Thinking about buying a trailer to pull...

[Kevin Erion]

I thought I needed a matching stacker so when I found the SS side 30' stacker, I was so happy! 13000LB empty and I guess 18000 when I had everything that I just had to have, got the space, fill it up with stuff.
Best day was when I sold it and now I am putting together a 4 door GMC Duramax with 8' bed. I will install a cab high shell and have a bus spare wheel and tire, gas BBQ and a couple of scooters for the girls when we get to the race tracks. I guess I will weigh about 10,000LB full, down 8000LB without leaving anything else behind but the weight. We will have a better vehicle to drive when we show up, everything else safe under the shell. I know it is heavy, so is the bus, the good news is there is no tongue weight that comes with the trailers, bad news is they don't back up, a little looking ahead always works.
My 2 cents.
Happy Holidays!

[Tully]

The trailers Im looking at are around 4000lbs empty and have around 10k gvw.

My question is "do I have to learn how to make turns" with this trailer? Do I pull forward more, swing wider?

How is backing up? The V-Nose is better for this with less chance of damage to the trailer?

Tully

[tdelorme]

Tully, there is nothing new to learn to pull a trailer. You might need a trip or two to really get used to it, but it is not a problem. As far as the V vs. flat nose, the length of the tongue also needs to be taken into consideration. We sometimes pull a 20ft box trailer, flat nose, and have never had any problems.
I just pulled a 31 ft. Airstream trailer 400 miles home with my bus without any problems. But, I agree with Kevin, I prefer to just hook up and pull a tow vehicle four down.

[Jeff Bayley]

I think Kevins got the right idea with the truck set up. I was going to buy a companion trailer just the same weight he described. It was 13k pounds empty. Sounds like your wanting to take custom cars so Kevins good idea won't work for you since you want that thing off the ground I guess.

I towed the trailer for the guy that bought it from CA to Florida with my old classic car and some other household stuff. I got a lightweight 18' now to put the dirk bikes and 4 wheelers in for weekends. Yes, you have to turn a little bit wider but the track pretty well. The one I had had used had a steering front axle which both made zero tounge weight and also make it track amost exactley in a perfect line as the rear wheels when turning but those trailers are like 80k new.

[PLSNTVLE2]

I use this as a guide for different state requirements regarding length laws. I'm not sure if any have changed from the 2007 laws, but I usually don't follow them anyway.

http://www.woodalls.com/output.cfm?ID=1195129

[Coloradobus]

Ted

Way to go with the Airstream. Looking GOOD! Some of our local airstreamers want us to pull a trailer with bus. Unfortunately, most of our rallies are on soft surface, so the "H" won't leave the pavement. Once buried the XLII in the Quartzite sand in 2003 up to its tire bead! NO fear, we walked it out with sheets of 3/4 inch plywood cut in 1/2.

Lesson learned: never try parking in the desert in the dark. Everything looks firm in the dark!!

[bonhall41]

We had (still have) a 44-foot Haulmark on a Freightliner chassis that we use to pull a 32-foot stacker trailer and we have never been stopped. Of course, we've never been to California with it. We downsized and down have a 24-foot stacker behind the bus when we're hauling race cars, etc.

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas.

Bonnie

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

I think if you have the trailer plates from the same state as the bus, you may be able to "SMILE" your way out of a ticket in another state, if you are over their length limit, as long as you are within the legal limits of the licensing state for bus and trailer.

Montana according to Terry's list has no maximum length limit, so I guess the federal limit prevails on interstates.

JIM

[Coloradobus]

The area in Ca our 2 friends were stopped and measured was on I-10 between Blythe and Palm Springs. If they suspect your over, they will stop you and measure you.

[Tully]

As far as hooking up lights and such. The trailer I am looking at has a five or seven prong set up. Joe C you might remember, what type of set up I have.

Is it hard to reconfigure the wires if they need to be to make everything work?

Do the electric brakes work off the same plug in?

Will have have to have some type of control box for the electric brakes?

One one forum a member said anytime his jake brake kicked in it would also activate his electric brakes on trailer. Is this a good thing or bad thing.

Again, just trying to get some info so I can proceed with this trailer.

Thanks,

Tully

P.S.

I recall seeing a long time ago a lock type box you could put on the trailer hitch when not attached to minimize theft. Anyone hear or know of such a thing?