7 wide vs. 8 wide

[BIGKEV]

After a recent accident with a wind and ice a discussion btw my buddies as to what to get for a new trailer. I had a 7 x 29 which seemed to get pushed around by the wind at times. They think I should go to a 8' wide enclosed. What are your guys feelings? will the 8 ft wide get pushed around less because of the little bit of extra weight?

 

[Dirty Steve]

If you're looking at 8, you might as well go 8.5' so you can park them side by side. If you go wider the side wind is still going to screw with you and you'll be bucking more wind up front too.
If I went to a wide trailer it'd be a gooseneck.

 

[Big_T_Roose]

If you go with the 8.5 wide you could get a shorter trailer and that will help with the wind. In my opionion the width of the trailer has little affect on side winds pushing it around. The length will be a bigger factor.

 

[eyefish123]

Anything with a deck over will be sitting higher and could be pushed around by the wind more than something with the deck between the wheels.

 

[Mafesto]

7' wide trails like a dream.
End of story, quit arguing about it.

 

[NDFARMER95]

I'll just leave this right here...
http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=342063

 

[soft hat]

What kind of tow vehicle do you have? If it's a 1/2t set up, I'd go with the 7 for a few reasons.

I have had many set ups, settled on the 7' x 18' enclosed aluma. A perfect trailer for two long tracks and a bunch of crap.

 

[SRXSRULE]

The wider trailer helps for a couple reasons. The wheel wells inside the trailer allows the floor to be lower and keep wind from going under the trailer, plus you can keep a normal height side wall and not have the extra height that can get caught in the wind. The other thing that helps a bunch is that the tire track of the trailer matches the tow vehicle. if the trailer tires can follow the truck tire paths it helps when driving in snow. Eric

 

[AZ800]

A 7 wide inline will do a little better due to the lower cg in side winds, but It's still the same size sail for equal length trailers.
Having tugged about every kind of trailer around the country in about every possible condition (except windy enough to blow me off the road, thankfully), I don't think there's an appreciable enough difference in deck over vs inline trailers to matter when it comes to towing in bad weather.
I would get whichever suits your needs or wants better.
Looking for a new(er) trailer, stepping up to a 4 place from a deck/2place combo, I was open to inlines as well as deckovers depending what was the best deal. Found a deckover Charmac and couldn't be happier. Having the width to park 2 sleds side by side regardless of how pudgy they were, ability to shuffle them and get up to 6 machines in a 4 place, and just the additional covered space inside the trailer for whatever means it's needed is preferable to me.
If I was a high miler with the trailer, using it thousands of miles every year consistently, the 1' narrower trailer may be of some advantage, but being used as a primary sled garage for 350+ days a year makes it way better to have a wider trailer.

 

[turbolover]

I have an 8.5 X 24 with a 5 foot V nose.
It was built off of a carhauler frame. I had that in mind that I wanted to be able to haul cars also.
I can put 5 163 longtacks in with no problems. I have had 4 - 4 wheelers and a motorbike plus camping gear.
I have pulled it to Canada and to Texas from Idaho. Pulling I average 12.5-14 depending on the wind. I have had some pretty good winds push me around but never off the road (knock on wood) (changed lanes in Montana once without turning the wheel..on dry pavement)
The only disadvantage of having a wider trailer is the wheels don't line up with the truck in deep snow. In really deep snow you end up breaking trail twice.

Most of the time I sled within 100 miles of home so the wider trailer is a no brainer. If I had to pull 100s of miles everytime It might be worth the smaller 7 wide but then you lose that option of no cars.

 

[jfox1995]

I have pulled it to Canada and to Texas from Idaho. Pulling I average 12.5-14 depending on the wind. QUOTE]


What kind of truck are you getting that mileage with? I am thinking of getting a new truck and would love to see that kind of mileage.

Thanks

 

[Mafesto]

I have pulled it to Canada and to Texas from Idaho. Pulling I average 12.5-14 depending on the wind. QUOTE]


What kind of truck are you getting that mileage with? I am thinking of getting a new truck and would love to see that kind of mileage.

Thanks

We never see better than 10

 

[DUKHTR3]

Seem there is always a guy getting 13 mpg pulling a loaded 28' trailer. Sure I can get 13 mpg but I don't like driving 55 mph down the intrastate. We averaged 8-10 mpg and 10 doesn't happen very often. When we are driving we are going 80-85. Don't really enjoy the 11 hour trip the way it is. I sure don't want it to take 15 hours just to safe a few dollars.

 

[turbolover]

2007 Dodge Ram with the 5.9 Cummins.
Most of that was doing 55- 60 mph.
The Canada trip was stuck at 100 KPH / 60 mph. Great fuel mileage til I get back to the states.
The Texas trip was moving a relative. His wife was driving a Toyota 4runner and couldn't get much faster than 60 with her trailer. Again great speeds for mileage.
If I did 80 like you guys, I would also be down in the 10 mpg range.

I could probably watch the fuel gauge move as fast as the speedo at 85.


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[kanedog]

Somebody's lying, lacking in math skills, delusional or doesn't understand miles to kilometers conversion.
Lots of experience with those trucks towing trailers. I about spit up my coffe when I read 12.5-14 mpg pulling a fully loaded 28' trailer. 3 people can only dream of 10mpg and one dreamer is pulling off.12.5-14 mpg. Yea, ok. People crack me up.
Yep, you read it right turbolover. I called you a liar.

 

[turbolover]

Well Kanedog. You can call me whatever you want but I don't haul 75-80 mph.
I usually ride within an hour of my house. Speed limit is 65 on the entire stretch.
I seldom go faster than 72 mph even when I am not towing.
If I drove my truck like a racecar at 80-85 yes there is no way I could get that kind of mileage.



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[Dirty Steve]

Just ran to the Bighorns with my 2011 DMAX and 4 sleds in my 7x27. 80-90 MPH averaged 9.6 on the dash.

 

[adamg]

Pretty good. We just did a trip with 09 Duramax dually, six sleds total, five people and all our gear. Trailer was a 7.5x27 from R&R, aluminum. Ended up at about 22 L/100km, which looks to be about 10.7 mpg, driving at 110km/h (68 mph).

 

[eyefish123]

Not trying to start a pi$$ing match here but I agree with Turbolover, If you keep the speed down the mileage improves dramatically with a diesel, towing or not. I have been driving diesels (Cummins) for 20 years and have found that if you want mileage, keep the tach under 2,000 RPM. Once I get over that the mileage decreases proportionately. I have also found that there doesn't seem to be anything that cuts mileage down more than a sled trailer. All the air drag. My boat weighs 3 times as much as my sled trailer and I get around 14.5 - 15 mpg pulling it and about 11.5 - 12 mpg pulling the sled trailer.
Disclosure: Individual results may vary, please check you owner's manual or contact your dealer.
Have a Nice Day!

 

[Mafesto]

I have also found that there doesn't seem to be anything that cuts mileage down more than a sled trailer. All the air drag. My boat weighs 3 times as much as my sled trailer and I get around 14.5 - 15 mpg pulling it and about 11.5 - 12 mpg pulling the sled trailer.

Couple things that may come into play in your comparison:
1 - Air temp. For some reason I always get better mileage in the summer.
2 - Speed perhaps? Speaking for my self here, but I am quite sure that I average at least 10 mph faster when pulling sled trailer vs boat.

Just a thought.