N80

I know I need a trailer. When I've borrowed a friend of mine's the whole track weekend is better. But, I'm going to VIR in March and he is going with me. So I don't have a trailer to borrow.

Buying a trailer isn't in the cards right now; I can hardly afford the track weekend!

So outside of borrowing a trailer are there any other good options? The U-Haul trailers look a little dicey. I think I can get my Z on one (it is not lowered) but it will require wood ramps and wooden blocks under the front wheels.

Anyone had a good experience with a U-Haul trailer? (I've read the other posts about this but a lot of the folks posting seemed to be new to trailering.

monztr

U haul has a couple of brands some of which are demco, my trailer is a former rental (demco) and I had to load my 350 backwards as the front bumper cover will not clear the wheel stops but it fit just fine backwards and towed very well. it helps that I have towed this trailer for thousands of miles and my ball height is where it needs to be. Most rental trailers are good quality and heavy duty, the only downside is the weight, but if your tow rig has the ***** for it you shouldn't have any trouble.

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

Is your car street legal? I have yet to get a trailer, need one soon

03threefiftyz

iTrader: (25)

Econotrailer used to be the go to cheap, light open trailer, but their prices have gone WAY up in the past few years. Mine was $1850 3-4 years ago, but they are over $2500 now and not nearly the bargain versus the competition they once were.

DmanG281

iTrader: (3)

The Budget/Penske trailers seem to be a little less with the extraneous flanges and have lower lips on them. May want to take a look there also if you have one local. The car dolly there also doesn't have as large a lip. A wrecked Z with no bumper fits on a Uhaul Car Dolly, can't vouche for a normal condition one.....

And also Craigslist........Friend of mine bought a decent generic trailer for $500 that he had to put about $150 of maintenance on. No frills has decent brakes and double axle. Keep an eye out just don't look in Florida or South Georgia because that's where I am looking, lol.

N80

My car is street legal and I can drive it to VIR. But, it doesn't carry much stuff and I'd prefer not to put a lot of miles on my track tires (RS-3). monztr, is your trailer the aluminum/galvanized later model or the red earlier model?

monztr

My trailer is galvanized, U haul, penske and some other rental companies use these same trailers

N80

No problems trailering with the car on backwards? I've always heard this puts too much weight on the rear of the trailer and can cause fishtailing? These trailers are so short, maybe it isn't an issue?

GreyZ

iTrader: (2)

Our cars are also really short. So loading them on backwards puts the motor nearly over the axles of the trailer. This means that the weight is still towards the tongue of the trailer.

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Have you considered towing a small trailer behind your Z? When I first started racing, I towed from Colorado to California and points east with a small trailer holding my race tires/wheels and toolbox. Not ideal- but if you wanna go racing, you do what you need to do...

N80

I've looked into it. Seems like it is hard to find the kits that attach the hitch to the bumper.

I really need a trailer and one of these days I'll get one. I've got a medium sized utility tractor that I need to be able to tow as well. Within the next year I'm hoping to get an 18' steel deck. But for now I've got to figure something out for this trip. Will probably just end up driving the Z and getting someone else who is going that direction to haul my tires and tools.

monztr

The center of gravity of the Z33 backwards is pretty much middle of the car placing it above the the forward trailer axle no matter which way you face it if it's pulled up the the tire stops. Towed it about 300 miles that way. Tows better loaded than empty.

The trailer seems short only because you pull up to the tire stops, I've hauled a couple of full sized trucks on this trailer and their rear tires just fit the load floor.

Whats important is having your ball at the right height for the loaded trailer, you want at least a couple hundred lbs of tongue weight, enough to keep the trailer pressing on the ball but not enough squat your tow rig more than a dew inches. I had to add air bags to my previous truck (Chevy Z71), my Tundra can take a bit more tongue weight. I've towed many many cars with 3 different trucks on this trailer and loaned it out to several friends, no one has had any trouble out of it, everyone always tells me how good it tows.

monztr

Tow hitches for the Z33 are all over ebay, and just about any retailer that sells hitches, under $150 just about everywhere. Certainly a viable option, I've been considering adding a hitch to my car just in case.

N80

I've got a 2003 F150 4x4 with oversize tires. For a while that cause some minor towing issues because the hitch height was too high. Since then I got a heavy duty drop down and it pulls much better. I've towed a two horse trailer, my tractor (5000#) and my car on a friend's 18" trailer with no problems. But you are right, if the ball is too high or low things get wonky.

03threefiftyz

iTrader: (25)

Meh I strap mine to back of an F250 diesel and it doesn't matter how it's loaded....

N80

Ya, well, I meant all at once....

N80

I stopped by and looked at one of the newer U-Haul trailers and noticed two things. First, I think the bumper of my Z (stock height) will clear the tire stop on the front of the trailer but only with street tires. Putting a wood block under the fronts would definitely allow it to clear. However, it looks to me like the tire stops are bolted on and it looks like it would be very easy to remove it, put the car in place and then bolt it back on.

On the older red trailers that tire stop is integral and cannot be removed.

monztr

My tire stops are bolted in It's just never convenient to remove them at that magical moment you realize they are an issue.

N80

All the hitches that I see are for models up to 2006. Mine is a 2007. Seems like I called Curt (the manufacturer) a while back and was told their kit did not fit the 2007.

I know this was all discussed in a thread a year or so ago but I can't find it but for some reason I finally concluded that it wasn't doable on the 07.

monztr

Looks like the 07-08 got a slightly different bumper cover and you can use the curt hitch but you'll have to cut a notch in the bottom of the cover to clear the hitch. Or you can go with this one which looks like it fits but rubs when the hitch is installed http://350zhatchshocksandmore.com/Hidden_Hitch.htm I personally would be inclined ot buy the curt and modify it or start from scratch, after all it's not rocket surgery but thats me.