S Harber Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 I work out of a Mazda MPV mini van. Out loaded and built in 15 mins. Fits my cart and a follow magliner w/ shelf. PB will make it tight though. Useful when I'm not working in it and if there's a gear intensive project that empties my garage, I get transpo over to do what they do. I keep thinking about a trailer but I don't live in suburbia and would need to store it somewhere and then I'd need to pay storage as well as having most of my gear away from my glaring view. Also, the whole 399 issue of forcing a stakebed into the mix can get dicey and a giant PITA when doing 2nd units and having to offload, arrange to move, move the trailer, and then do the reverse. No thanks. I'll take 20 minutes and use my little van. Scott Harber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 How much mojo is needed to tow a 5x8 trailer full of gear, safely? A small SUV or bigger? A mini pickup truck? phil p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward chick Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 Currently using a 2008 GMC Savanna Cargo van. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpsanos Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 How much mojo is needed to tow a 5x8 trailer full of gear, safely? A small SUV or bigger? A mini pickup truck? phil p Philip, I think as long as you have a six banger you are ok ... I 've spent the past week moving my shop with a 10' with no worries. mike Thanks all on the trailer comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 How much mojo is needed to tow a 5x8 trailer full of gear, safely? A small SUV or bigger? A mini pickup truck? phil p I have a 6cyl Ford Explorer with a 3500lb towing capacity. Does just fine. But **ALWAYS** walk around and do a safety check before you head out. I failed to latch the ball once. The trailer popped off over a speed bump at just a couple of miles an hour, but it was after I had spent 30 minutes on a freeway and been on several busy side streets. I could have caused a terrible and deadly accident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 How much mojo is needed to tow a 5x8 trailer full of gear, safely? A small SUV or bigger? A mini pickup truck? phil p Depends on the weight of the trailer fully loaded. Total weight of the loaded trailer and the tow vehicle cannot exceed GVWR, but having brakes on the trailer is a great idea if the total weight of your entire rig is close to GVWR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 GVWR = Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. It should be listed on a sticker somewhere on your vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordi Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 Nothing wrong with a 4 banger for towing as long as the box is narrower or the same as the towing vehicle. Wind resistance is worse than weight, it builds up with speed. My other vehicle is a Mercury Mariner hybrid - 4 cylinder 2.4 liter gas. Want to know what that little motor has pulled? Try my 3400 lb Jeep AND the 6x12 trailer loaded at almost 4000 lbs. For anyone keeping score, that is 3k of the hybrid, plus 7400 for 10,400 lbs being motivated by just the ELECTRIC system. Yes, it was an emergency, and yes, the electric motor is enormously strong. But Ford claims that the Mariner cannot tow anything. At highway speed, that 4cyl has pulled just the Jeep by itself, 3400 lbs, without problem and gotten 20mpg doing it. Why? The Jeep is the same size - there isn't any wind drag. The engine can easily handle just the weight. Usually the limitation to towing is the brakes. Trailer brakes aren't always required, but I would strongly suggest them. They really make towing a breeze. Jan, thanks for your review of the Transit. I'm sorry they don't offer more engine options, but I think I will need to test drive it for my own driving style. Anemic and I don't get along well, I drive like a New Yorker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 How much mojo is needed to tow a 5x8 trailer full of gear, safely? A small SUV or bigger? A mini pickup truck? phil p Check the tow capacity of your vehicle as a start. I use a Jeep Liberty diesel. The tow capacity is 5000 lbs. My 5x10 weighs around 1000 lbs naked has has a 2200 lb capacity. I'm usually towing around 3000 lbs. You want to leave some leeway, so if your vehicle is rated at 3500 lbs, try not to exceed 3000 lbs to allow for a margin of error. Also, brakes. Most states do not require brakes on small trailers (less than 1500 lbs empty), but It's a good idea to go with them. When you have to stop short with an extra 3000 lbs pushing from behind, you will want the additional help. Electric brakes are the most common. If your vehicle is pre-wired for them it's easy to install the controller. Mine wasn't, so I went with an rf controller. Costs more but works very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McL Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 [Did Billy just say he installed an rf brake controller for his trailer? Yes. I think he did.] Would love to have some video tours of y'all's rigs (with or without gear). If Sound Devices is closed for holiday week, I might just roll Cart 3.0 onto the Transit not fully built and memorialize the event for Mark (since he asked so nicely, the tires are inflated to spec, and I tire mightily of drilling holes). -- Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 [Did Billy just say he installed an rf brake controller for his trailer? Yes. I think he did.] Would love to have some video tours of y'all's rigs (with or without gear). If Sound Devices is closed for holiday week, I might just roll Cart 3.0 onto the Transit not fully built and memorialize the event for Mark (since he asked so nicely, the tires are inflated to spec, and I tire mightily of drilling holes). -- Jan lol, did. http://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Tekonsha/90250.html. I'm going to load it up on Saturday. I start the drive to New Mexico whenever I wake up New Years day (note I didn't say New Years morning). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McL Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 You make me proud to be an aspiring geek, Mr. Sarokin. Very proud indeed. Celebrate to the max for endings n' beginnings, sleep long, travel safely, and have a great season! Thanks for the morning smile. -- Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Ragon Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 Robert, I too have a Explorer. I tried going to a few rental houses to get a flat trailer once. None of them would rent it too me. -Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 Why wouldn't they rent to you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudioNinja Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 I have the ford transit connect. Best sound van EVER! (null) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark LeBlanc Posted December 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 I was able to check out a Transit Connect today. Dealer was gracious enough to let me bring some gear to see how it all fit. Vertical is about 4 inches too short. I'd have to put a smidgin of work to cut the cart down to fit. Follow cart is no issues. Eventually, this is what I hope to get..For now the trailer looks to be in closer financial range.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Maybe this next year? CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordi Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Hey Mark, you might want to look at Nissan. I don't have any info to offer yet, as I am currently driving back to Savannah down I-95, but I just saw what I thought was a taller version of the Transit Connect in traffic. Turns out, it was a Nissan, with a less-funny-looking front end, and a little shorter than a Sprinter, but the same basic look that all three models have. I will be looking into that one too, now that I know they exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Maybe this next year? CrewC Now that's something I can wrap my head around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark LeBlanc Posted December 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Wish Toyota could do something in this area. Crew, that ford has an almost Fiat look to it.. The front end at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syncsound Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 I work mainly out of a bag rig on a rock'n'roller cart, with a Petrol roller gear bag, two booms, two soft cases, a Pelican, and two camping chairs. All of this will fit (cart collapsed) into the back of my Subaru Forester with the back seats laid out flat (though, with some packing-fu, I can leave one seat up and take both a boom and utility with me). Once upon a time, I used to fit all of that into a 2005 Kia Sepia, since the cart would fit into a trunk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Capulli Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 has anybody ever worked out of their trailer on say .... one day jobs where it doesn't make sense to load into a camera truck and the weather is bad or location too small - just easier to work out of the 'truck' but out of the trailer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 lol, I once did a 3 week freebie shoot for a friend, Campbell Scott. I showed up with my trailer to load onto their truck and everyone just sort of looked at me. Not only did I end up working out of my trailer but I ended up helping out a couple of other departments :-) has anybody ever worked out of their trailer on say .... one day jobs where it doesn't make sense to load into a camera truck and the weather is bad or location too small - just easier to work out of the 'truck' but out of the trailer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 I was able to check out a Transit Connect today. Dealer was gracious enough to let me bring some gear to see how it all fit. Vertical is about 4 inches too short. I'd have to put a smidgin of work to cut the cart down to fit. Follow cart is no issues. Eventually, this is what I hope to get..For now the trailer looks to be in closer financial range.. I looked too. Floor space was too small for my music rigs (console and racks). Although making the gear smaller is certainly an attractive option! phil p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordi Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Found some info about the Nissan, they call it the NV. http://i.autoblog.com/2010/03/10/nissan-unveils-nv-commercial-van-available-in-three-different-f/ I work out of a Rock N Roller too, bag-on-a-cart and folding chairs. Unfortunately, I also tend to be the go-to tech-fu master for a supply of problem solvers for every other department. I typically have a folding table, easy-up, 500+ feet of power cables... Heavy inverter, 10 gauge adapters, supplies of batteries, bug spray, c-stand (2), 6+ arms and knuckles, a box of Mafers... And then there is the portable Stanley work center filled with all my audio gack. Sometimes I am also the generator guy, so I am towing a 25kw diesel and need to carry a distro and tails too. Back seats? They are in there somewhere. I really ask a LOT from my diesel Jeep, so anything else needs to be another Swiss army knife too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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