Utility Trailers

[Leslie & Nick]

Anyone know anything about utility trailers? Just started looking for utility trailer I can use to carry mostly light weight 'stuff'. I happened to be at a store yesterday that had a few (2) utility trailers on display, and no one to ask questions of. They were both 4' x 8', and both priced the same. The only difference I could tell was that one had a longer 'tongue' than the other. Is this supposed to make some difference in the handling characteristics? I have a 1/2 ton pickup (that I also haul the TM with).

What about brakes? Do these trailers typically have their own brakes (surge or electric)? What about the pigtail connection? The truck has the standard Bargman 7 pin connector. Other utility trailers I've seen use a flat type of connector (4 pin?). Are these for the trailer lights only?

Nick

I tow a 4 X 8 utility trailer for trips to the dump and such. They sell an adapter at Wally World that will fit into the Bargeman plug and the other end is the 4 wire flat plug that most utility trailers require. Trailers that size usually don't have brakes because of the low weight capacity. If it has a 4 wire plug it doesn't have brakes. One thing to try and stay away from are the 8" wheels because the tires aren't that great and they have to spin so fast to keep up. I've seen many trailers with those small tires along the road with the bearings burnt out. My trailer is from Harbor Freight and has 12" wheels. Still pretty small, but for my use it's OK. COSTCO had a real nice trailer with 14" wheels, but it was in the $700 - $800 price range. Mine was only $199, but I had to buy the plywood separately. It depends what you plan on using the trailer for.

[fcatwo]

The longer tongue will make it easier to control while backing. Another characteristic of most of the small utility trailers is that they are stiffly sprung and can be rough riding if not heavily loaded. You don't want to carry anything light and fragile in them and you'll want to tie things down so they don't bounce/blow out. They make specialty trailers with lighter, load-specific springs for carrying canoes, bicycles and such.

Our utility trailer was purchased with full sized tires. So far, so good. We used it to help a move and now to take the garden tractor for repairs. Our TM dealer's service dept. said they would make a V connection with one plug for the utility trailer and the other for the TM.

They do make plugs with both Bargeman and 4 flat incorporated in the same housing. I put one on my son's pickup. NAPA auto parts stores carry them - at least in Spokane, WA.

I spent a LONG time trying to find a utility trailer that would serve multiple uses. My father had one I thought was perfect, but was very old and could not find similar. Therefore I contracted one to be built. It is 4x8 inside, and holds 4x8 sheet goods flat on the floor with the door closed. It has four foot sides, with an aluminum roof that adds an additional 8". It has a "ramp" tailgate rear closure. It is constructed of angle iron and rides on a 3500# axle with 15" tires. It has metal covered plywood sides and floor. Complete it cost me $1300 to have built. The top is removable for hauling bulk yard materials; mulch, gravel, dirt, etc. The roof weighs 80# and is unwieldy, but can be removed alone. When the roof is in place the trailer is water tight. The trailer does not have brakes and is wired with a 4-pin flat plug. The trailer has been well worth the $1300 purchase price, and will last for decades.