Going to be buying a trailer for the Mustang in a month or so. Seeing pretty good deals on a new 16' steel open deck with drop in back (which is nice for header clearance getting on and off). Nice and light, only 1440 lbs, rated for 5000. Towing with a 4.6 F150 auto so want to keep the weight down. So is a 16 footer OK for our cars?
bamabox
I have a 16' and it's fine for a Mustang. Get a trailer with brakes on all 4 wheels. I pulled my Mustang on the trailer with a 4 x 4 Ranger but upgraded to a 4 x 4 F250. The Ranger pulled it fine but the F250 has more way more control over it. Check the towing capacity of your F150 and if your within the weight limit you'll be fine.
I have a 16' and it's fine. Brakes on one axle.
If I put the scooter in the front, there's VERY little room left, if any. Wish I'd have gotten 18' or 20' from the get-go. Plus a 16' trailer is usually narrow (76") and around here, most of the construction companies can't use 76 x 16, so the resale is a LOT less than an 84 x 18. Actually I bought an 18' from a guy at work who abandoned it and couldn't pay the bill. I bought it for $800 (steel floors, dual 5000' axles rated for 10k max load) and sold it same day for $1800 to a construction company, who was going to move the tractor from site-to-site with it. Within an hour of being on CL.
If I put the scooter in the front, there's VERY little room left, if any. Wish I'd have gotten 18' or 20' from the get-go. Plus a 16' trailer is usually narrow (76") and around here, most of the construction companies can't use 76 x 16, so the resale is a LOT less than an 84 x 18. Actually I bought an 18' from a guy at work who abandoned it and couldn't pay the bill. I bought it for $800 (steel floors, dual 5000' axles rated for 10k max load) and sold it same day for $1800 to a construction company, who was going to move the tractor from site-to-site with it. Within an hour of being on CL.
16' will fit the car, but not much else. My first trailer was an 18' with a tool box on the tounge, and once I loaded the golfcart on the front and put the car on it, it didn't pull with crap because the car sat too far back. I sold the steel 18' and bought an aluminum 20' and now the golfcart and car fit perfect and pull great.
This was the steel trailer
![Image]()
My new trailer
![Image]()
I also give the Mark LT to my son and bought an F250 to pull everything with now.
This was the steel trailer
My new trailer
I also give the Mark LT to my son and bought an F250 to pull everything with now.
I used to use a 16' angle iron utility trailer when I first started racing, so the stang will definitely fit, but as said, not much room for anything else on there. I have a couple of buddies who bought custom 14' trailers that the stangs barely fit on, but they bought them for a specific reason. At 14', plus the tongue, they can back their trailers with the car on it into a regular size garage. This way they didn't have to pay storage fees.
I went with an 18' with 2' dovetail when I bought my own car hauler. It has a 5" c-channel iron frame, wood deck, 3500 lbs axles, and brakes on one axle. The weakest part are the axles, but so far they have held up to a full size extended cab dodge pickup with a big over-cab tool rack, and my dad's big Kubota tractor.
One piece of advice is find one with ramps that slide out the back of the trailer instead of the side. Coming out of the side is annoying for two reasons, number one you have to pick those heavy things up and carry them around to the back to unload the car, and number two if someone parks next to you at the track it is a PITA to get them out.
What year is your F150? My nephew has a 2010, I don't remember if it is the 4.6 of 5.4, but that truck pulled a 24' enclosed trailer pretty well with my car from Houston to San Antonio (about 190 miles or so).
I went with an 18' with 2' dovetail when I bought my own car hauler. It has a 5" c-channel iron frame, wood deck, 3500 lbs axles, and brakes on one axle. The weakest part are the axles, but so far they have held up to a full size extended cab dodge pickup with a big over-cab tool rack, and my dad's big Kubota tractor.
One piece of advice is find one with ramps that slide out the back of the trailer instead of the side. Coming out of the side is annoying for two reasons, number one you have to pick those heavy things up and carry them around to the back to unload the car, and number two if someone parks next to you at the track it is a PITA to get them out.
What year is your F150? My nephew has a 2010, I don't remember if it is the 4.6 of 5.4, but that truck pulled a 24' enclosed trailer pretty well with my car from Houston to San Antonio (about 190 miles or so).
My F150 is a '97. I have to tow about 70 miles, mostly on back roads with about 15 miles of highway. 4.6. Heavy springs in back as I have a sander in it in the winter.
I had a 97F150 with the 4.6 for a few years, was a good truck. It pulled my 3100 lb mustang on a 16 foot utility trailer with no problems and our 17 foot ski boat. So I don't think you'll have a problem with an 18 foot open car hauler wood or steel deck. Now I wouldn't necessarily try to pull a 24 foot enclosed with it LOL.
The flat deck trailers are fine behind a F150. I pulled my 16' with a 4.2 5 speed 1997 F150 for a good while. And before that, a '95 F150 with a 4.9 big six. Both were 3.55 gear. The 4.9 pulled 10x better than the 4.2.
In 2006 I picked up a 24' Pace enclosed. Had to pick it up about 150 miles from home, and it's a little bit hilly up there. Not mountainous. Just hilly. Pulled it home with my dad's 2000 F150, 5.4 with 3.55's. 2wd. The motor loved it. The rest of the truck not so much. The tires SUCK with that much weight. P255/75R16, IIRC. P, to me, means passenger car tires. LT's are a must with that much weight. That day was windy. Trailer alone weighs 3500 lbs and is rated for 7000 max. I was driving west and the wind was coming out of the North at about 20-25 mph. It was all I could do to keep it in one lane. I said no way is this going to work once I get the car and all my junk in it. I stopped on the way back to grab some McDonalds grub and got on eBay with the phone, searching for an F250. Same city, a guy had a '95 F250 2wd, 7.3 auto long bed. Went to look at it, was pretty nice truck, 170,000 miles, ran fine (noisy), brand new Ford transmission at 168,000. Only problem...3.55 gears. I ended up buying it but couldn't pick it up til the next day. So I called a buddy who also lives nearby and had him store my "new" trailer overnight. Next day, dad and I went back to get the '95. Hooked it onto the enclosed and pulled it home. The difference is......well daylight and dark. THe brakes are 10x better. The chassis is built to hold more load. The engine doesn't struggle as much. Uses less fuel (but diesel costs more per gallon, unfortunately). Everything about the F250 is/was better than the F150.
The F150 was rated to pull I believe 8500 lbs. And it will. But an enclosed trailer that weighs 7000lb feels like it weighs 70,000 lbs if the wind is blowing much or an 18 wheeler passes you in the other lane. In the F150 it was scary. I pulled the enclosed (loaded down) with my '03 Lightning a couple times as well. Engine didn't work much and the 4R100 wasn't phased. The chassis, tires, and suspension were. I knew it was too much for it but had no choice since the '95 went to my brother. So I had to let the Lightning go, traded it on a '03 F250 7.3 (thank God it's not a 6.0) 4x4 crew Lariat. Love the truck. Pulls 10x better than the Lightning with that trailer. I actually feel safe pulling the big trailer with my F250.
Oh, and I would HIGHLY suggest a weight distributing hitch. Once again, comparing it to pulling directly off of the hitch to a WD hitch is like daylight & dark. I use an E3. Actually on my F250, the receiver is rated for 6000 max and 600 tongue. My trailer weighs 7000 and carries 690 lbs on the tongue, so I picked up the E3, took it to work and set it up in the parking lot after hours. On the way home, I immediately noticed that everything is super stable, no sway, weight on the front wheels instead of all on the rear wheels. Steers better and the headlights aren't in the clouds. Highly recommended. Expensive but worth EVERY penny.
And yes I still use my 16' deck trailer sometimes. I actually pulled the car to and from the track many moons ago with a '91 Ranger, 3.0/5 speed. That was kind of a wild ride. The F250 doesn't even realize it's behind it.
In 2006 I picked up a 24' Pace enclosed. Had to pick it up about 150 miles from home, and it's a little bit hilly up there. Not mountainous. Just hilly. Pulled it home with my dad's 2000 F150, 5.4 with 3.55's. 2wd. The motor loved it. The rest of the truck not so much. The tires SUCK with that much weight. P255/75R16, IIRC. P, to me, means passenger car tires. LT's are a must with that much weight. That day was windy. Trailer alone weighs 3500 lbs and is rated for 7000 max. I was driving west and the wind was coming out of the North at about 20-25 mph. It was all I could do to keep it in one lane. I said no way is this going to work once I get the car and all my junk in it. I stopped on the way back to grab some McDonalds grub and got on eBay with the phone, searching for an F250. Same city, a guy had a '95 F250 2wd, 7.3 auto long bed. Went to look at it, was pretty nice truck, 170,000 miles, ran fine (noisy), brand new Ford transmission at 168,000. Only problem...3.55 gears. I ended up buying it but couldn't pick it up til the next day. So I called a buddy who also lives nearby and had him store my "new" trailer overnight. Next day, dad and I went back to get the '95. Hooked it onto the enclosed and pulled it home. The difference is......well daylight and dark. THe brakes are 10x better. The chassis is built to hold more load. The engine doesn't struggle as much. Uses less fuel (but diesel costs more per gallon, unfortunately). Everything about the F250 is/was better than the F150.
The F150 was rated to pull I believe 8500 lbs. And it will. But an enclosed trailer that weighs 7000lb feels like it weighs 70,000 lbs if the wind is blowing much or an 18 wheeler passes you in the other lane. In the F150 it was scary. I pulled the enclosed (loaded down) with my '03 Lightning a couple times as well. Engine didn't work much and the 4R100 wasn't phased. The chassis, tires, and suspension were. I knew it was too much for it but had no choice since the '95 went to my brother. So I had to let the Lightning go, traded it on a '03 F250 7.3 (thank God it's not a 6.0) 4x4 crew Lariat. Love the truck. Pulls 10x better than the Lightning with that trailer. I actually feel safe pulling the big trailer with my F250.
Oh, and I would HIGHLY suggest a weight distributing hitch. Once again, comparing it to pulling directly off of the hitch to a WD hitch is like daylight & dark. I use an E3. Actually on my F250, the receiver is rated for 6000 max and 600 tongue. My trailer weighs 7000 and carries 690 lbs on the tongue, so I picked up the E3, took it to work and set it up in the parking lot after hours. On the way home, I immediately noticed that everything is super stable, no sway, weight on the front wheels instead of all on the rear wheels. Steers better and the headlights aren't in the clouds. Highly recommended. Expensive but worth EVERY penny.
And yes I still use my 16' deck trailer sometimes. I actually pulled the car to and from the track many moons ago with a '91 Ranger, 3.0/5 speed. That was kind of a wild ride. The F250 doesn't even realize it's behind it.
Thanks everybody. Sounds like this should suit my needs just fine. Sales rep told me that because it's sold in Connecticut, that Sure-Trac supplies their 7K trailers with brakes on both axles. State law I guess. Empty only weighs 1440 and the Mustang race weight is 3000. Price seems reasonable for new.
"http://thetrailerdepot.com/trailers.php?ikey=5JW1U1627E1082392&submit=Search"
"http://thetrailerdepot.com/trailers.php?ikey=5JW1U1627E1082392&submit=Search"
18' with a diamond plate deck, brakes on both axels, 7k or better axels.....
Also I agree with making sure the ramps come out of the back.... That is something that is very important.
Also I agree with making sure the ramps come out of the back.... That is something that is very important.
When I bought my trailer we were loaded up for track with a uhaul so we measured it from front wheel stop to back of trailer it was 16 feet so that's what helped me get my 8.5x20. The weight of uhaul traile is 2000lbs and my American hauler sayes on total and plate 1900lbs and I have triple tongue
Also watch the combined weight of trailer and car I towed with the uhaul and mustang weighed then about 3200 and 2000 trailer pulling with mercury mountaineer with 5.0 and 373 gear over 45mph it would sway all over check your weight on truck mine weighed 4900 to make sure truck would weigh more than both combined
I would think you would be fine trucks are heavier than they look I have a 08 250 5.4 WITH EXT CAB long bed and it says it weights 10,000. They are defiantly pigs
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