Stock trailer to utility trailer?

schmism · Feb 26, 2009

say this 20' stock trailer was for sale for $1000.

can you cut the sides down to 18" tall and use it like a regular goosneck utility type trailer? or does it gain some of its structural integrity from the shell of the sides/roof like a unibody car?

Renze · Feb 26, 2009

I wouldnt bet on that..
Most trailers i've designed in my previous job, i took a lighter frame for a plywood box than for a curtainsider. We took a heavier frame and much heavier side rails for a utility trailer intended for pointloads of equipment, than for a trailer intended for an evenly distributed cargo.

So i mentioned 3 classifications of trailers here... even if this one is a beefy livestock trailer, it would still be a lightest category of frame, which you want to use as a heaviest category of trailer. I dont think its advisable...

Diamondpilot · Feb 26, 2009

My friends brother tried to do the same thing with a bumper pull stock trailer to haul a race car. Turned it into a pretzel as soon as he tried to load it the first time.

As you figured, they get alot of the structure from the sides and top.

Chris

BOBBYROGERS · Mar 10, 2009

i see a lot of old stock trailers around hear with just the tops cut off and about half of the sides and the are hauling scrap metal and junk tires and they seem to be holding up ok. i my self would not want to pull them