Another enclosed trailer question

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2011: Another enclosed trailer question
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By tyrone thomas on Monday, June 20, 2011 - 07:04 pm:

The Pie wagon is 7 ft ground to top.
1. Is that the tallest of T's?
2. How tall a trailer do I need to get a tall enough door?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George Button III on Monday, June 20, 2011 - 07:13 pm:

If it's a "Beavertail, you miget away with 7'6".If it's a Ramp door you will need 8'. My Depot Hack is 7'6", 7'9" in the center of the roof and I lust get in a 8" ramp door


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Saylor, Citrus Heights, Ca on Monday, June 20, 2011 - 07:30 pm:

The high of the door will vary from manufacturers. The drop down doors are usually supported by a cable system that has the roller and spring assembly similar to a garage door at the top. This can take up as much as 8-12 inches. You also have to look at the "beaver Tail", The floor will slope downward at the rear increasing the door height and lowering the slope of the ramp. You generally have to work with the dealer and custom order to meet you requirements. My 18' Haulmark is 7' high inside. The door spring takes up 7", the beaver tail drops enough to give a 6'8 door opening. Another thing to check is the top inside straight or does it curve lower on the sides. My 27 tudor is 6'2' tall. The earlier sedans are taller. With a touring or runabout you can lower the top. -John


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry Davis on Monday, June 20, 2011 - 07:46 pm:

I had my Wells Cargo Auto-Hauler made to clear 82" so my 14 could make it in without lowering the top. It clears with about 1" to spare. The beaver tail entry helps.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John F. Regan on Monday, June 20, 2011 - 08:43 pm:

I hate to disagree with most of you guys but you need to look at the actual geometry and dimensions as the car goes up the ramp and into the trailer since it isn't obvious but a tall T can actually go through a lower height trailer door than the height of the T. I have a few piewagons. They are indeed about 84" tall and they are one of the tallest T's but they also have that maximum height point near the exact center of the wheel base. That is important. If the Trailer is sitting on level ground with the ramp door also on that same level surface then the T will in fact "dip its head" to help you get through the door because as the front wheels go through the door the back wheels will start up the ramp. As the center of the T passes through the door the height of the T as measured at the door will be shortened because of the front wheels being inside the trailer on level floor and back wheels being on the ramp and thus lower than the trailer floor hence the center height will be about half the difference between the front wheel height and the rear wheel height. At this time the center of the T is lowest and you can see this if you measure from the running board to the bottom of the door opening. It is shorter there by a few inches as compared to same measurement on level ground. Think about it.

A beaver tail in fact reduces this "head dipping" since it tends to make the loading a straight level shot and reduces this height difference between front and back wheels. To demonstrate what I mean then envision the trailer door being propped up on a high level surface that is the same height at the trailer floor. In this case the T drives straight through the door and it will NOT dip its head and you will not get the T inside unless the door has a higher opening than the height of the T. When you lower the door ramp to ground level - that reduces the necessary height of the door opening. I figured this out by using a scale size profile of my T in Autocad and I "drove" the T up the door ramp and into the trailer as profiled by autocad side view of all dimensions. Just make sure NEVER to load your T into the trailer if the door ramp is higher than ground level. Always load and unload your T on level ground and you will gain some clearance but ONLY in the center of the wheel base with less clearance as you go forward or rearward.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ned Protexter on Monday, June 20, 2011 - 09:58 pm:

Something else to think about is that the car is going to bounce around inside going down the road. I have heard of a guy with a depot hack who wrecked his top because it rubbed on the top of his trailer. I don't like tying to the springs so this would be a problem for me but if you did tie to the spring then this might help.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John F. Regan on Monday, June 20, 2011 - 11:09 pm:

I probably should have mentioned that I bought my enclosed trailer exactly 12" taller than normal and it cleared my Delivery Car OK and my DC is 84" tall at the tallest part. The inside of the trailer is very high compared to the door height but the maker of the trailer was advised that the torsion bar up there had to be above the opening of the door completely and they complied. I had zero issue with getting it loaded. I tie my cars straight down to the floor at all 4 tires via D rings just in front of and just behind each wheel with a harness that slips over the tire in each case so the car is sprung "naturally" while in the trailer.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By tyrone thomas on Monday, June 20, 2011 - 11:10 pm:

Yes the trailer I would get would be a rear drop door, not the type with two wheel ramps.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Howard Koehn on Monday, June 20, 2011 - 11:28 pm:

I believe John Regan is explaining the math fairly well. I have a normal opening in my cargo trailer for my 24 Coupe. It will just barely clear the top if the trailer is level. The other day I had the trailer unhooked from the pickup and forgot to put blocks under the rear of the trailer to keep it from tipping back with the weight of the car as I backed out. I was in a hurry as I needed to work on the car for an event. Backed out quickly, trailer tipped back, top of the door snagged the new soft top on the coupe, tearing it in two places! Ouch! I learned a lesson, if it is tight, I have an observer watch the clearance. Sitting in the trailer, the top of the T is only several inches from the ceiling. If the piewagon is any taller a taller trailer would be required unless you hauled it on an open trailer.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gene Carrothers Huntington Beach, Ca on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 01:48 am:

I'm learning another lesson here in Huntington Beach about trailer parking on the street.
You might want to check your local regs before you purchase just in case you could avoid a parking restriction in your area about a certain size.

We have an ordinance here that restricts a "cargo" type trailer to be parked for a max of 4 hours. You an get a free permit for an RV but not a Cargo trailer.

I just found this out after coming back from Santa Clara and didn't feel like unloading till the next morning. Now I get to challenge the ticket.


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