it sounds like this is a one time offer. If i were in your shoes.... I'd buy the "most" trailer i could afford.
I have a collection of trailers, and have rebuilt most of them. I'd recommend a 10K trailer over the 7k because generally its a small price difference and with it you get bigger rims and tires. bigger tires means a stronger tire (more capacity) and lower bearing rpm's. oh and the wheel bearings are bigger too.
If your the type of guy that takes care of stuff and keeps it a long time, consider galvanized or aluminum wheels. the white spoke steel wheels rust.
I'd love a power tilt trailer, but a gravity tilt doesn't seem worth the cost increase.
flat deck no beaver tail is the way to go, unless you want/need to transport cars.
it sounds like you have the length figured out.
maybe look into a adjustable coupler in case you change tow vehicles
if you get ramps, I highly suggest removable ramps, that slide in the back ( not the side )
I agree with pretty much all of this, but will add some points....
- It seldom is beneficial to spec something too close to capacity, so if you have a wholesale way to get your trailer, go for bigger. Eventual resale will be better for the larger capacity trailer, so it won't be lost money.
- You said "A 7k GVWR trailer at 20' (referenced in OP) is around 2700#", but was that the weight for a tilt deck? Tilt decks are heavier because you basically have to duplicate the frame for the deck area, and that extra iron will reduce your gross carrying capacity.
- 10K also sounds more realistic to me. Dry weight numbers are seldom accurate for tractors or trailers when it comes to real world hauling. Add in a full tank of diesel, a couple gas cans, some tools, straps and chains/binders, planks, a toolbox on the front of the trailer to store your extra chains and straps, tire blocks, a spare tire, the tongue jack, pry bars, picks and shovels, whatever other crap you will eventually toss on there to get the job done, and you have eaten up enough extra that you are always sweating it because you are always running near capacity. If you are able to weigh it ahead of time, make sure you throw on a buttload of extra crap when you do it to account for all the extras that come with trailering a load and doing a job.
- Tilts decks are not for everyone. Some folks like them, but if you have a long/front heavy load and a short/light trailer, or you have to load some implements/gear up front it may tilt back before the back tires are on and then you are jamming wooden blocks under the tilt and sledgehammering them out once the tractor is on. Unless you get a power tilt, which means an even more significant increase in weight for this trailer and reduction in carrying capacity. It is good for loading clearance though, like you say you are looking for. I use my friend's 14K gravity tilt for my tractor and my own utility trailer+planks for my side-by-side, and both have pros and cons. Give some careful thought to what will actually work best for you.
