Utility Trailer Advice

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

the bigger trailer you buy the more you can haul.  the more you can haul the more you can buy.  the more you buy the bigger garage you need.  the bigger garage the bigger the property you have to have.  the bigger the property you have the more tractors you need.  the more tractors you have the bigger the trailer you need.  oh man it is a vicious circle we enter when buying a trailer.  be careful

When I moved here five years ago, I would have been happy with a SCUT. But my wife said it was too big for two acres. So - 14 tractors of various sizes is what I settled for. 

Edited March 27, 2015 by shallowwatersailor

[KC9KAS 4,741]

In Indiana you have to pay every year for registration. It is a base registration then taxes (Indiana, Land of Taxes).

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

In Indiana you have to pay every year for registration. It is a base registration then taxes (Indiana, Land of Taxes).

I remember Indiana's structure discussing it with friends and co-workers that commuted into Chicago. Personal property taxes were a killer but hopefully real estate taxes compensated.

[KC9KAS 4,741]

I remember Indiana's structure discussing it with friends and co-workers that commuted into Chicago. Personal property taxes were a killer but hopefully real estate taxes compensated.

Nope, property taxes are a bummer too!

Then there is wheel tax and excise tax and sales tax...Like I said, "Indiana, Land of Taxes"!

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

The Latest Update

 

Premier is out due to wiring and some design features. I am also concerned about eventual resale of a 5' x 12'/14' tandem because of the narrow width.

 

Today I found a new (built 8/14 and on the lot) 5' x 14' single axle Sure Trac. I was impressed with the design of the coupler (three channels to the frame with a setback jack's plate adding additional strength), the gate and gate latches,and overall build quality. But my bug-a-boo about Powder-Coat Finish was justified with rust streaks on the gate at joints. Some touchup and silicone would eliminate that. The deck would be seasoned by now to stain. I'm wondering if it is too long as the capacity is still only just under 2100 lbs. Even though it is enough room, I could only put a 5xi with attachments because of tongue weight with the tractor towards the axle. I could carry two "Classics and some attachments. Four to five Walk-Beehinds at a time too. I suppose I could also carry some empty cardboard boxes to fill the extra space. To order a 5' x 12' would be five weeks. There still is the Big Tex 5' x 12' in PA on the lot to check out.

 

Some Information Shared While Shopping and Researching

 

The sales market for utility trailers has a very low markup. Best prices are closer to where trailers are manufactured. For example, to get a PJ up here from Texas the additional cost price would just be shipping compared to another comparable brand built closer. Then there is also the ordering quantity that some mfrs. put on the dealer. It is easier to ship 6 trailers than just one that I would order.

 

I plan on checking out Big Tex as it seems that I will probably go with a Powder-Coat Finish after all. Unless some thing else pops up, it looks like those are my choices. Sometimes I just wonder if I should just wait for TSC to put a usable trailer on sale, but then I think I may as well stick with U-Haul!

Edited March 28, 2015 by shallowwatersailor

[bmsgaffer 2,043]

I would love to have my own trailer, but I have nowhere to keep one. I don't know if you have a Sunbelt up there by you, but I find their prices and service to be quite good. And they get to store and maintain it for me! (The only downfall is that most of their trailers are green )

[shorts 182]

I think that if I was in the market for a utility type trailer I would look for something in the 6 x 10' range on a 5K drop center axle with stake pockets for removable sides.  The reasoning / justification is  sooner or later you are going to have a need to load a 48" or 60" side discharge mower deck and the 48 might fit into a 5 X trailer but a 60 won't for some reason the decks are 1 inch to wide or the trailer dimensions are outside measurements. A 5K axle will start you off with brakes and bigger springs, hubs &  bearings as well as tires. Sooner or later someone will want to borrow your trailer and it's real easy to overload a 5 or 6 X 10' trailer on light running gear with a larger tractor or a load of landscape material. Properly applied powder coat is not a negative in my opinion and can be touched up with regular paint as necessary. some sort of provision should be made for a tool box and winch mount on the tongue

[boovuc 1,090]

I thought PA was bad for taxes. After reading this post, I'll keep my grips about Pennsylvania to a minimum. Our trailer tagging is the same as most states. A nominal fee each year for the registration and the plate goes for years! No inspections of the trailers under a certain weight is required.

I need to go to a 5 x 10 or 6 x 10. My 5 x 8 doesn't cut it anymore. There is a 5 x 10 at Tractor Supply right now for about a grand. I'm sure they are cheap but with maintenance, you could get them to last. That price is 500 to 1G under what most non-aluminum's new are priced.

[ericj 1,576]

i currently own 1 trailer out right and share custody  of my other trailer with my brother and would love to own at least 1 or 2 more but my township say that you may only store 1 trailer on property of .50 acre lots. my lot is .47. so i keep my tiny little 28 foot enclosed trailer at my house and share custody of my 18 foot car trailer with my brother. he keeps it at his house 18 miles away, which is at least 1/2 trip each way. as far as a tow vehicle, i bought a 88 dodge dakota brand new and while it has been a great truck and has towed a 2500 # trailer with a 3300 # car on it to ohio and back and 5 or 6 wheel horse tractors on the same trailer, i don't think it would begin to even move my 18 ft 10,000 lb enclosed trailer so i borrow my dad's 93 dodge ram cummins to handle that trailer. one day i'm suppose to inherit that truck but hopefully not to soon if you know what i mean. i would like a smaller trailer to go pick up tractors and to move tractors around locally and easier for my poor old tired dakota to handle. i want a landscape type trailer but want it wide enough to put 2 tractors on side by side or long enough to put 2 tractors on at the same time with blower and a blade on together here some pictures of my enclosed and see if i can find any of my car hualer    

  

  

my open trailer is visible in the back ground of this picture and in other pictures of my enclosed

 

 

 

 

eric j 

Edited March 28, 2015 by ericj

[Forest Road 594]

Hi John

A little late to the party again. I'm lucky enough to borrow trailers when necessary. Personally any trailer 12' or longer should have tandem axles. At that length they can get a little squirrelly at high way speeds if the load isn't centered on a single axle.

Also have you considered a friction anti sway device? typically run about $100. Worth every penny!

Not sure how long you plan on keeping it. Standard size trailers typically have great resale. Keep it like you keep you WHs and you'll see a reasonable resale.

Best of luck

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

Hi Kevin,

 

I found a dealer that has a 6'x12' Sure Trac Tube Top and would be out the door to buy it but my trans cooler developed a leak a week ago. The replacement is coming from PPE in CA (Allison  Transmission in the truck) but crawling across the country. I won't have it until Friday!

 

You bring up an interesting thought about a twelve foot length on a single axle. Perhaps I should just consider a 10' length after all. I would hope that by keeping tongue weight at 10% it should trail without any trouble. The payload rating for the 6'x12' size is 2,010 pounds and I would like to carry a 5xi with a C-/300/400 on the same load. I did decide on Sure Trac for a number of reasons but also the fact that it is a true 6' and not 77". It has brake flanges so that would be something to possibly add in the future.

 

John

[Forest Road 594]

Allison trans cooler? I assume you're driving a larger truck with plenty of power.

Go big or stay home! Come on you and I both know you'll regret NOT purchasing the larger trailer on your first trip.

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[muz123 1,191]

I need a trailer, my truck can only pull 4,400 pounds. what would be a good trailer?[good sized trailer]

 

Dave..... 

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

The majority of utility trailers have a GVWR of 2,990 pounds. That should be within your capacity. It is just a matter of choice, money, and size.

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

Well after all of the research on custom vs. off-the-shelf utility trailer, I ended up buying a stock trailer. I did go wider than I had planned but stuck to the 12' length. It is a 2015 Sure Trac 6'x12' Tube Top. It came standard with LED lights, flip-down plus removable gate, setback jack, and radials.

 

Now to figure out additional tie-down points besides the standard ones, and a removable winch mount. Has anyone ever mounted a crane?

 

[slammer302 2,154]

My little trailer has a boat winch mounted to it and it works great and pulls more than you would think and there cheap also upgraded the floor to aluminium