{"id":97163,"date":"2024-08-15T16:44:26","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T23:44:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=97163"},"modified":"2024-08-15T16:44:26","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T23:44:26","slug":"we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/","title":{"rendered":"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &#038; Tips: Part Two"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-carousel-extra='{\"blog_id\":1,\"permalink\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\\\/\"}' id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-97163 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/1-161\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1-1-150x150.webp\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp; Tips: Part Two\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-97167\" data-attachment-id=\"97167\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/1-161\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1-1-scaled.webp\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp;#038; Tips: Part Two\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;click__begin&quot;&gt;Click Here to Begin Slideshow&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;When we left you last issue, our focus was on the tow vehicle. This time, we\u2019ll zoom in on trailers. The marketplace here is huge. One only has to look the sheer numbers of trailer listings right here on Racing Junk.\u00a0 For the purposes of this article, I\u2019ll leave out enclosed trailers and target open trailers:&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;The first big decision you have to make is trailer construction material:\u00a0 Aluminum or steel? Both have pros and cons.\u00a0 Steel trailers are more economical than their aluminum counterparts. On the other hand, aluminum trailers usually weigh less.\u00a0 That has some benefits: Since the trailer weighs less, it contributes less to the GtCW (Gross Combined Weight) of the truck and trailer. As a result, the load can be a bit heavier. That\u2019s why you see many semi-trailers (including flat decks) that are manufactured completely from aluminum.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;What about overall strength?\u00a0 That all depends upon the alloys used in construction. Metallurgy has come a long ways over the years (for both steel and aluminum). So basically, it\u2019s up to you. When it comes to ease of repair (if, for example, your trailer is damaged), it\u2019s likely easier to get someone to weld a steel trailer rather than an aluminum example. Steel trailers are more prone to rust and other corrosion.\u00a0 For a steel trailer, that usually translates into more overall maintenance in the big picture. Finally when the time comes to sell the trailer, an aluminum example will most likely bring a better dollar.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;When I was trailer shopping one decision I had to make was between a drop deck example (no ramps) or a fixed deck with ramps. I had ruled out a tilt deck for a couple of reasons: One is they tend to be heavy (and some can prove really heavy). Another is the overall deck height can prove quite a bit taller on tilt trailers. With a lighter tow vehicle, a higher center of gravity with a loaded trailer can sometimes prove a bit unnerving (been there, done that).&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;So what about the drop deck trailers? In my shopping, these trailers really looked appealing. There are some aluminum examples out there that don\u2019t weigh too much more than their conventional counterparts. However, the steel examples can get right up there in weight (and in my case, they\u2019re probably far too heavy for me to consider with my tow vehicle). Honestly I was headed in the direction of a drop deck aluminum trailer until I had a discussion with a good friend who is both a retired mechanical engineer and a pretty serious car guy.\u00a0 All he said was \u201cWhat could possibly go wrong?\u201d\u00a0 There are quite a few moving pieces in a drop deck trailer, and my pal\u2019s comment really made me pause. For my purposes, the simplicity of ramps coupled with relatively low trailer deck won out. By the way, if loading height is an issue with a conventional trailer (where you\u2019re loading a very low ride height car), some companies offer longer ramps.\u00a0 It\u2019s an easy fix for clearance issues.\u00a0 In the end, your decisions (conventional or drop deck) may differ!&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;Trailer features are another consideration. Let\u2019s get back to ramps for a minute: I once had a trailer where the ramps were stored from the side. Truthfully, this is a royal pain. Having ramps that store close to the mount location at the back of the trailer is way less hassle and work.\u00a0 Plus, if the ramps are steel, moving them around can get old in a hurry.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;Another biggie for me is the jack location. Some trailers actually mount the jack too far forward on the drawbar. With that setup, you can\u2019t open the truck tailgate when the trailer is attached. This is another royal pain if you need to load or retrieve something from the truck bed.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;Removable trailer fenders are also a great idea, and in fact, are almost mandatory for trailer decks with low ride height. With a removable fender, you can open and close the car door(s) when it\u2019s loaded. This allows you to steer (if winching on) and you don\u2019t have to climb out of a window if you\u2019re driving it onto the trailer. It also allows you to close the side window once the car is loaded.\u00a0 FYI, there are all sorts of different methods used to attach removable fenders. See the photos for a better look.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;Deck D Rings are important too. Sure, you can cinch down a car by way of the trailer sides (sometimes a side rail), but a good D ring setup is much easier. Many of these D rings are flush mount and the good ones rotate. That makes the tie down process go much smoother.\u00a0Hitch couplers are also a source of frustration. There are several different configurations out there. But all are designed to accomplish the same thing: Clamp the hitch around the trailer ball. Some use a form of hand wheel to tighten a clamp around the tailer ball. Others use a lever to do the same job. Yet others (Bulldog collar hitch couplers and their copycats) incorporate an internal ball and socket joint. In use, hook up is done by simply pulling the round collar (at the rear) back a bit. Then you lower the big cast coupler over the hitch ball and release the rear collar. It closes and the internal joint clamps around the hitch ball. Insert the safety pin and you\u2019re done.\u00a0 It\u2019s a very beefy setup but also a very user friendly system. Bottom line here is, once you use a collar hitch coupler such as this you won\u2019t want to mess with levers and wheels again.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;Lighting is another constant source of issues on trailers. Most trailers today make use of LED lights (and that\u2019s good thing). Not only are they brighter, they require far less maintenance. Here, you have ensure that the wiring harness is well protected. Flush mount lights or low profile lights are also desirable. The reason is, it is not uncommon to hit a plastic light with something while loading or when the trailer is parked. Flush mounts offer more protection. Another piece that often gets damaged on a trailer is the license plate bracket. Most jurisdictions mandate some form of plate lamp and if the trailer is equipped with removable fenders, then mounting becomes an issue. On my Sundowner, the plate mounts to the trap door for the driver side loading ramp under the deck. It\u2019s out of the way, and there\u2019s little chance to damage the license lamp (which is offset to the left of the trap door).&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;Other considerations for an open trailer include gravel guards (at the front of the trailer), spare tires, safety chain styles and hookups along with brake types, brake safety switch\/cables and even the electrical hook up cable. All of these things are\u00a0 important and there are different takes on all of them from various manufactures. Some have better ideas than others. And really in the end when shopping for a trailer, you get what you pay for.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;That\u2019s a wrap for this segment. Next time around, we\u2019ll discuss hitches and tie downs. You might be surprised at some of the neat technology that\u2019s out there.\u00a0 They make trailering much easier,\u00a0 Watch for it.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;click__begin&quot;&gt;Click Here to Begin Slideshow&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1-1-300x225.webp\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1-1-1024x768.webp\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-97167'>\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"click__begin\">Click Here to Begin Slideshow<\/a>\n\n\nWhen we left you last issue, our focus was on the tow vehicle. This time, we\u2019ll zoom in on trailers. The marketplace here is huge. One only has to look the sheer numbers of trailer listings right here on Racing Junk.\u00a0 For the purposes of this article, I\u2019ll leave out enclosed trailers and target open trailers:\n\nThe first big decision you have to make is trailer construction material:\u00a0 Aluminum or steel? Both have pros and cons.\u00a0 Steel trailers are more economical than their aluminum counterparts. On the other hand, aluminum trailers usually weigh less.\u00a0 That has some benefits: Since the trailer weighs less, it contributes less to the GtCW (Gross Combined Weight) of the truck and trailer. As a result, the load can be a bit heavier. That\u2019s why you see many semi-trailers (including flat decks) that are manufactured completely from aluminum.\n\nWhat about overall strength?\u00a0 That all depends upon the alloys used in construction. Metallurgy has come a long ways over the years (for both steel and aluminum). So basically, it\u2019s up to you. When it comes to ease of repair (if, for example, your trailer is damaged), it\u2019s likely easier to get someone to weld a steel trailer rather than an aluminum example. Steel trailers are more prone to rust and other corrosion.\u00a0 For a steel trailer, that usually translates into more overall maintenance in the big picture. Finally when the time comes to sell the trailer, an aluminum example will most likely bring a better dollar.\n\nWhen I was trailer shopping one decision I had to make was between a drop deck example (no ramps) or a fixed deck with ramps. I had ruled out a tilt deck for a couple of reasons: One is they tend to be heavy (and some can prove really heavy). Another is the overall deck height can prove quite a bit taller on tilt trailers. With a lighter tow vehicle, a higher center of gravity with a loaded trailer can sometimes prove a bit unnerving (been there, done that).\n\nSo what about the drop deck trailers? In my shopping, these trailers really looked appealing. There are some aluminum examples out there that don\u2019t weigh too much more than their conventional counterparts. However, the steel examples can get right up there in weight (and in my case, they\u2019re probably far too heavy for me to consider with my tow vehicle). Honestly I was headed in the direction of a drop deck aluminum trailer until I had a discussion with a good friend who is both a retired mechanical engineer and a pretty serious car guy.\u00a0 All he said was \u201cWhat could possibly go wrong?\u201d\u00a0 There are quite a few moving pieces in a drop deck trailer, and my pal\u2019s comment really made me pause. For my purposes, the simplicity of ramps coupled with relatively low trailer deck won out. By the way, if loading height is an issue with a conventional trailer (where you\u2019re loading a very low ride height car), some companies offer longer ramps.\u00a0 It\u2019s an easy fix for clearance issues.\u00a0 In the end, your decisions (conventional or drop deck) may differ!\n\nTrailer features are another consideration. Let\u2019s get back to ramps for a minute: I once had a trailer where the ramps were stored from the side. Truthfully, this is a royal pain. Having ramps that store close to the mount location at the back of the trailer is way less hassle and work.\u00a0 Plus, if the ramps are steel, moving them around can get old in a hurry.\n\nAnother biggie for me is the jack location. Some trailers actually mount the jack too far forward on the drawbar. With that setup, you can\u2019t open the truck tailgate when the trailer is attached. This is another royal pain if you need to load or retrieve something from the truck bed.\n\nRemovable trailer fenders are also a great idea, and in fact, are almost mandatory for trailer decks with low ride height. With a removable fender, you can open and close the car door(s) when it\u2019s loaded. This allows you to steer (if winching on) and you don\u2019t have to climb out of a window if you\u2019re driving it onto the trailer. It also allows you to close the side window once the car is loaded.\u00a0 FYI, there are all sorts of different methods used to attach removable fenders. See the photos for a better look.\n\nDeck D Rings are important too. Sure, you can cinch down a car by way of the trailer sides (sometimes a side rail), but a good D ring setup is much easier. Many of these D rings are flush mount and the good ones rotate. That makes the tie down process go much smoother.\u00a0Hitch couplers are also a source of frustration. There are several different configurations out there. But all are designed to accomplish the same thing: Clamp the hitch around the trailer ball. Some use a form of hand wheel to tighten a clamp around the tailer ball. Others use a lever to do the same job. Yet others (Bulldog collar hitch couplers and their copycats) incorporate an internal ball and socket joint. In use, hook up is done by simply pulling the round collar (at the rear) back a bit. Then you lower the big cast coupler over the hitch ball and release the rear collar. It closes and the internal joint clamps around the hitch ball. Insert the safety pin and you\u2019re done.\u00a0 It\u2019s a very beefy setup but also a very user friendly system. Bottom line here is, once you use a collar hitch coupler such as this you won\u2019t want to mess with levers and wheels again.\n\nLighting is another constant source of issues on trailers. Most trailers today make use of LED lights (and that\u2019s good thing). Not only are they brighter, they require far less maintenance. Here, you have ensure that the wiring harness is well protected. Flush mount lights or low profile lights are also desirable. The reason is, it is not uncommon to hit a plastic light with something while loading or when the trailer is parked. Flush mounts offer more protection. Another piece that often gets damaged on a trailer is the license plate bracket. Most jurisdictions mandate some form of plate lamp and if the trailer is equipped with removable fenders, then mounting becomes an issue. On my Sundowner, the plate mounts to the trap door for the driver side loading ramp under the deck. It\u2019s out of the way, and there\u2019s little chance to damage the license lamp (which is offset to the left of the trap door).\n\nOther considerations for an open trailer include gravel guards (at the front of the trailer), spare tires, safety chain styles and hookups along with brake types, brake safety switch\/cables and even the electrical hook up cable. All of these things are\u00a0 important and there are different takes on all of them from various manufactures. Some have better ideas than others. And really in the end when shopping for a trailer, you get what you pay for.\n\nThat\u2019s a wrap for this segment. Next time around, we\u2019ll discuss hitches and tie downs. You might be surprised at some of the neat technology that\u2019s out there.\u00a0 They make trailering much easier,\u00a0 Watch for it.\n\n<a class=\"click__begin\">Click Here to Begin Slideshow<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/9-45\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/9-150x150.webp\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp; Tips: Part Two\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-97169\" data-attachment-id=\"97169\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/9-45\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/9-scaled.webp\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp;#038; Tips: Part Two\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Shopping the market for a trailer can sometimes become confusing. Each trailer buyer should evaluate your specific needs.  For me, I needed a relatively lightweight, simple, high quality open trailer. This Sundowner fit my bill perfectly. Plus buying an open car trailer at the end of the season certainly didn\u2019t hurt from a deal perspective.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/9-300x225.webp\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/9-1024x768.webp\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-97169'>\n\t\t\t\tShopping the market for a trailer can sometimes become confusing. Each trailer buyer should evaluate your specific needs.  For me, I needed a relatively lightweight, simple, high quality open trailer. This Sundowner fit my bill perfectly. Plus buying an open car trailer at the end of the season certainly didn\u2019t hurt from a deal perspective.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/10-45\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/10-150x150.webp\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp; Tips: Part Two\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-97170\" data-attachment-id=\"97170\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/10-45\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/10-scaled.webp\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp;#038; Tips: Part Two\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;One option that really appealed to me was a deflector of some sort. The idea here is to keep bugs, rocks and other debris off the load. Usually, deflectors aren\u2019t super expensive when purchased with the trailer.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/10-300x225.webp\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/10-1024x768.webp\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-97170'>\n\t\t\t\tOne option that really appealed to me was a deflector of some sort. The idea here is to keep bugs, rocks and other debris off the load. Usually, deflectors aren\u2019t super expensive when purchased with the trailer.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/11-37\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/11-150x150.webp\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp; Tips: Part Two\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-97175\" data-attachment-id=\"97175\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/11-37\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/11-scaled.webp\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp;#038; Tips: Part Two\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A big deal for me is the jack location. If it\u2019s too far forward, then it\u2019s impossible to open the truck tailgate. It\u2019s a very good idea to research (and check) this when pulling the trigger on a trailer. &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/11-300x225.webp\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/11-1024x768.webp\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-97175'>\n\t\t\t\tA big deal for me is the jack location. If it\u2019s too far forward, then it\u2019s impossible to open the truck tailgate. It\u2019s a very good idea to research (and check) this when pulling the trigger on a trailer. \n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/12-25\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/12-150x150.webp\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp; Tips: Part Two\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-97171\" data-attachment-id=\"97171\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/12-25\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/12-scaled.webp\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp;#038; Tips: Part Two\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Removable fenders are a big bonus on open trailers. With low decks (such as this Sundowner), having fenders that easily removed make loading easier. The reason is, you can open the car door and exit once it\u2019s loaded. &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/12-300x225.webp\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/12-1024x768.webp\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-97171'>\n\t\t\t\tRemovable fenders are a big bonus on open trailers. With low decks (such as this Sundowner), having fenders that easily removed make loading easier. The reason is, you can open the car door and exit once it\u2019s loaded. \n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/13-21\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/13-150x150.webp\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp; Tips: Part Two\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-97172\" data-attachment-id=\"97172\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/13-21\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/13-scaled.webp\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp;#038; Tips: Part Two\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Ramps that are easy to access is important. While aluminum ramps like this aren\u2019t all that heavy, steel examples are. This ramp stows under the deck and is accessed by a very simple trap door at the rear of the trailer. It attaches to the channel at the back of the deck. &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/13-300x225.webp\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/13-1024x768.webp\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-97172'>\n\t\t\t\tRamps that are easy to access is important. While aluminum ramps like this aren\u2019t all that heavy, steel examples are. This ramp stows under the deck and is accessed by a very simple trap door at the rear of the trailer. It attaches to the channel at the back of the deck. \n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/14-22\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/14-150x150.webp\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp; Tips: Part Two\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-97173\" data-attachment-id=\"97173\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/14-22\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/14-scaled.webp\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp;#038; Tips: Part Two\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;In ancient times, we simple hooked the tie downs to whatever location was available on the trailer (usually on a rub rail). But today, swivel \u201cD\u201d rings like this, situated strategically on the trailer deck make tying down a car (or Tractor!) easy.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/14-300x225.webp\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/14-1024x768.webp\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-97173'>\n\t\t\t\tIn ancient times, we simple hooked the tie downs to whatever location was available on the trailer (usually on a rub rail). But today, swivel \u201cD\u201d rings like this, situated strategically on the trailer deck make tying down a car (or Tractor!) easy.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/15-22\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/15-150x150.webp\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp; Tips: Part Two\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-97174\" data-attachment-id=\"97174\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/15-22\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/15-scaled.webp\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp;#038; Tips: Part Two\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;:  LED lights solve a lot of issues on trailers (no secret I\u2019m sure). Not only are they more durable than bulbs, they\u2019re also much brighter. This thing lights up like a Christmas tree at night with these lamps along with eight side markers (one is visible alongside the deck just over the running board). &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/15-300x225.webp\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/15-1024x768.webp\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-97174'>\n\t\t\t\t:  LED lights solve a lot of issues on trailers (no secret I\u2019m sure). Not only are they more durable than bulbs, they\u2019re also much brighter. This thing lights up like a Christmas tree at night with these lamps along with eight side markers (one is visible alongside the deck just over the running board). \n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/16-17\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/16-150x150.webp\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp; Tips: Part Two\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-97164\" data-attachment-id=\"97164\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/16-17\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/16-scaled.webp\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp;#038; Tips: Part Two\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt; A spare for the trailer is a luxury you should invest in. Murphy\u2019s Law states that the only time you\u2019ll need a spare is when you don\u2019t have one. The spare on my Sundowner mounts to the backside of the deflector.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/16-300x225.webp\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/16-1024x768.webp\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-97164'>\n\t\t\t\t A spare for the trailer is a luxury you should invest in. Murphy\u2019s Law states that the only time you\u2019ll need a spare is when you don\u2019t have one. The spare on my Sundowner mounts to the backside of the deflector.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/17-13\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/17-150x150.webp\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp; Tips: Part Two\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-97165\" data-attachment-id=\"97165\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/17-13\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/17-scaled.webp\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp;#038; Tips: Part Two\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Cast iron Bulldog-style couplers are a huge improvement over or the wheel or latch couplers of the past. I find them easy to hook up, they\u2019re secure and they\u2019re easy to remove. No more hammering on a coupler in an effort to convince it to release.  By the way, a greased hitch ball doesn\u2019t hurt.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/17-300x225.webp\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/17-1024x768.webp\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-97165'>\n\t\t\t\tCast iron Bulldog-style couplers are a huge improvement over or the wheel or latch couplers of the past. I find them easy to hook up, they\u2019re secure and they\u2019re easy to remove. No more hammering on a coupler in an effort to convince it to release.  By the way, a greased hitch ball doesn\u2019t hurt.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/18-16\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/18-150x150.webp\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp; Tips: Part Two\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-97166\" data-attachment-id=\"97166\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/we-haul-trailering-info-tips-part-two\/18-16\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/18-scaled.webp\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WE HAUL! Trailering Info &amp;#038; Tips: Part Two\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A pet peeve of mine are trailer chain hook ups. I once had a steel trailer where the safety chains were physically welded to the trailer.  It was ugly and if for some reason you needed to replace a chain (for example you accidently dragged it a few hundred miles), it was a royal pain. Bolt on examples like this are far superior.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/18-300x225.webp\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/18-1024x768.webp\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-97166'>\n\t\t\t\tA pet peeve of mine are trailer chain hook ups. I once had a steel trailer where the safety chains were physically welded to the trailer.  It was ugly and if for some reason you needed to replace a chain (for example you accidently dragged it a few hundred miles), it was a royal pain. Bolt on examples like this are far superior.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>When we left you last issue, our focus was on the tow vehicle. This time, we\u2019ll zoom in on trailers. The marketplace here is huge.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":97038,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5011,17,11,3470,4879],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-97163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chassis-suspension","category-guest-column","category-how-tos","category-news","category-slideshow"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/1-scaled-e1722559707358.webp","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p42YSK-ph9","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=97163"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97176,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97163\/revisions\/97176"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/97038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=97163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=97163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}