trailering enclosed trailer

[Paul Z]

With the Trailer and Camping, I wasn't sure if it was a camping equipment. I thought they were making sure they didn't forget the cutting boards for the BBQ. Just joking!

Furniture skidders, aka Airplane Skidders good idea.

[Paul Z]

I have a brochure from the man that sells these trailers they are offered in 8'6" or 9'. I like the Camping tent on the side, better than buying a motor home to go with the trailer!

[Flybyjim]

What is the web site for these?

[teamkitfox7788]

Regarding a 9 foot wide trailer. I think I have done this type of post before but here goes again.

1. The really important concern is your ability or skill as the driver to handle the long, wide trailer well. Next is quality of equipment such as brakes, brake controller, (high capacity tires), ability to stay focused on distance between you and traffic ahead, always making sure you have a way out if another driver does something stupid, it will happen, using good judgment such as not towing inside cities, on small back roads, during rush hour around an unfamiliar really busy beltway, in the dark while its raining and winds are gusting with no shoulders to escape onto in an emergency braking situation. Oh, avoid old northeast bridges that are too narrow for wide vehicles and parkways that prohibit commercial vehicles, trailers, trucks. This is all just common sense and mostly dealt with in the traing online thru the application for an online annual blanket permit for over size loads.
2. Have good equipment that is within rated capacity, that is loaded and balanced properly with load leveling and sway control equipment that all works together and handles nicely in emergency maneuvers. You actually have to test this by GRADUALLY making increasingly hard stops while making increasingly hard turns, in a safe area to see if a surprise might be waiting to rear its ugly head in a real hard core emergency situation where you could lose control.
3. Most states have regulations that allow for towing oversize loads when they are viewed as impratical to break down to a narrower load, such as farm machinery, construction equipment, boats, office trailers etc. You see it all the time.
4. Realize that 8'6" is 102 inches and 9' is 108 inches so about a 5 percent difference. Doing 60 or 64 in a 55 mph speed limit zone comes out to about a 9 to 15 percent difference. This may help give you some perspective.
5. If you are uncomfortable with the very idea of towing an oversize load maybe you should not even consider it, Too much mental discomfort is not worth the bother.
6. Most states allow you to go online, take a bit of rules and common sense training, and get a blanket oversize permit for the state good for a year. If you got stopped and told not to move your trailer you could probably do that with your smart phone and be legal to continue on fairly quickly. In decades I have never had to do this.
7. I am an old construction equipment hauler and in the last decade or more I have also towed lots of personally owned sport fishing boats up and down the east coast. (Florida Keys to Long Island, as well as the Kitfox trailer Maine to California to Fl Keys every year) These boat rigs are always a good bit wider than 9 foot and easily twice as heavy as my Kitfox trailer rig. I compare notes with other guys at gas stations about their boats, big diesel pickups and towing permits. Years ago we used to get the online permits for overwide loads but the consensus is now that there is no need to bother unless you get close to 10 feet wide or look like you are a danger to yourself or others.
8. Discussions with insurance agents come up with comments like if we denied claims every time someone got a ticket in an accident we would never pay claims and word would get around putting us out of business quickly. However, if you cost us too much money the insurance underwriters may up your rates or not renew your policy next time, that is the way they handle it.
9. Oh, the business Maine Trailer, says they have no problem getting a trailer registered in Maine as 9 feet wide. And, If you look around lots of horse trailer, car trailer and utility trailers are tagged, titled and registered in Maine because the costs are lower than in most states by a long shot. Last I heard there were not inspections, and no sales tax if you already paid sales tax in another state. Guess what the state of Maine gets your tag and title fees and you may never drive on their roads so you cost them nothing and they get revenue. Check this for yourself. I have 14 trailers and most are long term (ten year) tags so I have not talked with Maine Trailer recently.

The real question is do you have the skill, attention to serious driving and can you apply common sense regarding when, where and under what circumstances to tow vs not tow. If you have the skills, can consistently pay close attention to driving and exercise good judgement, it can be done. Otherwise maybe it is not for you.

Hope this helps those who might be interested.

[teamkitfox7788]

Paul,

If I were going to spec a new Kitfox, Just, Avid, Aerotrk enclosed trailer I would definitly talk with Mark Sorenson, whose brochure you posted. He has done a bunch of plane trailers for folks including tall and very wide trailers for Just Super STOLS.

Mark (located in Georgia) has had 8'9" trailers built for customers also and if they have thin wall studs, (I would try to get 1" or 1 1/4 inch studs), plus gussets at the junction of side walls studs and roof structural cross members to prevent wracking and weld cracks I think the width would be fine for loading and unloading plus might not look quite as wide as a 9 foot wide trailer.

Aerotrek deals with a plane trailer shop in Indiana that might be worth talking to as well, for someone interested inb buying a folding wing plane trailer.

Thanks for the photo by the way

BJ

[teamkitfox7788]

For Mark Sorenson try googling Captain Mark Sorenson, Aircraft Custom TRailers or maybe ARISING Trlailers and ask the manufacturer for Mark's phone number. He also does air shows but I don't recall the business name for those.

Google Aerotrek and ask them for the name of the aircraft trailer shop in Indiana that they use.

I think John and Debra McBean at Kitfox have also used Sorenson so they may have his contact info.

[Paul Z]

If anyone is interested, send me a Private Message. I can send you a PDF of their Flyer with Contact Info. He has got all kinds of Options widths, lengths, lights, Air Conditioner, etc