Utility trailers - what should i know?

[Jaygyver]

Just for the hallebut i'll throw in the other icing on the cake with Trailer Tires is they can withstand sitting outside much better than a truck tire. It has to do with adding more carbon black to make it UV resistant or at least it use to be.
And I really, really, suggest trailer brakes. 48 years in a semi you see stuff you don't want to.
EDIT:
Oh yeah, I have a pressure treated floor on mine but I just use the same wood stain on it I use for my out buildings. works great,but I do try to remember to throw a tarp over it because it sits for so long in our rainy part of the country.

 

[ArlyA]

No trailer is perfect... No matter what you have, 6 months later you wish you had this,,, or you got some feature you never use. On our new doo-little we do like its accessoire box.

On this trailer, it needed better positions for its D-rings to tie this machine down. I added them this fall.

 

[Blue Mule]

Also note that a 16' utility trailer and a 16' car hauler are apples to oranges. The car haulers are built with heavier frames and cross-members. They will hold up to loads far better. They still have stake pockets so you can box it in if you need to, but the open deck is nice sometimes too. If I was buying anything 16' or longer I'd skip utility trailers.

 

[EddieWalker]

Have you heard of this place in Longview? I was looking at used one ton trucks on their website and I saw this trailer on there.

https://www.etexcustomauto.com/details/new-2023-top-hat-12x77-utility-trailer/90047816

 

[JWR]

Just for the hallebut i'll throw in the other icing on the cake with Trailer Tires is they can withstand sitting outside much better than a truck tire. It has to do with adding more carbon black to make it UV resistant or at least it use to be.
And I really, really, suggest trailer brakes. 48 years in a semi you see stuff you don't want to.
EDIT:
Oh yeah, I have a pressure treated floor on mine but I just use the same wood stain on it I use for my out buildings. works great,but I do try to remember to throw a tarp over it because it sits for so long in our rainy part of the country.

The OP is looking for a single axle. I have never heard of a single axle trailer with brakes on it.

 

[Torvy]

Have you heard of this place in Longview? I was looking at used one ton trucks on their website and I saw this trailer on there.

https://www.etexcustomauto.com/details/new-2023-top-hat-12x77-utility-trailer/90047816

I'll have to take a look next time we are out that way. They have a Longview address, but are halfway to Diana. I'm sure I've driven by it before. Our normal route goes through Gilmer and down 300, so we don't go by it much anymore. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Torvy]

The OP is looking for a single axle. I have never heard of a single axle trailer with brakes on it.

If you get the heavier axle, they typically have brakes, at least that is what I am seeing.

 

[WM75Guy]

Put a 5,000# axle under it and it has to have brakes. My 2 axle Big Tex 50LA is rated for 5,000# and has brakes on 1 axle, with a breakaway kit.

This is from the Texas DPS web site.

Brakes Required​

A motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or combination of those vehicles shall be equipped with brakes.
A trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer is not required to have brakes if:

1. its gross weight is 4,500 pounds or less; or
2. its gross weight is heavier than 4,500 pounds but not heavier than 15,000 pounds, and it is drawn at a speed of not more than 30 miles per hour.

Each power unit must be equipped with a parking brake
A motor vehicle used to tow a trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer equipped with brakes shall be equipped with service brakes arranged so that, in case of a breakaway of the towed vehicle, the towing vehicle is capable of stopping by use of its service brakes

 

[JWR]

If you get the heavier axle, they typically have brakes, at least that is what I am seeing.

I think being in Texas you have no choice but to pay attention to what they require (and I am just not familiar/can't help there.) I do know I have shopped around for single axle trailers in 2017 in PA, MD, VA and WVa and never saw nor heard of brakes on a single axle trailer. The single axle I bought in LA in 2017 [5000 lb GVWR per nameplate] was made in Texas to my specific request and it does not have brakes. The heavier Dexter axle under it has a spec for more than 5000 lbs but the nameplate says 5000 in order to avoid needless higher license requirements in some states. In 35 years of using (mostly smaller) single axle trailers I never saw one with brakes ... but that proves nothing. I can't claim to know them all.

 

[John_Mc]

I think being in Texas you have no choice but to pay attention to what they require (and I am just not familiar/can't help there.) I do know I have shopped around for single axle trailers in 2017 in PA, MD, VA and WVa and never saw nor heard of brakes on a single axle trailer. The single axle I bought in LA in 2017 [5000 lb GVWR per nameplate] was made in Texas to my specific request and it does not have brakes. The heavier Dexter axle under it has a spec for more than 5000 lbs but the nameplate says 5000 in order to avoid needless higher license requirements in some states. In 35 years of using (mostly smaller) single axle trailers I never saw one with brakes ... but that proves nothing. I can't claim to know them all.

A single axle pop-up camper we owned years ago had brakes. If I recall the weight was only around 2400#.