Trailers.
 

I am building a 69 Nova 4 door to be my daily driver. It will have a Gen2 L99 4.3 V8 from a 1996 Caprice with an LS ecu. Goal is 30-32 mpg highway hopefully. Maybe.

Anyways I want to build a very small trailer to haul extra tools around when I have a larger side job. Or go to one of my Aunts house to work on something. 2 live 100 miles away, and 1 is 300 miles. Plus be able to go buy stuff that my small trailer plus higher mpg make more feasible. Like going to 200+ miles to buy stuff. Trying to hit a middle ground between car, and truck. Not to mention camping trips me and my son want to do where all the stuff may not fit into the car normally. Plus lockable storage for side projects I can leave over night or a week if I want too.

So my first plan was to use a large cross bed tool box, and fabricate a basket it will sit it to be the trailer. The box would be removable in 15 minutes, and I can have a small place bed for a engine. Easy to break down, and store. Plus not take up tons of floor space. Think of a purpose built tow dolly that mounts a tool box.

Then last night at work I saw a inline E bike trailer I like the concept of while looking for parts I need. Would this type of trailer offer any advantages to a car? Or would the narrower profile shoot me in the foot, and be a tip over hazard.

https://images.app.goo.gl/sW2NSU4Ygbw7uZEh9

My C10 is going to my dad then my son. So I won't have it anymore in a few months. My passion project 73 D200 will be lucky to get 17 mpg with out a major experimental engine redo. As it has to have a big block to make my dad happy if he needs it to tow. Other wise he will buy a 3/4 ton van, and he is going to fall out of it one day. He is getting older at 82.

Re: Trailers.
 

How about putting a receiver hitch on it and a slide in cargo tray? you can get them large enough to fit a cross bed tool box.

Re: Trailers.
 

Pulling a trailer withe rear subframe Nova chassis will be a limited weight deal all the way around. I would look at a quality built 4x8 with 15" tires. You mentioned some 3-400 mile round trips. Get one with quality bearings and always have a spare set and a tube of grease in the tool box. You can thank me later.

Re: Trailers.
 

We roasted bearings in nw Kansas. Got lucky when a guy at the little parts store overheard and offered to cannibalize a trailer he had at home.

Re: Trailers.
 

I have thought about those, but they can make the front end light. Plus Novas have a longish tail section. Then my car is pretty low, and driveways would be a challenge. Although a small one that holds 2 contico boxes could prove nice enough.

I will probably just build one anyways for fun.

Re: Trailers.
 

It won't be that big as I have a truck if I need something that big. I have access to a boat trailer axle which, and I would run 15 inch rims with a 26" tire to avoid heat issues.

Those 12" tires I see on jet ski trailer scare me the way they bounce everywhere.

Plan is the whole trailer/load is 1000 pounds max. The trailer should weigh 350 pounds. So more capacity then I need for it, and not to much to weaken the uni-body.

Re: Trailers.
 

What is the rules for trailers out there. With the distance you are talking about traveling the highway patrol may have rules about certified weight capacities. For local roads around here it is snot a big deal, but you start heading out they are looking for tags and the weight capacity stickers. To get around that issue years ago cause I couldn't find a used one, I started with the harbor freight fold up one and built floors and sides. It was a handy light duty trailer that was cheap and legal.

Re: Trailers.
 

Many years ago like 25 years I built what I call a 3 stall dirt bike trailer. Bought the running gear from a local trailer supply place. Was planning on running the typical 1" trailer bearing/axle combo. The owner of the supply store gave me some great advice. Forget the small axle and bearing and go with the 3500 axles with the large bearings. Also carry with you a complete hub with greased bearings. Never have had to use the spare hub assembly. I've put many 1000's of miles on the trailer with zero issues.
Another thing is run 14"-15" tires to slow the bearings down.
Just one more thing if you buy a small trailer from a box store they may have metric bearings/axles not inch bearing and they don't interchange.

Re: Trailers.
 

I'd probably go with a mini pickup bed trailer. Highway capable and good resale later on.

Re: Trailers.
 

My thoughts exactly. As Larry said above, and with my post., based on much the same experience, a bigger tired trailer will serve you better than a "jet ski" type trailer. The bigger the tire, the less revolutions and "less bearing heat" you will have. I'd rather have a little bigger trailer and a little less load on it. I pull a 1090# Serro Scotty travel trailer behind my 55. It has 180# of tounge weight and if I throe anything in it, I try to set it on the floor center of the axle. Never had a problem and every other year, I pack the brgs whether they need it or not.