"Handiest" size for a Utility Trailer?

[Tom_H]

Re: \"Handiest\" size for a Utility Trailer?

I got a Snow Bear from Home Depot for $600. It may be same as the poster above. It's 5'x8' when the side and end panels are up. The rear panel can be repositioned as a ramp and the front panel can drop as well. This increases the length to 13'. The bed pivots on the axle so a subCUT or GT can drive straight on. The bed can be repositioned on the axle in 3 differing positions. The side panels are removable. Trailer weight is about 500 lb. and GVW about 2200 lb., tow vehicle rated about 3500 lb. Tongue can be repositioned to longer and shorter lengths, or removed for storage. It's a versatile model. Shortcomings: single axle, no brakes.

 

[Tom_H]

Re: \"Handiest\" size for a Utility Trailer?

I got a Snow Bear from Home Depot for $600. It may be same as the poster above. It's 5'x8' when the side and end panels are up. The rear panel can be repositioned as a ramp and the front panel can drop as well. This increases the length to 13'. The bed pivots on the axle so a subCUT or GT can drive straight on. The bed can be repositioned on the axle in 3 differing positions. The side panels are removable. Trailer weight is about 500 lb. and GVW about 2200 lb., tow vehicle rated about 3500 lb. Tongue can be repositioned to longer and shorter lengths, or removed for storage. It's a versatile model. Shortcomings: single axle, no brakes.

 

[ultrarunner]

Re: \"Handiest\" size for a Utility Trailer?

Way back before every family had a pick-up or SUV... someone in the extended family always had a homemade box trailer. A small trailer was cheap to keep, could haul camping supplies. Remember those bumper clamp-on trailer hitches? I have a neighbor that built a very nice cabin in Tahoe using only his 1960 Station Wagon and Box Trailer to haul ALL of the building materials.

I have three trailers... each for a different need. A small 4.5 x 6 Box trailer, 5 x 9 stake trailer and my heavy duty 10 foot car/BX23 hauler.

The small box trailer gets the most use. It is low to the ground, easy to load, has a steel deck and the back gate is a fold down ramp. It is light enough and small enough to easily rool around the yard. I vowed long ago that I would never again attempt to wrestle another side by side refrigerator into a pick-up!

The most expensive item I ever hauled with the box trailer was an Eximer Eye Laser valued a 1.5 million for the Hospital where I work. The most expensive vehicle hauled with the car trailer was an original 1966 Ford GT40 to the Monterey historic car races. Sometimes you need to work with what you have.

 

[ultrarunner]

Re: \"Handiest\" size for a Utility Trailer?

Way back before every family had a pick-up or SUV... someone in the extended family always had a homemade box trailer. A small trailer was cheap to keep, could haul camping supplies. Remember those bumper clamp-on trailer hitches? I have a neighbor that built a very nice cabin in Tahoe using only his 1960 Station Wagon and Box Trailer to haul ALL of the building materials.

I have three trailers... each for a different need. A small 4.5 x 6 Box trailer, 5 x 9 stake trailer and my heavy duty 10 foot car/BX23 hauler.

The small box trailer gets the most use. It is low to the ground, easy to load, has a steel deck and the back gate is a fold down ramp. It is light enough and small enough to easily rool around the yard. I vowed long ago that I would never again attempt to wrestle another side by side refrigerator into a pick-up!

The most expensive item I ever hauled with the box trailer was an Eximer Eye Laser valued a 1.5 million for the Hospital where I work. The most expensive vehicle hauled with the car trailer was an original 1966 Ford GT40 to the Monterey historic car races. Sometimes you need to work with what you have.

 

[Bird]

Re: \"Handiest\" size for a Utility Trailer?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Remember those bumper clamp-on trailer hitches )</font>

I'll bet a lot of our members have never seen one. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif That's what I had on my first car; a '46 Chevy.

 

[Bird]

Re: \"Handiest\" size for a Utility Trailer?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Remember those bumper clamp-on trailer hitches )</font>

I'll bet a lot of our members have never seen one. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif That's what I had on my first car; a '46 Chevy.

 

[midlf]

Re: \"Handiest\" size for a Utility Trailer?

Yeah, but those hitches were used on cars that had REAL bumpers.

 

[midlf]

Re: \"Handiest\" size for a Utility Trailer?

Yeah, but those hitches were used on cars that had REAL bumpers.

 

[Highbeam]

Re: \"Handiest\" size for a Utility Trailer?

I have two trailers, my big ol' tractor hauler which is not what you want and my small utility trailer. The small one is 4x8 so that a full sheet of plywood drops in to make the floor, with 2 foot side walls for a second sheet, and then the front 2 foot wall and the back 3 foot door leave me a scrap of ply. I bought it second hand for hauling my dirt bike and for various honey doos. It has a single mobile home axle and no brakes. I don't mind that there are no brakes but the mobile home axle makes tires hard to find.

The best part of the trailer is that I can move it by hand. This makes it very convenient to store in a little tight spot or to hitch up. No cranking the tongue jack or lining up to the ball, I highly recommend a single axle, lightweight, trailer for this reason.

The back door is hinged at the bottom to drop down into a ramp. I stretched the back door to 3 feet so that the angle is not to great. Large motorcycles (Yamaha Vmax) barely clear.

Backing up small trailers is always much harder than longer ones or boat trailers. I was forced to learn on this little trailer and now I can plant the tractor hauler on a dime.

For two ATVs you might need more length. A typical bridge on our trail systems is built 4 feet wide so any four wheeler that I will ever own will be less than 4 feet wide. The length will get you though. I have seen four wheelers transported upright on their rear end to fit more in the vehicle so length shortcomings can be made up for with creativity, the front axle up on ramps for example. ATVs weigh about 500 lbs each so the combined weight of two plus the trailer will put you up near a ton which is above the limit for many half tons without trailer brakes.

 

[Dargo]

Re: \"Handiest\" size for a Utility Trailer?

I guess the size is all relative. I'd consider your "big ol" trailer to be the right size utility trailer. I find my 18' trailer is great for general use and hauling a couple of ATV's without crowding. On concrete I can still move it around by hand. However, I am not able to jockey around my 30' gooseneck trailer with dual wheel tandems by hand. I'd consider that trailer (about 6500 pounds empty) too big. Otherwise, I'd consider an 18' bumper hitch trailer just right for a utility trailer. I can use it for most anything, a 1/2 ton pickup can easily haul it, and I can even use my UTV's to pull it around. I guess size is relative. I had a 4' X 8' trailer I gave away because it was just too small for anything other than a yard cart.