Looking to rent a trailer

[EZ$]

Well, after a year at the painter my car will be ready in a couple of weeks. Next week it will be painted, the following week I need to take the go-kart there to have the body, etc., installed, and the following week it will be ready to pick up. Unfortunately, my niece's husband's trailer, that i used to drop off the car and pick up the go-kart last year, he has torn down to change the wiring in the trailer and it will not be available to use. The only car trailers that I am aware of for rent are the U-Haul open trailers. This will work for transporting the go-kart back up to the painter, but I'm not sure I'd be comfortable bringing the freshly painted car home on one. I figured I'd check in here to see if anyone had a closed trailer that they would be willing to rent for a day during the week of the 22nd for about a 300 mile round trip. Otherwise, if anyone has any ideas about where a trailer could be rented, please let me know. Thanks

[Blitzboy54]

I drove mine 200 miles from New Haven CT to Albany NY on a rented Uhaul carrier. It was fine.

Having said that if you google “enclosed trailer rental” I was able to find some available. I didn’t end up going that route but they were available

[EZ$]

Thanks for responding. Did you do anything to protect the nose when it was painted? No worries about rocks etc.? I know it's going to get hit with rocks and stuff, but if it's going to happen I wanted it to happen when I was driving it!

[BEAR-AvHistory]

If you intend to drive the car on public roads there should be no issues with a uhaul. Actually the car will be better protected on the trailer than on the road.

Car home from the painter.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=170678&d=1659855724

[rich grsc]

!00% agree Kevin. You're going to drive it on the road, but won't trailer it??? Makes no sense, as Keven says, more protected with less chance of damage up on a trailer

[Blitzboy54]

Thanks for responding. Did you do anything to protect the nose when it was painted? No worries about rocks etc.? I know it's going to get hit with rocks and stuff, but if it's going to happen I wanted it to happen when I was driving it!

I had the same concerns as you but no, it turned out it didn't need anything. The truck pulling it sort of blocks any potential hazards. Obviously weather is factor, you wouldn't want to bring it home in the rain if you could avoid it. I was told not to use a car cover or protection of any kind because the clear isn't really cured yet. The wind buffeting will leave swirls. I found that to be true, early on just wiping the car down would leave swirls. That doesn't happen anymore but I had too buff them out later.


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166831&d=1652669552

[Dave 53]

Come to Coffee and Cars Friday. Many guys there have tailers. Scott (with the GTM that you meet when we had breakfast before you took it to paint) has a trailer. I'm sure you could bum one off someone there.

[EZ$]

Kevin, Nice car by the way. Good to hear that the car will not be pelted by debris kicked up from the tow vehicle. I know the car is going to have to deal with road debris. I just was hoping I could get it home from paint before I have to experience that issue.

Rich, not the point. I've had open equipment trailer that have peppered the front of the trailer over time with debris. Just don't want that happening before I even get to drive it with the new paint.

Blitz, also a very nice car. I'm doing a very similar color without the stripes. I really like that you "murdered out" the trim, and with the black wheels, etc., it's going to look awesome. Glad to hear that you didn't have any issues either. Makes me less nervous.

Dave, how the heck are you doing? I've been kind of anti-social since I dropped the car off for paint. It's taken so long it's been depressing. I need to get down for the Cars & Coffee get together again. I should have been going all along just driving my DD. I'm going to probably go with the U-Haul to take the go-kart back up to the painter, but I might drop by next week and check around with the other guys. Kind of depends how the experience next week turns out.

[egchewy79]

a year at the painters? you're not at Whitby's are you?

[EZ$]

No, unfortunately this is a more widespread situation in the industry. If you got your car painted quicker, consider yourself lucky!

[KDubU]

I used the same Uhaul that Blitzboy54 used and from the same painter, Ron at MM. I drove up the 95 to get home and got one nice chip from a rock or something right on the top of the nose. Could not believe my luck. I had also looked to rent an enclosed trailer and found a place in CT but that would have meant driving it all the way back after driving it up to ME with the roadster in the back.

[EZ$]

Damn Kyle! That's what I didn't want to hear. Oh well, I really don't have allot of options at this point. Maybe my niece's husband will get the work done on his trailer before I have to go pick the car up. Who am I kidding, I don't think I've had any real luck with this build up to this point!

[egchewy79]

Anyone consider taping bubble wrap to the nose?

[Rdone585]

Don't apply anything to (e.g. tape), or try cover the paint before it's fully cured. Your painter should be able to tell you how long that will be, could be weeks or months.

[EZ$]

Bringing this back up with a question. I had no issues with the U-Haul trailer. It actually tracks very well when towing, almost don't know it's there! Anyhow, it worked great for the go-kart with no problem loading. When I unloaded at Ken's, I felt it slightly high center as it came off the trailer onto the ramps. I'll be picking the completed car Friday, and I'm a bit concerned that either the body, or the side pipes will scrape during loading and/or unloading. Any tips from the guys that used one of these trailers as to how to avoid any issues? I figured I can back the trailer up towards my driveway, which has a decent slope to it, to flatten out the ramps when I unload at home but loading it up has me wondering if there's anything I can do to avoid problems. Gee, does it sound like I'm a bit nervous? Thanks for any suggestions.

[JohnK]

No advice for you on the u-haul trailer (I've used it a few times with no problems but only the chassis with no body on it), but big congrats on finally getting you car back! Can't wait to see some photos.

Edit: perhaps put a couple 2-3' lengths of 2x6 under the leading edge of the ramps to flatten out the approach angle a little?

[EZ$]

Thanks John. When I was up there, I tried to check out some of the other cars, yours included, but Ken didn't share any info on anyone else's car. Your comment on the 2x6's gave me an idea of something I can put together pretty easy to extend the ramp and take some of the slope out.

[JohnK]

Thanks Rick, I appreciate you trying to get some info for me. I manage to get an update from him every couple of months, which is invariably some variation of "you're next in line." :rolleyes: Could be another month, could be a year. At this point I've sort of stopped caring.

[Vince4]

I might be new here, but assuming your go-cart is all finished waiting for the body, then what's wrong with getting a second driver, and driving both cars back (weather permitting)?

[rich grsc]

Leave the trailer attached to the tow vehicle, use the trailer tongue jack to raise the front of the trailer a couple of inches.

[Blitzboy54]

Exactly what Rich said. If you really feel like you need even more clearance you can stick some 2x6 under the ramps to raise them a touch. I only needed to raise the tongue.

[EZ$]

John, I know that John Weaver's car is going into final prime. Don't know where you are behind him, but like I told him it looks like Ken is moving ahead pretty well on a number of cars. He's two men short, but who knows, now that he'll have mine out of the way he'll probably finish five more cars this month! Don't lose interest. I started to but I've recovered from that.

Vince, no lights, turn signals, or registration may create a problem or two over 140 miles on the freeway.

Rich & Blitz, thanks for the heads up on that. I wasn't sure if that would be enough.

[CABulldog]

If you are willing to come to San Jose, there is FJM trailers that advertise enclosed car trailer rental (I have not tried it so can't make any more comment) https://www.fjmtruckcenter.com/trailer-rentals-san-jose-ca--xrentalinventory?vt=cargo%20trailer#page=xrentalin ventory&vt=cargo%20trailer

[EZ$]

Bulldog, thanks but I'm going to go ahead with the U-Haul. It worked really well on Monday when I took the go kart up, so it should be fine bringing it ho e on Friday. I'll make note of them for future reference.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Leave the trailer attached to the tow vehicle, use the trailer tongue jack to raise the front of the trailer a couple of inches.

Correct. I’ve had several cars dropped off &/or picked up using U-Haul trailers. I usually put a floor jack under the hitch ball to raise it but as Rich said you can also use the trailer jack. Watch the pipes at the ramp break over and also the oil cooler scoop at the trailer’s rear crossmember between the ramps.

Jeff

[rich grsc]

Correct. I’ve had several cars dropped off &/or picked up using U-Haul trailers. I usually put a floor jack under the hitch ball to raise it but as Rich said you can also use the trailer jack. Watch the pipes at the ramp break over and also the oil cooler scoop at the trailer’s rear crossmember between the ramps.

Jeff
And use the correct loading technic. :rolleyes::D

[CraigS]

Most of the uhaul trailers have the channel the tires run in w/ a vertical wall on the inside 2-4 inches tall. But some have that wall tapered off at the back better than others. I found a pic of what I am talking about.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thirdgen.org-vbulletin/1495x640/uh_aca6948dc06c4d5b0277c98fc3449f4c0a9962aa.jpg
Mine was tapered more than this one but still deformed the driver foot box bottom panel. It is in toward the center of the car so not very obvious unless you get on your knees.

[Jeff Kleiner]

And use the correct loading technic. :rolleyes::D

Well of course! That goes without saying ;)

Jeff

[EZ$]

Well thanks for the additional info guys. So, what I've gleaned from all of this is to jack up the front of the trailer, get a good running start, hit second gear, and when I start to get air at the top of the ramp (which will help me clear the transition better) hit the brakes to avoid over running the front end of the trailer. Is that correct?

[Jeff Kleiner]

Well thanks for the additional info guys. So, what I've gleaned from all of this is to jack up the front of the trailer, get a good running start, hit second gear, and when I start to get air at the top of the ramp (which will help me clear the transition better) hit the brakes to avoid over running the front end of the trailer. Is that correct?

That’s pretty much how I’ve seen Rich do it! :)

Jeff

[rich grsc]

Finally we're getting somewhere..:D:rolleyes: