walls on 16" centers. The wiring is all run inside and is a very nice custom harness. Even the running lights are wired in with special molded rubber bullet style connectors. NO scotch locks anywhere..... Again, I could barely afford the trailer and could not have if not for 10 yr financing, but the resale and quality is what was important to me.
I bought a "cheap" trailer in 03- shook itself to death in 9 months and 20k miles and i was hauling 8kish in a 9950 trailer. fortunately it was all rebuilt under warranty and I sold it to a guy for "local" storage type use.
I did a lot of homework for the 04 season and chose a Forest river continental cargo Victory lane trailer. Very "commercial" FRP construction. Ran it 25k in 9 months without issue. Still in excellent shape, has a 3 yr warranty on entire trailer, more on some of the components. The FRP design makes it sealed way better than others which was important to me because I camp in it to and the heat strip in the AC actually does the job. I just sold it and ordered a Forest river Work and play 38' 5er/toybox which has the same type construction.
It was competitively priced between the cheapy trailers and the high end all aluminum. I've heard from a reliable industry insider (for what it's worth) that a lot of the all alum (actually, many /most have steel subframes at the axle and pinbox area) trailers suffer from fatique cracks when the miles add up- he was specifically referring to the featherlight supplied nascar trailers. It is no secret that aluminum is much more vulnerable than steel with regard to fatigue so the design must compensate. If you're on the front end of a six yr warranty there is less risk but if you're buying used... ...
Lawdog- not trying to bag on your trailer- just trying ot educate our friends on the potential issues. I dig the extruded aluminum floors I've seen in some of these. Also remember that aluminum is 1/3 the weight but also 1/3 the strength so there is usually more of it- as a result the weight advantage of an all aluminum trailer is not so significant. Likely the main advantage with alum asuming it's properly anodized/protected, is corrosion in the rust belt areas.
On the flip side- the FRP trailers are a bit heavier but 5% in the scheme of things (compared to the flimsier toyboxes I was looking at) is a no brainer when you consider durability and longevity of the investment.
I did a lot of homework for the 04 season and chose a Forest river continental cargo Victory lane trailer. Very "commercial" FRP construction. Ran it 25k in 9 months without issue. Still in excellent shape, has a 3 yr warranty on entire trailer, more on some of the components. The FRP design makes it sealed way better than others which was important to me because I camp in it to and the heat strip in the AC actually does the job. I just sold it and ordered a Forest river Work and play 38' 5er/toybox which has the same type construction.
It was competitively priced between the cheapy trailers and the high end all aluminum. I've heard from a reliable industry insider (for what it's worth) that a lot of the all alum (actually, many /most have steel subframes at the axle and pinbox area) trailers suffer from fatique cracks when the miles add up- he was specifically referring to the featherlight supplied nascar trailers. It is no secret that aluminum is much more vulnerable than steel with regard to fatigue so the design must compensate. If you're on the front end of a six yr warranty there is less risk but if you're buying used... ...
Lawdog- not trying to bag on your trailer- just trying ot educate our friends on the potential issues. I dig the extruded aluminum floors I've seen in some of these. Also remember that aluminum is 1/3 the weight but also 1/3 the strength so there is usually more of it- as a result the weight advantage of an all aluminum trailer is not so significant. Likely the main advantage with alum asuming it's properly anodized/protected, is corrosion in the rust belt areas.
On the flip side- the FRP trailers are a bit heavier but 5% in the scheme of things (compared to the flimsier toyboxes I was looking at) is a no brainer when you consider durability and longevity of the investment.
Last edited:
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Issue 128 – Digital Version
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FREE!
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Subscribe
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Back Issues
Subscription Status
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