Lemming

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About 6 weeks ago I ordered a Pace Aerosport 6X15 trailer (single axel V-nose). The two things that I really wanted in the trailer were barn doors on the back and extra height (6'3"). Well the first trailer comes in and has a ramp door, no thanks get me one with barn doors. Second trailer comes in, regular height with barn doors, no thanks get me the one I want. Third trailer comes in this week, same as the first, ramp door no barn doors:ugg: I wasn't really all that upset after the first two because I felt I had plenty of time before I needed the trailer. Well I'm two weeks away from the first trip and I still don't have my trailer. The 3rd trailer has everything I want except it has a ramp door. Now I'm at a loss, take the trailer or wait (the guy feels so bad that he is willing to give me quite a bit off).

Why do I want barn doors, mainly for ease of getting in and out (not the bikes, me). I also don't think that a ramp is necessary for getting a few dirt bikes in the back. The ramp adds substantial weight and I'm not sure that it's worth it. It also requires that there is more room behind the trailer during loading and unloading meaning that I can't park it as close to my garage as I'd like.

For those of you with trailers, what are the benefits of the ramp? More importantly, can you talk me into the ramp trailer so that I can pick it up tomorrow (that way I can get it completely outfitted before my trip in two weeks) :confused:
 

Timr

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Jul 26, 1999
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Tim,

I have two friends with enclosed trailers. Both trailers are standard 6x12 pace with regular fronts. Bob's trailer has barn doors, and Bill's trailer has the ramp door. You are correct, the ramp door is not critical to the function of loading dirt bikes. We had no problems loading Bob's trailer for races or bike week. He even loads his VFR street bike with a small wooden ramp. Of course, it is necessary to load and travel with the ramp in the bottom of the trailer.

Bill's trailer, the one with the ramp door, is practically identical. We went to Breezy Hill this past week with 4 bikes in the back of Bill's trailer. We put the ramp door down there in the camp, and unloaded the bikes. We had to put a couple of pieces of wood underneath the door due to the uneven ground.

Both are just as good as far as I'm concerned. How much is the weight difference? I wouldn't think it'd be too big of a deal especially if he's giving a significant amount off of the price. I hope it works out for you. Good luck!
 

lawman

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Sep 20, 1999
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i've heard that the ramp doors wear out pretty quick, but i don't know that myself. the barn doors are also handy if you want to mount a window unit a/c in plywood.

i have a buddy with an extra-tall 6 X 12 (not a v-nose). it's nice on the inside, you never hit your head & it's more comfortable to load. however, you can really feel the extra height when towing, it's like pulling a parachute. it makes a big difference in the gas mileage.
 

Lemming

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Yea, I just can't decide on this one so I'm off to the dealer this morning to test drive them. I hadn't thought of the parachute effect, but hopefully the V-nose will take care of that. I am concerned about pulling ability since I only have the 4.6L F-150 (wife won't let me get the 250 PSD unless I can't pull the trailer; maybe I should be hoping for the parachute effect afterall :) )
 

mx547

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i have a 6 x 12 with the regular nose. i also have the 4.6 f-150. at times it's a little weak. i will get the 5.4 next time.

i prefer the barn doors.
 

MX-727

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Aug 4, 2000
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I went with the barn doors, but ended up building a shorter ramp that is permantely mounted (see my picture page). Open the doors, drop the ramp. As far as needing more room, you will have to back up, unload and then backup the rest of the way. Same deal when you load, you have to hook up and move the trailer a foot or two, then load up.
 

Jasle

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Nov 27, 2001
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Where I like the ramp is when I am working inside the trailer and i am getting in and out a lot. Also when camping in the trailer you can crank the door almost all the way up be leave a gap up top. Getting in and out for the kids is kind of a pain also on barn door style. A friend has the barn doors and no way would I get one of them.
As far as the ramp wearing out I have seen one ramp be worn to where the hinge broke and the ramp fell off. This was mainly due to scraping the trailer on the ground too much. The hinge was ground off on one side. Could have probably added casters at the back of the trailer to prevent this.
Jason
 

JuliusPleaser

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I'd rather have the barn doors. I've had some experience with a 24 foot ramp door trailer, and it's a PITA. Since you're just hauling bikes, it shouldn't be a problem.
 

Lemming

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Well the trailer is sitting in the driveway. I went with the regular height, barn-door model. I installed two ATK bike shoes and both bikes are loaded. I have the bikes angled like MX-727 has his, and there is still room for two more bikes.

I do believe that the 4.6L is going to be weak. With ac running and minor hills I could not maintain 70 without dropping out of overdrive. On level ground it will run 72-73 will little problem. No more driving in the left lane at 85 mph headed to the races, that is, unless a PSD is sitting in the driveway next weekend :aj:
 

BSWIFT

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N. Texas SP
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Nov 25, 1999
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You shouldn't run in OD anyway. The manual expressly says to lock out the OD unless you want to rebuild the tranny. Congrats on the trailer.
 

Lemming

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The OD issue is confusing, the manual says not to use it, but if you go to the F-150 cite they say that running in OD is fine as long as it is not constantly shifting out of OD. Without using OD, I'll be running at 3400 rpm constantly on the highway, which seems high to me.

Yep, yesterday was busy, but fun. Maiden voyage to the club (65 miles each way) is today. I'll report back. I left my digital camera at work so I'll post a photo or two later this week.
 

Jaybird

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I have the Wells Cargo 6x12 single axle. It has a entry side door that I couldn't do without. It has a flow thorugh venting system, that is nice for dirtbike haulage. It also has the ramp door that I feel is the best part of the trailer. As far as weight goes, there is not one iota difference save for the spring load mechanism that the ramp has. It aslo has rear weight jacks that are easily put in servie in about 10 seconds.
I wouldn't go with the barn doors ever, now that I've experinced the ease and convienience of the ramp.
Just my 2 pfennigs.

oh and btw...extra height and my turbo diesal doesn't even know it's there.
 
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Smit-Dog

Mi. Trail Riders
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Oct 28, 2001
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Although a little too late seeing that you already have the trailer... here's my 2¢...

I bought a white Classic 6x12 v-nose, side door, barn rear doors, extra height, single axle. Here is what I really like about it and why:

1) The side door in very useful. I'm surprised how much I use it. You can also mount a rack on it for holding oil, cans of lube, etc., and a paper towel holder. I lucked out and got an RV-style latch on this door instead of the vertical cam-style bar. What I didn't realize until after I got the trailer is that if you want to camp inside the trailer, the RV-style latch is the only way to close/lock the trailer from the inside. I lay out an air mattress in the back of the trailer and sleep there. The side door and RV latch are must-haves IMO. The latch has a dead bolt that slides into the steel frame of the door.

2) I don't think there's a compelling enough reason to get the ramp door given it's extra cost, weight, and maintenance, i.e. more things/parts to break/wear out. I can park my trailer in my garage (extra deep, 9' high door), and open the barn doors w/o a problem. It would be a pain, and probably not possible, to open the ramp door inside my garage. I bought a $49 6'x 6" aluminum channel ramp that easily bolts to the roof bows in the ceiling of trailer. Loading bikes is a snap. Also, the ramp door hinges can really be tweaked/stressed if the ground is not completely level when it is opened up. And the barn doors opened up leave a nice place to sit and put boots on or have a post-ride brew.

3) The v-nose is also a must have. Aside from the (albeit minor) 10% improvement in gas mileage, it makes a great place to build storage shelves for gear/tools, camping stuff, etc. I'll post some interior pics when I get a chance. It's an awsome setup IMO.

4) ATK bike shoes are the trick setup. I credit MX-727 with the idea of mounting them on an angle against one wall. (He was also very helpful when I was asking advice before getting my trailer). You can fit more bikes in the trailer, without the hassle of tie-downs and the undo wear on your fork springs. I read a post from a guy that completly rolled his enclosed trailer. It landed back upright, and ATK bike shoe held the bike in place! Also, when the bikes are out of the trailer, the floor space is wide open for sleeping or hauling the occasional couch for your neighbor.

5) Although I'm only 5'9", being able to stand up to work, get geared up, and camp in the trailer is really nice. You won't remember the slight additional cost of the extra height, but you'll continually be reminded if you keep banging you head and hunching over.

6) I wish it was black 'cause it would look cooler, but would show scratches a lot more and be hotter in the summer. In the end, white is the better choice.

7) Wish I had a small crank vent in the ceiling to help vent it on hot days. I've heard though that these tend fall apart and leak over time, so in the end I'd do without and park it under a big shade tree. Being white helps with the heat too.

8) I researched a lot of trailers and brands. IMO, the Classic brand has great quality for the price. Not near the cost of Wells Cargo, but close in quality. Much, much better than Haulmark.

9) As far as waiting, I was anxious too. Once I finally decided on a Classic with certain specs/features, I found out it would take 10 weeks to get it built and delivered. Not willing to wait or compromise, I got a hold of a list of all their dealers within 200 miles of my house, and called each one before finding exactly what I wanted on a dealer lot. The couple hour trip was well worth it.

10) If you plan on keeping your trailer a while, and are anal about your toys, there are a couple of other things you might want to do. Paint the floor with a few coats of polyurethane floor enamel with a couple of bags of that grit addititive thrown in. Makes it very grippy, and really seals/protects the wood from gas, oil, water, mud, etc. I also painted the underside of the exposed trailer floor with a few coats of the polyurethane enamal as well. The walls got a few coats of gloss floor paint. Get some of the black plastic 1/2" flex conduit that's split down the middle, and wrap all your exposed wiring in this stuff, especially where it is run through the frame and around sharp edges.

Hope this info helps anyone else making a purchasing decision.

- Bill
 

Lemming

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I finally remembered to bring the digital camera home to grab an image. So far I'm glad that I got the barn doors but probably should have held off for the extra height. Even at just a little over 5'8" I already have a Gorbachev on my forehead :eek:
 

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mx547

Ortho doc's wet dream
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Nov 24, 2000
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Originally posted by BSWIFT
The manual expressly says to lock out the OD unless you want to rebuild the tranny.

i just realized that i've never read my manual. :eek: i got my truck in june, '98.

nice graphics, lemming. :D
 

Lemming

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Tim, it lives outside. It might just squeeze in if it didn't have a vent on top.
 

Smit-Dog

Mi. Trail Riders
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Oct 28, 2001
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If it lives outside, just make sure you back up the barn doors against a wall so thieves can't break in. I'm not sure, but it looks like you have the RV-style latch/lock on your side door, in addition to the cam-style bar lock. That's a great option to have.

Also get a really good hitch coupler lock. MasterLock makes a great one.

Check out this link for the coupler lock: http://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/m...re_Code=E&Product_Code=377DAT&Category_Code=L

And this one for your door locks: http://www.masterlock.com/cgi-bin/prod_search.pl?product_number=190

I read too many sad stories where trailers are stolen or broken into. Cheap padlocks take 2 seconds to cut/snap off.

Enjoy!

- Bill
 

Lemming

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Bill,

You can only get into the back if the garage door is open. I have both the locks that you describe already in place (the only difference is that I'm using the Masterlock 40D for the cams). The trailer has both the RV lock and the cam lock on the side door (only cam locks on the rear doors).
 

Gary B.

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Apr 17, 2000
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Smit-Dog, where can I find info on Classic trailers? Is this the brand name?
 

Smit-Dog

Mi. Trail Riders
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Gary,

Check out Classic Trailers at http://www.classicmfg.com. I shopped around a lot, and Classic seemed to be the best quality for the money. If you are in the market for a trailer, and have any more questions, let me know.

Good Luck!

- Bill
 

Big Tuna

Member
Nov 29, 2000
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Nice trailer Lemming :thumb:
A couple of handy things that I've done with mini is put checker-plate panels on the sides of th hitch (stops chipping and rusting), and I picked up a hitch lock that goes right over the hitch. (better peace of mind)
Another thing I noticed in your pic. is how far your trailer jack is extended out; my father-in-law nudged into his hitch when his was extended out a little to far, and now it is tweaked and a little bit of a pain in the arse :uh:
 

Tony Williams

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Mar 23, 2000
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Originally posted by Jaybird
I have the Wells Cargo 6x12 single axle....
I wouldn't go with the barn doors ever, now that I've experinced the ease and convienience of the ramp.

I have a similar trailer by another manufacturer (Cargo), but with barn doors. Since I put the trailer in my garage, I can't use the ramps, but will probably build a metal mesh half height ramp that folds inside the barn doors. With a bike on the screen mesh, I can spray the bike off with the pressure washer. Water tank goes in the back of the pickup.

I think the ramp doors are a bit dangerous around kids, should they ever try to open it by themselves. I'd love to have the 6'6" height, but can't fit that in my garage. As it is, I have to swap the wheels with much smaller ones to fit in my garage. I open the barn doors and secure them open before I push it in the garage. Getting to the contents is easy that way, when in the garage.

I'd love to have a bigger trailer (like 7'x14' or 16'), but then I'd have to park it outside. Plus, I just got a new pickup with a smaller motor (5.3L V8) than my last. I'll pull the 6'x12' for the first time with it tomorrow.
 

Jaybird

Apprentice Goon
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My ramp is spring loaded and it comes down with ease. You actually need to help it just a little. No kid would ever be hurt by this. You can also lift it with one finger.
The extra height is mucho nice as well!
I can't imagine going any other way now.
 


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