Advice on Trailers

I want to buy a small 4X8 trailer for hauling drywall and furniture and other items. 

Mike, You might want to check on your state's regulation on trailer brakes. The requirement for brakes varies and usually is tied to the maximum weight. I'm not suggesting that you should not have brakes on the trailer but, if you buy one that would require brakes, you want to know that up front.

Bob@allisdownest

If you don't need one right away and can wait till spring area, Lowes sells their 5x8s for around $450 for a new one.

When you look at a trailer like this, grab a front corner and rock it up and down, If it flexs easily, RUN AWAY. The trailer will bounce like a basketball behind you.

Edited by TedBuiskerN.IL. - 22 Feb 2012 at 9:24am

DanWi wrote: One problem with the cheap metal trailers is if you use them in winter, road salt takes its toll on them very fast and you end up with a rusty pile of metal.

Yessir! and even the good ones that's why mine sit all winter, costs too much to use them on the salt.

I have a 5X10 single axle Doolittle box trailer for my hot-air balloon.  It has double back doors and 36" side door.  Even with a roof vent I can back it in a standard 7 foot high garage.  It's also served double duty hauling other household items like furniture and appliances.  I've even stuffed some AC items in for hauling such as:
1. Oxnard scoop & SC carry-all
2. 80R3 sickle mower & 712H mower
3. Oxnard blade
4. Pair of 16.9X28 tires & rims for the D17

Mine has a 3500 lb axle and trailer weights about 1000 so it net carries about 2500.  I got along fine w/o brakes on it for 13 years but since I put a brake controller in the Expedition I plan to add brakes this year.

Mike

I make and sell at least 1 trailer a year( something to do, an acre ain't much to play on with 5 tractors and a combine...sigh).

yeah, what they all said and get the bigger tires, If you travel much you will see all sorts of trailers with tiny tires setting along the road with NO bearings where bearings are suppoesed to be. Also get greasable hubs or bearing buddies.

Another shortcoming of the little trailers is the small diameter wheels.  Those small wheels will drop way down into every little hole you encounter, and your trailer will do a lot more hopping and dancing.  Take the advice others have offered above and get a single axle trailer with at least 15" tires.  I saw a decent used one with a metal deck at the local trailer dealer for $550 a while back.  I'm sure it could be taken home for less than $500.

A 4x8 is just big enough to tick you off when you want to haul something plus you can't see it behind you most of the time.  I have a 5x10, 3500lb axle with 10 ply trailer tires(price was right), 12 inch high side rails and about a 4 ft tall drop gate/ramp on the back.  I bought this trailer "accidentally" and it has been the handiest thing to have around, tracks nicely behind a full size, you can see the gate and the edge of the fenders in the mirrors.  Have hauled parts of several tractors with it and lots of other stuff including gravel, furniture and lawn mowers.  Mine doesn't have brakes since it came out of Texas where the limit is 4500lb.  If Oklahoma ever starts enforcing trailer code, I will have to put brakes on it since their limit is 3000lb, so like said above, check local laws.  I converted mine to LED lighting and added front corner marker lights also, well worth the money.  Another thing, make sure the jack is either a folding style or is set back far enough to clear the tailgate when you lower it.  Pain to put or get stuff out of the bed when the jack won't let you lower the tailgate.  Good luck