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Inline vs Wide

ndmtnsledder

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Our local agronomy place bought a stealth for going to shows, setting up equipment, and doing plot tours ect. Looked like a really nice trailer and I was teasing the agronomist I'd like to take it out west he said he didn't think it would make it. One of the first trips it was raining and they had a small portable air compressor in it over the axle area. They didn't coat the underside of the trailer or put any metal over the tire area and the floor was thin enough that when it got wet the air compressor went right through the floor. Sounded like the factory was trying to work with them but still doesn't sound like a well built trailer.
 

PROJack66

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Feb 9, 2012
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Stealth

I owned a 2012 7x24 predator model and have never had one issue. Over 2 years we put nearly 15,000 miles on it without expense other than new tires. I have now sold it to a buddy and custom ordered a Mission Gooseneck. I have no issues against stealth. Lower price trailer meaning probably a little lower quality but I had no issues.
 
Z
Oct 22, 2013
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For those saying the 7.5's pull easier than the 8.5's is it the height or the width that makes it pull harder?

How do the lowboy 8.5's pull?

I have 2 sleds (137" ) and a snowcoach. Trying to figure best way to go.
I don't mind low ceiling or jamming the sleds in.
Eventually may need to fit a 3rd sled, drop the coach (or out it in e truck)

I'm on the prairies, lots of wind.
Have a 1/2 ton 5.7L chev.
 

NDFARMER95

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Right I'm still on the fence. I really wanna know how the 8.5 low pull. That way I can use it for a Polaris ranger and wheelers. Anybody?
 

eyefish123

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Apr 6, 2010
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I purchased an Aluma inline last fall and used it all winter last year. I really love the trailer. I like the narrow width because it is so much easier to see around when looking in the mirrors. This is great for when I am towing and also when I am backing it into the shop at the end of the day. Nice to know what is behind me. I have had no problems with the trailer. I know that there are others that will disagree with me but that's what makes the world go round. Just MHO. Good luck!!!
 

meathooker

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Right I'm still on the fence. I really wanna know how the 8.5 low pull. That way I can use it for a Polaris ranger and wheelers. Anybody?

8.5 is the way to go. we use ours for rzr's and car hauling. love the extra width. they pull great as well.

i dont think anyone has ever got an 8.5 and said " wish i would have gotten a narrow trailer"
 

meathooker

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When there is 800 miles of wind laden, 2nd rate roads between home & good riding I would much rather have the 7' wide.

it wouldn't make a difference on the cross winds, correct? only the head/tail winds?

i should have prefaced my input with the fact that we pull 100 miles each way max for snowmobiling. ive pulled my car 400 miles each way but 7' isnt a feasible option for a tri-sport trailer imo
 
B

Bacon

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8.5 deck overs do suck in the wind. Wide and low trailers are good in the wind. Just have to deal with the fender wells. The best is a gooseneck 8.5 and I have had a 7 wide. If all you have is a half ton, do the narrow trailer. Otherwise I like the 8.5 wide car trailer style.
 

NDFARMER95

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Deck over is out of the picture. The 8.5 would be the car hauler style. Was also lookin at a Mission gooseneck. Look pretty sweet. Anybody use one of these? I pull with a 6.6 duramax.
 

PROJack66

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Feb 9, 2012
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Mission trailers

I just ordered a custom mission gooseneck from Kevin at advantage rvs in watertown sd. I put a layout pic and info under Christopher's help me build the perfect trailer. Will be here in december
 
T

trackvs2wheels

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Nov 26, 2007
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NDFarmer95~

I started my enclosed trailer life with a 7x29 inline made by American Hauler:



Once I got sick of jockying sleds around to get the one out that I wanted (usually it was the one in the middle of the trailer of course) I went with a 8.5x30 made by Double R Trailers out of Nampa, ID:


I can tell you that I LOVE the wider trailer. Note that mine is NOT a deck over, but rather sits a little lower and has small wheel wells inside the trailer. These have not caused me any issues whatsoever in using the trailer as a sled hauler.

I honestly feel that this trailer (it's steel and weighs in at 5k lbs empty) pulls better than that inline did in high cross winds. It is so sturdy that it just cuts through the wind rather than be blowen around by it.

That's my take. If I had the money I'd custom build a 8.5x30 low boy trailer made out of aluminum and it'd last forever:)

Oh, and I think you said you pull with a Duramax, as do I, and I can tell you that the truck is more than capable of pulling my 8k lb trailer (loaded with 5 sleds) as fast as I'm willing to go!!
 

meathooker

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Why do you say that?

the width doesnt affect the area on the side of the trailer; so it shouldnt change the effect wind has on it.

NDFarmer95~

I went with a 8.5x30 made by Double R Trailers out of Nampa, ID:


I can tell you that I LOVE the wider trailer. Note that mine is NOT a deck over, but rather sits a little lower and has small wheel wells inside the trailer. These have not caused me any issues whatsoever in using the trailer as a sled hauler.

I honestly feel that this trailer (it's steel and weighs in at 5k lbs empty) pulls better than that inline did in high cross winds. It is so sturdy that it just cuts through the wind rather than be blowen around by it.

That's my take. If I had the money I'd custom build a 8.5x30 low boy trailer made out of aluminum and it'd last forever:)

thats a GOOD looking trailer! i just sold my 28' TW and ordered a 30' charmac trisport. i have a month to make the final call of aluminum or steel; right now its steel. hard for me to justify the additional 5k for a 400lb savings. from what ive heard the new ice melt they use in Idaho corrodes aluminum as fast as steel so thats not a factor.

have you loaded 6 sleds in there? we BARELY got 6 pro's in my 28' so im hoping the extra couple feet make it easy.

why did you go with RR? they're in my town but never thought to look into them.
 

NDFARMER95

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NDFarmer95~

I started my enclosed trailer life with a 7x29 inline made by American Hauler:



Once I got sick of jockying sleds around to get the one out that I wanted (usually it was the one in the middle of the trailer of course) I went with a 8.5x30 made by Double R Trailers out of Nampa, ID:


I can tell you that I LOVE the wider trailer. Note that mine is NOT a deck over, but rather sits a little lower and has small wheel wells inside the trailer. These have not caused me any issues whatsoever in using the trailer as a sled hauler.

I honestly feel that this trailer (it's steel and weighs in at 5k lbs empty) pulls better than that inline did in high cross winds. It is so sturdy that it just cuts through the wind rather than be blowen around by it.

That's my take. If I had the money I'd custom build a 8.5x30 low boy trailer made out of aluminum and it'd last forever:)

Oh, and I think you said you pull with a Duramax, as do I, and I can tell you that the truck is more than capable of pulling my 8k lb trailer (loaded with 5 sleds) as fast as I'm willing to go!!
That's a good looking trailer and exactly the style I was shooting for. How many sleds you get in there? I was going aluminum no matter what as I plan to keep it for awhile. I am on the fence tandem vs. triple axle because of helping with sway and ice. Not sure if it makes a difference so hopefully somebody chimes in. I want a nice pulling trailer that doesn't leave me white knuckling for 10 hrs.
 

Mafesto

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the width doesnt affect the area on the side of the trailer; so it shouldnt change the effect wind has on it.

I have found that a full wide always pulls harder, regardless of wind direction.
Could be the fact that if you are running 70 mph it equates 70 mph wind on the truck/trailer combo?
 

Coldfinger

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I thought an inline had to be a longer trailer in order to haul the same number of sleds as a side-side.

I don't know if that's true or not. If you load sleds facing the rear and the last sled loaded has the track sitting in the V section, maybe the trailer doesn't have to be longer.

Some things to consider:
How many highway miles to destination - I think I'd choose narrow over wide for long distances. Long distance to me might be anything greater than 500 mile round trip.

How many guys typically go - if you most always have the same number of riders as sleds, then you're going to unload everything anyhow so narrow wouldn't matter. If you haul 4 sleds and only 2 riders go a lot of times, then wide might be better choice.

Do you typically drive into headwinds or crosswinds - if the narrow trailer has to be longer to accommodate the same number of sleds, then I'd think about crosswinds blowing it around more.

Ground clearance - I like the lower height of the narrow and some wide that have wheel wells. This could be of issue though if you're driving on roads that have big dips (off road, where driveways meet roads, etc) because the trailer may drag the rear and/or the front.

Also, less of a concern if at all - if you have to trailer down roads that haven't been plowed during/after a storm, then will the trailer's ground clearance be an issue.
 

Betterview

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I have owned three different enclosed trailers. The first an 8.5 x 26 with wheels under. Sold it because it would lean over in heavy cross wind. Next one was a car hauler three axle 8.5 x 35. Very stable on ice and in wind, and roomy for hauling canoes in summer, but the inner fenders were a nuisance for snowmobiles. Hail storm destroyed it so I now have a 7 x 35 3 axle inline. I put the sleds side by side just like in the 8.5 wide, just one must face forward and the other backward, which is no problem as long as the sleds have reverse. (Much trickier to haul canoes as cannot have someone skinny squeeze down the center after all canoes are loaded.) The inline slipstreams far better behind my E350 than the 8.5 wides, and the lack of fenders on the inside is really nice. Another nice thing is that duffle bags thrown on seats do not fall on the wet floor like they do in the wide trailers.

We have four enclosed trailers in our group and if you can afford it I strongly recommend a well built aluminum trailer over a steel one. Two of our trailers are over 15 years old and were bought in the same year. The aluminum one is still in very good condition while the steel one (with aluminum skin) has cancer and is nearly at it's end. Width, towing speed, and wind have a far greater affect on towing ease than height.

If you want to haul a Polaris Ranger or similar, you need at least a 6.5foot high interior.
 
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