Sloan rollback trailer?

[jcthorne]

I wish to purchase an open car trailer and am seriously considering a aluminum version Sloan Kwikload Rollback trailer.

www.kwikload.com

Anyone here own one? Pros or cons to this design? They have been around for many years, and yes a bit more expensive than the throw away wood deck trailers at the lots but I am looking for a trailer that is easy to load and tie down a GT, fairly light weight, easy to tow and well built.

They have a number of options, I was thinking of buying with the aluminum deck and fenders, hydraulic surge brakes so I can easily use it with both motorhome and pickup or loan it to a friend, spare tire and mount, winch mount and LED lights. About 6200 all in. They also agreed to let me place the tie downs where I want them for the GT wheel baskets and paint to match the car at no extra charge.

They offer a notched rear section. What is the value in that for an extra $400? Other than looks, I did not see the advantage to the aluminum wheels, they are no lighter than the painted steel wheels and more likely to be stolen.

I went and looked at a tilt bed trailer and did not like the 'tip over point' nature of the loading/unloading process and the ramp angle was significantly steeper than the rollback. Also was about the same price all in.

Thoughts and voices of experience would be appreciated.

 

[ChipBeck]

As I try not to drive my GT in foul weather I'm even less of a fan of towing it exposed in the rain. At both the Texas and VIR Rallies the weather was nasty and the cars that arrived on exposed trailers were filthy from the ground water kicked up from the tow vehicle. Security at night in hotel parking lots would also keep me awake. So although I would really recommend an enclosed trailer (I like Trailex) I think the Gold Standard in all Aluminum open trailers is probably the Featherlight. At least look at it before you buy.

The fenders on the trailer in that video appear too be high to allow the GT doors enough to get out even when the platform is slid to the rear.

Chip

 

[jcthorne]

Thanks, I have looked at a Featherlite. In an enclosed trailer it was very nice but I do not want the hassels of loading or towing an enclosed trailer. The Featherlite open trailer, is well constructed, light weight but still difficult to load using pull out ramps with steep incline angles that will not clear the front of the GT.

The fenders are removable on both the Featherlite and the Sloan. I have a photo of a GT on a a Sloan that they sent me. With the fender off, the door clears the tires fine. Clears with the fender on in the loaded position.

Appreciate the feedback. I'll look at enclosed trailers a bit more but from what I have seen, to get one with a proper side door that will clear the GT door to open, electric winch etc will run at least 18k and still be a lot of windsail to tow.

 

[Doctr V]

JC, Aluma makes a very nice all aluminum trailer, Im buying an 18ft 7k gvwr for my new john deere. The fenders are removable and it only weighs 1350 empty. I have a smaller one for my Polaris side by side made by Aluma and I love it. My buddy hauls his Cuda's on a featherlite. From what I can tell there is no difference in construction of the frames. May be worth a look for you. Eric

 

[Lorenzo]

Chip is right, I wouldn't use an open trailer for the Ford GT at all.

An enclosed trailer also doubles as a garage if the weather suddenly changes while at an event.

 

[2112]

Security at night in hotel parking lots would also keep me awake.
Chip

+1

 

[Doctr V]

+1

I totally agree with all, my Gt only travels indoors too. A rock chip from my H2 is my big fear as well as security. Some of the 20ft enclosed haulers are fairly economical with the V-nose. They can be bought for the same $$$ as an open aluminum. That may be an option too. I did a 3 month search before I had mine built. I feel like I overloaded my brain with trailer info...

 

[2112]

From another thread.............

I just spected out and bought a new trailer from Royal Cargo. It is a 27' with "V" nose (I haul HD in front).
The factory engineer worked with me sending drawings back and forth until it was what I wanted.
I worked with them to get the ramp overs to the perfect height and the tied owns in the best location.
Added 36" fold down ramp with tall bumpers for loading ease but still use PVC/Foam ramps.
Just pulled it 2,000 miles to SLC and love it. Should have had one with escape door years ago.
I have a 2006 Royal Cargo and had 25,000 miles on it with the original tires so I knew they are well constructed.
I ended up with a trailer that looks great, pulls great and is very functional for a little under $11,000.
If you are coming to the rally in SLC look me up. If not I can send photos if interested.

www.rctrailers.com/

 

[JJayB]

I've owned two Sloan Kwik Load trailers one steel and aluminum which I used for over 8 years towing a porsche to club racing events so approx. 20k miles of towing.

Pro's, no ramps to get lost and you can get super low cars on without ramp extensions. You can load and unload in less than half the time it takes for a ramp type trailer and you can do it without an assistant.
The light weight allows to tow with an SUV and it my case I didn't want a dedicated tow car and used a Porsche Cayenne and a MB ML to pull. Sloan offers an fiberglass fairing that prevents splash from the tow car I'd highly recommend it. Sloans are money in the bank for resale as I constantly had guys wanting to buy it. In both cases I sold them in 48 hours. The fenders are removable and you can get low cars on with no problem. I had both the chrome wheels and the aluminum wheels and would opt for the aluminum wheels as there less unsprung weight and I wanted to keep the rig as light as possible.

Con: The aluminum deck is bolted to the steel sub frame and the fastners are stainless steel bolts with heads that protrude above the deck. I changed them out with counter sunk fastners so the deck would be smooth with no bolt heads proturding. I had a hitch problem on the steel trailer and they fixed it under warrantee with no questions so the service is first rate. I would opt for electric brakes and use the new RF braking control modules available that can be moved from vehicle to vehicle. For an open trailer it has many features that put it at the top of the class.

Closed trailers are not without problems and it's border line towing with an SUV which is rated in the 6500 lbs capicity area especailly with the cheaper and heavier closed trailers. You need to give yourself a margin of saftey on the tow ratings and be aware of the road and weather condidtions where you'll be towing.

 

[jcthorne]

JJayB, thanks for the thoughts. The resale value is good to know in case I get into this and decide I made the wrong choice. Total weight is a concern as I wish to tow with our Motorhome, or my wife's MKT, not just my F250. With the aluminum option and the GT I will be under thier rated tow capacity.

Question on the fairing, is it easily removable for loading or is it really not in the way? I liked the idea of the splash guard but was concerned with its frontal area and limited access to the front of the vehicle / tool boxes.

Are the hydraulic surge brakes not a good idea? They are not cheap and if they are going to add problems, perhaps I should reconsider.

Any idea the weight difference between the aluminum wheels and the steel? The cast aluminum ones they show do not appear to be that light weight compared to simple steel wheels.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Lorenzo]

Are the hydraulic surge brakes not a good idea? They are not cheap and if they are going to add problems, perhaps I should reconsider.



Illegal in several states BTW

 

[JJayB]

JJayB, thanks for the thoughts. The resale value is good to know in case I get into this and decide I made the wrong choice. Total weight is a concern as I wish to tow with our Motorhome, or my wife's MKT, not just my F250. With the aluminum option and the GT I will be under thier rated tow capacity.

Question on the fairing, is it easily removable for loading or is it really not in the way? I liked the idea of the splash guard but was concerned with its frontal area and limited access to the front of the vehicle / tool boxes.

Are the hydraulic surge brakes not a good idea? They are not cheap and if they are going to add problems, perhaps I should reconsider.

Any idea the weight difference between the aluminum wheels and the steel? The cast aluminum ones they show do not appear to be that light weight compared to simple steel wheels.

Thanks for the info!

Fairing doesn't get in the way and is a must have and pretty easy to remove if you need to. Surge brakes are mostly used on boat trailers and rental trailers and can survive under water where the electronics cannot. Most vehicles with tow packages are wired for electric brakes and you only need to add controler, wouldn't think of putting a FGT on a trailer without electric brakes.

Never weighed the wheels but was told they were lighter, and it's not so much weight per se but it's the unspring weight that helps every little bit when weight is an issue.

 

[jcthorne]

Are the hydraulic surge brakes not a good idea? They are not cheap and if they are going to add problems, perhaps I should reconsider.



Illegal in several states BTW

Where and why? First I have heard of that. They are very popular on boat trailers due to water ingress problems with electric brakes. I know several folks that tow large boats with hydraulic surge brakes and they report smooth braking and do not require braking controllers in the towing vehicle. I have not used a system of this type. While more expensive, they appear to offer better reliabiltiy and flexabiltiy in the towing vehicle. What am I missing?


Doing more reading on the Tekonsha RF brake controller leads me to believe it may be just as effective and much cheaper using it with the 4 wheel electric brakes. Does not require a hardwired controller inthe tow vehicle, just the RF module plugged into 12v which can go in any tow vehicle. Anyone used one of these RF controllers?

Did not realize the brakes would be such a consideration. Glad I asked.

 

[Lorenzo]

One of hundreds of quotes from the intenet,


Surge brakes are illegal in all states if over 10,000 lbs and used interstate. They are legal in some states, but only if the trailer is used in that state. Here is an excerpt from Maryland when they passed a bill to overrule Federal law and the Governor vetoed it..

"Surge brakes currently do not meet federal or State transportation safety standards.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations cover any vehicle with a gross weight of over 10,000 pounds or any vehicle used in interstate travel. Federal rules require a vehicle's brakes to work at all times and under any conditions. Surge brakes do not meet this criteria because they only work when a trailer is moving forward. When the forward motion stops, the brakes are released. The brakes do not work at all when a vehicle is going backwards. As a result, federal regulations explicitly prohibit the use of surge brakes on trailers and semitrailers. Maryland law requires all trailers over 3,000 pounds to be equipped with brakes that meet the federal standards.

During the 2002 Session, the Maryland Department of State Police and the Department of Transportation opposed this legislation because it would establish a vehicle safety standard in Maryland that is less stringent than the federal safety standard. Of particular concern, surge brakes are completely inoperable when a vehicle and trailer are moving backwards. Maryland is a small State and it will be extremely difficult to enforce the requirement that vehicles with surge brakes travel only within the geographic boundaries of Maryland.

It is worth noting that surge brakes are illegal in an overwhelming majority of states in the nation. At this time, there is not adequate justification for Maryland to break from federal transportation safety standards and adopt a weaker standard for trailers and seimitrailers operating on the roads and highways of our State. However, the U.S. Department of Transportation is in the process of reviewing a study on the operation and safety of surge brakes. It is a more prudent course of action for Maryland to wait until the U.S. DOT completes its review and makes recommendations regarding the need for any changes to Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations.

For the above reasons, I have vetoed Senate Bill 302.

Sincerely,
Parris N. Glendening
Governor

 

[Lorenzo]

Google Trailer brake laws. Here is the first thing that pops up.

Rules for driving in the United States are left up to each individual state and its Department of Motor Vehicles. In most states, independently operating trailer brakes are required for trailers that weigh more than 3,000 lb. Most states require that trailers be equipped with electric brakes, as opposed to surge brakes.

Read more: Trailer Brakes & Laws | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7314443_trailer-brakes-laws.html#ixzz1oGAHNg6s



One more thing due to first hand experience of mine while traveling through Iowa three years ago.
I was checked at a scale near Iowa City. I had a tandom axel flat bed loaded with a disassembled walkin cooler, {Well under the weight limit}
I only had breaks on one axel. That was the first fine. Then I was asked to prove that my breakaway device would work. That was the second fine.
then i was asked to prove the breaks on the trailer worked, that was the third fine. All because it was a rented trailer with surge breaks.

There is no way possible to prove the breaks will work unless you have electric breaks and if your trailer breakaway battery is dead [the one mounted on the tongue] on an electric system you will not be able to prove the breakaway system works either. Long story short the Iowa federal transportation system is very strict about it.

 

[jcthorne]

OK, OK. I get it on the hydraulic surge brakes. Again, glad I asked before I did something stupid. Electric Brakes it is.

Any thoughts on the RF brake controller? Looks like each tow vehicle still has to supply 20a of 12v power to the trailer connector. That is not a factory default on all vehicles. Its available on my pickup but I will need to add it on the MKT and Motorhome. Do-able.

 

[Lorenzo]

If you are ever in a position that requires you to perform a demenstration of your trailer breaks, such as at a scale or check point, or for your own piece of mind. the officer is going to ask you to activate the trailer break for him.
He wants to see the tow vechical drag the trailer to ensure the wheels on the trailer donot rotate while the tow vechical is in motion. Thats almost word for word what he said to me.

With electric breaks that are properly hooked up you can simply activate the trailer breaks from the drivers seat, put it in drive and go.

Even if your motorhome dosen't have enough power to actually drag the trailer he will be able to tell if they work. Usually that is where the test stops and your on your way.
Im am not familure with the RF system and would suggest you ask the company that is selling them if this simple test can be preformed manually.

 

[jcthorne]

Finally went up to Sherman and took delivery of the Kwikload trailer. Great folks and a very nice trailer. Impressed so far but have only towed it home.

Installed the winch, battery/cables and RF electric brake controller over the weekend. Plan to do a test load and tie down this comming weekend if I can find the time early morning.

Just thought I would share a couple pics of the new addition.

 

[jcthorne]

Used the trailer this weekend for its first real distance tow. Performed perfectly. Amazingly easy to load and tie down for one person. Here is a pic of the GT on the trailer enroute to Ft Worth this last weekend. Never mind the trusty old pickup....it works fine too.