Van or Enclosed trailer???

Cheapo shelf from Target/Walmart. Holds wheels, tool & gears.


2 race bikes and a dirt bike

 

:up:
I have a 2004 Ford #250 extended van with the high capacity AC and if I could do it all over again I would get the VW Eurovan with pop top....

 

Thanks for all the responses I have been super busy so havent had a chance to respond to anything. I am just looking for the most economical way. My colorado has the inline five cylinder with big tires and rims, so its pretty thirsty by itself and also gutless. I am not really worried about sleeping at the track, I can sleep out in the fresh air for all I care. I am also not to worried about the traveling around because I am not to the caliber as some of you guys on here. I would only be doing single track days.But thank you for all of your help!

 

I would say pick up a 6x10 enclosed and just pull it with the colorado. You can get the trailer for less than $1500 most likely which is WAY cheaper than buying another vehicle. Your truck should pull it just fine-I would put on a transmission cooler though and get a guage which costs less than a hundred bucks all together IIRC. Even if you get 5 mpg you will be out less money than buying another vehicle.

 

I got my enclosed 5x8 for $600 on craigslist. Fits two bikes, all my tools and gear and I can sleep in it. I don't have to get separate insurance and an enclosed trailer will maintain it's value...

 

I have a toyota tundra access cab. I load everything up in the back. I put it in rubbermaid containers and strap it down. Then I just sleep in the cab. When I went down to jennings, I removed the front passenger seat, and I could pretty much lay out just fine.

A trailer still requires insurance and tags (varies from state to state), plus you have to maintain and store it.

When gas was $5 a gallon last summer, and my father needed the pickup for a project. I lent him my truck and I put a tow hitch on the back of my little mercedes C280, and I picked up a folding harbor freight trailer for $200, and that thing worked great.

 

I've got a Dodge Ram and when I first started doing track days I just loaded my bike in the back of the truck. When I started racing and doing more events I had the choice of continuing with the truck and getting a tent or getting a trailer.

I had a hard time parting with the money to buy the trailer but I've never once regretted the purchase, especially when I'm riding in April and May events that are inevitably cold and raining. Trying to keep yourself and your gear dry in a tent would be miserable.

With the truck I can still unhook the trailer and run around if I need to, and I the truck is my daily driver as well. 6x12 trailer has plenty of room for myself, my dog, sometimes my girlfriend, all of our stuff, and up to 3 bikes if I needed to. So easy to load an unload too. A couple of coolers for food and drink, a small camping grill, and microwave in the trailer are all I need for good living while at the track.

 

+1

Bike, pit bike, spares, 17mpg @ 75mph, and you can sleep in it.

 

I use a 1990 Chevy conversion van with a 350. It gets 15+MPG with bike and gear, or 9 MPG pulling a 6x10 enclosed trailer. The gearing is too tall, as it will be on most conversion vans, so it takes a lot of throttle to pull the trailer on interstate grades and the acceleration sucks. A work van usually will come with a lower axle ratio, which would help with the trailer. Of course, I could change the gearing, but haven't yet. It doesn't cost much, just one of those future projects.

One thing to consider with hauling eveything in a regular van - if you wreck, you'll have a lot of very heavy items flying around trying to share your space. Most people just throw stuff in and hope for the best. I tie the bike down to some pretty good hooks, both at the front and rear, then tie down all the tools, gear, etc. with some cargo nets with heavy 2 inch webbing over the top. That probably won't stop much in a serious accident, but hopefully will absorb a lot of the energy and slow it down. Just something to think about. I also don't carry much fuel inside, buy it at the track. Don't try to carry cans of VP inside, you may not be able to breathe after a few hundred miles. One of those racks that mount to the trailer hitch will let you carry fuel outside. I also sometimes pull bikes on an open trailer; that doesn't affect the mileage or performance much and I can still run 75 MPH, but still have to put most of the gear inside.

If you think you won't wreck, there've been a couple of AHRMA racers that have. Sh*t happens; a friend of mine, pulling his drag car in a trailer home from a meet, had someone swing out to pass oncoming traffic and hit him almost head on. His laptop in the back seat of his crew cab mashed against the windshield. If it had hit him, he wouldn't be here. Its' just something to consider in your decision.

 

I LOVE the smell of Sunoco 110 race fuel as I cruise down the interstate at 80 MPH. It smells like...............VICTORY!

 

I also have a Colorado 4x4 but it's a 4 cylinder, 5 speed. It runs great! I tried a 6x10 enclosed for a while (6ft inside height) but the wind drag was terrible. It pulled the weight....just the wind drag sucked.

I then went to a 4x8 open trailer from harbor freight and I pimped it out pretty nice. Extra tongue rack for fuel jug, air tank, etc. I just don't like to haul stuff on an open trailer because weather can be a factor and it advertises all your goods to theives. It's a pain wrapping a chain around everything at the motel too. My truck is an extended cab and has a tonneau cover so I can get most of my stuff in the truck except for the bike and a few things.

I just ordered a new 5x10 enclosed trailer and hope to have it in another week. It's a low profile (5ft inside height) V-nose. Lowes trailers are cheap but lack in quality so I looked for a few months and decided to just order what I wanted. I took a $1700 trailer (Haulin' by Forrest River) and pimped it out with a ramp door (+ $170), 32" side door (+ $160), and v-nose (+ $175). It's pewter color, 15" wheels, stoneguard, rear jacks, interior lights, undercoated, vents....etc and spent $2400 (total w/tax and delivery). You can find them cheaper but I ordered exactly what I wanted with out compromise and I know my truck will pull it.

 

My take is buy a low-profile trailer like mentioned above... I have a 5.5'x11' inner dimension v-nose trailer, 5' interior height. It doesnt sit up high at all, maybe 6' so you don't have all the wind resistance. I could probably squeeze 3 bikes in it, but just have 1 so i have tons of storage room as well. Also put a rubber mat down (8x16' grey mat on clearence @ lowes right now for $100 bux) so you can wipe anything off oil/fuel/grime... throw an air matress in it, crack the vent in the roof and you have yourself a free motel. The best part for me is it fits in my garage, i think w/tounge it's a tick over 14' long total... I couldn't live w/o it anymore. I've gone from opposite ends of the spectrum from using a lifted f350 pulling a 32' enclosed a/c trailer w/living quaters, to using a toyota tacoma pickup bed, if your state doesn't make you tag/title/insure a trailer its a no brainer to get a small one imo... good luck

 

Well sorry to bring up an old post but I haveben looking around again lately and found a 2000 E150 with the 4.2 V6 but its got 245,000 mles on it. The guy only wants 600 OBO for it though. He said its got a completely rebuilt front end just needs some cosmetic stuff.He said its never given him any problems. Just throwing that out there and asking for any experience with this setup or problems,longevity left or anything to look for? I figure even if I get two track days out of it I could always get 200-300 at a scrap yard if it did take a shit on me. Let me know. Thanks

 

IMO you can't really go wrong for that kind of money. Offer him $500 cash and drive it home. FWIW, I had a cargo van for a rental when my truck got smashed up. I hated it. It was loud as hell, the wind grabbed it somethin fierce on the interstate.

I know a lot of guys around here love the cargo vans, but if I was forced into a van I'd get a passenger van and convert it for my needs. Much quieter.

 

For 600 bucks you really cant go wrong on that one. Might as well give it a go.

 

Hellz ya go for it for that price. I used to tow a trailer and have a van now and love it. Its outfitted pretty well with marine carpet all around and on the roof. Haul two bikes and can sleep in it. And when I get home all sweaty and tired I don't have to unpack anything, all I gotta do is lock it up and stumble in the house :up:

 

Yeah, there was a thread a few months back on the cargo vs passenger van. I've done both, much prefer the passenger van. Right now I've got an E-350 12 passenger van (that's the standard length, not the extended) and a 6X12 trailer. Great combo for my needs.

 

AnyOne ever use a chevy g20 conversion van with a 305 motor?

 

Building my G20 now. Love my van.

 

I'm in the market for a van. Willing to spend around 2-3k. A few nice ones in my area. I'm over the whole need a truck and a trailer. truck payment = less track time.