Inline or deck over enclosed 4 place ?

[doofan1]

So I've been looking at enclosed trailers for a little bit now and still not sure if an inline or deck over enclosed is the way to go. I currently have 2 long track sleds and 2 shorties. I can see all 4 being long track in the future. So I do not want to repalce the trailer anytime soon. I have an open 4 place now so I'm familiar with the deck over design although mine is not enclosed. My tow vechicle is a 1/2 ton suburban with a 5.3L in it.
Whatever I buy it will be all Aluminum to help keep the weight down and I would think longivity would be increased vs a steel trailer.

What do you guys like, dislike, recommend, length, brands, dealers, ETC

Thanks

 

[indy_500]

What kind of trailer do you have now? What year suburban? 5.3 is not a very good towing motor, I think it'll struggle pulling a 4 place deck over. Buddys 03 Silverado 5.3 never sees overdrive and is half 3rd and half 4th gear with an open aluminum 8x18 4 place with 4 shorties on it.

 

[ezra]

becker trailers was the best deal I found .
my 12 f150 with a 5.0 pulls it fine never finds od unless on the way down a pass.
but it is a 6sp so there u go.
I did need air bags but I put them in the rear of all my trucks.
I like a deck over more room in side to move around add shelving/cabs etc etc.
so u can see around a 7ft better ok but in a 4 place in line how much better when u add that extra 7 to 9 feet?
not a big fan of the true deck over more of a fan of the car hauler with fenders about 8in high in side. 3 in forward 1 back no prob.
btw u deff want the extra tall int 6.7 i have buds with the so called 6ft int WORTLESS that 6 ft is in the center and to the tin not the framing I hate bending over walking in a trailer.
not 6 ft tall ok how tall are u with boots and a helmet?
my ford yanking a 24 plus v 3 sleds and generator gear tools 100gal propane etc etc with the hammer down gets a solid 7.9 to 8mpg

 

[pez]

I am an inline guy....I had the deck over and didn't like the way the air gets under the trailer. Too many close calls. I have the 27' legend. Yes, it is sometimes a pain moving the sleds around, but it tows like a dream. I let a buddy borrow a few weeks ago and he towed with one of those new 6 cylinder eco boost fords and cruised at 75 without a problem. Even got great mileage.

 

[Cat600]

After towing around a 2 place open for some years, I would never go deck over enclosed. Inline all the way. I like my inline, can see around it very easy, pulls well. My '01 Ram never struggled with it, can't wait to see how my new '13 Ram pulls it.

And if you know you're going all long tracks down the road, just get a longer one and use it for hauling gear and such now. Extra room that doesn't take up the truck.

 

[doofan1]

Indy

My sub is a 2005. My current trailer is a loadmasted 101" by 20' with a salt shield. Truck pulls that great. I also tow a 7K pound Carver with this sub it works hard to get it moving but at highway speed its fine. I find this truck shifting more than my old sub with a 5.7L Vortec in it. The 5.3 has more HP that the old 5.7 but I think the 5.3 lacks the torque and my 5.7 got better millage. When will GM or Ford make a V-4 Diesel for the 1/2 ton market?

Thanks for the info keep it coming

I cant see around my boat is part of the reason I was looking at an inline.

 

[RVR RNR]

All the above statements are true but, if you have a steep incline or a sharp approach to your driveway, the deck-over style is the only one that won't drag on the ground when the front goes up. I've seen to many people try to get in and out of parking lots w/inline's and the *** end is dragging on the pavement. That's why i went w/the deck-over style.

 

[renegade]

My 5.3 works great at towing. Great power. Even pull a case skid steer from time to time with no problems with the power. If you are pulling a 4 place trailer full, never let your tranny get to overdrive, it isnt a towing gear. Way to hard on tranny. If it shifts more then your old tranny, might be differant, extra gear maybe? Just don't want a tranny to overheat. If you feel its shifting to much, shift manually and leave in a lower gear. Any aluminum 4 place enclosed should work behind a sub, just pay attention when you are towing it. Some guys just want to hook up a tow at 75 mph with cruise and not pay attention then blame equipment when something happens. Inline would be good in those cases!

 

[Rupp Collector]

I've had three enclosed trailers in the last 12 years. #1 4 place, 6 1/2 interior height all aluminum deck-over. Loved everything about it except for hauling it. The wind really got ahold of it and made for some white knuckled trips. #2 4 place, low profile, all aluminum. Loved everything about it except the interior height. #3 3 place inline, hmmm, can't think of a thing I don't like. I've hauled this trailer for just one season approx 3,500 miles and I did have the rear drag going into drive with a very sharp incline, but the trailer has skid plates on the rear just for that. I'll go only inline if i have to do it again. My friends 4 place inline is 6' longer than mine (29) and it hauls very similiar to my 23'. BTW, the inline is a Legend, purchased before the first of the year from Becks in St Johns, MI.

 

[indy_500]

Indy

My sub is a 2005. My current trailer is a loadmasted 101" by 20' with a salt shield. Truck pulls that great. I also tow a 7K pound Carver with this sub it works hard to get it moving but at highway speed its fine. I find this truck shifting more than my old sub with a 5.7L Vortec in it. The 5.3 has more HP that the old 5.7 but I think the 5.3 lacks the torque and my 5.7 got better millage. When will GM or Ford make a V-4 Diesel for the 1/2 ton market?

Thanks for the info keep it coming

I cant see around my boat is part of the reason I was looking at an inline.

5.3 gets its max torque at 4800 rpms 5.7 is around 2500 so thats the HUGE difference. I have a 5.7 with 3.73s vortec, tows a 4 place open like a dream.

 

[wolfriver]

I've had a 27 Ledgend for 5 years and love it I tow it with 2010 suburban and never had a problem. I've put 5 sleds in it, it was tight but they fit. I would take a look for the money they are the best made trailer hands down.

 

[eagle1]

Love my inline. Only down side I see with them is if there are times when your not using all sleds in the trailer. Might have to move all of them to use one sled.

 

[longtrack]

I have owned several enclosed Trailers and now I have a 25' Stealth. The Legends are very good quality but Stealth is good quality and a couple thousand less. I have a Car Hauler type now (5200 lb Axles) and that way I can haul my Jeep and 4 Wheelers in the summer behind my Motorhome.

Its not as user friendly with the Fenders inside but I still haul 4 Sleds and 1 is a 162", 3 are 137".

As far as Trucks, my 2011 F150 with the standard V6 rolls done the Road just fine at 65 and gets around 10mpg with 4 Sleds inside. The tip down front on the Stealth makes a difference even with the 6.5 high Roof. I do use a equalizer Hitch. The new ford v6 has as much power as the old 5.4 and the eco boost is waist of a $1000 for no extra mileage.

 

[ezra]

I have owned several enclosed Trailers and now I have a 25' Stealth. The Legends are very good quality but Stealth is good quality and a couple thousand less. I have a Car Hauler type now (5200 lb Axles) and that way I can haul my Jeep and 4 Wheelers in the summer behind my Motorhome.

1 is a 162", 3 are 137".

As far as Trucks, my 2011 F150 with the standard V6 rolls done the Road just fine at 65 and gets around 10mpg with 4 Sleds inside. The tip down front on the Stealth makes a difference even with the 6.5 high Roof. I do use a equalizer Hitch. The new ford v6 has as much power as the old 5.4 and the eco boost is waist of a $1000 for no extra mileage.

10? really that is crazy I pull more or less the same all alloy car hauler 24 +v with a 13 f150 5.0 and never better than 8.9 .
I am with u on car hauler style. had 3/16 alloy skid plate welded to both rear corners over frame it has scraped a few times on steep drives.
other thing get windows on both sides bigger the better

 

[Hoosier]

5.3 gets its max torque at 4800 rpms 5.7 is around 2500 so thats the HUGE difference. I have a 5.7 with 3.73s vortec, tows a 4 place open like a dream.

That's interesting about the torque curve...I didn't know that. The newer Chevy's have much higher HP numbers, but from my experience don't seem to tow all that much different, but that probably explains it.

I would think your truck would pull a 4 place open almost like nothing is hooked up behind you. I used to pull a dual axle 14" 3 place with a big salt shield with a little 4.3 blazer with high miles - no issues at all, other than a little concern when braking fast.

 

[longtrack]

10? really that is crazy I pull more or less the same all alloy car hauler 24 +v with a 13 f150 5.0 and never better than 8.9 .
I am with u on car hauler style. had 3/16 alloy skid plate welded to both rear corners over frame it has scraped a few times on steep drives.
other thing get windows on both sides bigger the better

My old 5.4 was a Gas guzzler also.

With 3 Sleds in the Trailer I hit 10.5 MPG on a trip to Mn in March. We have 2 of these 11 F150s and 1 has the eco boost. Both Trucks get about the same mileage I think. I never pulled the Stealth Trailer with the eco boost. I also forgot to add the F150 with the standard v6 is a 2x4 and that could account for the better mileage. 4x4 will cost some mpg. We have a new 13 F350 4X4 6.2 ordered and I bet it will be a Gas Hog. I pulled my old 27' Steel American Hauler deck over to Duboise Wy a few years ago with a 08 F250 V10 and got a whopping 7.1.

Everyone that has gone along with me in this F150 cannot believe the power that small V6 Engine has and the Gas mileage it gets.

 

[halfpint]

i have a 29 ft. stealth inline trailer, it pulls like a dream. i have a 12 ford f-150 crewcab with the new ecoboost, awesome engine.