Stacker trailer 101 help

[ELglamis]

Got a big buggy last season that takes up much of our already big enclosed trailer. Moving from our standard travel VW to LS Long travel has been amazing. BUT Packing everything has been a puzzle. 

Thinking of going to a stacker trailer but no one in our Group has one so don’t know in’s and outs of them. 

Have a 2008 38’ Mandalay Presidio with a Cummins 360. Wondering how the RV would handle the extra height/weight.  RV handles our 26’ box with no issues now. 

Do the stackers get crazy to tow in high winds?

Why do none of the very few currently for sale stackers have fuel cells? 

Thoughts on the two types of lifts. Looking to buy a used trailer.  Do the lifts start having problems after certain years? 

Sorry for the long post but could use any advice before moving forward on such a big purchase. 

 

[Bobalos]

The one that we had for the drag race team I was on had a hyd  ram that pulled cables.  It had lots of cycles on it and we did not have any issues with it.  We did have to adjust the cables once due to stretch to get it to lock at the top.  No biggie. This trailer was used when we bought it and we put a bunch of miles on it. 

I know a bunch of the buggy guys like the belly lift but I think I would go with ramps that the tires rode on. 

We towed it with a kenworth toter home, so nothing stopped it or slowed it down...  

 

[ROBERT L]

This might help a little with knowing that pulling the stacker.  

 

[1newbie]

If you are putting a buggy up top, i would definitely do a belly lift. Pretty easy to convert a normal lift to belly style.  I had to drill some holes and have two cables shortened. We run a 40' dp with 400 hp C9 cat and it is fine. 360hp is okay, but gonna struggle on long steep grades IMO. I have towed in some high winds (weekend warriors and big rigs blown over outside of California City) and it can get nerve racking. Gotta watch the tongue weight in a dp or the front end gets light in high winds.

 

[cek]

Go with a belly lift even if you don’t want one. Easier to sell. You can add sides to make it a platform. Depending on what you need to put in it a 20’ dual axle may do the job and your moho will pull it fine. Ive had traditional lifts as well as the ramp style. The traditional is quite a bit better in my opinion and you can get more in a smaller area. Mine has 100 gallons of fuel. That’s a must for me. 
 

lookmaround at what others are using. There is a reason why they are belly lifts and wide door openings. It’s because they work well and are easily resold. 

 

[ELglamis]

We are not looking to and any more vehicles to the trailer. 
Just looking to not have to pack everything so tightly. 
 

I’ll have to check trailer weights and compare that. 
 

our current is a 28’ box with only dual axle and the RV pulls that no problems. 
 

Stacker we are thinking would be a 24’ box with triple axle.  But would have the extra weight of the lift. 
 

 

[cek]

We are not looking to and any more vehicles to the trailer. 
Just looking to not have to pack everything so tightly. 
 

I’ll have to check trailer weights and compare that. 
 

our current is a 28’ box with only dual axle and the RV pulls that no problems. 
 

Stacker we are thinking would be a 24’ box with triple axle.  But would have the extra weight of the lift. 
 

A buddy of mine had a Browns Motorsport that was not full stacker height and had a large loft in it for quads or storage. That would be a good setup if you only plan on putting a buggy in it. My stacker is 24’ and pretty basic. Only has bench and upper cabinets but has 100 gallons of fuel with 2 separate tanks and belly lift. If i had to guess it’s probably about 8k dry. Im not sure though since I’ve never weighed it empty. 

 

[ELglamis]

Go with a belly lift even if you don’t want one. Easier to sell. You can add sides to make it a platform. Depending on what you need to put in it a 20’ dual axle may do the job and your moho will pull it fine. Ive had traditional lifts as well as the ramp style. The traditional is quite a bit better in my opinion and you can get more in a smaller area. Mine has 100 gallons of fuel. That’s a must for me. 
 

lookmaround at what others are using. There is a reason why they are belly lifts and wide door openings. It’s because they work well and are easily resold. 

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We are not looking to and any more vehicles to the trailer. 
Just looking to not have to pack everything so tightly. 
 

I’ll have to check trailer weights and compare that. 
 

our current is a 28’ box with only dual axle and the RV pulls that no problems. 
 

Stacker we are thinking would be a 24’ box with triple axle.  But would have the extra weight of the lift. 
 

 

[ELglamis]

Go with a belly lift even if you don’t want one. Easier to sell. You can add sides to make it a platform. Depending on what you need to put in it a 20’ dual axle may do the job and your moho will pull it fine. Ive had traditional lifts as well as the ramp style. The traditional is quite a bit better in my opinion and you can get more in a smaller area. Mine has 100 gallons of fuel. That’s a must for me. 
 

lookmaround at what others are using. There is a reason why they are belly lifts and wide door openings. It’s because they work well and are easily resold. 

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We aren’t looking at ramp ones. 

Not understanding the big draw to belly lifts. 
 

can anyone explain the draw toward them?

 

[Turn and Burn]

I have had a few stackers over the years. Been through some wicked winds but actually seemed more stable for some reason than my 30’ long trailer. Maybe more weight. But I don’t know why you would want one unless you planned on adding vehicles. In any case the belly lift is the way to go. Ultra-sandtec has an optional belly lift that converts to a standard lift (folds out). Those side by sides are over 6’ tall and the 18” you pick up with a belly lift will save you from having to do really painful things to get things to fit. The reason the ones don’t have fuel stations, that’s probably why they aren’t gone yet. Most of them stay on the market for about 30 seconds. Nothing holds its value like a properly outfitted stacker. They are so in demand now you can sell them for what you paid for them. Those rigs like mine have 100 gal fuel, 50 gal water, generator, big screen TVs, solar, disco ball etc.  (I didn’t get the disco ball option).

 

[ELglamis]

We have always had 3 quads and a buggy. 
 

Our previous buggy allowed everything to fit easily. 
 

The newer buggy adds length and width not allowing everything to fit without standing up a quad.  Don’t want to have to do that each time. 

 

[Turn and Burn]

I always look at it from a resale perspective. The belly lift is really important for resale due to the UTV thing. The wheels hanging down helps quite a bit. I think any belly lift could have the fold out option added, which I think would work for you. The belly part is probably 18” wide - two panels hinged on each side fold out and rests on the lift frame. They came out with this option after mine was built, I will probably add it at some point. 

 

[Rockwood]

We aren’t looking at ramp ones. 

Not understanding the big draw to belly lifts. 
 

can anyone explain the draw toward them?

Less overall height in the stacker. Offroad toys are generally tall, so lifting from the belly makes life easier since the bodies are narrow enough to fit between the tires hanging down.  Bonus is most sand tires lose air eventually, no worries with a belly. 

 

[ELglamis]

Anyone heard of Millennium Trailers? 

 

[1tonfun]

The belly lift is fantastic for the off road crowd so resale with the off road crowd will be better on the west coast. When I purchased ours, we needed it for more than just off roading and went with a full floor so I can haul a couple of hot rods when not going to the dunes. Putting a couple of quads on the lift and the car on the bottom will give you plenty of room. If you decide to add a sxs down the road, the belly lift will be beneficial. It can be done without the belly lift but it is a lot of extra work to fit the sxs on top and the car on the bottom. Fuel and water station is a lot more important to the off road crowd as well. We looked at a lot of stackers in the mid west and most of them didn't have fuel station or extra water tanks. Another option that came on my trailer is a small built in sink, didn't really think much of it until the first time I had to work on the car at the dunes, was able to get cleaned up in the trailer without having to track the mess into the motorhome. Really sold me on having a sink and keeping the wife happy not turning the motorhome sink black when I washed up.

 

[Squatcher]

I went from a 28' box to a 24 ft stacker.  could fit a lot more stuff.  Had a ramp lift and my new to me 28' stacker has a ramp lift as well.  I can fit a full size sand car down below and my 4 seat can am no problem.  If you don't have two cars or combo sxs and car you are better off with a ramp style.  Like other have said not that big a deal to convert over.   I just added a 80 gal tank to my stacker.   My 28 towed better with my 330 cat.  New trailer is behind a toter and it all tows amazing. Wider the better for resale for sure so people don't have to take paddles off. 

 

[J Alper]

We have always had 3 quads and a buggy. 
 

Our previous buggy allowed everything to fit easily. 
 

The newer buggy adds length and width not allowing everything to fit without standing up a quad.  Don’t want to have to do that each time. 

NO belly lift NO resale Value,  the difference like a toy-hauler compared to a travel trailer, 

 

[Richard h]

Anyone heard of Millennium Trailers? 

I have one. Not a stacker but am very pleased with quality of the trailer.

Add, a buddy has a monster stacker that had a regular lift in it. Couldn't put 2 cars in it without major alterations to upper car. Converted it to a belly lift, problems solved.

 

[ELglamis]

Thanks for all the advice. Going to pass on this non belly lift since it also doesn’t  have fuel cell and just wait for the right one to come along.