Utility trailers, any bad ones?

[Rock Crawler]

I'm shopping 7K gross tandem 6.5 and 7 for wide by 14 and 16 foot long utility trailers.

Lamar, Quality Trailers, Sure Trac, Gator Made....

I realize that are a metal rectangle with round tires on the bottom.... But Quality Trailers does a dovetail.

Some do full wrap frames to the axle while others do full frame to the first crossmember only.

There are angle iron upper rails and there are full tube upper rails.

There are set back jacks, and not set back.

There are LED/sealed/in frame harness lights, and there are old school exposed wires with standard lights.

So all of these things are easy enough to compare. What isn't is weld quality, steel quality and general frame squareness and able alignment. That's the secret unknown.

Do any of you have any insight?

 

[RickB]

In 2004 I bought a 7000 lb car hauler style trailer. It had a coupler rated for 5000 lbs which never caused any problem, but it pissed me off when I noticed the rating stamped in it.

 

[Tompet]

Of the photos you posted, I really like the iron bull pictured (going to look that up) and the little taper of front deck.

I have a few trailers and if this is for your tractor etc. 16' would be absolute minimum and I have one tractor about same as your setup. I have an Appalachian trailer 7k car hauler, 18' dovetail, brakes on both axles and swing up jack ( keeps jack from dragging on low trailer). It does tow well.

What I should have got was the 20' 10k size. Having a different (cheap 14') prior to this Appalachian it was a nice step up with rear slide in ramps, led lights and tapered front. It's already 8 years old. What sold me on this brand was 16" wide ramps with plate on ramps for a smooth surface to load small tire equipment. Ladder ramps suck for that purpose!

Like a lot of things quality comes with a cost when you start to compare brands you can see it. Check out Corn Pro. I'm not sold on powder coat for trailers, but having said that, verifying a good paint job (I.e. prep and primer) is worth checking into too.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Of the photos you posted, I really like the iron bull pictured (going to look that up) and the little taper of front deck.

I have a few trailers and if this is for your tractor etc. 16' would be absolute minimum and I have one tractor about same as your setup. I have an Appalachian trailer 7k car hauler, 18' dovetail, brakes on both axles and swing up jack ( keeps jack from dragging on low trailer). It does tow well.

What I should have got was the 20' 10k size. Having a different (cheap 14') prior to this Appalachian it was a nice step up with rear slide in ramps, led lights and tapered front. It's already 8 years old. What sold me on this brand was 16" wide ramps with plate on ramps for a smooth surface to load small tire equipment. Ladder ramps suck for that purpose!

Like a lot of things quality comes with a cost when you start to compare brands you can see it. Check out Corn Pro. I'm not sold on powder coat for trailers, but having said that, verifying a good paint job (I.e. prep and primer) is worth checking into too.

The Iron Bull 102" drive over is the car hauler that I'm going to buy, I've already made that call.

219 Iron Bull 12"x22' Wood Deck Car Trailer 999# GVW * 12" DECK * DRIVE OVER FENDERS | Best Choice Trailers & RVs | Locations in Pittsburgh & Harrisburg Area

The smaller landscape style utility trailer is my dilemma, but I think I'm going to go Lamar because the 7,000 gvw is 1525 lbs verses the other brands are all done amount heavier up to the heaviest Quality Trailers that is 2,250 lbs empty.

I'm not going to use it as a car hauler, I want to be able to pull with my wife's 2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk V6 with the 4,500 rated MaxTow package that gives 4.10 gears, oil/transmission/steering coolers and factory class 3 frame hitch. That way I can hail yaks, canoes and camping stuff and even the 2,000 lb mule with her Jeep.

For heavy stuff, the Iron Bull and the Ram it the F350 diesel can go to work.

 

[s219]

Lots of good brand landscape trailers. Normally you can tell by looking at them and paying attention to the welding, the size of the steel, the paint job (avoid powder coat), and the wiring. I remember looking at 3-4 brands when I was shopping for my 7x16 and all were good. Ended up buying the brand my Kubota dealer sold since it had a couple nice features. Been a great trailer. My trailer weighs 1600# empty.

I do plan to re-deck it soon, or at least replace a few of the boards. After 7 years there is some rot, but I have abused those deck boards through usage, and by leaving bulk materials on the trailer for weeks at a time. Come to think of it, I still have a couple buckets of crusher run on there from December....

 

[fried1765]

I'm shopping 7K gross tandem 6.5 and 7 for wide by 14 and 16 foot long utility trailers.

Lamar, Quality Trailers, Sure Trac, Gator Made....

I realize that are a metal rectangle with round tires on the bottom.... But Quality Trailers does a dovetail.

Some do full wrap frames to the axle while others do full frame to the first crossmember only.

There are angle iron upper rails and there are full tube upper rails.

There are set back jacks, and not set back.

There are LED/sealed/in frame harness lights, and there are old school exposed wires with standard lights.

So all of these things are easy enough to compare. What isn't is weld quality, steel quality and general frame squareness and able alignment. That's the secret unknown.

Do any of you have any insight?View attachment 594060View attachment 594061View attachment 594062View attachment 594063View attachment 594064View attachment 594065View attachment 594066View attachment 594067

Do pay heed to the advice from s219, in post #5.
AVOID powder coated trailers if at all possible!
I have a 20' equipment trailer from Quality Steel & Aluminum.
Best bang for the buck, but has that nasty powder coating.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Do pay heed to the advice from s219, in post #5.
AVOID powder coated trailers if at all possible!
I have a 20' equipment trailer from Quality Steel & Aluminum.
Best bang for the buck, but has that nasty powder coating.

I bought a Quality Trailers (out of Ohio) today. With a spare tire, dovetail, 7K tandem, full wrap, 2 rear loading supports, 7'x16', reinforced ladder ramps built in to the rear ramp, spring assist rear ramp.

Out the door with tax and added accessories was $3,180. I'm very happy with my choice.

 

[Rock Crawler]

I'm working hard on the Olympic WaterGuard wood stain and sealer. I decided to add a color to it with the Woodland Cedar transparent stain. Supposed to provide 3 years of protection on decks, so hopefully I'll remember to apply something again in 3 to 5 years.

I still need to weld on the rear loading supports. Likely will get to that tomorrow, my back is killing me!

 

[Industrial Toys]

Funny, I just saw it mentioned above. YES, AVOID a POWDER SCAB trailer. What a poor quality process!

 

[oldballs]

But Rock,

You said in post #4 that you were going to buy the Iron Bull. What changed your mind, if I may ask?

I've got a equipment hauler (11,680 GVWR rated) that is 20 years old....is on its third deck now. And with regular linseed oil treatments, the decks rot pretty quick due to hauling gravel from the quarry etc.....like S219 noted. I am not hauling gravel with this last deck....I hope.

Cheers,
Mike