Help deciding on a trailer please

1670 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by sundrop, Apr 18, 2014

Lucky Doug

Discussion Starter · Apr 17, 2014

I hope this is in the right forum.

I am thinking of getting a trailer of the new to me variety. I want a 6x12, what I call light duty, aka single axle. Trying to decide between a utility trailer which I will have it built due to the configuration I want, or a second hand enclosed trailer which I have never had one before. There is not very much difference cost wise.

What are the pros and cons of enclosed trailer vs. open trailer?

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Drum Runner

· #2 · Apr 17, 2014

What do plan to do with it?
For instance I have a commercial mower. It takes a 6 foot wide trailer. I looked at closed in trailers but most of them have a low height in the lower weight limit. Get into something where you can walk in it you are in a heavier weight class and alot more money.

I just went with a 6x10. I didn't want to be pulling around too much trailer hauling a mower over to the next farm to cut a little grass. I went with an Agri Supply trailer. Full size wheels and tires. Wood deck which I like because if I'm hauling something I can screw chock blocks wherever I need them.

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Lucky Doug

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 17, 2014

That is my primary concern is the weight. General purpose trailer. Main uses will be hauling motorcycles and canoes/kayaks with camping equipment, after that it is just general utility purposes. Overall use will be limited.

For about the same money, I am looking at about 1200 pounds for the utility trailer and 1800 pounds for the enclosed. I really like the idea of the extra security and protection for the bikes but is it worth hauling around that extra weight and bulk the rest of the time?

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roostertail24

· #4 · Apr 17, 2014

I do lawncare and pull a 8.5 wide by 20 foot long enclosed trailer. For me some of the advantages are that I usually unhook my trailer to go get something for lunch and I don't worry about people taking stuff from it. Rain and sunshine doesn't affect my equipment. I don't worry about something falling off when i'm driving down the road. It is basically a mobile billboard if you choose to put graphics on it. About the only con of an enclosed trailer that I can think of is they are a little harder to tow because of wind resistance.

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sundrop

· #5 · Apr 18, 2014

Open trailer lets you load and tie and access from all sides, you can allow overhang hang side racks and such and use it for many more things than an enclosed one.

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Drum Runner

· #6 · Apr 18, 2014

Lucky Doug said:
That is my primary concern is the weight. General purpose trailer. Main uses will be hauling motorcycles and canoes/kayaks with camping equipment, after that it is just general utility purposes. Overall use will be limited.

For about the same money, I am looking at about 1200 pounds for the utility trailer and 1800 pounds for the enclosed. I really like the idea of the extra security and protection for the bikes but is it worth hauling around that extra weight and bulk the rest of the time?

When I bought my last trailer I started getting carried away with things I might do and trying to justify 4 more feet and a side load ramp. Somehow I managed to get brain slapped and basically said to myself, that the excuse for this trailer is the mower. I'll size it for the mower and add 2 feet and that's it.

There was a point in there that it becomes impracticable. I want to go pick up a dozen studs at Lowes so now I got to hook up a big ol trailer. Or I want to haul the mower over to the other farm so I got to hook up a big ol trailer.

For camping. You could build some modules to hold your gear in storage. When you go camping, load the modules. For that matter you build a module the size of the trailer and throw the tent away. Slide her up on the trailer and strap her down. You got a camper.

I mean for what I'm going to use it for I would rather have an open trailer than a closed in trailer that I had to bend at the waist to walk around in. To go to the full stand up I would have to go to much heavier built trailer with a capacity way beyond what I needed.....to haul a mower once in a while, take some junk to the dump, pick up some building material at Lowes, or haul a refrigerator on. I just couldn't justify any more trailer than that.

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Lucky Doug

Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 18, 2014

Drum Runner said:
When I bought my last trailer I started getting carried away with things I might do and trying to justify 4 more feet and a side load ramp. Somehow I managed to get brain slapped and basically said to myself, that the excuse for this trailer is the mower. I'll size it for the mower and add 2 feet and that's it.

There was a point in there that it becomes impracticable. I want to go pick up a dozen studs at Lowes so now I got to hook up a big ol trailer. Or I want to haul the mower over to the other farm so I got to hook up a big ol trailer.

For camping. You could build some modules to hold your gear in storage. When you go camping, load the modules. For that matter you build a module the size of the trailer and throw the tent away. Slide her up on the trailer and strap her down. You got a camper.

I mean for what I'm going to use it for I would rather have an open trailer than a closed in trailer that I had to bend at the waist to walk around in. To go to the full stand up I would have to go to much heavier built trailer with a capacity way beyond what I needed.....to haul a mower once in a while, take some junk to the dump, pick up some building material at Lowes, or haul a refrigerator on. I just couldn't justify any more trailer than that.

Thanks, DR. I pretty much felt the open trailer would be more practical but I have had more than my share of encounters with wet weather when hauling stuff that needed to stay dry. That us one of the things that prompted me to consider the enclosed trailer. I just need to decide on the length now.

Thanks to everyone for the help.

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sundrop

· #8 · Apr 18, 2014

Length wise buy one one size larger than you "think" you will need and consider what you will be pulling it with and where. Just like a boat, it's never big enough once you really start using it unless you've had a few and really know exactly what you want to do with it.

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dbeam

· #9 · Apr 18, 2014

All good advice, I have come close to buying an enclosed several times, and still may some day. They are perfect for working out of mainly because you can lock up and not unload every day, but I don;t think it would be a great fit for our only trailer, unless you had a specific purpose in mind. I also think it would hard to tie down yaks from the inside.

I made some holders to go inside of my utility rack that allows a 2X4 to be place across the top of them so that the bed of the trailer is still open for camping gear.

Darrel

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sundrop

· #10 · Apr 18, 2014

I've considered doing something like this but I need to incorporate and actual boat trailer or downsize to a kayak or jonboat. Flat deck car trailers can be found for $700-1200 old slide in campers are around for about the same, do some interior remodeling and there ya go..

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