What to look for in a trailer?

[Nate]

Looking for advice in picking out a trailer. What are things I should look for? Things to stay away from?



I'm looking at this one here:



"It's 16' carson trailer with a slight dovetail (last 4 feet drops about 3 inches in deck height). It's rated at 6k lbs capacity not including the weight of the trailer which is 1600 lbs. It has a toolbox mounted to the front and includes the chains and binders you see in the pic. Also has a harbor freight 2000# winch and battery tray that I welded to the tougue. Trailer is about 2 yrs old and in great shape. It tows very nice. "



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Guy want's $1200 for it. Now 6k not including weight of trailer, I understand that to mean it could only hold 4400lbs?





I can get a brand new 16' 7k trailer from C&B trailers for around $1800. http://www.cbtrailers.com/pictures-steel-car-hauler.htm

 

[PatrickCampbell]

There is not all that much to a 1 car hauler.



You might look for brakes on both axles. A nice bulldog coupler (the nicer CBs have a bulldog coupler). A sealed wiring harness might be rare. Sealed or LED lights might be rare too.

 

[MMeier]

Nate...

... . check out the "Challenger" line of car hauler put out by 102 Ironworks, formerly Terry's Trailers of Oklahoma. PM me if interested.

 

[Nate]

Yeah I have no reason to get anything other than a 1 car trailer. Just need it to bring my Jeep to the trails.



Do the Ironwork guys have a website? C&B is local, and the one I posted is an hour's drive. Driving to Oklahomo to get a trailer is a bit far!

 

[MMeier]

Nate, do a search on "Challenger trailers", should bring up a place called Texas Trailer Man, hit up the "New " button and scroll down to the Challenger. Since the 1st they only deal with dealers and distributors, so they have not bothered with a site. Since your in Mt. Home we could work something out... say meet up in Ely, Nv or something perhaps??

 

[JayWm]

That's a really nice trailer for the price. Does it have a steel deck. If so, I'd buy it over the CB Trailer, those had wood decks according to the website. Plus the guy installed a winch and toolbox already. I'd upgrade those tires to 225/75R15's if they are not that size. Heck put some 16" tires/wheels on it if they fit. If you go with the CB 7k rated, insist that they upgrade the tires from the wimpy 205/75R15 to at least 225/75R15 tires. Brakes on both axles is really nice. I wish I could find a trailer that nice for that price in NorCal. Heck I'm trying to find a good used utility trailer to buy to replace the one some scumbags stole and I'd be glad to find a nice flat bed like that for $1200. 00. If it were any closer.....

 

[Nate]

I'm not sure if it's a steel deck. I think the main part is wood and the dovetail is steel.



I think it's this one: http://www.carsontrailer.com/subs/trailers/car_haulers/standard_car_hauler/standard_car_hauler.html

 

[Nate]

I found this site: http://www.texastrailerman.com/new9.htm Nice trailers, but $2600 is about double what I can afford.

Nate, do a search on "Challenger trailers", should bring up a place called Texas Trailer Man, hit up the "New " button and scroll down to the Challenger. Since the 1st they only deal with dealers and distributors, so they have not bothered with a site. Since your in Mt. Home we could work something out... say meet up in Ely, Nv or something perhaps??

 

[MMeier]

Thats the one Nate, all I can say is compare the different makes and see what you get for the $$$. . We have a Carson outlet here also, along with all the others and I get people that will wait for me to get them a Challenger!! Right now I am getting $2995 for an 18', $3095 for the 20'ers. F. O. B. Las Vegas.

 

[Nate]

I went and looked at the C&B trailer. 18' for $2395. Look like a decent trailer. I think it's built to hold the weight rating and nothing more though. Which is fine for my Jeep, but I'd be weary of pulling a CTD on it.



http://www.cbtrailers.com/brochure-ct-fbr-combo.pdf



They also make a 9900lb trailer, I'm guess it'd be quite a bit more money. 6" frame instead of 5" and 5200lb axles instead of 3500lb

 

[MMeier]

Wood deck for $2395... guess I better up the ante on my regular steel floor standards!! :-laf Let us know what you get Nate.

 

[GWBourne]

what do you want to do with it?

Grant

 

[Nate]

Ok called around a few places. (In Idaho)





Terry's... .



C&B



18' 7k $2395, 10k $2995







Quality... .



C&B



18' 7k $2095, 10k $2495







Riverside... .



C&B



18' 10k $2599 14k $3995







PJ



18' 10k $2799



20' 14k $3999







Cars USA...



Big Bubbas



18' 7k $2950 12k $3950







I think 7k would be ok, but it will be very close to the weight rating with just my Jeep. Figure ~5000lb Jeep and ~1800lb trailer, not far from 7000lbs. Now put a full sized truck, like my truck, weights in at ~7000lbs. Looking at just under 10,000lbs.



I think the extra $400-500 for 3000lbs more capacity is very much worth it.







Now the 12-14000lb trailers are the deck over equipment trailers. They are real nice, but a bit more than I can spend.

 

[Nate]

Hmmm...



These trailers I listed are 80" wide. I had the intentions of being able to use the trailer to pull full sized trucks if need be. Only thing, is I think full size rigs will be too wide. Like my truck is just under 84" wide. I guess I could build something so I can run over the wheel wells if need be, but an 84" wide trailer would make more sense.



It is not normal for a trailer to have a 7' deck?

 

[TRCM]

you said 5 k for the jeep, and 1800 for the trailer... that leaves ya 200 lbs. how many spare parts and tools are gonna be on the trailer ??



And yes, you will have issues with a full size on a 80" trailer... . especially if it is a ctd (heavy )

 

[Nate]

Jeep and trailer weight would give me ~3000lbs left. 10k trailer.



I'm thinking of just making sturdy fenders that could be driven over.

 

[kshimizu]

I'm not sure if you purchased or not yet, but I just came across this thread.



C&B builds a nice trailer at a fair price. We sell a number of different styles from them. We sell their dump, equipment, utility, flatbed and car hauler trailers in bumperpulls and goosenecks. Since you are located in Idaho you should be able to get a pretty good price with dealers paying little or no freight. We sell their 16' carhauler model for about $2500. From talking with our rep, it sounds like there is a dealer located right near the factory. I would think he'd be able to offer the lowest price.



Things you should ask or look for. You should have at least 82 inches between the fenders on a C&B. Does it have brakes? If so, on both axles or just one? What size tires? Does it have a spare tire and a spare tire mount? Does it have D-ring tiedowns? Dovetail or straight deck? Wood deck or metal? What size ball, 2" or 2 5/16? I would recommend going with the 2 5/16" Bulldog coupler. You might also check on going with a heavy duty jack if you ever plan to unhook a loaded trailer. Another option on these trailers is a front bump rail.



With the weight you plan to carry, I'd say you should go with the 5200 # axles. It might cost you 3-500 more but well worth it if you ask me. A trailer like this will not only have higher resale value, but more potential buyers with the higher load capacity.



If you like the C&B, the CT18-6TA sounds right for you. They might not be the fanciest trailers, but they are great at getting the job done. They also come with one of the most informative owners manuals of any trailer we stock.



Sorry to ramble on but I hope it helped.

 

[Nate]

No I haven't bought anything yet. I'm looking around still.



The one I am looking at getting is the CT18-6TA.



For some reason when I called about that trailer, I was told it had an 80" deck width. Even with the 82" deck width though, a full size truck isn't going to fit on it I don't believe. My truck sits at 84".



I'm going to call tomorrow and see what they would charge to build fenders that I could drive over and make the deck a full 8 feet.



I plan on just buying this one trailer and using it for a while, so I want it a certain way... no compromising!

 

[MMeier]

Just remember, anything over 102" outside to outside is illegal!!

 

[Nate]

I thought the max was 96" fender to fender? Maybe that's just Maine.