trailers

I am in the market for a trailer. I do not plan to haul heavy tractors, combines, etc...maybe a wagon or small implement. I have been looking and getting it down to 16' or 18'. What are good/better brand name trailers? What are brand names to stay away from? What features should I be looking at...removable fenders? electric brakes? dove tail? 3500lb axles or 5000+lb axles? Anything structural to look for? Anything you can share to help narrow search that would be appreciated!!

Stay away from those made with any box/tube steel.

There are trailers you describe that are $1500 to $10,000 and up depending on what all you want.

Whatever style/size you decide on do yourself a favor and get a little heavier duty than you think you will need. There will come a day when you need to haul something bigger/heavier than you planned. That day always comes sooner or later!

I have a 16 ft + dovetail adds two ft, fenders welded straight to frame...not again. That design is a crack waiting to happen. My trailer is a Hooper brand, supposedly a respected name in Ga., but it must have been a Friday or Monday product. Paint started flaking off within two years and that was one of the salesman's big differing points with this brand. (yeah right as I have learned). I would get a flat deck if I had it to go over again. I could have at the time of purchase for $400 more, but I wasn't thinking long term. I just needed something for the 8n. Don't suit your needs just for today...think bigger, heavier, at least go with 5k axles minimum. Try to go for longer than standard length ramps...Mine are 4 ft and getting some cars on requires a song and dance with jacking tongue so car doesn't drag. My next trailer will be flatdeck, minimum 6 ft ramps and 8 lug axles. A flat deck also makes a nice work table if needed. If the paint flakes off, I'll keep a rattle can handy.

You say you want to haul things like wagons and small implements. Many such things could be wider than the deck on a trailer with tires and fenders outside the deck. I would go with a deck over, 16 - 18 foot deck plus beaver/dove tail and ramps, 5K axles with brakes on both axles. I think they give more options for load placement, you aren't having to try to get things over fenders or perched on the fenders.

Keep in mind the largest you expect to haul over the life of the trailer and what you have to pull with. A 10k#GVW 14' deck, 102" wheelbase, tandem 5k# axles, bumper-pull with the rear-wheel-to-trailer-wheels dimension close to your vehicle's wheelbase will allow you to haul a dually or small-to-midsize tractor and will back up easily.
Of course, that would need a 3/4 ton. A 7500# GVW, single axle at 14' would be good all-around for a 1/2 ton. If hauling lumber at 16' is normal, a 16' deck . . .
Well, you get it. You need to figure in a lot of your own factors before shelling out the coin.
And as dbnga says: go with bolt-on fenders. These are easier to fix when the inevitable 'something' happens.

How wide?

My trailer is 102" wide, tip to tip on the axles. Makes a nice wide bed.

BUT, some states only allow 96" wide. So, my trailer is legal here in Nebraska, not legal in Kansas, and I can't remember about the other surrounding states.

Although, to be honest, I've been in South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, and Colorado with it, besides Nebraska and Kansas, and no one has ever questioned the width of it, even when scale officers and officers at ports of entry have checked my load for whatever reason.

But, it's something to consider.

I curently own 3 trailers.
The first is a 40+ year old tiltbed snowmobile trailer. In it's lifetime with me, I have redecked it and added removable 24" high stake racks. Resently, it was damaged when I hit a deer carcus. The spring shakles were bent back and dropped the deck onto the wheels. My local welder is finishing up repairs as I write this.
My second trailer is a 1975, 16'foot plus 2' beaver tail, 10,000gvw, General Trailer that I bought used. We have basically rebuilt this trailer over the years. 2 new 7000lb axles having electric brakes, with 5 new tires to replace the old mobile home style axles. My weld shop built a rack on the front and mounted a tool box that holds my chains and binders and a battery for a 12,000 lb winch. This spring we installed a new deck and new LED lights, mounted the spare tire and added some steps on each side for me. My granddaughter helped me paint it.
My third trailer is a 2016 24 foot 10,000gvw enclosed, built by RC. I use it to go to tractor shows for the flea markets. It has a light duty winch in the nose and a spare tire lashed to the interior wall. I carry a farm wagon running gear with a 12' deck loaded with "stuff" and put my Club Car golf cart at the rear.
So, now I have about as much utility as I can ever imagine needing. (my sons think they do too, LOL)
I curently pull any of these with a 2018 Chevy 1500 Clubcab, 4x4, 5.3 liter, variable displacement and automatic.
At 77, I have had many trailers. Each was good for the time but many times not quite "perfect". I'm close for now. (smile)
You have to decide.

I have 16' flat with 66" side rail width and 2 3500 lb axles. Wish I had no side rails and 8 to 10,000 lb axles. Get something the 1st time you can use and be happy with for several years.

Whatever brand you decide on, here's a small tip. Get the next heavier-duty size. You may lose a bit of load capacity due to your towing vehicle, but you'll have a trailer that will handle anything you ever plan to throw at it. Plus, it will have brakes capable of stopping heavier loads than you plan to haul.

And who knows, if at some time you ever want to haul a tractor, you may already have the capacity to do so.

First what type truck do you have to tow the trailer? I have an 18ft hydraulic tilt bed trailer 10,000 gross about the handiest trailer I have ever owned.
Great not to have to deal with ramps.Have a 12,000 lb winch on the front to drag things on.

At 16 feet you want a deck over with beaver tail. In order to get the deck as low as possible get pierced deck frame. Those are the ones with diamond plate over the tires. Get flip over spring assist ramps with full length support under them. They won't move even if your truck should decide to slide or slip a little. You haven't lived until you have been trailer surfing!! I just sold a twelve year old 22,400 dual tandem PJ which was a good trailer but I believe that Kaufman makes a better trailer. TRY TO GET PAINT INSTEAD OF POWDER COAT. unless you plan to keep it for only two years. Once you get a nick in your powder coat you won't be able to see anything in your mirrors the plastic will be flying off so fast.

Get one a size bigger than you think you want bigger Is better

102 wide is legal in every state as long as you stay on the federal highway system. They also must give you 3 miles off the system to reach fuel; yards; ect.

Use to be a big thing when the rules first went into effect but with all the 102 wide rv’s today a lot of states do not enforce the laws.

Here in MN Felling, Sauk Center MN, is a super brand. Very well built, here not in other parts of the world. If you're buying new, anything you'd like they have or make. I have a tandem 3500# axle trailer, always to light. To light for a skidder etc. + I guarantee you'll loan it and someone will try and strap a steam threshing engine on it. Don't ask how I know about that. It's light and useful for logs and lumber, sports cars or something like that. MY trailer of choice now is a 1200# trailer, 16' dual 5000# axles, and it's a Felling. You couldn't hurt that trailer. If I have a wide or long load, I have a Felling 24' goose trailer. Like mentioned thru out, get 5000# axles. Larry

All depends on what you want to haul. Something fully universal, buy a semi trailer.

Seriously though, unless you can identify what you'll be hauling, it makes it tough to select a trailer.

16-18' will haul most anything.

Width is a question. Will the distance between fenders carry your tractor? If it's wider, it deems a deck-over trailer, but those also ride higher in the air.

You can also get drop axles and really lower the bed closer to the ground on a standard trailer, but ya have to watch the length at that point, as they don't like depressions in the ground.

If you're gonna be hauling tractors, might want to get the 5200# axles, at a minimum. Remember that the trailer cargo weight is the axle capacity, minus the weight of the trailer. 5200# axles will do a lot, so long as the tires are also rated for that capacity. Unless you know you'll be buying a really heavy trailer, advise against the 7000# axles. Empty trailer can rattle your fillings out.

Other things:

Fixed or removable ramps? Fixed raps can be heavier for heavier tractors. Removable ramps will either be too light to survive...or too heavy to move around. I prefer my permanently attached tip-up ramps. Also, get the spring assist to help lift them. It's a torsion spring.

Beaver tail (not a dove-tail) makes for easier travel up on to the deck.

Get your wiring installed in conduit. Saves problems down the road.

8 D-ring tie downs. 4 at the outer corners. 4 up close to the fenders. The 4 close to the fenders will still allow ya to bundle down a pile of 8' lumber stacked over the axles.

I have a 6" tall bump rail made of 2" square tubing from the front of the fenders all around the front of the bed. Keeps slippery tires from sliding off the edge when loading, and general containing feature.

Get a tongue jack operable from the edge of the trailer. Allows installation of a tongue tool box later on.

Heavy gauge fenders. Cheaper thinner ones will bend with a couple fat people sitting on them. Weld them to the trailer. Haven't found a need to remove them. Removable ones rattle. Made mine from 12 ga steel.

6" Channel iron frame is a must. Tractors are heavy on the rear axle. Cross members in the frame at 16" spacing rather than 24".

I added triangular steps between my frame & fenders......both ends. Deflects small trees in the woods, and creates a nice side step for climbing up. Make them out of diamond deck plate though.

Treated deck. Don't skimp here. You'll replace a non-treated deck in 5 years or so. Mine's going on 20 years old & lives outside.

My current trailer is a slightly used one I picked up. Needed some work. Built new heavy fenders. New brakes, re wired. Added numerous D-rings and the bump rail. Also welded a plate to one of the ramps to install & support the license plate. Sand blasted & painted.

Also......don't drive it in the winter. Besides the safety implications, none of those paint jobs will stand up to salt and will find every chip in the paint and spread rust quickly.

If you can't find exactly what you want, find a supplier that will build exactly what you want. My son did that. Not much different in cost.

Good luck !

Buying a trailer for some of us is almost as exciting as buying a riding lawnmower !

My tandem axle trailer is right at 8'6" (102") wide across the widest point. It was bought new from a local trailer dealer and registered here in Kansas so I doubt the width is a problem. I wouldn't want it any narrower since a tractor with normal width tires set at 60" centers fits with only a couple inches to spare between the side rails.

(quoted from post at 15:09:56 07/09/20) I am in the market for a trailer. I do not plan to haul heavy tractors, combines, etc...maybe a wagon or small implement. I have been looking and getting it down to 16' or 18'. What are good/better brand name trailers? What are brand names to stay away from? What features should I be looking at...removable fenders? electric brakes? dove tail? 3500lb axles or 5000+lb axles? Anything structural to look for? Anything you can share to help narrow search that would be appreciated!!

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Better to haul 5000lbs on a 7500lb trailer instead of 5000lbs on a 5000ln trailer .
This reduces tire , brakes , springs and frame wear and failure .

A beaver tail deck over eliminates the fender problems . You will run out of room with a 16 or 18ft trailer . A longer trailer makes it easier to park the load with the proper ratio of tongue weight vs weight on the wheels .

Tractor dealers are really promoting a complete package
. Tractor, front end loader, rear backhoe, and 26 ft tandem trailer. You can purchase the same trailer from a trailer fabricator and reduce the markup from the tractor dealer. They usually buy the same prefab trailer from the same supplier at the same price and add 20% markup.

Start by telling us how big is your tow vehicle. Without that info there is no way to advise you.

Having sold many trailers I can say that I've never had anyone come back and say their trailer was too long or heavy duty, but several have come back for bigger ones after buying one too small or light duty. For hauling tractors anything under 20' can get tough to balance especially when hauling a tractor with an attachment like a brush mower.

(quoted from post at 21:41:14 07/09/20)
A beaver tail deck over eliminates the fender problems . You will run out of room with a 16 or 18ft trailer . A longer trailer makes it easier to park the load with the proper ratio of tongue weight vs weight on the wheels .

Click to expand...

I also like the deck-over trailer because the wheels don't stick out and catch every pothole on the side of the road....seems all car hauler style trailers eat up tires because of bent axles.

(quoted from post at 03:43:28 07/10/20) Start by telling us how big is your tow vehicle. Without that info there is no way to advise you.

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Stay under 10k to avoid a lot of DOT rules.

Since we are all trying to spend your money on a trailer with no indicated parameters.......

You should get a 24 foot, 10,000lb GTW all aluminum trailer.
With aluminum deck that tilts and slides back via hydraulics.
Electric over hydraulic all SS disc brakes at each wheel.
Custom all SS torsion axles.
Then everything aluminum should be polished and then anodized purple for corrosion resistance.

I think my next trailer will have drive over fenders possibly with a tilt deck.
I had a deck over but sold it and bought a tilt deck with fenders. The deck over was a pain to load as it was high. The new one is to narrow for many tractors and implements. Next one will have drive over fenders or a deck over with tilt bed and one healthy winch.

(quoted from post at 09:00:45 07/10/20) Since we are all trying to spend your money on a trailer with no indicated parameters.......

You should get a 24 foot, 10,000lb GTW all aluminum trailer.
With aluminum deck that tilts and slides back via hydraulics.
Electric over hydraulic all SS disc brakes at each wheel.
Custom all SS torsion axles.
Then everything aluminum should be polished and then anodized purple for corrosion resistance.

Click to expand...

007, it appears that you read a different original post.

RAM 1500 5.7 Hemi is what I have to pull a trailer with. Once again, not looking to haul 1206. But I like and understand the advice as to staying under 10K for DOT reasons.

Purple...now that is a good choice!!!

I guess the point was the only parameters I had stated was 16'-18', 3500lb or 5000+lb axles....do I need removable fenders? better brand name trailers? any thing specific to look for in the
structural-frame of the trailer

007, you have the rite answer

I guess the point was the only parameters I had stated was 16'-18', 3500lb or 5000+lb axles....do I need removable fenders? better brand name trailers? any thing specific to look for in the structural-frame of the trailer

Click to expand...

Given you're towing with a half ton, you're a bit limited and don't want the tare weight of the trailer to eat up half your payload. That being said, you want the largest standard brakes you can get. That would be 12"x2" if you opt for 7000lb axles. Forward adjusting brakes will be an option. 7000lb axles come with 16" wheels which enable you to run Load Range G 16" tires (17.5-s if you can get 9/16 or 5/8 studs in your hubs.). Ez Lube style spindles makes greasing bearings a lot easier. Your frame should be at least 6" channel. Length is a personal preference but I can tell you I bought a used 16' Big Tex and wish it was 18'. By considering all your options, you can spec out a trailer that will last you a lifetime for not much more than you'd spend on one without any of the above. Hope that helps.