Towing a racecar, trailer options on a budget

2011 Supercrew 6.2L : On a budget to get something to haul my racecar around Arizona and California, I’ve found two trailers that fit the budget (sub 5k at the moment) but each with caveats:

Trailer 1 is a 30’ enclosed, deal of the century, cabinets, bumper pull with a 10k gvcr, 7500 axle upgrades etc. downer? Weighs 5400lbs empty. Add 3350 lb racecar plus spares, tools and fuel and you see where this is going.

Trailer 2 is a 20’ open trailer with tire rack, also a great deal but security and shelter would be an issue at and traveling between events. Weighs 2k so much more raptor friendly. Also misery first time it rains out here at or on the way to an event (which happens more than i would like.

Other options in AZ are outside my reach, these are two mechanically sound and cosmetically fair trailers that I can live with and afford to do what’s needed to make the raptor work (bumpstops, weight distro hitch, springs or airbags or whatever is recommended)

I’ve pulled a 24’ enclosed trailer and it wasn’t bad with the raptor bone stock within the speed limit and properly loading the tongue weight but I’m not sure how far above the rating I’m willing to go and risk damaging the truck. A new truck (superduty, even a used one) is outside budget at this time. Just a broke guy trying to go club racing, not easily done.

The best answer here is the Raptor is not the right truck to do this. Get a F250 diesel or something. That is how you tow a box trailer, and this is coming from many miles of towing a race car.

We had a gas motor truck, 30’ box trailer, tube chassis race car. Thousands of miles which wore the motor out, hills were a nightmare, and mileage was awful. Swapping to a diesel was a dream.

I compete in Hot Rod Drag Week every year which requires me to tow my 22ft open trailer loaded with my 3600lb vette and its harbor freight trailer literally half way across the country each way.

For this I use the Firestone Riderite bags in the back and the thing rides and tows like a dream. At this time my truck currently has 41,902 miles on it of which 15K of that has been towing.

When I get home I take the bags and brackets off (1 hour start to finish) and store them away for the next time. It rides like total crap with the bags on it without a trailer on the back.

- Travis

trayack said:

I compete in Hot Rod Drag Week every year which requires me to tow my 22ft open trailer loaded with my 3600lb vette and its harbor freight trailer literally half way across the country each way.

For this I use the Firestone Riderite bags in the back and the thing rides and tows like a dream. At this time my truck currently has 41,902 miles on it of which 15K of that has been towing.

When I get home I take the bags and brackets off (1 hour start to finish) and store them away for the next time. It rides like total crap with the bags on it without a trailer on the back.

- Travis

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Which kit do you use? I might do this as well, I tow a open trailer and car to the track a few times a year.

RaptorVette said:

Which kit do you use? I might do this as well, I tow a open trailer and car to the track a few times a year.

Click to expand...

I use the Firestone Riderite kit. Once you take it on and off a few times you can get it done very quickly.

- Travis

I have an 18’ kiefer all aluminum trailer with a low profile (bagged ray rod). It’s so light, the Raptor doesn’t hesitate.

Go with option 2, if you want to keep the Raptor.

God forbid you get into an accident, your fault or not, if they see the tow weight over the limit you'll have a lot more headaches to deal with.

Option 1 takes you way over the limits for the Raptor, legally.

I have a 22' Pace American enclosed bullet nose. Weighs around 3400lb with the 10K axle upgrades. I have towed it all over the place with everything from 30's hotrods, muscle cars and exotics, but I wouldn't go much heavier. The first trailer is just too big for the Raptor. Having owned 6 different enclosed car trailers, I don't think I would want a 30' bumper pull either.

The biggest "cheap" upgrade I did was going with a nice weight distribution and sway control hitch. Even when my trailer was weighed near the capacity of the Raptor it handled well. 5500lb empty is just too much trailer once you are loaded up... Does that even include the weight of the cabinets and current gear or just the trailer without upfitters?

buy a cheap old f350 and save the wear on your raptor