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Originally Posted by RVermont
I am sure SloPoke will have some good advice for you as he is a strong advocate for using a trailer especially if you do a lot of off roading and want to bring the toys to the camp site. You might do a search and find some previous threads on this topic.
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You know me well! and i agree 100%
Quote:
Originally Posted by LaMigra
Looking for some advice: to trailer or not to trailer? I have been flat towing our 2020 Jeep Gladiator since November. Before the Gladiator, we flat towed our 2017 Wrangler. We wanted to trailer the Wrangler, but we never got around to it.
I know there are a few of Seneca owners that trailer, so I have some questions:
Open or Closed? I am leaning toward open, but looking for your input.
Length? How long is your trailer? The Gladiator is 18 feet long, so I am leaning toward a 20 or 21 foot trailer.
7K or 10K? I am leaning toward 10K. Your thoughts?
Steel or Aluminum? I am leaning toward steel, but again, looking for your advice.
Trailer manufacturer, recommendations?
Do you use a stabilizer?
Lastly, I want to put a toolbox on the front of the trailer. What are your thoughts?
Thank you in advance for your input.
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Quick answers: Open, as sometimes we are hauling 2-RZR's and a 4-wheeler, a load of gravel, lumber or equipment that is loaded from the side.
Length: ours is 26' Toyota on the rear, ATV on the front loaded sideways, toolbox on nose. This also puts the trailer axles more rearward which makes the trailer tires almost equal distance from the drive tires as the steer tires - super easy to maneuver and it tracks within 4 inches of the drive tire footprint.
Ours is a 10k. Heavier duty everything with a lighter load usually means good reliability. Our trailer was a marine trailer in a previous life - a 26' boat weighs enough to require a 10k capacity.
Steel - as it was built that way... With the Seneca, we don't have a weight limit we need to be under - and I can modify things easily with steel.... I don't have the skills to weld Aluminum.
MFG? Look for something that suits your style and capacity... I bought ours used... it was a perfect fit for what I wanted it to be after putting the flat bed on. I planned to replace the brakes, bearings and all lights - and wanted to stay with hydraulic surge brakes with the auto-reverse feature on the axles... I don't have to worry about loaning my trailer to someone else who does not have a brake controller / wiring
Stabilizer? No... No equalizer either. I use a plain old 10k 2 5/16 ball hitch in the receiver of the Seneca. The Seneca automatically adjusts ride height to the same height due to the air suspension.
Toolbox: oh yes! Make sure to get one that is water-tight - like a truck-bed tool box and bolt it to the frame. We carry extra straps, chains, binders, jacks, tools, jack-stands, lubricants and other stuff... but ours somehow gets wet inside when travelling in the rain - think the wind is blowing the rain up and around the lid's poor seal.
Here are some of the early pictures of the trailer build... phase 1, 2 and 3.