c3:car hauler trailer

[Steve L.]

I was thinking of building a short car hauler/utility trailer.

I have 2 drop axles, electric brakes, 85 inches wide ,3500lbs.

I was thinking of a 12 foot long. A C3 should just fit-no dove tail.

I don't want anything longer, if possible, because it is just too long to have hanging around the house. I noticed that Budget at Carlisle has 12 foot long carhaulers.

Any suggestions? Does anyone know of plans for such a beast? Ya I know, someone is going to tell me it's cheaper to buy one than build one....but what would the fun in that be?

Steve L
73 coupe since new

[Warren F.]

Re: c3:car hauler trailer

Steve:

Early sharks ('68 to '72) are 15 feet 2 inches in length, your '73 will be 3 inches longer. My '71 coupe weighs 3340 with no fuel in tank, '73's have the SMC fiberglass body panels, door beams, more sound deadening insulation, I believe the '73's will weigh closer to 3500 lbs, especially if optioned out.

[Steve L.]

Re: c3:car hauler trailer

Thanx Warren,
The body is 15 feet but wheel to wheel is around 11 feet including the tire diameter.

The two axles are 3500lb each for a total of about 7000lbs(from what I've read, it's not quite additive, but close).

Steve L.
73 coupe since new

[Warren F.]

Re: c3:car hauler trailer

Steve:

Thanks for the clarification on the axle weights. Having overhang off the trailer can result in backing up hitting the body, or having someone back into the body overhang. I've seen it happen more than once.

[Steve L.]

Re: c3:car hauler trailer

Warren,
Good point, I never thought of that.

Steve L
73 coupe since new

[Mike Cobine]

Re: c3:car hauler trailer

Another problem with a too short of a trailer is you have no room to manuever the car. If you do not have the weight just right, it will tow badly. You may have to move the car forward or rearward slightly to balance correctly (10-15% of weight on tongue). Surprisingly, the wieght of a full tank or empty tank can change out you handle and whether the car is in the same place or not.

14 ft is better. I've used a 14 ft long ago and it was fine. 12 is pressing your luck.

[Steve L.]

Re: c3:car hauler trailer

Another good point.

But how do you know that you have 10-15%weight on the tongue without puting a weigh scale on the tonque?

Steve L
73 coupe since new

[Mike Cobine]

Re: c3:car hauler trailer

The first clue you do not have that much weight is the trailer tows terrible.


Take a yard stick and set it next to the bumper with no trailer. Climb on the hitch and see how far it goes down. You now know where it sinks to if you put your weight (150?, 200?).


Put the empty trailer on and see if it goes to about the same point. Since most open trailers weigh from 1200 to 1800 lbs, you should be about the same point or slightly more. (120-180 lbs for 10%).


With the empty trailer hooked up, jump on the hitch and see how far it goes down now. (for example, 150 trailer tongue weight plus your 150 lbs = 300 lbs.)


Put the car on and see where it goes compared to you and the empty trailer. A 3000 lb Corvette plus a 1500 lb trailer would have 450 lb for 10% and 675 for 15%. So it should be 1-1/2 times to 2 times as far down roughly with the car on the trailer.


This is ONLY an estimation. A good tow vehicle won't allow it to sink that much at the heavy side as at the light side. But it will give you an estimate.


The other way is to use a bathroom scale and a lever to make a 300 lb scale measure 450 or 600 lbs.



[]
================================================== ======
_||_ /
[____] /__
scale trailer fulcrum