Trailer Novice

[Terry M.]

Re: Trailer Novice

I have finally decided that I must begin trailering my 1965 Sting Ray to NCRS meets.

What I need is your advice. My tow vehicle is a 2004 GMC Envoy with the base twin cam straight six. The best that I can determine from the Envoy's manual is that it will not tow anything as heavy as an enclosed trailer with a Sting Ray. So, I will have to settle for an aluminum open trailer. I saw one that had a solid floor and a front piece that protected the car, even though it was an "open" trailer. Will a 16' open trailer be what I need? Anyone in the North Texas area have one for sale? I have ready cash! -Clark

Clark,
There was a story about trailers in The Restorer before 1999. Rolf Krueger was the author. The story was geared more toward the purchase of a trailer and its specifications, but it did address the issue of a proper tow vehicle.

[Valeria H.]

Re: Trailer Novice

Valeria, NCRS honors the 50th anniversary cars at every National Convention. A very nice engraved glass plaque is given to each owner of a 1960 on display. We send a personal invitation to every NCRS member who has had their car judged in the past. The judging is not a prerequisite to have your car on display. Any 1960 is eligable Race, Drag, Custom, Barn find or restored. If you need more information, please give me a call.
Scott Sinclair
905-857-1463

Scott, Thank you for your note. I live in Charlotte NC, the home of the 2010 National NCRS and will be at the convention daily to help out and hopefully display my beautiful 1960 "The Beast" as I affectionately refer to her these days. Hope to meet you here in our lovely city I love and call home.
Valeria

[Clark K.]

Re: Trailer Novice

Towing with a light duty truck or SUV..... Probably can pull with some strain (transmission heating comes to mind), but catch some wind just right at 60 mph, from an 18 wheeler, and you are in for one heck of a ride, sway bars or not!!!!! I wouldn't risk it. Panic stopping is another issue. Most trailer brake systems require an action (towing vehicle braking signal) before they respond. Many have a "ramp" braking signal which means there is an additional time span before full brake capability on the trailer. So for a short period of time the trailer can be pushing the tow vehicle which can cause the tow vehicle to become unstable as in jack-knife.....

Wow. Interesting responses. Thanks, Stephen, for the encouragement.

My wife's '04 GMC Envoy XL will have to be it, or nothing. Her Envoy XL came with the Heavy Duty Towing Pkg (trans. cooler, etc.). It is NOT small, having a 3rd row of seats. The engine is rated at 275 hp. We bought it for towing since we have a small camping trailer. The vehicle's manual says it will tow up to 5,000# with the 3.42 rear axle it has. That means I MUST use an aluminum 16' open trailer. -Clark

[Philip C.]

Re: Trailer Novice

I have finally decided that I must begin trailering my 1965 Sting Ray to NCRS meets.

What I need is your advice. My tow vehicle is a 2004 GMC Envoy with the base twin cam straight six. The best that I can determine from the Envoy's manual is that it will not tow anything as heavy as an enclosed trailer with a Sting Ray. So, I will have to settle for an aluminum open trailer. I saw one that had a solid floor and a front piece that protected the car, even though it was an "open" trailer. Will a 16' open trailer be what I need? Anyone in the North Texas area have one for sale? I have ready cash! -Clark

Hi Clark you have a lot of great advice to think about, but dont forget the trailer/trailor hitch set up, to me the most over looked item, do your home work on it, you would not believe the difference it makes. Phil 8063

[Jim L.]

Re: Trailer Novice

The engine is rated at 275 hp. We bought it for towing since we have a small camping trailer. The vehicle's manual says it will tow up to 5,000#

Clark, the underpowered SUV to which I referred in my earlier posting was rated to tow 5000 lbs also. And it did. Right up to the time we burned up the transmission doing so.

You really, really need some margin with your tow rig. Just because it's rated to tow 5000 lbs doesn't mean that towing 5000 lbs is a good idea.

And remember that the towing capacity of your vehicle is reduced by the load the tow vehicle actually carries.... people, luggage, spare parts, Top Flight awards, etc.

I do "get" that this is a situation of "it is what it is" and you don't presently have a choice but to tow with your existing vehicle. However, as a favor to yourself, you ought to start thinking now about how to replace that Envoy with something more capable.

Good luck,
Jim

[Patrick H.]

Re: Trailer Novice

I do "get" that this is a situation of "it is what it is" and you don't presently have a choice but to tow with your existing vehicle. However, as a favor to yourself, you ought to start thinking now about how to replace that Envoy with something more capable.

Good luck,
Jim

Or, think about which friend has a larger vehicle that you could borrow / rent for towing. In my local Corvette friends we allow others to use our trucks and "one of" equipment as needed. Just borrowed an engine lift last Friday, and in return the lift owner will borrow my pickup and we'll get a couple of big block motors for him out of town.

I've used both enclosed trailers as well as open ones, always borrowed from friends and returned in better condition than I received them.

Patrick

[Tom P.]

Re: Trailer Novice

I seldom tow, but when I do, I have a 16ft, open, steel trailer with elec brakes on one axle. I've hauled multiple things on the trailer including our WWII Pratt & Whitney R2800 radial engines, the 56 Vette and the 70 Chevelle conv.
My tow vehicle is a 76 Cutlass with a built Olds 455 and a Richmond 5sp. I've added air shocks and air bags to the rear suspension for adjusting the ride height. The longest and heaviest tow was Okla City/Nashville round trip for Chevellabration with the 70 Chevelle on the trailer, towing 65-70mph and Bloomington with the 56 Vette, 65-70mph.
ZERO problems.

[Dick W.]

Re: Trailer Novice

Tom, beware that some states enforce the requirement of brakes on both axles. I have seen a few tickets for improper brakes. As sorry as the best electric drum brakes are, I would want brakes on both axles.

[Peter G.]

Re: Trailer Novice

I am afraid I would have to dis-agree with the phase: "The diesel is the only way to go"

I tow with a '07 Dodge 2500 Quad Cab with a HEMI. I couldn't justify the $6-8k dollar diesel option when I only tow 2 times a year.

Drove from Denver to Killeen last month for the NCRS Lone Star Regional with the '73 LS4 in the 20' enclosed trailer and four adult males in the truck and misc tools and luggage. No problem. The HEMI can handle it. Got only around 9 mpg towing, but that is the fault of the high box type trailer in the wind. Normally gets around 18 mpg in town.

Just another option for your towing needs.

[Tom P.]

Re: Trailer Novice

I'm not independantly wealthy like the majority of NCRS members, thus I am unable to afford the ultra hight dollar crew cab dualies and expensive alum enclosed trailers. So I have to make do with what I have available. I grew up on the poor side of town and never made it to the big time------------and at this point, it appears it isn't going to happen in my lifetime. So far, so good!

[Stephen R.]

OT

Tom.... what does that Big as...ed P & W go in?


Also, it's my personal philosophy that anyone who dies with money in the bank is a failure.

[Dave S.]

Re: Trailer Novice

Wow. Interesting responses. Thanks, Stephen, for the encouragement.

My wife's '04 GMC Envoy XL will have to be it, or nothing. Her Envoy XL came with the Heavy Duty Towing Pkg (trans. cooler, etc.). It is NOT small, having a 3rd row of seats. The engine is rated at 275 hp. We bought it for towing since we have a small camping trailer. The vehicle's manual says it will tow up to 5,000# with the 3.42 rear axle it has. That means I MUST use an aluminum 16' open trailer. -Clark

Clark,
You are making my point. If you invest in an all aluminum Trailex enclosed rig that weighs 1600 lbs. you will be towing a 4600 lb. total load. 3000 lbs. for the car and 1600 lbs. for the trailer. With the low height and V front to minimize wind resistance and the perfect balance you will make your Envoy a very safe and adequate tow vehicle. Invest in the trailer and keep your tow vehicle.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Tom P.]

Re: OT

Tom.... what does that Big as...ed P & W go in?


Also, it's my personal philosophy that anyone who dies with money in the bank is a failure.

That's one of two engines for the WWII bomber (Douglass A-26) that we're doing a "frame off" restoration on.

[Tom P.]

Re: OT

Tom.... what does that Big as...ed P & W go in?


Also, it's my personal philosophy that anyone who dies with money in the bank is a failure.

Here's what we started with 12yrs ago.


Here it is today.


And this is what it will look like when we're finished.

[Dick W.]

Re: Trailer Novice

I have towed to different events for over 45 years. I have used everything from a 750+ hp 18 wheeler to a 1952 IHC Metro bread truck (112 hp ). I have used everything from a homemade 2 axle trailer with no suspension to a $200k Kentucky trailer. It all boils down to common sense when towing. Leave double the normal following distance, anticipate what traffic is doing, have 10% of your total trailer weight on the tongue (tag along trailer), proper equalizing hitch, properly adjusted trailer brake controler, and good trailer brakes. A short wheel base tow vehicle will give you the ride of your life. The longer the wheel base, the more stable it is in windy conditions.

A fifth wheel trailer is inheriently more stable than a tag a long, but following the above guidelines, you can get by with less if you have to.