joel

I feel like a fish out of water trying to sort through all the claims of various trailer manufacturer types and features.

I'm looking at a car hauler for my upcoming move. I'm planning on just selling it once I get up to New England and, from what I can tell, I'll break even or maybe even make a few bucks! (Anyone up there need a car trailer I could bring up for you?)

My questions then are: what is the difference between Channel frame members and Angle frame members? That seems to be the biggest difference.

Then there's the difference between wood decks and metal. Wood seems to be the preferred, so that's where I'm leaning. Anyone care to tilt me in the other direction?

Guess those are the big questions. Just looking for your experiences or knowledge with these things. Thanks!

apache

Well IMO, as in auto mfgs boxed section frames are stronger than channel.I would think channel is stronger than angle. I would see the same in trailers. wood vs metal? Welded decks will add to the structural aspect. wood can be replaced cheaper? I would imagine one trailer is cheaper than the other. get the cheaper one, stay within load limits, and off it when your done.

Mechanos

You typically won't find any true "car haulers" with an angle iron frame. Car haulers are flatdecks with no side rails and almost always have a channel frame with channel crossmembers. The trailers you see with angle frames, angle cross members and angle rails are "utility" trailers. On a utility trailer, the upper rail, lower rail (frame) and the uprights all act together as a truss to provide structural integrity to the length of the trailer.

Now that doesn't mean you can't haul a car on a utility trailer... just stay within the rated capacity of the trailer. Sometimes the rails get in the way of opening doors, etc. on the vehicle being hauled, so that it why most car haulers don't have rails. Since they don't have rails, the frame has be made out of something beefier than a single stick of angle iron.

I prefer wood decks since they don't get near as hot in the sun (ever lay on a black sheet of diamond plate sitting in the sun to unhook a vehicle?) and they don't seem to get as slippery as metal in inclement weather. JMO.

MNYPDRBLT

My opinion... I would buy a 16' utility trailer with no gate/ramps and one brake axle. Treated wood floor in the color black...

It may sound funny, but I sell more of those than anything! I would expect you to pay about $850-$900 for one! I sell that trailer new for $825 all day long

you will be able to sell it when you get where you are moving to quicker than a car trailer. (flatbed)

apache

Such a deal!!! bring me a load of em and I`ll get twice that here.

Haulin_in_Dixie

Just go to Texas, several areas and buy a few, stack them, bring them back home. Done all the time, you can get the for 600 to 700, good profit.

roadranger

Along that vein, there's a couple guys here in Colorado that regularly go down to Texas and buy a utility trailer, then buy a load of Mesquite wood. They haul this home, sell off the Mesquite to BBQ/Ribs restaurants, and sell the trailer too at a small profit.

eswartz

Don't know if it's still available but look here, https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...&cat=15&page=1

I recently bought a Load Trail 16' utility trailer, they're made in Paris, TX, along with PJ Trailers. I guess brothers own the companies, they're very similar trailers.

joel

Thanks, eswartz... problem with that trailer is that it's in AZ.

I've pretty much decided on a Load-Trail, too. 16'... (or is it 18?), 7K GW. And I should be able to resell it up in the northeast for what I'll pay... if not more.

Pick it up probably tonight. Maybe tomorrow. Pics of everything loaded up later....

eswartz

I saw it was in AZ too, just thought it looked like a good deal.

Hope you like your Load Trail, I'll be taking mine to Texas next Wednesday, Troup, TX, south of Tyler. Will be picking up a Hot Tub and hauling it back to Kansas City.

Good Luck on the move, hope everything goes well.