4 Place enclosed, how much?

[Bradracer18]

I'm not real sure what we paid for it, I was thinking around 5 or 6 thousand. We haven't used it much at all, only about 4 years. And all we used it for in those 4 years, was a trip a year to little sahara, ok. They are good trailers, our's is in great shape still. We can hold 6 quads in ours, but it is stuffed. We're looking to sell it for an old moving trailer that we can pull behind the semi, a lot more room in there. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[Christopher]

Alaska Boy; I have spent several months researching enclosed trailers. If you are new to trailer shopping this may help.

Frame choices
Steel or Aluminum?

Benefits Steel
Costs less, $2000- 3000 less than Aluminum on 4 place trailers
May be able to hold more weight?

Disadvantages to steel
Weighs considerable more (4 place steal you may be safer with a 3/4 or 1 ton truck)
Will rust fast if exposed to winter/salt ( A big negative) in states that get snow

Benefits to Aluminum
Won't rust
Lightweight, easier to tow
Prefered choice in states with snow
Most ALuminum trailer have no steel parts, they use aluminum hinges or stainlees steel

Disadvantages to Aluminum
Cost More $$$



Next choice
V-NOse (Drive in drive out)
Non V-Nose


V-noses cost a bit more but have many benefits
You can drive in one and out the other if you would like
Tow much easier, less wind drag because of the V
The V part can be used for all your storage and shelving for your gear


Next (how wide)
8 1/2 or 7 ft

7ft are easier to see around when towing but loose the ability to put quads side by side in a trailer, thus you need a biger traler and a higher cost

8 1/2 you can put quads side by side but will be hard to see around when towing unless you get extended mirrors.


Options
It is like buying a car. Some manufactures standard features are options on others.


Thus it pays to shop around and vist many web sites (Haulmark, Renegade,Triton,Continental) a few

There is a manufacturer in NY that I ordered a aluminum 8 1-2 by 16 ft long enclosed (Snowmwobile trailer ) a few weeks ago. Check out www.blizzardmanufacturing.com I think that is it, if not try a search under blizzard trailers in NY.

Features
Fold down Drive on ramp from back
Drive off ramp on one side of the V
Comes with 1 man door on side and one fuel door on the other side

V is 5 ft long and am putting all my shelves on the non door wall.

2, 3000lb axles, one axle with electric brakes

I opted for a man door on both sides insteadd of a fuel door, an extra light and a extra light switch so no matter what side door I go into I can turn on all 3 lights.

Trailer has all luan walls a ceiling vent.

Trailer has a GVWR of 6000lbs

Pd $6500 + tax

Now price of aluminum has gone up $.30 per pound since Oct 2003 but I got a good buy since most a couple of places I talked to wanted at least $1200 more with less options.

Chris

[AlaskaBoy]

Thanks Chris, this is very helpful. My wife reads these as well and she liked the fact you pointed out about the steel weighing so much more. I have a Expedition with the 4.6 litre and a Chevy 1/2 ton with a 5.0 litre and neither of these are brute pullers by far. On the road salt issue, Alaska uses very little if any salt because it lures moose to the road sides and they have enough of those already(this winter there has been a moose/car crash every day so far) so I am not worried about steel rusting out but the weight is a big negative so I will look for alunimum even though it will cost more, I see it as money well spent if my trucks last longer. When you say gas door, what is that? Is that a seperate holding area for gas cans or is this a gas tank style? Thanks again. AlaskaBoy.

[Christopher]

Alaskaboy;

A gas door is common on enclosed 3 or 4 place trailers. Typically enclosed trailers have one man door on the side so you can enter the trailed and at least one gas/fuel door on the other side of the trailer. A gas door is about a foot by a foot that is located on one or both sides of the trailers and is used to stick the gas hose through the trailer to put gas into your Atv or snowmobile.

Steel will weigh aproximately 700 to 1000 lbs more than a ALuminum framed. The bigger the trailer the more the difference in weight. The 16 ft I order is about 1700 lbs so I would have to guess steel would be mid 2000 but it probably depends on the manufacturer. What is nice is that you can special order a trialer to meet your needs. For example my manufacturer took off the fuel door -$50 off the invoice added a man door 6ft high by 30 inches wide for $175.00 and gave me a free light and switch.

Oh I forgot one thing that I thought was important. Make sure you get one that you can walk into without bending over. The manufacturer I order from has internal ceiling of 5 ft 6 and 6f t6 so I order the 6,6.

Chris

[Dragginbutt]

I agree with Dbeck, the ATC company builds a very neat and affordable trailer for the money. They have two models of snowmobile haulers... One is 84 inches between tires/98" overall... and the other one that tucks the tires underneath is 98 inches wide from front to back. Check out the options page too, as you can add addition height if you want it. Also, they have fold up beds etc if you feel the need/want to sleep in it...

For teh money, you can really get a nice deal.... I can't afford a house payment that the big toy haulers want, but when you consider that you can get a 40G hauler/camper for 15 years for just a little over 300 a month, plus you can deduct the interest because it is a "Second Home", it might be worth it... only problem is I'd have to get me a new truck with a rating of 13000 or more to pull it. It would be sweet though.

[Dragginbutt]

Keep in mind the width between the fenders is probably only about 83 to 86 inches, so a side by side load may be hard to handle when you get going with the kids etc... two big 4x4 machines with bigger than stock mud tires like the ones you have on the Kodiak may be a trailer full. It would be OK I guess if you were putting a big next to a little machine. I especially like the idea of using the fold down beds inside your trailer... if you have bears to deal with, you can use the extra layer of metal between you. Not that the walls would offer them that much trouble if they wanted inside any way... but it would help me sleep a little better any way.

Also, I know you looked at the ATV/snowmobile haulers from ATC and commented on the height. You can option the height another foot taller, so it would come to 6 ft. Also, they have two models, one with fenders that sits lower, and has 6 ft already built in. They can also insulate teh whole thing, put plywood all over it, AND they can carpet the entire walls. That makes it a little more snug in the cold.

One last thing, the model you are looking at has the wheels underneath the entire box, with no fenders taking room from you. One of the plusses may be the higher ground clearance that I am sure you can put to good use up north.

Oh and one more thing, remember if you get one of those toy haulers with sink, stove, batherooms, you can deduct the interest as a second home..... just a thought....

Looks by the pictures, you are living the life that most of us lower 48'rs can only dream about.

Be safe.

Dragginbutt

[AlaskaBoy]

Thanks dragginbutt. Looks like I will have to wait till next spring now. I was hoping to get it this year but as you might know things come up. I was able to get my little boy his quad and it will still work on tthe trailer I have but we still want to get the enclosed. I try to pay with cash when I can and this is one purchase that I will be be made this way so I have to wait another year. I will keep my eye out for a used model but they do not come up often I hear and when they do they want what they paid for them, guess they never heard of depreciation.

Thanks for all the advice but I am going to wait till I have some more money saved up and it looks like it will be another year, house projects added up to be more then I thought. AlaskaBoy.

[atvguyinmaine]

Alaska boy....all the info u have is Great...I'd like to point out 2 things.....if u can fine a used car hauler,that will work great....Its a little heavy but very strong and u wont overload it..and u can add to it...shelves....beds etc..what ever u get it should have brakes on both axles....1 is ok..but both is better,as far as ''toy haulers'' go...a TON of money as NOT a lota room for atv's in the back..bikes,or something small..will fit fine....and remember that going a lil bigger than u may think is ok..a lot better to have a lil extra space than be a whisker short for that extra machine or some more stuff..I was in Ankorage last Nov. for 2 weeks....a GREAT place..I was south of town about a mile from the BIG DOME that was being painted.Del a car up there and stayed 2 weeks....flew back to Maine.....Later

[Michyzf350]

I have a 4 place snowmobile trailer that i bought new in oct. 2003 and spent 6,200 out the door. that includes the $250 plate you have to get in michigan.Its a Hallmark V nose drive on drive off.It's about 25" long and can fit 6 or 7 quads....

[AlaskaBoy]

Michyzf350,

Thanks for the info. That trailer you have runs around 12 grand up here, I was dissapointed in finding these prices that are charged up here for them. My neighbor found a carhualer that a guy brought up over the ALCAN highway with his belongings. Carl the neighbor paid him 8800 for it and the guy told him that he could not believe he was able to make a profit on just a enclosed trailer and it was used when he bought it.

It might just pay off to make a little trip to Arizona and buy a used one, heck even a new one I would save a ton of money and bring it up. AlaskaBoy.