- What do you have, and how do you like it?
- What size is it, and do you have any pics?

I am actually looking to build an enclosed tandem axle trailer specifically for my CRX, so I'm looking for some ideas. I just want it big enough so I can fit the car, my tool box, and a set of 4 slicks and still be able to fit in a single parking space (not hooked up obviously).

I'm new to enclosed car trailers, so I'm just looking for as much info as possible. Some other questions I have:

- How do you strap the car down if there is barely enough room to get around inside with the car in there?

- How much of a benefit would it be to have a door on the side?

Thanks for any info/help!
Bryson

 

The least I would go is a 18ft. That is what I hauled mine around in. And your going to cross your straps to opposite corner of the car. In front use the tow hooks. In the rear use the LCA.

Remember it always looks big until you add more stuff inside. Always get more than you think you need.

 

Very good point. I'll probubly end up making it as big as I can but still fit in a single parking space (so I can park it at my apt complex).

Was yours enclosed? How did you get to the straps? I'm trying to picture being inside the trailer with the car, and having a hell of a time getting to the front straps.

 

my little brother has built a few huge trailers for us.. one is actually a mobile showroom/store that we use at trade shows, etc (custom doors/decorative glass, etc.)

i'd suggest going around and peeking at trailer dealers for a while. there is a lot of GARBAGE trailers out there. we basically looked at what we hated about the past 4 (smaller, 20-16 foot trailers) we've used/still use, and made everything effective yet heavy duty.

i'd over-axle the trailer by a bit. on our two big trailer (both over 30 feet) we actually have Dexter Torflex axles with HUGE hydraulic disc brakes and an electric master cylinder. electric drums generally suck *** (but are and have been standard equipment FOREVER)

i've got 60k on my one trailer, and once we sorted out the brake bleeding problems (4 pistons, and 2 pistons werent being bled, due to gravity basically) i loved the brake setup. all i've had to do is lube the axles once.

i'd also over build the deck by a bit, and make it as low as possible.. i'd make the deck most of the structure, and make the walls rigid yet lightweight. we actually use 50-thousandths (i think) semi-trailer sheet metal (vs. 30 thousandths lightweight trailer metal).. and 3M double sided structural tape (UBER heavy duty, and uber expensive, but NO RIVETs and JUST AS TOUGH) thicker sheet=stronger, no dents, and better looking..especially with no rivits. ASSLOADS OF COMPLIMENTS ("man, thats a nice looking rig!", stuff like that)

anyways..if you wanna talk trailers,PM me. good luck!

 

Any advice on what brand of enclosed trailers are best? I don't have any interest in building my own, but would like to upgrade from my open trailer to a small enclosed setup (to haul my EG hatchback, tools, a couple sets of wheels/tires, etc.).

 

i would not go less than 20' and would seriously look at used 24' since that is a very common size.

i have a 30' pace with the idea of two crx's.

i have hauled my 90 crx DD and 86 crx ITB car on several occasions. the 90 CRX doubles as my pit cart and for running errands, etc. since it just simpler than running around with the tow vehicle.

also, when a track is only 40-60 miles from home, i drive home at night rather than camp at the track.

one regret i have is not having a triple axle. one thing regarding the enclosed that folks often forget is the amount of crap you start keeping with the car and the total load that adds on the tires/bearings, etc.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by redzcstandardhatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my little brother has built a few huge trailers for us.. one is actually a mobile showroom/store that we use at trade shows, etc (custom doors/decorative glass, etc.)

i'd suggest going around and peeking at trailer dealers for a while. there is a lot of GARBAGE trailers out there. we basically looked at what we hated about the past 4 (smaller, 20-16 foot trailers) we've used/still use, and made everything effective yet heavy duty.

i'd over-axle the trailer by a bit. on our two big trailer (both over 30 feet) we actually have Dexter Torflex axles with HUGE hydraulic disc brakes and an electric master cylinder. electric drums generally suck *** (but are and have been standard equipment FOREVER)

i've got 60k on my one trailer, and once we sorted out the brake bleeding problems (4 pistons, and 2 pistons werent being bled, due to gravity basically) i loved the brake setup. all i've had to do is lube the axles once.

i'd also over build the deck by a bit, and make it as low as possible.. i'd make the deck most of the structure, and make the walls rigid yet lightweight. we actually use 50-thousandths (i think) semi-trailer sheet metal (vs. 30 thousandths lightweight trailer metal).. and 3M double sided structural tape (UBER heavy duty, and uber expensive, but NO RIVETs and JUST AS TOUGH) thicker sheet=stronger, no dents, and better looking..especially with no rivits. ASSLOADS OF COMPLIMENTS ("man, thats a nice looking rig!", stuff like that)

anyways..if you wanna talk trailers,PM me. good luck!</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thats a really good idea. I'll definetly go peek around at some places to see if I can find some features I like. Thats another reason why I want to build my own. I am definetly not going to spend $3,000+ on something that is a pos, and doesn't fit my needs. I can build a trailer that is tailered exactly to what I want.

I was definetly going to try and run an over axle design. The axles I was looking at have a torsion design with built in electric drum brakes. I think the drum brakes will be fine though. We use a trailer at my work with similar axles to haul around a couple thousand pounds of steel, and it handles it just fine.

As the deck goes, I was thinking about using 2" square tube with a .25" wall since we have tons of it at work and can get it for dirt cheap. I would then run 2 peices of 8" channel along the underside of the deck where the tires will be to add stiffness. As for the floor goes, I'll probubly get some 1/16" aluminum sheet. I was thinking about using plywood, but the aluminum will be much easier to clean and it'll last forever. It'll also help save some weight.

For the side framing, I'll use some thin wall 2" square pipe. I'll probubly use that semi trailer sheet metal as well, but I'll more than likely just rivet it. We have rivet guns, and millions of rivets at my work.

I'll definetly be building it as light as I can afford. My tow rig is just a 99 Jeep Cherokee with the 4.0l. I will actually be turboing it this summer, so it'll definetly have the power, but I don't want the trailer to kill the unibody.

 

I think before people go recommending you an enclosed trailer to pull around we need to know what vehicle you plan on pulling this with.

A 20ft. + trailer on a gas truck will most likely be overloading the vehicle big time.

 

yeah, the jeep might be overloaded a hair, but it might not be.

a crx/tools=maybe 2300lbs

trailer-maybe 1500, maybe less.

its not neccesarily the power of the truck as it is the truck's ability to safely pull the trailer! haha

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by redzcstandardhatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

its not neccesarily the power of the truck as it is the truck's ability to safely pull the trailer! haha</TD></TR></TABLE>

Exactly. I have an '06 F-150 with the tow package and I pulled my friends 20ft. enclosed trailer with a '93 EG in it. I had to a get a sway kit and weight distribution to pull it safely at all. I could not tow in overdrive whatsoever, it just wouldn't hold it.

My buddies '07 2500 pulls it like a champ.

 

Adam will you build me a trailer?

 

my brother is thinking about doing it part time... he'll do anything. have you seen our work trailers matt? i know you've seen the big blue one, but what about the showroom trailer?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by redzcstandardhatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yeah, the jeep might be overloaded a hair, but it might not be.

a crx/tools=maybe 2300lbs

trailer-maybe 1500, maybe less.

its not neccesarily the power of the truck as it is the truck's ability to safely pull the trailer! haha</TD></TR></TABLE>

I honestly think it'll be fine. I know guys that are towing fairly large boats with the XJ without problems. I will however, take the proper measures to make sure the XJ can handle the stress. The unibody is getting reinforced with 3/16" plate, It'll have a wider stance (32" tires with 1.25" wheel spacers), Addco sway bars, HD leafs with load levelers, and a rear disc swap.

 

I used to tow my CRX around in a 24' enclosed with my Tundra. It's an awesome truck for towing that kind of weight around. It wont go 70mph up the big hills, but holding 50-55 was a breeze.

I actually need to put my truck up for sale because I upgraded to a dodge dually with a 44' enclosed to tow 3 CRX's.

You will "probably" be ok towing, but my tundra at least had a V8 with a great engine!
You will DEFINITELY need a hitch like this one.
http://www.equalizerhitch.com

That is what I used and I sold it with my trailer. It was AWESOME and I'd never even consider towing a enclosed TAG without one of those....
Just some thoughts from someone that's been there and done it...
I would also not go with anything smaller than a 20-24' trailer. The CRX is a short car, but once you have some cabinets in the front and you put all the other stuff you need for a weekend at the track, it can start to fill up very fast!

Just my 2 cents.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by prkiller &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I used to tow my CRX around in a 24' enclosed with my Tundra. It's an awesome truck for towing that kind of weight around. It wont go 70mph up the big hills, but holding 50-55 was a breeze.

I actually need to put my truck up for sale because I upgraded to a dodge dually with a 44' enclosed to tow 3 CRX's.

You will "probably" be ok towing, but my tundra at least had a V8 with a great engine!
You will DEFINITELY need a hitch like this one.
http://www.equalizerhitch.com

That is what I used and I sold it with my trailer. It was AWESOME and I'd never even consider towing a enclosed TAG without one of those....
Just some thoughts from someone that's been there and done it...
I would also not go with anything smaller than a 20-24' trailer. The CRX is a short car, but once you have some cabinets in the front and you put all the other stuff you need for a weekend at the track, it can start to fill up very fast!

Just my 2 cents. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I'll definetly look into that hitch!

I think the Jeep will be fine though. I'll be building a very mild, but reliable turbo setup for it. I should be able to get about 250-300ft/lbs on low boost with a simple T4.

Right now, I'm shooting for a length of about 20'. That should get me more than enough interior room, but still fit just fine in our parking lot/my garage.

 

Classic Trailers, TPD, and Feather-lite are probably the 3 best.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Boostwerks.com &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I'll definetly look into that hitch!

I think the Jeep will be fine though. I'll be building a very mild, but reliable turbo setup for it. I should be able to get about 250-300ft/lbs on low boost with a simple T4.

Right now, I'm shooting for a length of about 20'. That should get me more than enough interior room, but still fit just fine in our parking lot/my garage. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Those torque numbers are okay and all, but towing isn't just about power...your transmission is a vital part in getting that power to the rear wheels. I seriously doubt your 4.0L tranny is rated to tow a 20ft. enclosed trailer with car and parts. Not trying to be a Negative Nancy, but I'd be careful with the load you're about to put onto that tranny.

Of course, I have no enclosed trailer experience. I used to have a 4.0L Explorer that towed an open trailer alright, but my Tundra (4.7 V8) does a much better job.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nickrps &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Those torque numbers are okay and all, but towing isn't just about power...your transmission is a vital part in getting that power to the rear wheels. I seriously doubt your 4.0L tranny is rated to tow a 20ft. enclosed trailer with car and parts. Not trying to be a Negative Nancy, but I'd be careful with the load you're about to put onto that tranny.

Of course, I have no enclosed trailer experience. I used to have a 4.0L Explorer that towed an open trailer alright, but my Tundra (4.7 V8) does a much better job.</TD></TR></TABLE>

The transmission is an AW4 auto, which was built by collaboration between Aisin and Borg Warner. It's actually a GREAT transmission if it's worked over properlly. There are supras and other yotas using the tranny that are holding 800whp with ease. The trick is that the valve body needs to be worked over to increase the torque capacity of the clutch bands. I have already picked out a company to do this for me, that has done this to hundreds of AW4s with great success.

I'm sure It'll do just fine.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Boostwerks.com &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

The transmission is an AW4 auto, which was built by collaboration between Aisin and Borg Warner. It's actually a GREAT transmission if it's worked over properlly. There are supras and other yotas using the tranny that are holding 800whp with ease. The trick is that the valve body needs to be worked over to increase the torque capacity of the clutch bands. I have already picked out a company to do this for me, that has done this to hundreds of AW4s with great success.

I'm sure It'll do just fine. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Well shoot...you've done your homework

The only thing would be to get that leveler/sway kit like mentioned above. Happy towing

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Boostwerks.com &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

The transmission is an AW4 auto, which was built by collaboration between Aisin and Borg Warner. It's actually a GREAT transmission if it's worked over properlly. There are supras and other yotas using the tranny that are holding 800whp with ease. The trick is that the valve body needs to be worked over to increase the torque capacity of the clutch bands. I have already picked out a company to do this for me, that has done this to hundreds of AW4s with great success.

I'm sure It'll do just fine. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Even so. Do you have a tranny cooler and temp guage to monitor the temperatures? I saw increased temps when I was towing everytime.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 96 SOHC VTEC &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Even so. Do you have a tranny cooler and temp guage to monitor the temperatures? I saw increased temps when I was towing everytime. </TD></TR></TABLE>

You think I would be dumb enough to run a modified tranny with no external cooler/gauge?

 

Used to have a 24' enclosed Homesteader Challenger...wasn't the best. I overloaded it and busted a couple springs. It was only rated for 7500lbs. This past season, I purchased a 24' Haulmark Edge...I LOVE THIS THING!! Haha! I used almost all the equity in my home to buy this thing...has anything and everything I would have wanted in a trailer so I could camp out at the track. Tows fantasically. Highly recommended.

Good luck,
AJ

 

How did you overload it(did you go over 7500lbs)? I am looking to use twin 3500lb axles with my build, and thought 7000lbs of axle would be more than enough for my 2000lb car + 1500lb trailer + 400lbs of misc crap.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Boostwerks.com &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How did you overload it(did you go over 7500lbs)? I am looking to use twin 3500lb axles with my build, and thought 7000lbs of axle would be more than enough for my 2000lb car + 1500lb trailer + 400lbs of misc crap. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Sounds like your going open, so you should be fine!
An enclosed is closer to 3K-3500lbs empty, then you add a 2k lbs car, and 1k lbs of gear, and your right around the limit and that's with a 2k lbs car!

 

What kind of Jeep are we talking about? Maybe I missed it.

If you're talking about a Cherokee I think you will be overloading that thing even with a weight distribution hitch and I think you're going to run into some sway control issues as well because of the short wheelbase.

Be careful.