The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network







Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Go Back   The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network > General Truck Forums > Tools, Shops and Shop Safety

Web 67-72chevytrucks.com


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 02-11-2018, 01:55 PM   #1
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

In December I found a vehicle six hours away I thought I wanted. Hauling it home would be no problem as I have a trusty old car trailer built in 1990 that has always worked fine.

Then I started evaluating the condition of the trailer and remembered it needed new tires, bearing packed, as well as electric brakes repaired and upgraded. Then I started comparing dimensions of this one to new ones and determined my 1990 model was only 76" between the fenders, making it difficult to impossible to open a door on a loaded vehicle.

This all helped me decide to just go ahead and get a new trailer as wife and I had been discussing for several years. Doing some comparison on how trailers are built showed a lot of variation in structure, quality and materials. Since I wanted a really well built unit, I custom ordered one from Imperial Trailers in Olney, IL.

Their design incorporates a triangular shaped side, fabricated from box tubing, creating a very stiff deck. This one has the 23' deck, 6 D rings, rub rail with stake pockets, 6k torsion flex axles, Dexter EZ lube hubs with up graded electric brakes at each hub, 16 inch 10 ply trailer tires, 2 coats of primer, and 2 coats of paint top and bottom. We stepped up on the jack capacity and also included are the safety chains with emergency stop break away. The deck steel thickness was also doubled.
Attached Images
 

Last edited by Advanced Design; 02-11-2018 at 02:18 PM.
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2018, 01:59 PM   #2
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

The beaver tail ramp includes a stepped down area, making it a little easier for this too fat getting older guy to wriggle under and place tie downs in place. I also like the signal lights, one is included in the fenders.
Attached Images
 
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2018, 02:02 PM   #3
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

The loading ramps are stored here in the split, and are extended after pulling the retention pin out from the side. They provide a pretty low load angle.
Attached Images
 
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2018, 02:05 PM   #4
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

I looked at another manufacturers product which included stabilization jacks on the back corners of the trailer. They were to be used when loading. This Imperial doesn't need those.
Attached Images
 
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2018, 02:07 PM   #5
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

Added the 8,500 lb winch as well. It mounts on a removable post and came with a wireless as well as a wired remote.
Attached Images
 
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2018, 02:11 PM   #6
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

The lockable tool box contains the winch battery and enough room for other storage too. I will put some post protectors on the unprotected positive post. The battery is wired to charge from the truck. I'll throw a trickle charger on it as mostly it will be sitting in the shop.
Attached Images
 
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2018, 02:17 PM   #7
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

This company is part of Floyds welding who has been in business 75 years. They do a lot of oil field work, including fabricating and installing all the equipment on big trucks for pulling and servicing oil wells.

So I figured they would have good welds and a product that will last.

Check them out here....https://imperialtrailer.com
Attached Images
 
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2018, 02:58 PM   #8
mongocanfly
Post Whore

 
mongocanfly's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Alabama
Posts: 14,557
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

that's a really nice trailer you got there Doug....looks really well built....that wireless remote winch is the ticket...
__________________
Mongo...aka Greg

RIP Dad
RIP Jesse

1981 C30 LQ9 NV4500..http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=753598
Mongos AD- LS3 TR6060...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...34#post8522334
Columbus..the 1957 IH 4x4...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...63#post8082563
2023 Chevy Z71..daily driver
mongocanfly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2018, 06:49 PM   #9
Scott2
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Castle Rock, CO
Posts: 534
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

Sweet! I was just hoping to find one like your old one!
__________________
Scott

______________
my '51 build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=677979
Scott2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2018, 06:52 PM   #10
Clyde65
1965 Chevy C10, 2005 4.8L/4l60
 
Clyde65's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: DFW Texas
Posts: 8,539
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

Wow! A lot of trailer right there! Nice!
__________________
Clyde65

Rebuild of Clyde
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...84#post8338184

69 Aristocrat Lo Liner build
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...84#post7561684



support our troops!
Clyde65 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2018, 08:49 PM   #11
truckster
Senior Member
 
truckster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Orem, Utah
Posts: 7,761
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

That should haul whatever you need it to.
__________________
I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. - Thomas Jefferson
truckster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2018, 11:57 AM   #12
wahl4m
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: norwalk,iowa,usa
Posts: 921
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

doug -thats a really NICE TRAILER !!!! looks like it is set -up realy nice & should tow really good -especially like the bigger axle & the 16" wheels & tires ! YOU DID GOOD !! say hi to randy f for me !!!!! mike
wahl4m is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2018, 12:37 PM   #13
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

Thanks guys. It should handle about any vehicle hauling needs I will ever have.

Mike, I will say hey to Randy. Come on back to MM this year!
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2018, 05:54 PM   #14
gearheadperkins
Registered User
 
gearheadperkins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Johnson City, TN
Posts: 97
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

very nice trailer.. Congrats..
__________________
1972 Chevy C10 400sbc 4sp


Matthew 4:19
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
gearheadperkins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2018, 12:58 PM   #15
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

Thanks gearheadperkins! Now to go buy a truck somewhere....
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2018, 01:20 PM   #16
wahl4m
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: norwalk,iowa,usa
Posts: 921
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

know of any deals on a dually ?? were out of money after buying a 5th wheel trailer !id like to find something as nice & dependable as "jerry gullys " unit
wahl4m is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2018, 01:54 PM   #17
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

I don't know of one specifically Mike. Jerry has a nice one and has been putting it to work towing his trailer for several years now. Ours is decent though this one is a keeper for me. We really like it.
Attached Images
 
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-23-2018, 12:55 PM   #18
lower50's
Registered User
 
lower50's's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,254
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

WOW almost to nice to use lol
__________________
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=648459
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=769441
1951 MG TD
1967 Jeep CJ5 1.9L TDI 33X13.5X15 Mud Grapplers.
1952 GMC 9700 p/u 7.3L diesel on air, dually
lower50's is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-23-2018, 01:11 PM   #19
Bigdav160
Registered User
 
Bigdav160's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Klein Texas
Posts: 3,852
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

That's a lot of trailer.

How heavy is it?
__________________
My Classics:
'72 K20 Suburban + '65 Dodge Town Wagon
'72 Corvette Roadster +'67 Corvette Roadster
'73 Z-28 Camaro
'63 Ford SWB Uni Pickup
'50 Ford Coupe
Bigdav160 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-23-2018, 07:13 PM   #20
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

Quote:
Originally Posted by lower50's View Post
WOW almost to nice to use lol
Yeah, needs a few scratches and dents. Working on it.

That beaver tail with the dropped deck is very handy for the rear tie downs.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigdav160 View Post
That's a lot of trailer.

How heavy is it?
Not sure. It tows really nice loaded and unloaded. Went to TN and brought this one home....very smoooth ride home on some pretty rough roads.
Attached Images
 
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2018, 09:25 PM   #21
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

Headed to Memphis tomorrow on another adventure.

I blame the square body guys.....
Attached Images
 
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2018, 06:22 PM   #22
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

Successful 12 hour round trip. The trailer tows and rides extremely nicely, though you might notice the open slot on the right side where the trailer ramp stows.
Attached Images
 
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2018, 06:38 PM   #23
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

The ramps are retained by a spring loaded 3/8” diameter pin inserting into a hole in the side of the ramp. It takes some force to pull the pin out against spring pressure, so the ramps should be well secured.

So after an early departure I stopped for fuel, walked around the truck and trailer making sure all looked good, then I drove on some of the roughest state highway roads I’ve ever encountered. A 2,000 year old Roman Empire cobblestone road would be nice than this stretch of Illinois pavement.

Rolling into a smallish town about 30 mph I heard a bang and the dreaded steel dragging on asphalt sound we all hate to hear. Turned onto a side street to investigate and yep, the ramp was dragging. Fortunately it stayed hooked to the trailer as there was the typical traffic following too close behind.

Hmmm...how in the world did that get unpinned. Did I leave the pin disengaged?

So I grab the handle to pull the pin out and it wouldn’t move. Dive under the trailer (with about half the town population driving by me glaring) and sure enough, that pin is bent up about 30 degrees. Guessing the pin ended up above the ramp. Since the pin is toward the back of the trailer, I believe the weight and force of the bouncing ramp bent the pin up.

Bag of tools doesn’t include what I need to fix it. And I was too displeased with my fancy pants new car trailer to think of putting the ramp in the back of the truck. Doh....
Attached Images
 
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2018, 06:52 PM   #24
Advanced Design
Senior Member
 
Advanced Design's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 7,014
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

So two good friends and I made a fun 12 hour round trip and brought the Suburban home. What a fun awesome day...seeing so many sweet solid trucks running around just North of Memphis.

About an hour from home, on that same stretch of rough pavement, in the dark in a construction zone barely moving I hear a bang and the dreaded metal on asphalt dragging sound.

Luckily there was a field access road next to and I was able to pull over to investigate. Figured the other ramp dropped out.

Nope, the foot of the trailer jack had dropped down. This is the style where you pull a securing pin so the foot drops to the ground to save a ton of jacking.

The retention pin rotates on a ramp to move it out against the spring pressure allowing the disengagement. Nearest I can tell, the handle on the pin contacts the trailer frame while turning down the ramp before the bottom of the ramp is realized. Thinking the pin isn’t fully engaged and the rough road shook it loose.

I could be all wrong in my theories and will get ahold of the manufacturer next week sometime to get it fixed.
Attached Images
 
Advanced Design is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2018, 07:04 PM   #25
mongocanfly
Post Whore

 
mongocanfly's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Alabama
Posts: 14,557
Re: Bought a new high quality locally built car trailer

dang....sounds like you put the trailer through the ringer...sounds like your trip was like mine to Oklahoma when I went to get the IH.....I just thought our rds around here where bad....in Arkansas every bridge I came to felt like hitting a 6in curb going on the bridge ...and dropping off a curb going off the bridge....I mean every bridge..and they got a bunch of em....I couldn't believe I made it through with the truck still on the trailer....

duct tape'll fix everthang...haha
__________________
Mongo...aka Greg

RIP Dad
RIP Jesse

1981 C30 LQ9 NV4500..http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=753598
Mongos AD- LS3 TR6060...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...34#post8522334
Columbus..the 1957 IH 4x4...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...63#post8082563
2023 Chevy Z71..daily driver
mongocanfly is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:26 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 1997-2022 67-72chevytrucks.com