Fleet owners and independent haulers rarely move sedans only. A single run often mixes SUVs, pickups, and even chassis cab trucks, so the trailer needs to handle more than five identical cars. A 5 car hauler trailer gives haulers that flexibility, but the vehicle mix still changes how a hauler loads, secures, and balances the trailer. This guide breaks down which vehicles fit on a 5 car hauler, why dimensions and weight matter, and how Infinity Trailers’ GN500 and GNW500 models answer these exact questions.
Can You Haul SUVs on a 5 Car Trailer?
SUVs load onto a 5 car hauler without much trouble, but their height and wheelbase change the math. A tall SUV eats into overhead clearance on multi-level decks, and a long wheelbase model takes up more deck length than a compact sedan. Haulers who mix SUVs with sedans usually place taller vehicles on the bottom deck and reserve the top rack for shorter cars, since low-hanging mirrors, roof racks, and light bars can strike the upper structure. A 5 car hauler with a drive-over belly deck, like the GN500, simplifies this because the low deck height accepts a wider range of SUV sizes without forcing awkward tie-down angles.
Can You Haul Pickup Trucks?
Pickup trucks bring three challenges a sedan never does: length, bed height, and axle weight. A full-size crew cab pickup can stretch past 20 feet, and its bed sits higher off the ground than a car’s trunk line. Loading a pickup on a standard tilt deck works, but the ramp angle and deck clearance need to accommodate the longer wheelbase and the raised bed. This is where a belly deck design earns its keep, since the lower deck height reduces the ramp angle and keeps the truck’s bed from clipping the upper deck rails. Infinity’s GNW500 addresses this directly with a drive-over belly deck built specifically for trucks with a bed, letting a pickup roll on and off without the awkward maneuvering a flat tilt deck sometimes requires.
Can You Haul Chassis Cab Trucks?
Chassis cab trucks are a different category altogether. These trucks lack a finished bed, so their frame rails, fuel tanks, and rear axle sit exposed at the back. Securing a chassis cab on a standard car hauler often means improvising tie-down points, since the usual bed rails or bumper anchors aren’t there. A trailer built with a box tongue, such as the GN500, gives chassis cab trucks a dedicated loading approach and enough front clearance so the cab and frame rails don’t crowd the gooseneck coupler. Without that kind of design, a chassis cab load risks uneven weight distribution across the axles and a rougher ride for the truck being hauled.
Why Vehicle Dimensions Matter
Length, width, and height decide how many vehicles fit and where each one sits. A 5 car hauler advertised for five vehicles assumes a mix of compact and midsize cars; swap in even two full-size pickups, and the same trailer might only fit three or four vehicles total. Loading capacity numbers on a trailer’s spec sheet, such as top and bottom deck lengths, tell a hauler exactly how much room is available before a load gets planned. Ignoring these numbers leads to overhangs past the trailer’s legal length, clearance issues under bridges, and vehicles that shift because they don’t sit flush against the deck rails.
Why Vehicle Weight Matters
Weight distribution affects towing stability far more than most new haulers expect. A trailer rated to carry five sedans doesn’t automatically carry five pickups, since axle capacity and gross trailer weight ratings apply regardless of vehicle count. Loading heavy trucks toward the rear of a trailer shifts weight off the tow vehicle’s hitch, while loading them too far forward overloads the gooseneck connection. Tandem dual axles, hydraulic brakes, and a properly rated GVWR all work together to keep a mixed load stable, but only if the hauler respects the total weight limit rather than the vehicle count printed in the trailer’s name.
Tilt Deck vs. Belly Deck for Different Vehicles
Tilt deck trailers work well for lower-profile vehicles that need a quick, angled ramp to drive up onto the deck. Sedans, coupes, and smaller SUVs handle a tilt deck’s incline without issue. Trucks and taller SUVs, though, benefit more from a belly deck design, since the lower center section reduces ramp angle and keeps clearance-sensitive vehicles from scraping their front bumper or exhaust. A belly deck also gives a chassis cab or bed-equipped truck a flatter approach, which matters when the vehicle being hauled has less ground clearance built for daily driving rather than trailer loading.
5 Cars vs. 4 Trucks
A trailer’s advertised capacity often shifts once the vehicle type changes, and that’s exactly the reasoning behind Infinity’s GN500. This 50-foot trailer carries five standard cars, or it switches to four trucks when the load calls for larger vehicles. The box tongue design supports chassis cab trucks specifically, while the drive-over belly deck keeps loading straightforward whether the trailer carries sedans one week and pickups the next. Haulers running mixed freight get more use out of a single trailer instead of maintaining separate equipment for cars and trucks.
Which Infinity 5 Car Hauler Fits Your Freight?
Haulers moving mostly sedans and SUVs get the most value from the GN500, since its 50-foot layout, hydraulic ramps, and tandem dual axles handle a five-car load with a belly deck built for smooth loading. Haulers who regularly move pickups with beds should look at the GNW500, the Tri Pod version of the GN500, which brings the same 50-foot footprint but adds a drive-over belly deck engineered specifically for bed-equipped trucks. Matching the trailer to the freight mix, rather than picking based on car count alone, keeps loading faster and tow weight balanced.
FAQs
- Can a 5 car hauler carry both cars and trucks in the same load?
Yes, most 5 car haulers accept a mixed load, though the total vehicle count usually drops as vehicle size and weight increase. - Does a belly deck trailer work for sedans too?
Yes, a belly deck accommodates sedans just as well as trucks, and it often makes loading easier for any vehicle with limited ground clearance. - How many pickup trucks fit on a GN500?
The GN500 carries up to four trucks when the load shifts from five standard cars to larger pickups. - What makes the GNW500 different from the GN500?
The GNW500 is the Tri Pod version of the GN500, built with the same 50-foot length but designed around a drive-over belly deck for trucks with a bed. - Why do chassis cab trucks need a special box tongue?
A box tongue gives the frame and gooseneck coupler enough clearance so a chassis cab’s exposed rear frame rails don’t crowd the front of the trailer during loading.
