Enclosed trailer purchase.. looking for help

[stinkstar]

Looking to purchase an enclosed trailer in the near future. Looking for a 4 place. As of now our sleds are 121. 2 of us are looking to go 137 in the future. My main question is size.. if I go 8.5 can I run them side by side? Do some feel that is to wide?? Anything else to look at or consider?? Iv been looking at stealth and legend.

Thanks!

 

[wisco-mb]

Yes, you can go side by side on a 8.5' wide. That's the advantage of them. Majority of people seem to prefer the inlines(7 or 7.5') and do not like the the 8.5'w. You'll get various opinions on that.
I love the 8.5', and personally do not like inlines. I carry a backup sled, and it stays in the rear back. When 3 of us ride, we never have to mess around with staggering sleds, or moving them around.
My last trailer was a steel, deckover. It was heavy, and it sat high with the floor being over the axles.
My new one is all aluminum, and the the floor sits into the axles. I have ski guides that run over them.
Stealth and Legend seem solid brands. When I was looking at buying new, Stealth only offered the deck over style. That was out.
I currently own an RC Trailer, and had it ordered directly from the factory. Luckily this was in 2019, before the covid times..

 

[600_RMK_144]

From my research, Legend is better quality than Stealth. Stealth has gotten better in recent years, but Legend has always been top of the line. I've got a 7ft wide trailer and do think it makes towing much easier, not needing tow mirrors. As mentioned above, you may have to do some swapping around from time to time, but as long as you think about your plans it's typically not a huge deal. Probably more so with 4 sled, but with 2 it's not hard to manage at all. Good luck! Seems mfgrs have started to catch up from the COVID slump. Other than Triton, who still struggles to keep much of anything in stock.

 

[indy_500]

7 foot wide tows much much better than the 8.5 wide, and you can see around it, and being lower to the ground than a 8.5’ deckover, its much easier to use for things other than snowmobiles. You can cram 4 crossover sleds in a 7x23’, but 25 or 27 make it much easier (keep in mind, inline lengths include the v nose). If going 8.5’ wide deckover, you’ll want 8.5x22’. Me personally, unless I found a smoking deal on a 8.5’ wide deckover, it makes absolutely zero sense to buy one over the inline. Inline will have better resale as well.

As far as brands, over the past 10 years stealth quality has gone up a little bit, and legend quality has gone down a little bit. Legend is still a notch above stealth though.

Surprisingly, I’m not looking forward to have to get a big trailer again capable of hauling 3 sleds within 2 years as the little man will be riding his own sled on the trails. Love that I went back to a triton 2 place clamshell. Easy to hook up, easy to store, easy and cheap to maintain etc.

 

[heckler56]

Consider your tow vehicle in this. My previous Legends (inlines) they stagger the axles slightly back from center which allows the better tow experience people talk about (less wiggle). However with that you can be putting more weight on the tongue. My Super Dutys (diesels) had no issue and actually preferred more tongue weight. My current tow vehicle is a F150 (gasser) feels like the trailer owns me.

I prefer the inlines because the wheels are outboard the trailer and easier to work on when you get a flat.

 

[rp7x]

inline trailers are nice but realy suck in a bad ass snow storm its hard to pull the trailer tires through deep snow

 

[SHOOT2KILL]

Currently on my 10th 7x16 enclosed since 1988...The prices have gone berserk...My most recent purchase was in Sept 2020...Titled 2021...The prices have almost doubled since I made that purchase...Had most of the name brands...The United Expresslines were the best...The Haulmark was the worst...

 

[SHOOT2KILL]

if I go 8.5

My first enclosed was a 1987...8.5 x 12...Never liked it...Neither did my dually at the time...Thats why I switched to 7x16's

 

[chunk06]

I bought a Stealth in 2015 and realized the build quality was ROUGH, I found beads that were not even on the joint completely. Sold it and bought a Legend. I do agree that some of the older Legends do look a bit better built. I think Featherlight are some of the best I have seen, they are spendy though

 

[lofsfire]

To answer your question plus some others I've received about the trailer and things I have thought about I've tried to lay out some points below. So first I have a 2014 - 7.5'x27' R&R 7522PSD The trailer tows great even in deep snow. I never had any problems with that.

Size- Do I like my 7.5'? I think I do... It tows good, but the way I use it I swear the sled I need is always in the wrong spot and others have to be moved to access it. So would there be times of being able to drive past sleds inside the trailer be really nice? 100% yes! Is it worth the difference in gas? That might depend on your tow vehicle... and your specific plans...

Pay attention to sizing - Different manufacturers label trailers differently. As with mine, if you notice the model number it is 7522PSD or 7.5'x22'(Box with an additional 5'V nose) Power Sport Deluxe. Some will be the total inside trailer length. Also being the PSD model I have extra height inside. Then the inside is also finished.

Finished Inside - I've been asked if I finish the or if it came finished. Well, first I bought mine used and yes as I said above it was finished. but I did not care if it was done or not because I knew I would finish. Plus having it done meant I had to strip it to do my work. However, the inside finish from the factory is nice but depending on how handy you are you can most likely do better. Plus you get to pick how you want things.

Suspension - Hands down upgrade to the torsion axles this will help the ride and when towing.

Do you plan on using it for anything besides your sleds? I use mine as a camper. Mainly in the off-season but I've stayed in it more than a few times for sled trips. I have an AC unit on top and 20' awning on the PS side. I notice the drag of the AC unit in my MPG. It decreased by almost 2 mpg. The other thing I have is drop-down rear stabilizer jacks in the rear. Which I would recommend. You can load without the trailer wanting to move when not hooked up.

If I were to do it again what would I do differently?

I only wired mine for 120V/30AMP service. Wire it for 120V/50AMP you can always use less power. As long as you use RV plugs there are many adaptors to step down usage when not pulling large loads. My point is if you think you only need 15AMP get 30AMP, If 30 will work get 50AMP. If the manufacturer will not install a larger service. (some will not) Specific the main wire size to them. Where you want the power coming in the trailer and where you want a load panel, that you can install later. Give yourself lots of outlets inside. I would also do lights on both the AC and DC sides. 30APM is most likely more than enough unless you plan on running multiple electric heaters.

Lights outside - I ran LED strip lights down both sides of my trailer. I have backup lights as well. All the outside lights flood the area around the trailer very well. The only spot I forgot was the nose of the trailer. Right where you are messing with everything hooking up. (Maybe this summer...)

Floor - Lots of options here too, and something I still trying to figure out. I talk to a few guys that have used race deck flooring. Mine was painted before I got it. It looks good for a few years but then it needs to be redone... I would not paint it. One of my friends did spray in bed liner. It can be a bit slick... but durable...

Oh, different levels of trailers will use different floor decking. Some are just treated decking others are waterproof engineered decking boards. Carbides still dig in but not as bad as the cheaper options. I have the caliber guides down the center of my trailer now. Then move the sleds to stager them...

Lastly, you mentioned Stealth and Chunk06 gave you his opinion and this is just mine... Legend and Stealth are at opposite ends of the quality spectrum IMO. Stealths are mass-produced over in Elkhart, IN with the rest of the RV's. I looked through a lot of trailers before deciding to go with R&R (and I am sure others On here have had good and bad experiences with them and other manufacturers) I got to deal with R&R directly because I had 2 windows added to my trailer. They were great to deal with! They even check over the trailer and fixed two broken zerks from the previous owner and a piece of trim he had removed for some reason. With that said, I dealt with their custom and rehab specialist.

I should note one of my friends did have a deck-over 4-place Stealth and he never had any problems with it. It was a mid 2000's. However, the ones I looked at, I was not impressed with. I thought the electrical wiring was subpar on all brands. They all used T-tap splice connectors to make connections. I expected more on the higher-end trailers. Yes, my R&R is the same way, and the only item I've had an issue with have been two marker lights and one reverse light.

Good luck with your decision. There is a lot of option out there.

Here are a few pictures.

This was a few years ago.

 

[gary_in_neenah]

OK, this guy wins the prize for nicest trailer.....he even has a place for his toothbrush! lofsfire, that's an awesome trailer!

 

[rph130]

Impressive lofsfire.

 

[coach]

Looking to purchase an enclosed trailer in the near future. Looking for a 4 place. As of now our sleds are 121. 2 of us are looking to go 137 in the future. My main question is size.. if I go 8.5 can I run them side by side? Do some feel that is to wide?? Anything else to look at or consider?? Iv been looking at stealth and legend.

Thanks!

 

[lofsfire]

One thing I forgot is depending on how big you go you might want a weight distribution hitch. I use Andersen Hitch The guy that had the trailer before me used it because he would sometimes pull it with a class C motorhome. Honestly, when I'm fully loaded I can tell a difference in how it pulls. Especially as semis pass me or vice versa. This hitch helps with sway control as well. It's just part of my routine unless it's just a quick trip.

OK, this guy wins the prize for nicest trailer.....he even has a place for his toothbrush! lofsfire, that's an awesome trailer!

Impressive lofsfire.

Thanks, it took a few months then a little here and there with addons and changes to make it this way but it has been worth it. Lots of great times with my boys!

So we go camping and I was getting tired of the tent. I like to Fall camp, but the group of friends I go with we starting to want to go over the summer too. I like AC when sleeping at night! We have 5 families that have been going for 11 years now. So I thought about a camper and I knew I was going to need a bigger trailer at some point if my kids were going to continue to ride sleds with me. Up till this trailer I had a 10' clamshell. It would fit my sled, a Snowcoach, and I could get their 120 in there if need be. After doing the math spending more on this came out better in the long run (At least for us.) with maintenance, storage, etc. it would have added up on two trailers. Yes, I do get lots of questions at the campgrounds.

Before anyone asks yes that orange cart in the picture below is a US General toolbox from Harbor Freight. It works great for keeping all my kitchen items in. My small camping grill sits right on top and stores at the bottom. The best part is I drop the ramps and I can push the cart in and out really easily. The same with bikes that mount right to my walls.

 

[2TrakR]

Everyone's situation is different, how many sleds, tow rig, other needs. I've run:
2 place clamshells, both tilt and drive on/off. Great for being light, pull with anything. Suck when the clam has a foot of snow on top & you have to broom off at the motel before you can open the clam and worse when the shell freezes to the deck. Also had the struts go and whacked my noggin when loading.
Inline - when I only needed 2 sleds and often 1 was just a backup, this worked nicely and also give more options for summer use.
Deckover - I'm on my third deckover and prefer them for dedicated sled use. Can leave three sleds in there or any combination without having to touch any that are not going to be used on that run. A little more room to store things. Current one is all aluminum and super light for an 4 place unit, other than wind issues, half ton truck would be happy towing it; I run diesel 3/4 or 1 ton and they do not know it's back there. The higher trailer clearance with a deckover makes it nicer negotiating snow piles at gas stations/parking lots.

My suggestion would be to get a trailer that is tall enough to easily stand up in, so you don't knock your head very often, especially when you still have your helmet on. If you are deciding between inline and parallel, ask yourself if all of the sleds are coming out everytime as in how much will you be handling a given machine if it's not going to be ridden on that trip. Also get a trailer that is longer than you need to account for the next sled that will be longer than what you have now.

 

[wisco-mb]

Current one is all aluminum and super light for an 4 place unit, other than wind issues, half ton truck would be happy towing it; I run diesel 3/4 or 1 ton and they do not know it's back there. The higher trailer clearance with a deckover makes it nicer negotiating snow piles at gas stations/parking lots.

My suggestion would be to get a trailer that is tall enough to easily stand up in, so you don't knock your head very often, especially when you still have your helmet on. If you are deciding between inline and parallel, ask yourself if all of the sleds are coming out everytime as in how much will you be handling a given machine if it's not going to be ridden on that trip. Also get a trailer that is longer than you need to account for the next sled that will be longer than what you have now.

All good info! I believe my 27'(22' box + 5'V), weighs right around 3K. My diesel pulls it very well. We'll sometimes take my dad's Suburban.
Crazy weight difference compared to my old steel deckover.
I feel the 22' box is a good fit. I've been able to get 5 sleds in mine before.

To answer your question plus some others I've received about the trailer and things I have thought about I've tried to lay out some points below. So first I have a 2014 - 7.5'x27' R&R 7522PSD The trailer tows great even in deep snow. I never had any problems with that.

Suspension - Hands down upgrade to the torsion axles this will help the ride and when towing.


If I were to do it again what would I do differently?

I only wired mine for 120V/30AMP service. Wire it for 120V/50AMP you can always use less power. As long as you use RV plugs there are many adaptors to step down usage when not pulling large loads. My point is if you think you only need 15AMP get 30AMP, If 30 will work get 50AMP. If the manufacturer will not install a larger service. (some will not) Specific the main wire size to them. Where you want the power coming in the trailer and where you want a load panel, that you can install later. Give yourself lots of outlets inside. I would also do lights on both the AC and DC sides. 30APM is most likely more than enough unless you plan on running multiple electric heaters.

Lights outside - I ran LED strip lights down both sides of my trailer. I have backup lights as well. All the outside lights flood the area around the trailer very well. The only spot I forgot was the nose of the trailer. Right where you are messing with everything hooking up. (Maybe this summer...)

Floor - Lots of options here too, and something I still trying to figure out. I talk to a few guys that have used race deck flooring. Mine was painted before I got it. It looks good for a few years but then it needs to be redone... I would not paint it. One of my friends did spray in bed liner. It can be a bit slick... but durable...

Oh, different levels of trailers will use different floor decking. Some are just treated decking others are waterproof engineered decking boards. Carbides still dig in but not as bad as the cheaper options. I have the caliber guides down the center of my trailer now. Then move the sleds to stager them...

Nice setup!
I agree with the torsion axles. I ordered 5200 torsions on mine. I went with the larger weight since I was customizing it.

I went with 30A service on mine. I doubt I'll ever use it over 15A/20A, but it's there if needed.

I have factory installed rear backup lights, plus an additional LED backup.
I put one over my front ramp also. You can never have enough light!

The race deck is very nice. I'm planning on installing that in the next year or too. I use a combination of ski runners/track guides, and conveyor belt. I had all that from my last trailer, so the cost was already taken care of.

What do you use for heat? Propane? I didn't see the tanks?
I have a 35K BTU propane heater and a 15 gallon propane tank installed underneath. I just got back from a 4 day trip from the UP. I kept all my gear and sleds in the trailer, set to a comfortable 63F the entire weekend. My dual golf cart batteries will only last about a day, otherwise I need a generator or plugged in. I do have solar, but it usually not enough to keep up with the demand, especially on the cloudy days.
I do have a floor drain installed for all the melting of the sleds. That thing is always full in the morning. Pull the plug and drain it.
I fully insulated mine from top to bottom.

 

[lofsfire]

All good info! I believe my 29'(22' box + 5'V), weighs right around 3K. My diesel pulls it very well. We'll sometimes take my dad's Suburban.
Crazy weight difference compared to my old steel deckover.
I feel the 22' box is a good fit. I've been able to get 5 sleds in mine before.




Nice setup!
I agree with the torsion axles. I ordered 5200 torsions on mine. I went with the larger weight since I was customizing it.

I went with 30A service on mine. I doubt I'll ever use it over 15A/20A, but it's there if needed.

I have factory installed rear backup lights, plus an additional LED backup.
I put one over my front ramp also. You can never have enough light!

The race deck is very nice. I'm planning on installing that in the next year or too. I use a combination of ski runners/track guides, and conveyor belt. I had all that from my last trailer, so the cost was already taken care of.

What do you use for heat? Propane? I didn't see the tanks?
I have a 35K BTU propane heater and a 15 gallon propane tank installed underneath. I just got back from a 4 day trip from the UP. I kept all my gear and sleds in the trailer, set to a comfortable 63F the entire weekend. My dual golf cart batteries will only last about a day, otherwise I need a generator or plugged in. I do have solar, but it usually not enough to keep up with the demand, especially on the cloudy days.
I do have a floor drain installed for all the melting of the sleds. That thing is always full in the morning. Pull the plug and drain it.
I fully insulated mine from top to bottom.

Thanks, yours sounds nice too!

So I was just using a 1500W electric heater, first night is a bit chilly but not bad I have tent camped in colder... But once up to temp it sits between 60 and 65. I would not want it any warmer than that anyway. In the summer my friends joke my trailer could be a meet locker. I had a good shaded spot one year and with the AC cranking all day it was down to 56 in side. LOL.
First time I tried the electric heater I had two and which put me right up to the 30AMP. I use a WatchDog line protection and it will not let me over draw on electric.
My original plan was a 35K heater but sold it after using the electric heater in -35* temps. Up till this year I have always had places with power. My favorite place was Lake Mitchell State Park in Cadillac. Had access to showers and electric. I tried making a reservation and MI decided to close it for winter camping permanently.

Do you have any problems with it being to cold for the propane to vaporize enough so you do not draw liquid into the furnace? How long does your 15 gal of propane last?

My plan for this summer is one of the diesel heaters off Amazon.

I ran the generator all weekend at the Indy 500 last year running the AC. I basically got about 7hrs per tank. I have HF Predator 3500 inverter generator. They make some kits to add external tanks, I was thinking about as well...

Floor drains are smart!

You will want to read this post started by Bayfly

Winter RV hook-up

I have my sled trailer set up for camping and am looking for available winter sites with electric hook-up near snowmobile trails in the UP. I have been looking at campgrounds and very few are open in the winter. Does anyone have any suggestions? I don't need much for accommodations but...

johndeeforum.com

 

[homan]

Take a look at Triton trailers. Better quality than Legend and I found price was better than Legend too.

 

[ICT Sledder]

Take a look at Triton trailers. Better quality than Legend and I found price was better than Legend too.

Where in the world did you find a Triton cheaper than… well, any other brand? You sure you were comparing apples to apples?

I’ve never seen Tritons to be anything other than the most expensive option within a given comparable set. Supposedly the quality is there, so I’m not talking trash on Tritons, just pricing.

 

[chunk06]

Same here, I wanted a Triton when I bought in 2017 but they were over 2k more than a Legend. Triton was bought out not long ago so I would want to take a good look at one before buying it. I really liked their frame design.