[spankytoo]

Originally Posted by bowbuild What about rental moving trucks? Where do they fit in to D.O.T requirements?

if the person renting is not making money there is not a DOT number required. If it is over 26001 lbs a "B" licencse is required. An "A" if it has airbrakes.

[bowbuild]

I think I will rent a U-Haul when we go racing!

[AP64]

They just keep making it harder to have fun racing anymore. What ever happened to the good old days?

[TQ29m]

This discussion went about the same course a couple of years ago, on another forum, I think the real issue, is in how the unit is licensed, and titled more than anything, besides, I'd much rather see someone using a big truck, or toter, to pull that trailer, than some of the things I see around here, an S-10, or Ranger, or any 1/2 ton or car for that matter, pulling way more weight than they can stop, or steer for that matter, I've used all of the above, except the mid size trucks, and I feel a lot more secure in my F350 diesel dually, the trailer does not intimidate that truck a bit. Just my nickels worth, but I feel more in control of the trailer this way. Bob

[Hawker]

Originally Posted by AP64 What ever happened to the good old days?

The "good old days" were station wagons and open trailers...

[terrehautian]

Originally Posted by Hawker The "good old days" were station wagons and open trailers...

I wouldn't mind the good old days, but modernize it. SUV's and open trailers. I actually like seeing the open trailer people win (and locals) over everyone else.

[mowerman]

If it is modernized then it wouldn't be the good old days.

[TQ29m]

Originally Posted by AP64 They just keep making it harder to have fun racing anymore. What ever happened to the good old days?

AP, I don't know if your dad ever towed with an open trailer, but I did for many years, always drew a lot of attention on the hiway, than when we went to a midget, we towed for a lot of years with an open trailer, still got a lot of attention, just didn't carry as much stuff, and felt safer staying overnight, but that was just "theory", if they want it, they'll take it, I remember one of the first guys with an enclosed trailer, and a custom van, he didn't have it a month, and it was outa state! Tell George Hi. Bob

[Speedwrench]

Originally Posted by TQ29m This discussion went about the same course a couple of years ago, on another forum, I think the real issue, is in how the unit is licensed, and titled more than anything, besides, I'd much rather see someone using a big truck, or toter, to pull that trailer, than some of the things I see around here, an S-10, or Ranger, or any 1/2 ton or car for that matter, pulling way more weight than they can stop, or steer for that matter, I've used all of the above, except the mid size trucks, and I feel a lot more secure in my F350 diesel dually, the trailer does not intimidate that truck a bit. Just my nickels worth, but I feel more in control of the trailer this way. Bob

Your comment about the trailer not imtimidating the truck brings one of my favorite images to mind.

I lived in Pensacola, Flordia in the late 80's and early 90's in the days before toters came along and there would be two or three off-shore boat races a year in the area. Those guys were towing 40/45 foot boats on three and four axle trailers with dualies and those boats made a crewcab dualie look like a Tonka toy. Talk about a trailer imtimidating a truck!

---------- Post added at 10:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:10 PM ----------

Originally Posted by TQ29m AP, I don't know if your dad ever towed with an open trailer, but I did for many years, always drew a lot of attention on the hiway, than when we went to a midget, we towed for a lot of years with an open trailer, still got a lot of attention, just didn't carry as much stuff, and felt safer staying overnight, but that was just "theory", if they want it, they'll take it, I remember one of the first guys with an enclosed trailer, and a custom van, he didn't have it a month, and it was outa state! Tell George Hi. Bob

What I always thought was fun about open trailers was when you were traveling out of state and stopped somewhere, the first thing that happened when the natives saw the race car and the Indiana plate was that you would be asked if that was one of those cars that raced at the Indy 500.

[TQ29m]

Allan, the trailer memory that sticks out in my mind, is one I saw as a teenager, on a narrow, 2 lane hiway, musta been mid to late 50's, was a VW Bug, which were rare anyway, in front of a U-Haul, tandem axle trailer, maybe 10/12 footer enclosed, and as it crossed in front of me, there was a slight hump at the intersection, and that VW just lifted like it was on stilts, the trailer remained level, I watched it as far as I could see it, and they were managing to keep it on their side of the road, but I'll bet the pucker factor was real high. Some folks can get by with anything, but me, I like to at least think I have some control over what happens, I've had it happen, and I've seen it happen, where the tail wags the dog, and it ain't pretty, and it doesn't take a large trailer to do it, just the right conditions. Bob