Car hauler wedge

Car hauler wedge: A car hauler wedge is a gooseneck trailer with a deck that slopes down toward the rear, built to carry two to four vehicles behind a heavy-duty pickup or medium-duty truck. Wedges are popular with new car haulers because they cost less to buy and run than a full stinger or high-mount rig.

How a wedge works

The deck rises from the rear ramps toward the gooseneck, so cars drive up and park nose to tail at an angle that keeps the combination low and short. Some wedges add a hydraulic or manual upper deck over the gooseneck. Because they pull behind a pickup or medium truck, wedges suit short and regional runs, dealer trades and auction moves, and individual vehicles bought online.

Licensing and weight

A loaded wedge combination often lands near or above the weight that requires a Class A CDL: a combination rated 26,001 lb or more, towing a trailer rated over 10,000 lb. Source Many wedge setups are rated to stay under that line, which caps how many and how heavy the cars can be. Check the truck and trailer ratings before you buy, not after.

In practice EXAMPLE

A three-car wedge picks up two sedans and a compact SUV from a dealer for an auction 280 miles away. Each car is strapped at the front and rear, the minimum for vehicles. Source The run pays per car, and with fuel for a pickup rather than a tractor, the load clears the driver's floor. A heavier SUV in place of a sedan would have pushed the combination over its rating. Work out what a load leaves with the car hauler load profit calculator, and compare trailers in car hauler trailer types.

Is a wedge a good way to start?

For many new car haulers it is, because the trailer and truck cost far less than a full stinger-steer or high-mount rig and the running costs are lower. The trade-off is fewer cars per load, so each run earns less and empty miles weigh more. Wedge carriers do best with steady regional work: dealer trades, auction moves and online car buyers. Plan to price every load per car on all its miles, and check insurance costs for car hauling before you buy, since cargo coverage is a large part of the budget.