Re: [Chrysler300] Car Haulers for Chrysler 300's

["John R. Cote" <cotejohnr@xxxxxxx>]

 Ryan,
I agree with what Jeff Miklas has said below but would add one more item to the specs.
Get rear corner drop down jacks if available. My Wells Cargo has them and they are terrific. 
When dropped and the front tongue is cranked up so they are tight against the ground, you can truly use the trailer as a garage. You do not have to hook up to a truck to keep the rear off the ground to load and unload. Some trailers offer optional scissor type or other type jacks hanging from the rear but they get all rusty and are hard to work. Mine are built into the steel corner posts and slide up and down and then held in position with a strong pin to the height you want them when they touch the ground. (Just make sure the rears are firmly against the ground every time you unload and then reload as the rears will rise after unloading the cars weight. Just re-crank the front so they are firm again to the ground before driving back in. And yes, the left side escape door is a must to easily exit your car!
Hope all this helps.
John Cote
Guilford, CT.

P.S. As opposed to Haulmarks that have outside panels of steel that rust according to Jean-Yves email input, most trailers like my Wells Cargo have aluminum panel "skins" on the exterior.

 


 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Miklas <ldmiklas@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Ryan Hill <ryan_hillc300@xxxxxxxxxxx>; chrysler300 <chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wed, Sep 21, 2011 12:26 am
Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] Car Haulers for Chrysler 300's


  
    
                  
Hi Ryan

My $.02 worth:

I've had a few enclosed trailers. I'm no expert at all, but have learned 
over the years to

1)  Get a trailer with a ONE PIECE roof. Seams will ALWAYS leak!!

2)  Get the heavier axles - 10,000Lb rated at least if you want good service 
out of it. You can buy a moderate price trailer and just  upgrade the axle 
package.

3)  I always get an "escape door" on the left side. With a 300, I think it's 
a necessity unless you are VERY thin and lithe.

4)  Unless you're towing with a "dually" pick-up truck, I  highly recommend 
a "load-equalizer hitch" system.

5)  Ask your dealer to expound on the quality of the door hinges and the 
cable system for the loading door. These very small items can cause major 
problems at the worst times. If they offer an "upgrade" , it is for a 
reason.

6)  Though not necessary, I personally think a "finished interior" is always 
well worth it in the long run the small initial cost. It helps with 
condensation problems which is very important.
It definitely pays off at re-sale. A plywood floor is fine, but it will need 
painted or sealed to protect it. If it comes with  linoleum floor, be 
forewarned to let your car cool down before loading it - hot tires and hot 
oil will ruin it. Aluminum "non-skid" treads are available for the tires... 
and recommended with the linoleum.

I use my trailer a lot...  one thing I wouldn't be without is interior 
lighting. I have overheads and floor level for use when securing the car. 
The lights run off the tow vehicle when the wiring harness is plugged in. 
WELL WORTH the initial cost.

Another thing I wouldn't be without is a WINCH. Mine has paid for itself 
dozens of times! You can get a very adequate SuperWinch for about $275.00, 
but the floor has to be re-inforced for it. If you don't want to spend the 
money for a winch right now, it is well worth the $ and simpler  to get the 
reinforcement plate installed now. (This is standard in some "up-scale" 
trailer brands)

A 20 ft trailer seems to short to me. Mine is a 24 ft, and when I haul 300s, 
the front of the car is about a foot or more past the side door opening. On 
a 20 ft model, the door will open into the side of the car and you will have 
to slide along the side of the car to get to the front, where you will have 
very little room to operate your tie-down ratchets. You also have to watch 
the location of the floor hold down loops. On a 20 footer, they might not be 
far forward enough to allow operation of the ratchet under a 300.  (Been 
there) I'd suggest actually loading your car and securing it down before you 
purchase.

Get  a spare tire on a secure mount with a lock provision. You will need it 
at some time.

I've had HallMark trailers with axle upgrades  that were just fine. My 
current one is a 1993 US CARGO that has held up exceptionally well.

White is cooler and easier to keep clean!

Jeff Miklas

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Ryan Hill" <ryan_hillc300@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 6:12 PM
To: <chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Chrysler300] Car Haulers for Chrysler 300's

>
> Greetings all. I suppose this isn't entirely 300 related but I think it 
> qualifies.....
>
> Winter is not that far off again and I've lost my storage for two of my 
> collector cars. Living in a damp part of the world, I'm concerned about 
> keeping my vehicles dry. Building a shop on my property isn't an option 
> right now so I came up with the brainwave of buying a 20' enclosed car 
> trailer as a mobile, dry, and secure single car garage to store my '65 
> 300. Of course I'd also be looking to use it for actual transport purposes 
> as well. Most of the trailers I've been finding used are not capable of 
> handling the 4100 + lbs of car I want to park inside so I'm looking at 10k 
> GVWR units.
>
> I'm in Vancouver but would expect to find better pricing in Washington or 
> Oregon states and am always willing to travel across the border for a 
> better deal. Does anyone have any words of wisdom or opinions regarding 
> basic enclosed car haulers? What should I be looking for? What brands or 
> models are recommended....or NOT recommended? I'm looking at Cargomate, 
> Interstate, Haulmark, and Pace (Pace seem to be lower quality??) Does 
> anyone know of a suitable trailer for sale or a reputable dealer on the 
> west coast?
>
> Any advice or leads would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Ryan Hill
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
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