Deck over vs non deck over question

[jbusch]

I am looking at purchasing a new trailer and struggling with the decision between a deck over and a non deck over. One of my concerns about a non DeckOver is ground clearance has anybody had any problems pulling a non Deck Over trailer through deep snow? Also looking at switching from an eight and a half wide to 7 wide in line what people's opinion about an inline vs 8.5 wide

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[whitefish]

Never had a inline or even know anyone that has one. Everyone I know has 8.5's. I have no thoughts on why you would want a narrow trailer other than no having to put your mirrors out. Seems odd to have a long and low trailer. I can tell you where we ride, a low trailer would be an issue especially if it was longer than a wide one to carry the same amount of sleds. I guess I'm interested to hear thoughts from the other side.

 

[jbusch]

I ride in Colorado and currently pull a 20 ft, 8.5 wide deck over steel trailer. Looking at a 7x23 inline so not much different in length. Also looking at a mirage 8.5 wide but fenders inside as opposed to deck over

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[LoudHandle]

Regardless of which style you go with, I won't even consider a trailer with interior fenders. They are a "Waste of Space" and sooner or later you will wipe them out and damage your sled, your trailer and likely yourself.

I also have never even considered a narrower inline style trailer. The whole reason for an enclosed trailer is "Square Footage"! Why settle for 3/4 of the space for the same coin?

My 2 cents FWIW

 

[revrider07]

Depends on how far you travel. I have had two 8.5 wide trailers and now own a 7 X 29 triton would not go back. Traveling long distances 600 miles one way is closest mts for me. Trailer pulls easier wind does not get under trailer as easy trying to flip it over. Being low to the ground is basically a none issue where I ride if snow is deep that's what chains are for or basically park and start riding.

 

[FlyingW]

I have a 20 foot and a 27 foot trailer with the interior fenders and have no desire to go to a deck over. I love the lower to the ground without sacrificing interior height and the versatility to use year round. The only issue is if having to tow with an accumulation of snow on the road because the trailer axles are wider than the tow rig so breaking their own path, otherwise I like the lower stability going down the road. Another option to look at would be the Trails West trailers like the Burandt which is a cross between the two types of trailers. The floor isn't flat front to rear but low in front and the rear and raised over the wheels in the middle so no interior fenders. The interior fenders in trailers meant for snowmobiles have ramps for the skis to go up and over.

 

[meathooker]

Got our first enclosed trailer in 94'. It was a deck over and we kept blowing tires. My dad added fenders inside so we could run a bigger tire. I remember him agonizing over it because he didn't want fenders. Once they were in it was never an issue. We still have the traile and anyone that uses it never comments on them being a pia.

Since then I've owned 3 enclosed trailers myself. Two with inner fenders and one TW with the curved floor. The curved floor was alright for loading/unloading but walking around and sleeping (we use the trailer in the summer for car racing) i did not like it. As I mentioned above it inner fender are a non issue.

I've been borrowing a 7'x14' from work to haul the Rzr and kids dirt bikes out when I don't want to take the big trailer and didn't mind the 7' width at all. In fact I took it this weekend backseat the roads were bad at out cabin and fit myself plus 3 kids sleds and it pulled great. I had to work on one of the kids sleds in the trailer and the 7' width didn't feel too cramped. So I ordered a 20' + 6' nose ATC 7' wide trailer. Banking on it being a good trailer for when we only take 4 machines. One of our riding posse switched to a snowbike so that will help.

 

[meathooker]

This was last weekend. Truck has new studded tires and we only had 3 sleds and a snow bike in the trailer. Trailer is a 30' charmac that is very well built - and also heavy. Probably right at 10,000 lbs as loaded give or take 500 lbs. we got stuck and had to chain up and still barely made it out. The new 7' weights 2600lbs empty. Once it's insulated, shelves, heater it should be around 3000. Loaded with machines it will be around 4700-5000. Dropping the trailer weight in half will be huge when trying to get to some of the remote parking lots.

 

[jbusch]

At most I am hauling 3 sleds 300 miles one way. Mostly just trailering 1.5 hours with 2 sleds. That's why I'm looking at a 23 ft. Or the mirage extreme 20ft with low profile fenders on the inside. But the price on the 7ft wide 23ft long is pretty hard to beat in aluminum

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[NorthMNSledder]

Every time the 8.5' vs 7' discussion comes up on Snowest with very little exception this is what we see....

The midwest guys love the 7' wide all aluminum trailers because they pull nicer and for those traveling 600 to 1,000+ miles out west that is what matters most.

The guys who live out west love the 8.5' trailers because they can pack more into them and since they don't have to pull the trailer a crap ton of miles every time they ride the weight is no big deal.


And I fall into that same boat, I own a 7x25 all aluminum and while the added space of the 8.5' would be nice. The 7' wide pulls just too damn nice to think about changing when you have at least 1,100 miles each way to ride out west.

 

[Super 8]

Most companies now build a 7.5' wide, less fender inside the trailer, more room than a 7'. A good compromise between the 2.

 

[hamlin]

Every time the 8.5' vs 7' discussion comes up on Snowest with very little exception this is what we see....

The midwest guys love the 7' wide all aluminum trailers because they pull nicer and for those traveling 600 to 1,000+ miles out west that is what matters most.

The guys who live out west love the 8.5' trailers because they can pack more into them and since they don't have to pull the trailer a crap ton of miles every time they ride the weight is no big deal.


And I fall into that same boat, I own a 7x25 all aluminum and while the added space of the 8.5' would be nice. The 7' wide pulls just too damn nice to think about changing when you have at least 1,100 miles each way to ride out west.

Well said!

 

[LoudHandle]

Every time the 8.5' vs 7' discussion comes up on Snowest with very little exception this is what we see....

The midwest guys love the 7' wide all aluminum trailers because they pull nicer and for those traveling 600 to 1,000+ miles out west that is what matters most.

The guys who live out west love the 8.5' trailers because they can pack more into them and since they don't have to pull the trailer a crap ton of miles every time they ride the weight is no big deal.


And I fall into that same boat, I own a 7x25 all aluminum and while the added space of the 8.5' would be nice. The 7' wide pulls just too damn nice to think about changing when you have at least 1,100 miles each way to ride out west.

I must be the exception then; I'm in Alaska so I guess that puts me in the West segment, however as far as milage and the (Lesser?) towablity of the 8.5' deck over I do not agree.

IMO the better towablity stems from the quality of the trailer itself not the actual shape of it. Even fully loaded my Featherlite tows so nice you have to look in the mirror to remember it's even there. Even when traveling thru winds that were rolling loaded semi trailers. It has been up and down the Alcan (roughly 2000 miles just for the Canadian border to border portion) more times than I can count and from the west coast to the Dakotas a few times as well. I won't trade it for a dozen of the skinny style trailers from any manufacturer. FWIW

 

[NorthMNSledder]

I must be the exception then; I'm in Alaska so I guess that puts me in the West segment, however as far as milage and the (Lesser?) towablity of the 8.5' deck over I do not agree.

IMO the better towablity stems from the quality of the trailer itself not the actual shape of it. Even fully loaded my Featherlite tows so nice you have to look in the mirror to remember it's even there. Even when traveling thru winds that were rolling loaded semi trailers. It has been up and down the Alcan (roughly 2000 miles just for the Canadian border to border portion) more times than I can count and from the west coast to the Dakotas a few times as well. I won't trade it for a dozen of the skinny style trailers from any manufacturer. FWIW

I will agree with you on the quality of the trailer will 100% make a difference in how a trailer tows.

But have you pulled the Featherlite in a 7' wide to compare?

Also what are you using for a tow rig? Gas or Diesel?

Because with my 3/4 ton gasser the wind difference (drag) towing the 7' vs 8.5' was noticeable as soon as you got up to highway speed and you could see it in the RPM's also with the cruise set. I pulled both trailers on the same day on the same stretch of road. One was a 7x25 and the other an 8.5'x25, both made by the same manufacture and within 50 lbs of each other. It was not very windy that day so I can't comment on one vs the other in a crosswind. I'm sure if I was running a diesel I would feel differently about this.

 

[LoudHandle]

I will agree with you on the quality of the trailer will 100% make a difference in how a trailer tows.

But have you pulled the Featherlite in a 7' wide to compare? No, I'm not going to go out and buy one just to prove my point, the skinny ones do not get imported up here for a reason. They do not sell.

Also what are you using for a tow rig? Gas or Diesel? Both, but most of the miles were with a 2000 3/4 ton HD with 6.0 gaser

Because with my 3/4 ton gasser the wind difference (drag) towing the 7' vs 8.5' was noticeable as soon as you got up to highway speed and you could see it in the RPM's also with the cruise set. I pulled both trailers on the same day on the same stretch of road. One was a 7x25 and the other an 8.5'x25, both made by the same manufacture and within 50 lbs of each other. It was not very windy that day so I can't comment on one vs the other in a crosswind. I'm sure if I was running a diesel I would feel differently about this.

Answers in Bold and Blue

 

[adamg]

Every time the 8.5' vs 7' discussion comes up on Snowest with very little exception this is what we see....

The midwest guys love the 7' wide all aluminum trailers because they pull nicer and for those traveling 600 to 1,000+ miles out west that is what matters most.

The guys who live out west love the 8.5' trailers because they can pack more into them and since they don't have to pull the trailer a crap ton of miles every time they ride the weight is no big deal.


And I fall into that same boat, I own a 7x25 all aluminum and while the added space of the 8.5' would be nice. The 7' wide pulls just too damn nice to think about changing when you have at least 1,100 miles each way to ride out west.

Yes I agree 100%. If I lived closer I would own a 8.5', but I have at least a 600 mile drive each way, so the fuel economy is important. I bought a 7.5' wide R&R aluminum, pretty happy with it.

I also agree that fenders inside a 7.5'-8.5' trailer are no problem. I would absolutely buy a mid-deck with interior fenders over a deck-over.

 

[Ride_The_Rockies]

I just purchased a Mirage Sport which is 8.5 with fenders inside. The finders are designed to drive over so they are not an issue. The main reason I went with the "fender inside" sport model is they have larger axles 5200 instead of the 3500 also the sport model has 16" OC cross braces in the floor instead of 24" that the deck over has. With the sport model I can haul my jeep and UTV with no problems. I can also haul a car or small truck if needed. Yes it weighs a little bit more but I can use it for a lot more things then just snowmobiles. I have a diesel truck, but towing is not an issue. I can pull 80 MPH down the freeway and don't know it's back there.

 

[volcano buster]

We get into a bind every now and then when we have to turn around. The higher deck keeps from getting into too much trouble.

We got lucky we could turn everyone around here so we didn't have to back up about 5 miles to the next wide spot. There was a long snowed in corner on an outsloped section that would have sucked to back down.

Most of the trailers I see around here let the trailer tires closely track the pickup tires. This can make a big difference.

 

[Betterview]

I started with a very light all aluminum deck over 8.5 wide enclosed. First trip West got into 70 mph winds and felt it trying to blow over. Sold it (person that bought it had it blow over first trip West), and got a 35 foot 8.5 car hauler. Lots of room, very stable, very heavy.
Interior fenders not a big problem. However when getting home from the Togwotee area all the duffel bags and gear would be frozen to the floor. Pulling with a gasser, the size in the wind, and the weight, led me to replace it with a 35 foot all aluminum in line. Using the drive one in, back one in right next to it loading strategy, for the most part lets it haul near the same number of sleds. There are no interior fenders to work around, it is about half the weight, and much easier to pull with my gasser in the wind. It is harder to get around inside when loaded but all gear and duffel bags etc now stay on the sleds and running boards and are not frozen to the floor when we get back to Minnesota. If I never had to pull more than a couple hundred miles, and I had to park and gear up in the trailer, I would consider an 8.5 wide. But for me driving 1000+ miles one way, and having rental accommodations, the 7 foot wide in line all aluminum is where I wish I had started.

 

[plumbpowder]

is your trailer aluminum or steel frame