I would go with the enclosed.

The reason clamshells go for half as much is because they are more difficult to load and unload as well as your windshield may hit the top. Most guys are trying to get rid of them.

I would recommend that you measure the overall length of your sled. My Renegade 137" is 10' long. You want to make sure you can close the rear door.

Good luck in your search.

Don~

 

A friend has a 6 x 10 Action trailer & he hauls a Renny in it.

 

$3,500 must be a steel unit. No thanks, the steel will rot.

 

I think the one I saw was aluminum for $3500, if it is I'm sure it's thin aluminum. I will try to buy used first regardless to get a better deal and I don't mind and a few dings or dents. I'll have to do more research because for the last few months I have only been eyeing snowmobile trailers so I'm not up to speed on the enclosed cargo trailers.

I want it for summer snowmobile storage as much as anything since I don't have a garage so maybe it would be worth it to find a nice used aluminum cargo trailer.

 

Thanks Don, my sled is a 121" Rev I think it's about 9 1/2' long. It easily fit on my 10' utility trailer.

 

You mean the frame being steel vs aluminum? A little woolwax will help with that. I'd much rather have a nice all aluminum trailer but don't have the money.

This is the one I saw that spurred my question:

 

I had two clamshells, Yours will fit in a 10' trailer, Once you get past 129 it gets hard to close the back door. Once I down graded to one sled I sold my trailers and use a ramp and my F-150 bed. I know a lot of people disagree with it but i've never had a problem and driving is much much easier. I do miss the trailer for summer storage.

 

Yeah if my sled would fit in the bed of my truck I would 100% just buy a good ramp and do that. I don't haul that often.

 

Aluminum trailers can have limited life due to flexing, and have corrosion issues too, like around axle mounts; you can find threads on such issues about once per year hear, where the corrosion gets out of hand and the aluminum trailer gets scrapped.

So IMHO don't be afraid of steel. Keep it clean and it will last, and is easier to repair with a simple welder if needed. (FWIW, I have only had steel trailers that are used in winter for work and one is 18 years old and has over 250k miles on it.)

 

Aluminum trailers can have limited life due to flexing, and have corrosion issues too, like around axle mounts; you can find threads on such issues about once per year hear, where the corrosion gets out of hand and the aluminum trailer gets scrapped.

The axle mounting is very susceptible to corrosion and fatigue.(especially with dissimilar materials and corrosive chemicals). Be very careful if you are looking at used aluminum. On my R&R Hybrid the axle is mounted differently so that it's stronger and less susceptible to trouble.

I have two friends that have totaled trailers due to the mounts. One of them was just serviced with all new tires, bearings, etc, and then a axle mount bolt broke. The other the axle went through the tube into the trailer.

 

The 5x10 is much more versatile, but keep in mind if you want to upgrade to a longer track sled you'd be limited to 137. A 146 is closer to 11ft.
Another nice thing about the enclosed is that you can store all your snowmobile related items in there too. Make some shelves along the sides up high for oil, helmets, tools etc. The clamshell just holds the sled.

 

Yeah aluminum would be nice and light weight especially with my Ranger. Even with the 4.0 it's pretty gutless (compared to a V8) but those 5x10's I've been looking at only weigh about 900lbs empty which isn't bad. I think my truck with the tow package is rated for 6k lbs so 1500 should be a breeze.

And it'll be nice to get my sled out of the woodshed during the summers.

 

I have an almost identical trailer to the one you posted only it is 12 ft long. It works perfect, but I will say it pushed a lot wind and MPG dropped to about 10.2 hauling a single sled in it to the UP with a 2017 F-150 5.0. I now have 2023 Titan HD and it drops from roughtly 20MPG on the highway to 11 mpg hauling the trailer. I imagine the Ranger will do it but will feel it.

 

Any time you tow what is aerodynamically a big cinder block at highway speeds, it is just going to take a certain amount of energy to bust through the air.

 

Yeah, we have a 6x12 we use at work and I took some measurements today and the door opening is 5'. My ski's are around 4' wide and it looks like most 5x10 trailer doors are only 50". I could squeeze by but I might be better off with a 6x12. My truck already gets atrocious gas mileage for what it is (17mpg) so I'm not too worried about that part of it. As my buddy says, "If you want to dance, you have to pay the fiddler"😂

 

You'll be glad for any extra room you have.

 

Undercoat it, keep it clean and you'll be fine. But i agree, buy a 6x12.

 

I tow with a 2021 Ranger. I have a single enclosed Triton trailer Ive used for years. I will get right around 17 to 18 towing my 900 Gade in it. I dont tilt it as I have a small ramp to get the sled in and out of the trailer.
I bought a 6 x 12 x 7 Triton enclosed v nose trailer to put my sled in just for the fold down rear door. I also liked the 7 foot room inside of it too. However towing it empty on the way home I got under 11 mpg. I sold it that week.

 

Very nice set up!

 

Nice! If I could find a good used single clamshell for around $2k I'd scarf it up but the few I've seen have sold for $3500+. Itd be worth $2k just for year round storage lol.

I'm amazed at how well the newer trucks do on mpg. My buddies '24 F150 gets 22mpg and that has a V6 turbo (and he doesn't baby the accelerator). Do the newer Rangers have a 4cyl turbo like the newer Edge's?

 

I wouldn't rule out a 2 place clam. If you get one with a slope to the rear they are easy to pull. Maybe at least as easy as a 7x12 utility trailer based on the comments above. The key is to drive at a reasonably slow speed.

You can figure around 10 years is the life of an average steel axle.

 

I wouldn't rule out a 2 place clam. If you get one with a slope to the rear they are easy to pull. Maybe at least as easy as a 7x12 utility trailer based on the comments above. The key is to drive at a reasonably slow speed.

You can figure around 10 years is the life of an average steel axle.

Wet inside for storage, my hybrid is always dry and so is the standard trailer

 

Steel is fine. I get my construction trailer undercoated every year with Krown.

 

Probably a bad ground connection somewhere.

I'm not sure what "wet inside" means but if the deck is getting wet it's probably a bad seal somewhere. Shouldn't be a difficult repair. Anytime a trailer is used for storage it's important to have good ventilation.

 

Probably a bad ground connection somewhere.

I'm not sure what "wet inside" means but if the deck is getting wet it's probably a bad seal somewhere. Shouldn't be a difficult repair. Anytime a trailer is used for storage it's important to have good ventilation.

They don't seal right against the trailer, some are better than others but water can be pushed in when you tow. We had one that rain water would run down the side and sit on the deck, never really dried out.

 

Just pulled the harness out in case they rubbed it during installation. I ended up replacing sections of mine and added that split plastic electric wire covering just to make sure it didn't do it again

 

Ok I'll check that out. I'm good at turning a wrench and maybe even wiring stuff to a certain degree but when it comes to diagnosing electrical, forget it 😂

 

The hardest part of the diagnoses is ironically the mechanical portion, like ensuring the test leads get a good contact to what is being tested. I excited to see the trailer you picked-up!

 

Thanks guys, if it is just a bad ground (which I think you guys are probably correct) that would be awesome and hopefully a quick fix! Also, the right upper light is out and I read that that can cause some issues as well?

It does tilt but I may just pick up a cheap folding ramp to make it easier to load and unload. I'll have to see how I get along with it. Certainty MUCH lighter than my 10' utility trailer. I can pick it up and pull it around with one hand.

 

Here she is. Not too bad of shape but certainly seen some use! I think you guys were right, the ground connector had broken right off and it took me all of 30 seconds to find. I will put a new connector on and see if that fixes it.

How does the axle look? Definitely scary but seems solid. I'm in between fluid filming it and just run it for the season or just putting a whole new axle under it so I don't have to worry? These small axles can't be more than a few hundred bucks? The trailer has brand new wheels and tires on it with a decent spare so that's a good thing.

 

Cleaning or New Axle

How does the axle look? Definitely scary but seems solid. I'm in between fluid filming it and just run it for the season or just putting a whole new axle under it so I don't have to worry? These small axles can't be more than a few hundred bucks? The trailer has brand new wheels and tires on it with a decent spare so that's a good thing.

If I could predict the bolts holding the axle to the frame were easy to remove without any damage, then I would suggest to remove it and get it cleaned-up. I wonder how it is bolted into the frame. Is there a hidden nut?

When I had a tow hitch added to my Subaru a few years ago, I was in the garage and had them apply anti-seize to the threads.

 

 

Decent looking trailer.
Axle looks like normal rust and wear. Clean it up good and use some Fluid Film.
If you decide to replace the axle I would suggest a galvanized axle.
I would also suggest a spare hub assembly to carry with you as well as two spares.

Ride safe
Don~

 

Thanks Don! Its a long way from perfect but it should get me by a few years I hope. Fixing that ground fixed my lights so I'm good there thankfully.

I almost forgot the best part, the free anti-theft device🤣