CatBird Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 We have some very wide cars that are very close to clear the inner fender wells of our trailer. One inch on each side is too close. Thinking about getting a deckover equipment trailer where the wheels are below the deck. Slideout ramps. Can fin aluminum trailers for about $7600 with 5200# Axles. Or for about 7K axles at about $8700. The additional idea about how to have an enclosed deckover trailer? There do not seem to be one. But it could be a simple idea to mount a 24 foot box truck box on one and have an enclosed deckover trailer for about $10,000. I know there are very high end trailers with elevators, etc, but trying to stay under $10,000 - $15,000 and stay under 12 foot overall height. I have been asking trailer dealers as to why they can't build an enclosed deckover trailer with an enclosure? They know how to build a deckover flatbed and they can make an enclosed trailer. Georgia is the trailer manufacturer of the world! They can't seem to think outside the box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Street Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 I would guess that the trailer manufacturers are at their max width with enclosed trailers and I have forgotten the legal inch width. Folks I know that have a door opening problem or width issues with enclosed trailers and high wheel wells build a "ramp" system out of 2X8 or 2X10 so the vehicle doors or whatever clear the wheel boxes. Just suggesting? Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Bill, I’ll give you a ring, it’s been busy with the new building. You don’t want a deck over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Also, the center of gravity starts to get too high off the ground for a tow behind. I built a car trailer in the early 1970's that was too high, horrible to tow, had to rework it to get it low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bollman Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Not sure if it was custom made or bought but about 10 years ago I saw a trailer at a truck show that was a deck-over with a convertible top assembly that slid back from the front. They could load the large truck, get out without interference from walls, tie everything down then start sliding the top/side assembly into place. I should have looked more carefully and taken pictures (I'll have to look I may have taken an overall picture). Was a nice setup and eliminated the clearance problems that a hard side trailer would have had. The owner of the rig had hauled it from Canada to Macungie PA so it must have been a stable system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Roth Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 I had my Forest River enclosed 24ft trailer built with a "RAISED FLOOR" so the interior wheel boxes are only 5 inches high over the 235/85R-16 LRE tires on 6,000 lb axles. Even my lowest cars doors, and early car running boards can easily clear this height. The trailers are 102" width, so typically 100" interior. With a 8" wheel box (Many are narrower - but my tires are large) there is still 84" clearance between the boxes so no need for 2" or 4" boards to raise cars above the wheel box PM, or ask any additional questions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatBird Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 22 hours ago, edinmass said: Bill, I’ll give you a ring, it’s been busy with the new building. You don’t want a deck over. Thanks, Ed. Please leave a message if you miss me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trulyvintage Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 (edited) Straight axles instead of drop axles on your enclosed trailer mounted on 4 inch channel below the trailer frame will leave you with no fender wells. Your trailer will sit higher - better ground clearance. Higher deck means sharper angle - Race Ramps can take care of that. Jim Edited November 18, 2017 by Trulyvintage (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatBird Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 Not sure how this would be able to do using straight axles. Might change the geometry of the mechanism of the tilt trailer. Thinking it might be better to add some 20 foot 2x12s; shorter 2x12s, add them in stair step coming up about 1 3/4" maybe one foot apart, even cutting the ends at an angle. Most of my classics would clear. I am concerned to raise the center of gravity too much. My trailer weighs in at about 4,000 pounds. My diesel dually will easily pull about anything. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trulyvintage Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 (edited) I tow an enclosed trailer every day. Trailer manufacturers build what they can get the public to buy that is easy for them to put through an assembly line. Straight axles on the trailer raise the height roughly 4 inches over a standard 4 inch drop axle - if you just substitute this you can reduce the height of the wheel well inside the enclosed trailer by the same amount. The addition of the 4 inch angle iron will leave you with a flush floor and no fender wells. Trailer manufacturers do not want to do this because it changes the assembly line procedure so you will meet resistance. As I mentioned before, you have a higher deck which means a sharper angle for loading. But you also have more ground clearance & less chance of bottoming out on the back of the trailer. To each his own .... Jim Edited November 18, 2017 by Trulyvintage (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatBird Posted November 19, 2017 Author Share Posted November 19, 2017 (edited) Trulyvintage, I will have a closer look at your idea. Edited November 19, 2017 by Bill Caddyshack (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plyroadking Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 I wanted to go deck over but thought the approach incline might be a little too much for lower cars. I ended up ordering drive-over fenders and the extra wide deck option. The '56 was about an inch away from scrapping the exhaust tips. I don't think wide low cars would do well driving over the fenders though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimus Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 Quote I first built this trailer in the 70's with my dad I was is school I had drop axles from a home made horse trailer it had fenders and fitting cars or pickups could be work not all of them had tires and wheels even then once on the trailer the fender blocked the door from opening that the worst part of the fenders . later in the 90's I rebuilt the trailer with 7000lb 8 lug axles so I could use the spare tire from the pickup added the ramp at the back and made it 8 feet wide . it is a lot more useful then with the fenders . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimus Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 Quote picture of the back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatBird Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 This still the deckover design seems like a good idea. My 1950s cars are just about a 1/2" clearance of the bodywork on an 83 inch trailer inside fender opening. I am quite worried that a side-to-side movement while driving could damage the car. The question asks that the slightly higher Center of Gravity (COG) of a deckover trailer would affect it the possibility overturning a loaded deckover would be a greater danger than between the fenders type trailer. Many commercial car carriers use deckover trailers and roll-off wreckers. I suggest you should always know and stay within your driving limits. I suspect the between the between-the-fender trailers are for easier loading and pulled by lighter vehicles pulling lighter cars and built for non-commercial purposes. But the deckover type tilt trailers being pulled by 3500 diesel dually trucks should be fine. A bumper pull https://www.ebay.com/i/173110381944?chn=ps Or a gooseneck might be better. These seem most popular with large classic guys. An enclosed trailer body over the deckover should be good enough. Could be aluminum or canvas sides. The question with a deckover tilt trailer is one of the angles of the car being able to get on a tilt/deckover dragging the rear bumper of the car. Extension ramps should work well enough. These ramps could store underneath the deck. Though I have been advised against deckover trailers. but it seems the engineering is sound. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trulyvintage Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 Again, i transport cars every day. I took this picture today. You don’t to pay for a deck over trailer, straight axles attached to 4 inch channel mounted below the trailer frame will give you no fender wells - additional height will limit bottoming out the rear - you can purchase Race Ramps to help decrease ramp angle - I opt for rear barn doors with aluminum ramps. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sligermachine Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 On 11/16/2017 at 5:57 PM, Jim Bollman said: Not sure if it was custom made or bought but about 10 years ago I saw a trailer at a truck show that was a deck-over with a convertible top assembly that slid back from the front. They could load the large truck, get out without interference from walls, tie everything down then start sliding the top/side assembly into place. I should have looked more carefully and taken pictures (I'll have to look I may have taken an overall picture). Was a nice setup and eliminated the clearance problems that a hard side trailer would have had. The owner of the rig had hauled it from Canada to Macungie PA so it must have been a stable system -- CONVERTIBLE TRAILER THIS is what I was thinking to build MY SELF 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatBird Posted March 19, 2018 Author Share Posted March 19, 2018 (edited) 5 hours ago, sligermachine said: -- CONVERTIBLE TRAILER THIS is what I was thinking to build MY SELF If you find something like this. Please post it! Here is an idea, but seems a bit lightweight. I am more interested in a solid aluminum box on top of a deckover trailer.https://www.facebook.com/softsidehauler/ Edited March 19, 2018 by CatBird (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sligermachine Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 this is the only kind of trailer I seen when I lived in Germany soft sided 18 wheeler. and all aluminum TIG welded subframe. soft sided 12 foot long 20 foot long 9 foot tall and the frames would roll foreword wile unloading the big loads tarp sides . but gas was $ 7.50 a gallon too . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Walling Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 (edited) I biult a trailer from a 24' truck box using torsion axles. The axles go thru the frame to keep the box low. The wheels go inside up to about 6", lower than most rocker panels. I installed a trailer truck jacking leg to raise the front of the trailer quite high in order to make loading easier. Under the back I install curved skid plates, good for driveways and backing up. The only mistake that I made is that I should have used an alum. box instead of the heavy FRP one. Edited June 8, 2018 by Roger Walling (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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