OK, I own both.. which do you prefer? My 22 ft enclosed is a real pain in the rear to tow. IT is HEAVY, and it also catches a lot of wind. The Aluminum open trailer is much easier to pull, but I am afraid that someone is going ot steal my stuff. I'd rather have it all out of sight.

I have recently been looking at getting a larger open trailer. It has been a toss up between geting a car hauler with a diamond plated full deck, or a purpose built ATV trailer that can haul 4 easily sideways. The car hauler would give me much more capacity weight wise and I am always borrowing a trailer to tow a car for my oldest son. I could kill two birds with one stone that way... Weight wise there isn't much of a difference either.

I had considered at oned time to get another enclosed 4 place snowmobile deck over, but again, the cost plus the wind/weight factor really comes to bear.

My other choice has been a toyhauler, but I am having a lot of trouble justifying it's high cost. High weight, and cost of fuel to tow it.

Thoughts?

 

See if this toy hauler would work for you?

 

I prefer the hauler. Had the open trailer, and was nice because if I needed to, could pull it with my Ranger. But, having an camper that weathers a storm better than a tent is nice. Plus, we use it as a regular camper too. We did get a superlite, but don't let the name fool you, you will be using gas when you use it. Loaded with 3 quads, gear and supplies, our 08 Titan gets about 11 mpg. Maybe better if I'd slow down some. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]

 

If I were to blow the wad and spring for a toyhauler, I'd get the Cherokee Wolfpack 27 ft. It hsa a garage length of 23 ft. The design is such that everything is on one side of the trailer, and even the queen bed in front folds up so you can really stuff a lot in there.

Any thoughts on getting a larger open trailer? Cost is much less.. Under 4K versus 24K. I can haul 4, load from the side and if I go with the car hauler, I can also use it to haul cars occasionally. It has a LOT of weight capacity.

Around here where I ride, I don't rough it very often... In fact I don't ever. I can stay at a motel or rent a cabin at a camp ground. For a couple hundred bucks, I can get a cabin for the wekend, have a nice hot shower, TV, full kitchen etc. I'd have to go over a hundred times to match the cost of a toy hauler. Not to mention the cost difference in fuel towing all that weight. With Diesel topping $4.50 a gallon, it is something you have ot look at these days. All of my riding is a minimum of a 3 to 4 hour drive away. SO I have to choose wisely.

 

An open trailer full of quads wouldn't get questioned, DOT wise, as opposed to a big enclosed cargo trailer. Of course the advantage to the enclosed trailer is things are out of sight of thieves, and out of the weather.

Toy hauler wise, they depreciate hugely in the first few years, so unless money is no object I'd suggest looking used.

The other pain in the rear I've found with toy haulers is that most are 8' wide, meainging you have to grunt machines around sideways to fit two large 4x4's in, unless you go 14+ foot long garage.

 

Yeah.. I hear ya on that. The one I looked at and pretty much decided on if I do spring for one is unique in design. It is a 27 ft unit, and everything is on the left side. (Kitchen, bathroom etc. That leaves you with a lane that runs teh entire length of the trailer to haul quads on. It is over 23 ft of clear floor. I can easily get 3 full size utes in there nose to tail and still have room in front for a dirt bike or two. Even teh front queen bed flods up to give you a huge area up front for storage. The only negative I found was that it didn't give you enough hauling capacity. I'd ask for heavier axles to bump it up about 1K more. As it is, it only gives you 2100 lbs.
I think I have talked myself out of the toyhauler at this point. The enclosed too. I have a nice on alrady that I could easily use if I had to. The other issue iw where to park it. Ihave the space, but I am afraid the neighbors will complain. I already have two in the drive now. If I get anything, it will be a choice between a 18 ft car hauler or an 18 ft open ATV trailer. I can't justify the extra 20K it would take for the toyhauler. Not to mention the wear and tear on teh tow vehicle from teh added weight and the fuel costs.

 

Toy hauler wise, I kind of prefer the seperate garage type. Some of the non-seperated ones have fold out benches that you put cushions on or whatever, and they just don't look like the place I want to relax on after a day's riding, as much as a regular sofa.

There really is no perfect solution. A buddy runs one of those monster racks with two quads above the bed of the truck, plus like a 31' tow trailer. Another friend runs an open atv trailer behind a pickup camper. Other folks run a motorhome and enclosed trailer...

Everything has advantages and disadvantages.

 

For towing to local areas, I prefer an open trailer. Easier to load, easier to get to the ATV's (filling up all the bikes at one pump is easy). You can also load more onto a flatbed since things like fender overhangs are not an issue like they could be with an enclosed. Theft is not a problem, as we are going straight from home to the trails. If I have any qualms about stopping somewhere then a long cable run through all the bikes and locked makes it too much of a chore for someone to steal them while parked at a mini-mart or gas station.

For long distance I prefer an enclosed. Aside from the security factor if I park at a motel lot, the enclosed gets better milage. I can get about 2 to 3 MPG's more towing my brothers 16' enclosed vs my flatbed. I think it's the windage on the flatbed losad that kills me - several quads are just not aerodynamic at all. The other security factor is parking once you get to the trails - no matter if you are at a motel or if you're camping, sometime you may want to leave for supplies or to go eat somewhere - wherever you go the enclosed gives you a secure place to leave the quads unattended.

Jaybee

 

And with an enclosed trailer you can sleep in it out of the weather or just get out of the sun for a little while. I see an enclosed trailer as a big tent. With more protection. You can also put a/c units on them.

 

Take a look at my personal page. I have what you describe. Add Hot and cold water to the AC too. The problem with my trailer is I wnet overboard on the height fora business I am starting that I will be using it for. Also it is HEAVY. 4500 empty. Add 170 gals of water, two propane tanks, generator, 700 machine etc... and it gets to be a hand full to pull on down the road. I do have a diesel and it pull sfine, but that is a lot of trailer.... Next time, no matter what I get, it will be aluminum.