<VV> trailer choices

[Dale Dewald]

At 09:30 PM 11/28/04 -0500, Ed wrote:
>Throwing this out for discussion. If you guys were buying a new car trailer
>strickly to haul Corvairs what would it be? Would be towing with a 2004 Dodge
>Dakota V8, auto, 2 wheel drive.

Hello Ed,

It would be best for fuel economy sake to get the lightest and lowest 
trailer that would do the job.  If money were no object, then an aluminum 
trailer would be very nice.  Consider the following:

1) The Corvair car wheelbase is 108" (9 feet) and FC's are 95" (8 feet), 
therefore a 12 foot trailer should be adequate to hold any Corvair with 
some overhang, however you may want to go with a 14 or 16 foot trailer.

2) Corvairs have low ground clearance; the trailer would best be a tilt 
bed, preferably with drop center axles, or be equipped with long ramps to 
avoid bottoming when loading or unloading.

3) The heaviest Corvair, the Greenbrier, weighs about 2900 lbs.  You might 
want some extra capacity for extra parts, etc.  A 5000 lb GVW trailer 
should be adequate. Note that GVW is the combination of the trailer itself 
and the load.  A 5000 lb GVW trailer that weighs 1000 lbs will have a load 
capacity of 4000 lbs.

4) It is nice insurance if the trailer has wheel bolt pattern that will 
interchange with either the Corvair (5 X 4.75, but EM 4 X 4.5 might not 
work) or with your tow vehicle (5 X 4.5 ?) so that you could borrow the tow 
(or towed) vehicle spare in case of multiple flat tires.

5) A 5000 lb GVW trailer could be done as a single axle rig, but tandem 
axle trailers ride a bit nicer.

6) Make sure the trailer has good brakes (the law for trailers this size) 
because the loaded trailer will be approaching the weight of your tow 
vehicle.  I prefer electric brakes because they can be operated 
independently with the brake controller and do not depend on the tow 
vehicle's de-acceleration to operate.

7) A winch (manual or electric) is very handy for loading inoperable cars.

8) Get a transmission cooler and/or temperature gauge for the tow vehicle.

9) Make sure that the fore/aft position of the trailer axles are such that 
a Corvair (presumably loaded forward) will create a tongue load of about 
10-15% of the trailer weight.  For example: if you have a 1000 lb trailer 
and load a 2400 lb car for a total trailer weight of 3400 lb, then the 
tongue weight should be 350-500 lb on the tow vehicle.


Dale Dewald
Hancock, (UP) MI