Opinions/Experiences with different Enclosed trailer brands.

[b23]

Looking at buying another enclosed trailer.  Seems like there are a lot of new brands out there I've never heard of.  Any of you have any experience with enclosed trailers and if so what brand was it and what was your experience like with whatever it was you had.  I'm looking at ramp door type enclosed trailers not barn door type.

I used to have a 26ft Haulmark car hauler type enclosed trailer with torsion axles.  It was a great trailer and served me well probably should have kept it considering what they cost now.  I'm looking at that same type but in the 16-20ft range.

[NOCK NOCK]

I have a Charmac brand, sold in Ellensburg WA. converted it to hunting camp/UTV hauler. Owned it for 8 years, couldnt be happier, well built.

[KFhunter]

If I had deep pockets I'd look at all almuminium like Triton

Charmac is a solid brand, there's others too that been around a while.

I'd avoid new manufacturers, they'll run out a few years worth of garbage then change their names again and start anew

use a reputable trailer dealer that's been around a long time too

[follow maggie]

I’m on my second CargoMate from Olympic Trailer in Olympia. I’ve had good experience with both, and I use them hard. Most of the main stream trailer manufacturers that have been around awhile have 2-3 tiers of trailer. As long as you’re comparing same tiers between them, they’re built the same. The price difference is mainly freight from wherever they’re made.

[b23]

One of them that I'm looking at is a "V-Series" by Continental Cargo but I've never been around one or even heard of them before I recently started looking for one. 

Back fifteen years ago it seemed like most enclosed car hauler ramp door type trailers were Haulmark, Pace, Wells Cargo and Featherlite but I hardly ever see any of those brands now and if I do they're pretty old.

[NOCK NOCK]

When I was shopping, Continental appeared cheaply built.

Like anything else, if the cost is lower than most, the quality will be too.

[b23]

I have a Charmac brand, sold in Ellensburg WA. converted it to hunting camp/UTV hauler. Owned it for 8 years, couldnt be happier, well built.

I talked to the people in Ellensburg and they were very nice there but didn't have what I was looking for in stock. 

I've talked to, numerous, places about a variety of different brands the last few days and nobody had anything bad to say about Charmac.  Even the places that didn't sell them gave Charmac trailers a good review.  Found what I was looking for this afternoon and I'm headed to Boise in the morning to pick it up.  After thinking about it more I ended up going with a wide body 20ft'er.  I really kinda wanted one with torsion axles and not only did nobody have any 20's but unless it was a special order all the stuff they get in has spring axles.  Except for the drive, I'm excited to get it.  Appreciate the help. 

[GWP]

Double axle Wells Fargo 7500 lb cap, rear ramp. It has moved a number of households, with max cap loads, measured on scales. Runs 80 with no issues.
Glass front cap started leaking water at the seam line when it rains. Still drips. Needs to be stripped and resealed.
Other than that, good to go.

[b23]

Back from Boise earlier this afternoon but with no trailer.  Left Saturday morning a little after 4am to be there before they closed and got there around 12:30 their time.  They had it sitting out front and it looked nice but as soon as I started walking over to look at it I could see it had leaf spring axles, not torsion axles like they told me at had so I'm figuring this must not be the one.  Talk to the sales guy I'd talked to on the phone and asked him where it's at so I could check it out.  He said it's right there.  Uhh no that one can't be it because you told me on the phone, multiple times, it has torsion axles.  He says ya it does, that one right there has torsion axles.  I take him over to look at it and he says oh sh1t I thought it had torsion axles.  Are you kidding me, I just drove 450 miles which will be X2, spent hundreds of dollars in gas and the price of a hotel to find out you don't have a trailer like you told me you had.  To say I was pissed, is putting it mildly!

[Duckslayer89]

Back from Boise earlier this afternoon but with no trailer.  Left Saturday morning a little after 4am to be there before they closed and got there around 12:30 their time.  They had it sitting out front and it looked nice but as soon as I started walking over to look at it I could see it had leaf spring axles, not torsion axles like they told me at had so I'm figuring this must not be the one.  Talk to the sales guy I'd talked to on the phone and asked him where it's at so I could check it out.  He said it's right there.  Uhh no that one can't be it because you told me on the phone, multiple times, it has torsion axles.  He says ya it does, that one right there has torsion axles.  I take him over to look at it and he says oh sh1t I thought it had torsion axles.  Are you kidding me, I just drove 450 miles which will be X2, spent hundreds of dollars in gas and the price of a hotel to find out you don't have a trailer like you told me you had.  To say I was pissed, is putting it mildly!

Why are torsion axles more popular? I always thought they weren’t as strong and wore out faster… But I could be wrong?

[Boss .300 winmag]

Back from Boise earlier this afternoon but with no trailer.  Left Saturday morning a little after 4am to be there before they closed and got there around 12:30 their time.  They had it sitting out front and it looked nice but as soon as I started walking over to look at it I could see it had leaf spring axles, not torsion axles like they told me at had so I'm figuring this must not be the one.  Talk to the sales guy I'd talked to on the phone and asked him where it's at so I could check it out.  He said it's right there.  Uhh no that one can't be it because you told me on the phone, multiple times, it has torsion axles.  He says ya it does, that one right there has torsion axles.  I take him over to look at it and he says oh sh1t I thought it had torsion axles.  Are you kidding me, I just drove 450 miles which will be X2, spent hundreds of dollars in gas and the price of a hotel to find out you don't have a trailer like you told me you had.  To say I was pissed, is putting it mildly!

Why are torsion axles more popular? I always thought they weren’t as strong and wore out faster… But I could be wrong?

Here is a comparison of the two.

https://www.lamartrailers.com/post/spring-vs-torsion-axles

[MIKEXRAY]

I've owned two Wellscargo V nose rear ramp door trailers. My first one I bought 25 years ago was built like a tank , rock solid on all. I updated about 4 years ago and my new one is the cheapest crap ever. My point is don't just go by reputation, hopefully someone out there still builds a quality product . I paid a premium I feel and have had to upgrade components and do repairs for 4 years . Good luck and sucks on wasted trip, heard a lot of identical stories mostly with cars.

[b23]

Back from Boise earlier this afternoon but with no trailer.  Left Saturday morning a little after 4am to be there before they closed and got there around 12:30 their time.  They had it sitting out front and it looked nice but as soon as I started walking over to look at it I could see it had leaf spring axles, not torsion axles like they told me at had so I'm figuring this must not be the one.  Talk to the sales guy I'd talked to on the phone and asked him where it's at so I could check it out.  He said it's right there.  Uhh no that one can't be it because you told me on the phone, multiple times, it has torsion axles.  He says ya it does, that one right there has torsion axles.  I take him over to look at it and he says oh sh1t I thought it had torsion axles.  Are you kidding me, I just drove 450 miles which will be X2, spent hundreds of dollars in gas and the price of a hotel to find out you don't have a trailer like you told me you had.  To say I was pissed, is putting it mildly!

Why are torsion axles more popular? I always thought they weren’t as strong and wore out faster… But I could be wrong?

Here is a comparison of the two.

https://www.lamartrailers.com/post/spring-vs-torsion-axles

Like most things, everyone has their preferences and mine are torsion axles over spring.  I had torsion axles in my last enclosed trailer and they were great.  My last trailer with the torsions pulled great and had a very smooth ride whether it was empty or I had it loaded to the nuts.  I've pulled other trailers that had spring axles and unless they were loaded up good they were bouncy.  I just prefer torsion axles and was told that's what they had so I made the long trip south only to find out they didn't have what they told me they had.  Hell, even on their website it shows they have multiple 20ft'ers with torsion axles but I looked at every single 20ft trailer they had, all of them were spring axles. 

[Elkaholic daWg]

Back from Boise earlier this afternoon but with no trailer.  Left Saturday morning a little after 4am to be there before they closed and got there around 12:30 their time.  They had it sitting out front and it looked nice but as soon as I started walking over to look at it I could see it had leaf spring axles, not torsion axles like they told me at had so I'm figuring this must not be the one.  Talk to the sales guy I'd talked to on the phone and asked him where it's at so I could check it out.  He said it's right there.  Uhh no that one can't be it because you told me on the phone, multiple times, it has torsion axles.  He says ya it does, that one right there has torsion axles.  I take him over to look at it and he says oh sh1t I thought it had torsion axles.  Are you kidding me, I just drove 450 miles which will be X2, spent hundreds of dollars in gas and the price of a hotel to find out you don't have a trailer like you told me you had.  To say I was pissed, is putting it mildly!

Why are torsion axles more popular? I always thought they weren’t as strong and wore out faster… But I could be wrong?

Here is a comparison of the two.

https://www.lamartrailers.com/post/spring-vs-torsion-axles

Like most things, everyone has their preferences and mine are torsion axles over spring.  I had torsion axles in my last enclosed trailer and they were great.  My last trailer with the torsions pulled great and had a very smooth ride whether it was empty or I had it loaded to the nuts.  I've pulled other trailers that had spring axles and unless they were loaded up good they were bouncy.  I just prefer torsion axles and was told that's what they had so I made the long trip south only to find out they didn't have what they told me they had.  Hell, even on their website it shows they have multiple 20ft'ers with torsion axles but I looked at every single 20ft trailer they had, all of them were spring axles. 

 Was that Mirage? I had an enclosed 4 place snow=mobile I was quite happy with, but I bought it used and didn't have to drive to Nampa. As with everything nothing is perfect, but it served me well even as an Elk Camp camping trailer and the Colockum is not friendly to vehicles

[Boss .300 winmag]

Back from Boise earlier this afternoon but with no trailer.  Left Saturday morning a little after 4am to be there before they closed and got there around 12:30 their time.  They had it sitting out front and it looked nice but as soon as I started walking over to look at it I could see it had leaf spring axles, not torsion axles like they told me at had so I'm figuring this must not be the one.  Talk to the sales guy I'd talked to on the phone and asked him where it's at so I could check it out.  He said it's right there.  Uhh no that one can't be it because you told me on the phone, multiple times, it has torsion axles.  He says ya it does, that one right there has torsion axles.  I take him over to look at it and he says oh sh1t I thought it had torsion axles.  Are you kidding me, I just drove 450 miles which will be X2, spent hundreds of dollars in gas and the price of a hotel to find out you don't have a trailer like you told me you had.  To say I was pissed, is putting it mildly!

Why are torsion axles more popular? I always thought they weren’t as strong and wore out faster… But I could be wrong?

Here is a comparison of the two.

https://www.lamartrailers.com/post/spring-vs-torsion-axles

Like most things, everyone has their preferences and mine are torsion axles over spring.  I had torsion axles in my last enclosed trailer and they were great.  My last trailer with the torsions pulled great and had a very smooth ride whether it was empty or I had it loaded to the nuts.  I've pulled other trailers that had spring axles and unless they were loaded up good they were bouncy.  I just prefer torsion axles and was told that's what they had so I made the long trip south only to find out they didn't have what they told me they had.  Hell, even on their website it shows they have multiple 20ft'ers with torsion axles but I looked at every single 20ft trailer they had, all of them were spring axles. 

Yep, my 7x14 spring axle is bouncy without a load.🤯