I was just thinking about this since I've just done another upgrade to my car trailer - what does everyone have and what have they done to make their rig work the best for them? The idea here is to share ideas for whomever may be looking at buying a trailer or maybe for eliminating problems that someone may be having that they've not come up with a solution to. I'm meaning this to be more geared toward the trailer end of it, but the tow vehicle matters just as much!
Here's mine: 2015 Ram 1500 Express crew cab, 4x4 with the 5.7 Hemi and 6 speed auto. It had the tow package I was looking for when I bought it, so it has the flip up mirrors and trailer brake controller. I've owned the truck since new and it's just flipped 180k. I've not had too many problems with it, but the big one was the lifter failure that plagues these trucks. When I was finally able to have it taken care of they found 4 smoked lifters. I had them replace the lifters and cam and it runs great now with the exception of low oil pressure at hot idle. I imagine the debris from the bad lifters grinding into the cam made it's way to the rod and main bearings, so I'm intending on an engine replacement. Another upgrade I had them do was install headers in place of the exhaust manifolds that are also well known for warpage and exhaust leaks. Other upgrades include a front level kit, Rancho adjustable shocks on the rear, air bags, and an Eaton TrueTrac differential along with cosmetic upgrades.
The trailer is a Max Built 82x18 steel deck car hauler with 4 tie downs added (2 front, 2 rear). I bought this new right at the beginning of the pandemic and immediately started upgrading it. It got a tongue box, plow markers to know where the end of the trailer is when empty, LED tail lights added some more LED marker lights than what came originally, reflective tape, a 10k pound winch, and a jumper cable system to run the winch straight from the truck's battery instead of taking room in the tongue box for an additional battery. I then added a Harbor Freight weight distribution hitch and sway control. Late last year I bought 84 inch aluminum ramps to replace the shorter steel ramps that came with the trailer. The length is perfect and matches the slope of the dovetail and makes it a lot easier to load lower cars than the original ramps. I've now added stabilizer jacks to help with unloading. I also bought lasso style tie downs to compliment the ratchet straps I already had.
I've used my trailer for moving cross country, dump runs, and hauling large home improvement project supplies like drywall, new kitchen cabinets, shingles, and siding. As it is right now, the only thing I can think of that I'd need to add to make it the perfect trailer for me is a spare tire. I used to have one but the bracket broke somewhere on one of my cross country trips while moving. While I think an enclosed trailer would be great in some situations, the open trailer fits my needs perfectly!
If someone asked me what I'd suggest for their situation, I'd definitely suggest the proper tow vehicle to start, then the weight distribution hitch to ensure safe towing. After that, I think I'd have to say to make sure they have good tires to start, then buy the tongue box and good tie down hardware. Then stabilizer jacks and new ramps (if they're looking at an open car hauler), and last would be the winch. While the winch is definitely nice, a person can get by with a come along if necessary. They're a lot of work, but they're a lot cheaper than a winch if they're trying to get into a trailer on a budget and they get the job done. I think the last thing I'd suggest would be the LEDs and reflective tape. They're nice to have, but definitely not a necessity for getting things done.
What do you have and what would you suggest to someone looking for their first rig?
Here's mine: 2015 Ram 1500 Express crew cab, 4x4 with the 5.7 Hemi and 6 speed auto. It had the tow package I was looking for when I bought it, so it has the flip up mirrors and trailer brake controller. I've owned the truck since new and it's just flipped 180k. I've not had too many problems with it, but the big one was the lifter failure that plagues these trucks. When I was finally able to have it taken care of they found 4 smoked lifters. I had them replace the lifters and cam and it runs great now with the exception of low oil pressure at hot idle. I imagine the debris from the bad lifters grinding into the cam made it's way to the rod and main bearings, so I'm intending on an engine replacement. Another upgrade I had them do was install headers in place of the exhaust manifolds that are also well known for warpage and exhaust leaks. Other upgrades include a front level kit, Rancho adjustable shocks on the rear, air bags, and an Eaton TrueTrac differential along with cosmetic upgrades.
The trailer is a Max Built 82x18 steel deck car hauler with 4 tie downs added (2 front, 2 rear). I bought this new right at the beginning of the pandemic and immediately started upgrading it. It got a tongue box, plow markers to know where the end of the trailer is when empty, LED tail lights added some more LED marker lights than what came originally, reflective tape, a 10k pound winch, and a jumper cable system to run the winch straight from the truck's battery instead of taking room in the tongue box for an additional battery. I then added a Harbor Freight weight distribution hitch and sway control. Late last year I bought 84 inch aluminum ramps to replace the shorter steel ramps that came with the trailer. The length is perfect and matches the slope of the dovetail and makes it a lot easier to load lower cars than the original ramps. I've now added stabilizer jacks to help with unloading. I also bought lasso style tie downs to compliment the ratchet straps I already had.
I've used my trailer for moving cross country, dump runs, and hauling large home improvement project supplies like drywall, new kitchen cabinets, shingles, and siding. As it is right now, the only thing I can think of that I'd need to add to make it the perfect trailer for me is a spare tire. I used to have one but the bracket broke somewhere on one of my cross country trips while moving. While I think an enclosed trailer would be great in some situations, the open trailer fits my needs perfectly!
If someone asked me what I'd suggest for their situation, I'd definitely suggest the proper tow vehicle to start, then the weight distribution hitch to ensure safe towing. After that, I think I'd have to say to make sure they have good tires to start, then buy the tongue box and good tie down hardware. Then stabilizer jacks and new ramps (if they're looking at an open car hauler), and last would be the winch. While the winch is definitely nice, a person can get by with a come along if necessary. They're a lot of work, but they're a lot cheaper than a winch if they're trying to get into a trailer on a budget and they get the job done. I think the last thing I'd suggest would be the LEDs and reflective tape. They're nice to have, but definitely not a necessity for getting things done.
What do you have and what would you suggest to someone looking for their first rig?
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