Stacker vs. Lift Gate Trailer
Both a stacker and a lift gate trailer carry two vehicles in one enclosed trailer. They solve the problem differently, and the difference decides which one you should buy.
What a stacker does
A stacker has an interior lift. You drive the first car in, raise it on the lift platform to the upper position, then drive the second car in underneath. Both cars ride inside, one above the other, and the lift stays with the trailer. When the upper car is raised and the lower car is out, the floor under the lift is open workspace.
What a lift gate trailer does
A lift gate trailer uses the rear door itself as a hydraulic lift. The door lowers to the ground, you drive the car onto it, and the door raises to deck height. Some lift gate trailers have a fixed upper deck for a second car; many are single-level trailers where the lift gate simply replaces a ramp door for cars too low to climb an incline.
Where each one wins
Loading low cars. Lift gate wins. A car with two inches of ground clearance that cannot climb a ramp drives onto a flat lift gate. Stackers use ramp doors (though many add a lift gate option for exactly this reason).
Workspace. Stacker wins clearly. With the upper car raised and the lower bay empty, you have a shop. A lift gate trailer with a fixed upper deck has that deck in the way all the time.
Interior height and weight. Lift gate trailers can be shorter and lighter because there is no internal lift structure. If towability is the constraint, a lift gate trailer may let you carry two cars with a smaller truck.
Cost. Comparable at the low end; a stacker with a full electrical and interior package will cost more than a basic lift gate trailer, but a premium lift gate trailer with living quarters costs as much as anything.
Versatility. Stackers can carry one car with the lift stowed and use the rest as a shop or lounge. Lift gate trailers are purpose-built around the door; the second-car capacity, if present, is fixed.
The decision
If your cars can climb a ramp and you spend whole weekends at the track, a stacker gives you more trailer. If your cars cannot climb a ramp, or you need the lightest possible two-car solution, look at lift gates. Plenty of teams end up with a stacker that also has a lift gate option, which solves the low-car problem while keeping the workspace.
We stock stackers and can order lift gate configurations from the same builders. If you are not sure which fits your cars, send us the ground clearance and wheelbase and we will tell you.