Page 31 - Issue 39
P. 31

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                 The trailer may be the most borrowed piece     They work slick as long as you can get your
              of equipment a rodder owns.  If you have one      vehicle up the short ramps.  Even though I have
              yourself, you know exactly what I am talking      seen it a thousand times, I would never trust
              about. Having a trailer is like sitting on the worst   this to tow a project with rotted tires that just
              kept secret on the planet.  This can be great     happen to hold air.  Maybe something a little
              when you have a tight circle of rodders who are   bigger is what you need.
              happy to pay back what they owe, but it can          Next, we have the traditional car trailer,
              lead to you having your trailer out on almost     maybe a 7000 pound gross unit with room
              a permanent loan, bouncing from driveway to       for 16-18 feet of car on the bed.  This will move
              driveway.  How are you going to fi nd it when you   almost anything you need, just be careful of
              need to use it?                                   anything too big or too heavy where you can
                 If you own a yard full of projects hauled with   jump past the GVW very quickly.  Buy some new
              the help of others, you also get what I am saying.    heavy duty ratchet straps, bolt on a winch, and
              Borrowing one in a pinch is one thing, like when   you are ready for almost any automotive failure.
              your water pump grinds its own innards forty         Then, we have the overkill trailer, the “let’s
              miles from your shop, but borrowing one all the   see if I can break it” trailer, the implement
              time is pushing it with your friends if you ask me.    trailer.  This will be over 20 feet long with
              Maybe you need to consider buying one instead     double the capacity of your traditional
              of borrowing again?                               car trailer and held up by two axles both
                                                                       sporting 8-lug wheels.  This is the
                                                                       kind of unit you really don’t want to
               They c                                                  see leaving your driveway without
               They come in many ome in many
                                                                       direct supervision.  Friends, or more
              shapes and sizes where
              shapes and sizes where                                   direct supervision.  Friends, or more
                                                                       r r
                                                                       realistically friends of friends, will try ealistically friends of friends, will try ealistically friends of friends, will try
                                                                       realistically friends of friends, will try
                                                                       to see how much scrap they can really
              each will fi t your needs                                 to see how much scrap they can really
              each will fi t your needs
                                                                       fi t on it before the tires start to squat.
                                                                       fi t on it before the tires start to squat.
              better than others.                                      It takes more than the average truck
              better than others.
                                                                       to pull since the empty weight on one
                                                                       of these can be more than what most
                                                                       cars weigh.
                 Trailers can be some of the most abused railers can be some of the most abused   Finally, perhaps the rarest of the rarest friend
                 Trailers can be some of the most abused
                 T
                                                                will have a fl atbed truck ready to lend.  If you
              pieces of equipment, so tread lightly if you
              pieces of equipment, so tread lightly if you      will have a fl atbed truck ready to lend.  If you
              are looking at something used, yet, deals can
              are looking at something used, yet, deals can     don’t have one good axle able to roll, the dolly
              be found if you take your time to shop.  They     is out.  If you don’t have a full-size truck to pull
              come in many shapes and sizes where each          a full-size trailer, then those are out, too.  The
              will fi t your needs better than others.  There    fl atbed car hauler can do it all with ease: retrieve
              really isn’t a perfect fi t for every job, so here   your broken down ride as well as haul home
              are some ideas for what to look for when          your next project.  The problem of course is how
              needing to borrow or buy.                         horribly impractical they are for the average user.
                 First, we have the two-wheel dolly.  This little   Do you really need another vehicle to maintain,
              half-trailer will get you out of 99% of the jams   pay for tabs/insurance each year, and store when
              you are in--all you need is the truck to pull it.    not in use?  I would love to have one, but I need
              These units can be pretty light depending on      the space to park it.  Can someone tell my wife a
              how much aluminum is used in the construction.    new pole shed is a need and not a want?

                                                                                     RATRODMAGAZINE.COM  RAT ROD MAGAZINE     31



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