Smaller trailers for 40% + sized Giants!

[MattyMatt]

I wanted to start a thread for those that don't want to dive a truck everyday to pull 40% or bigger RC plane.



Many have seen the thread on FG about trailer setup and in my opinion it's insane to pull this giant gas hog of a trailer with a huge vehicle to tow a 40-50 lb airplane. It also is funny to me to see guys make these mobile club houses to take one plane.



And I'm not talking necessarily about some home grown, rickety, cheap project. I'm talking real, practical use.



So, let's see what you guys are doing.

 

[MattyMatt]

So, I'll go first.



A few years ago I was using a really nice normal 6x10 cargo trailer with side door, and back barn doors. I first pulled it with my 5.4L Expedition... I usually carried one plane maybe two 40% Dalton's and would get 9-12 mpg. I did use the Expedition to tow my mustang to the track and pull my wife's horse trailer.



Then We sold the horses and mustang, went to a Volvo XC90... And got 15 mpg.



Then in 2010 we moved to the house we're in now. The garage is three bays, one of which for my airplane trailer. 8' high doors, no problem... Except the door I needed to put it in was 8'x8', and a 6x10 cargo trailer is 8' fender to fender. This wasn't going to work. When I moved I also went from 5-6 miles to the flying field to 20-25 miles, but was also 30 miles from to other outstanding sites. Now it was really expensive to just go to the field. So this is where I began.



I was also tired of driving trucks and SUV's, and really wanted a Volvo V70R wagon. I found a perfect 06...



Next was the trailer. I looked at everything. I wanted a light weight trailer that had the tires under it to reduce the overall width to be close to the width of the V70R and easily fit in my garage.



I looked at custom, snow mobile, and will say that the best trailers commercially available for what I wanted are from http://www.worthingtontrailers.com and specifically their ultralight weight series: http://www.worthingtontrailers.com/commercial-utility/cargo-trailers/ I think I was looking at their 56, 11' and it would have weighed under 500lbs. These guys make all aluminum trailers... I mean everything. But they come with a price.



So, along my journey I bumped into a few of the old Aero Express trailers. I wasn't really interested, but a friend of my dad's had one in great shape and needed it out of his garage. Long story short, I bought it... It was in PA and I picked it up and brought it to NC. I got a great deal.



It is a 1994 model, and when I got it it was in great shape, garaged most of its life. It is 6x10' same dimensions as my old cargo trailer.



It opened from the side, which wasn't going to work. So after a few weeks of work, I changed the hinging to the front, put in a tailgate, rewired everything and painted it the same color as my wagon. I figured if I didn't like it I could easily sell it and get my money back.



Here's a few shots of it.




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[MattyMatt]

So two years later, I really like it. I usually carry two 40% IMAC planes or one IMAC plane and my 2.5m Futura jet.



I can reach every thing from outside the trailer. Everything just fits well, and I get 22-24 mpg with it behind my wagon.



Oh yeah, this trailer only weighs about 400 lbs.





I know I'm not the only one pulling planes with a car or smaller SUV... Show us what you have.

 

[thurmma]

Nice setup! I would love to do something like that and pull it with our Terrain, but my trailer also doubles for transporting my lawnmower and storage for my planes I have a 42% Edge, 36% Edge, 70" Yak and a 48" Edge, so the trailer works great to keep the planes in when I need to use my garage for wood working or vehicle maintenance I may look for a smaller trailer like you have so it will be cheaper to make trips to fields that are farther away such as Joe Nall

 

[tl3]

:fat: MM's trailer is awesome...and doesn't slow the V70 down a bit, I've tried to keep up with him...

Too bad the Aero Express trailers are so hard to come by these days. I've also been down the road of full size cargo trailers, 5 x 10 full height Timberwolf - cut 12mpg off the highway mpg on my Dodge Dakota, and then a chopped 5 x 10 Haulmark Cub. The Cub was great, the roof line was lowered to just below the cab height of the truck and the mpg was virtually unchanged between towing and not towing. However, moving from the truck to a min-van or car and the Cub's nearly 1000lb curb weight was a real issue.

 

[stangflyer]

Yup MattyMatt.... I like that idea. Been thinking for sometime on just "what" would be a good fit. Although I would like to have a much larger trailer, i.e. to carry my two 42%'ers, two 50cc'ers, my sons planes and all the gear....I really don't see the advantage of needing something that large. I mean, other than an event, I usually take just one plane for the day. Your trailer set up is really appropriate for just that.

 

[Wacobipe]

Here's a couple quick pics of mine...it it a 5 X 10 V-nose with 5' interior height. Pulls great behind my BMW 135... Barely know it's back there. I'll upload more inside photos once I get home.




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[Wacobipe]

Oh yeah, BMW gets 23 MPG around town, 28 Hwy. with trailer I get 20 around town, 18Hwy.

 

[Alpha20]

Haven`t got any pictures, but i am building my own trailer based on a camper undercarriage. I need a trailer with suspension that can handle bumpy roads, especially in the spring when the ice is melting. And I agree with the OP. 15 years in this hobby, and I have never brought more than one plane to the field.

 

[Bunky.F.Knuckle]

I used a converted pop up camper trailer for a couple of years. Worked great. Only lost about 2 mpg on flat land towing it. But if you travel the hills and valleys, expect more fuel burn.