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Not asking if there is one for sale or if the truck can pull it but I am looking for advice on type.
I'm looking for a trailer to haul a 1993 Jeep Cherokee. Weight for the vehicle will be about 4000 lbs when it's on the trailer.
I know I want a dual axle (wouldn't even think of a single even if the axle had a high enough rating) open trailer.
Now there are trailers people call car haulers and trailers people call utility trailers. Is there a difference? I know some have angle and some have round tube. But before i really start driving around to see the weight limits on the stickers is there one or another anybody thinks I should stay away from?
Last edited by Scott91370; Dec 17, 2018 at 09:59 PM.
After a little researching there are some slight differences.
Utility will have the sides which of course car doors may not clear. Not an issue since it's a Cherokee with 35" tires and 6" lift.
The frames are usually a little stronger on the car hauler to reduce flexing and generally have more cross members.
Utility is usually cheaper and will do the job. I'll start the hunt for a 7x14 or 7x16 unless I get some info that shows it's a bad choice or I cannot find one with brakes.
A car hauler will offer lower weight, less flex and better securing points.
A utility trailer will offer lower cost and more usefulness.
Lawn equipment style trailers tend to have brakes on just one axle as they are rarely loaded to the trailer's capacity, and mostly used in urban areas at slower speeds. If you want something with a flat bed, look at equipment trailers. They cost more than utility trailers, but there are a lot more of them around than car haulers, so you have a good chance of locating a used one in good condition at a good price.
I own a car hauler with brakes on one axle, I wish it had brakes on both, but I usually just haul a small tractor on it that weighs less than 3000 lbs.
Trailers usually are rated at 7000, 10,000, and 14,000 lb ratings. In your case 7k woukd be enough and would have two 3500 lb axles. That doesn’t mean you can haul 7k but that’s the total weight including the trailer. The trailer will probably weigh 2000 lbs or a little less.
Options? You want a breakaway kit. This includes a small battery and a hookup to your truck that applies the brakes if the trailer disconnects from your truck. Some states have a law that requires it. I added it to mine but it’s took a few hours for me to add it.
wiring? This has been a weak point on mine because mice are chewing on it. I don’t have any great advice other than make sure it’s tied up well and doesn’t have a bunch of crappy looking splices.
Ramps. Mine has slide in ramps. They stow under the trailer. This works well but they are heavy to hook up. If you don’t use it a lot not a big deal. Stand up ramps are nice. They just tip up and the nice ones even have a counter balance system so they aren’t so heavy. The bad they are always catching air and if you haul something long, such as a tractor and a brush hog, it can’t hang off the back since the ramps are in the way.
Dovetail. This is just a sloped area at the back. Mine a a 16 + 2. The flat deck is 16 feet long with a 2 foot dovetail. The dovetail makes loading easier and lets you get by with shorter ramps. The bad is the trailer is a little lower in back and might drag in places. So far not a problem with mine.
Deck material. Wood is the most common and is what I like. Metal is probably a little lighter and more durable and you don’t have to treat it. The bad is it’s slippery. A little wet, frost or snow and it’s slick. My dovetail is steel and even though it’s textured it’s slick enough I worry about tires slipping on it when loading at times let alone walking on it.
Other nice options. Setback jack. The landing wheel or skid is setback so you can drop the tailgate and not hit it. LED tail lights. Different ball connectors, such a a Bulldog. Nicer safety chains. Probably other stuff I’m not thinking of.
Good luck on the search.
Last edited by dodgeman1; Dec 18, 2018 at 06:05 AM.
I do know what you mean about the dove tail. I did it my my small trailer for the motorcycles and it is a mistake - at least on that one because it already sits pretty low.
I wish trailing arm suspension trailers were a thing. Could easily swap in air bags to have a trailer that can be raised to clear stuff like the short transition to my 7º driveway, and also drop for loading.
Got $18000?
Last edited by Flamingtaco; Dec 20, 2018 at 12:44 AM.
Looking for a trailer
