Which Car Hauler to Rent in Olathe: Winch, Dovetail, or Enclosed
You bought a car at an auction across the state line, or the project car in your buddy's garage finally has to move, or you are hauling a classic that cannot get rained on. Now you have to pick a trailer, and the list has six car and equipment haulers on it at four different capacities. Picking wrong costs you a wasted trip.
The good news is that the choice comes down to three questions you can answer in about thirty seconds: does the car run, how low does it sit, and does it need to stay covered. Answer those and the trailer picks itself.
We are a family owned trailer rental shop in Olathe, open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, which is the window an auction pickup or a Saturday tow actually needs. Here is how to match the car to the trailer before you reserve.
Question 1: Does the car run and steer?
If it starts, drives, and brakes, almost anything on the lot will load it. If it does not, you need a winch, and you need it on the trailer, not borrowed from a friend the morning of.
Five of the six carry a winch. The Precision Car Hauler 20 ft runs a 12,000 lb Badlands winch with the accessories in the onboard toolbox. Both 22 footers, the Precision 22 Carhauler 22 ft and the Precision 22' 10K Car Hauler 22 ft, carry the same 12,000 lb winch, and so does the Big Tex 14PH 20+5 Deckover 25 ft. The K and L Manufacturing Equipment Trailer 24 ft has a winch as well, with the controls in its toolbox.
The enclosed hauler is the one that does not. If the car is dead and it also has to stay dry, plan on bringing your own way to pull it aboard.
Loading a non-runner alone takes longer than people expect. If the sale ends late, book the trailer for the day before your auction pickup instead of trying to squeeze the whole job into one afternoon. We open at 6 a.m., so an early start is available every day of the week.
Question 2: How low does it sit?
Ground clearance decides your loading angle, and loading angle is what scrapes a front lip or an exhaust. A dovetail lowers the back of the deck so the ramps meet the ground at a gentler angle.
Both 22 ft Precisions are dovetail trailers with a 10,000 lb GVWR, which makes them the default pick for a lowered car, a sports car, or anything with a chin spoiler. The Precision 22 Carhauler is rated for 8,400 lbs of payload and the Precision 22' 10K carries 7,800 lbs, so either one swallows a normal passenger car with room left over.
The 20 ft Precision uses slide out ramps, which are quick to set and easy to handle by yourself. The 24 ft K and L uses fold down ramps and is the one to grab when the load is tall, heavy, or on tracks rather than tires. The Big Tex 14PH 20+5 Deckover pairs a 5 ft dovetail with fold over mega ramps and a 15,900 lb GVWR, so it is the deckover answer for equipment that has outgrown a car hauler.
Question 3: Does it need to stay covered?
A show car, a fresh paint job, or a long haul in Kansas weather is the case for the Haulmark Pace Setter 8.5x20 Enclosed Car Hauler. It is 20 ft long and 8.5 ft wide with a 10,000 lb GVWR and 6,950 lbs of payload, and it comes with a shore power plug, outlets, an A/C unit, interior lights that run off the tow vehicle, ratchet straps, and axle straps. A dolly and moving blankets are available with it too.
The tradeoff is weight. Empty, the enclosed hauler is 3,050 lbs before the car goes in, so it asks more of your truck than an open deck does for the same vehicle.
The tow math, before you book
Two numbers matter. The first is what the trailer itself weighs empty, because your truck tows that whether it is loaded or not. The second is GVWR, which is the most the trailer and its cargo are allowed to weigh together.
| Trailer | Daily | GVWR | Empty weight | Ball | Loading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precision Car Hauler 20 ft | $100 | 7,000 lbs | 2,000 lbs | 2 in. | Slide out ramps, winch |
| Precision 22 Carhauler 22 ft | $120 | 10,000 lbs | 2,200 lbs | 2-5/16 in. | Dovetail, winch |
| Precision 22' 10K Car Hauler 22 ft | $120 | 10,000 lbs | 2,200 lbs | 2-5/16 in. | Dovetail, winch |
| Haulmark Pace Setter 8.5x20 Enclosed Car Hauler | $130 | 10,000 lbs | 3,050 lbs | 2-5/16 in. | Enclosed, no winch |
| K and L Manufacturing Equipment Trailer 24 ft | $150 | 14,000 lbs | 3,000 lbs | 2-5/16 in. | Fold down ramps, winch |
| Big Tex 14PH 20+5 Deckover 25 ft | $200 | 15,900 lbs | 4,300 lbs | 2-5/16 in. | Fold over mega ramps, winch |
Weekly rates run $600 on the 20 ft, $719.99 and $720 on the two 22 footers, $780 on the enclosed, $900 on the 24 ft K and L, and $999.99 on the Big Tex. On the five car haulers, six days at the daily rate lands on the weekly rate almost exactly, so the week only starts saving you money past six days. The Big Tex is the exception, where the weekly rate already matches five days of daily rental.
Every one of these is a bumper pull with a round 7 pin light plug. The 20 ft Precision takes a 2 in. ball. The two 22 ft Precisions, the enclosed hauler, the 24 ft K and L, and the Big Tex all take a 2-5/16 in. ball. Check which ball is on your truck tonight, not in the morning, and make sure your 7 pin socket actually powers lights and brakes.
If you are unsure whether your truck is rated for the loaded trailer, work through our tow guide before you reserve. It walks you through matching your vehicle to a trailer weight.
What comes with the trailer
Four of the six carry tie downs on board. Here is what is already on each one.
- Precision Car Hauler 20 ft: toolbox with straps and winch accessories, plus 6 stake pocket adapters with D-rings for multiple tie down points.
- K and L Manufacturing Equipment Trailer 24 ft: toolbox with straps and winch controls, 8 stake pocket adapters, 4 heavy duty straps, 4 medium duty straps, 4 axle straps, and 4 chains with binders.
- Big Tex 14PH 20+5 Deckover 25 ft: toolbox, heavy duty straps, and 4 chains with binders.
- Haulmark Pace Setter 8.5x20 Enclosed Car Hauler: ratchet straps and axle straps, with a dolly and moving blankets available.
The two 22 ft Precisions are listed with a winch and a dovetail, so plan on bringing your own straps for those.
What to bring and what to expect
We do not deliver, so you pick the trailer up here in Olathe and take it from there. That covers jobs across the metro, from Overland Park and Kansas City to Lee's Summit, MO.
Bring a valid driver's license and proof of insurance to pick up. Cancellations made 48 or more hours before pickup receive a full refund, and cancellations within 48 hours are subject to a 25% fee, so lock in your date once the sale or the seller's schedule is firm.
Reserve the right hauler
Runner or not, low or tall, open or covered, one of these six will do the job. Check the calendar to see real-time availability and book online, or call us at (913) 388-3462 and we will help you match the car to the trailer.