What trailers?

[M3 Esq]

Steel or aluminum? Steel is cheaper and heavier while aluminum is obviously lighter but more expensive. What are you guys that trailer using? I'm thinking of towing this season. I'll be towing using the wife's X5 50i. Looking for open air not enclosed. Pros and cons that I'm not thinking of?

[skxf430]

No cons on the aluminum trailer other than the cost. I would opt for the aluminum as it is much lighter and easier to tow with an X5.

Look at brands like a Featherlite or Trailerex.

[evilspiritM3]

Check out www.econotrailer.com. I had one of the open models, and it worked very well.

[m3aviator]

Aluminum if it fits the budget. Cheap trailers are always very heavy.

[admranger]

Aluminum trailers retain resale value more than steel ones.

[M3 Esq]

Thanks for the feedback. A lot of my track buddies use have featherlite but damn they're expensive new. It's going to be like 8k whereas the steel one in the pic above is like 3600 OTD. I see a lot of those at the track. Based on the website info, it looks like the featherlite is only about 600 lbs lighter (1500 lbs) vs the steel one 2100 lbs. doesn't seem like a huge difference given I'll be towing a 3500lb car.

[m3aviator]

Racingjunk.com find a used aluminum. Trust me the extra weight is a big difference.

[Jaypod]

Weight wise you will be fine with either. Just one thing to consider is if you will be leaving it outside all the time, if so aluminum is a good way to go.

[okusa]

Check the Trailex 7451. I just got one and its only 845 lbs.

[ortho281]

I bought a new steel trailer similar to the one you have pictured except with the beveled front, integrated lights and flush tie downs for $2750 before TTL. I wanted to get an aluminum one but this was too good to pass up.

[PrimeBMW]

Nothing wrong with trying to find a used trailer. That way you can get yourself into an Al for much less. I have never pulled with a X5 but would think the lighter weight of the Al would be well worth the extra money.
Keep in mind that you also might need Race Ramps depending on how low your car is and if you have a front splitter.

[dcgolfdr]

I bought an ATC aluminum 18 foot trailer this past summer and so far has worked great. As other have said, lighter, will not rust, can pull with a smaller truck, trailer only weighs 1300lbs and resale will be much higher. I would also recommend buying race ramps.

[M3 Esq]

Originally Posted by skxf430

No cons on the aluminum trailer other than the cost. I would opt for the aluminum as it is much lighter and easier to tow with an X5.

Yes I agree but the cost is prohibitive, like everything else track related.

Look at brands like a Featherlite or Trailerex.

A lot of my track buddies have featherlite. I will check out trailerex.

Originally Posted by evilspiritM3

Check out www.econotrailer.com. I had one of the open models, and it worked very well.

Will do, thx.

Originally Posted by m3aviator

Aluminum if it fits the budget. Cheap trailers are always very heavy.

Originally Posted by admranger

Aluminum trailers retain resale value more than steel ones.

Makes sense.

Originally Posted by m3aviator

Racingjunk.com find a used aluminum. Trust me the extra weight is a big difference.

Originally Posted by Jaypod

Weight wise you will be fine with either. Just one thing to consider is if you will be leaving it outside all the time, if so aluminum is a good way to go.

Yes it will probably be outside, good point, I hadn't thought of that.

Originally Posted by okusa

Check the Trailex 7451. I just got one and its only 845 lbs.

I will check it out, thx.

Originally Posted by ortho281

I bought a new steel trailer similar to the one you have pictured except with the beveled front, integrated lights and flush tie downs for $2750 before TTL. I wanted to get an aluminum one but this was too good to pass up.

Sounds like a good deal at that price!

Originally Posted by PrimeBMW

Nothing wrong with trying to find a used trailer. That way you can get yourself into an Al for much less. I have never pulled with a X5 but would think the lighter weight of the Al would be well worth the extra money.
Keep in mind that you also might need Race Ramps depending on how low your car is and if you have a front splitter.

You're probably right about the weight.

I know I'll need race ramps. A lot of my track buddies use them.

Originally Posted by dcgolfdr

I bought an ATC aluminum 18 foot trailer this past summer and so far has worked great. As other have said, lighter, will not rust, can pull with a smaller truck, trailer only weighs 1300lbs and resale will be much higher. I would also recommend buying race ramps.

All good advice. Seems to be the consensus here. Maybe I can find a used one.

[aus]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but don't want to start a new one either.
Are there two car trailers out there? It would be cool to tow with a buddy and take turns driving.

[s85e90]

Originally Posted by aus

Not trying to hijack the thread, but don't want to start a new one either.
Are there two car trailers out there? It would be cool to tow with a buddy and take turns driving.

A quick google search would find your answer faster than posting here, but yes they do. I would imagine at that length they are 5th wheel though/gooseneck.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by aus

Not trying to hijack the thread, but don't want to start a new one either.
Are there two car trailers out there? It would be cool to tow with a buddy and take turns driving.

I've seen enclosed trailers at CotA that can do 2 stacked (maybe even 2x2 based on trailer depth with less equipment inside?), but I shudder to think what they would cost. But the owners probably didn't care judging by the cars in there and the fact that they were hauling it with something that looked like a smallish semi cab.

There's always another level....

[Richbot]

If you can swing it, get aluminum, especially pulling behind a relatively light, short-wheelbase SUV with fairly low tire load ratings and axle weight ratings. Also, good etrack setup or d-rings in the right space can help chop the length of trailer you need, which saves weight and maneuverability, which is a good thing when towing with a short-wheelbase vehicle, it's annoying backing a trailer that's longer than your tow vehicle unless you're 5th-wheeling

For two-car towing, you realistically need a gooseneck or 5th wheel setup. These are typically 3-axle enclosed 32'+ trailers with 3 5,000lb axles at minimum, though I've seen a couple of two-car open haulers (also gooseneck, basically just a big ramp with some storage underneath).

The stacker tag-along trailers are scary unless you're towing with a big motorhome or toter/class 8-based setup IMO. That's a lot of tongue weight especially dynamically in an emergency it would shove a dually around, though I've seen a couple with the little hitch/drawbar helper axle thingies that are popping up

[PrimeBMW]

Not long ago I saw a used double enclosed trailer for 12K. I lusted after it but then you realize someone has to pull it. I can just say that even an open steel trailer is a piece of cake compared to a single enclosed. Visibility is night and day. Plus tractor trailer rigs can push a enclosed around but doesn't seem to with an open trailer.

[aus]

Originally Posted by s85e90

A quick google search would find your answer faster than posting here, but yes they do. I would imagine at that length they are 5th wheel though/gooseneck.

Obviously, but now the thread lives and there's additional info for people interested in towing two cars, without having to start another thread.

.