This question is for those of you that already have a trailer. I’m considering buying a trailer this spring and I have a few questions. What do you have and what do you love/hate about it?
I’ve looked at Pace, Wells Cargo, and Haulmark. From those three (havent seen a Wells unit yet) i’m leaning toward the Pace. I saw a brand new Haulmark on a cold day and when I opened the side door the seal fell off.
Also what size do you pull? I’m thinking about a 7×16 so I can not only haul with it but also work inside should I need to.
Replies
I had a 7 x 12 haulmark for several years, it was a fine trailer. When I out grew it( no matter how big ,you'll out grow it) I bought one of these- http://www.tooltrailer.com
I can get this 8x16 baby in anywhere most 7x12's can get,and it is a lot easier to keep organized than a regular enclosed trailer.
With this trailer you just open the doors plug it in and go to work- no pulling stuff out and setting it up in the driveway.
my only complaint is at 6'2", I can smack my head on the doors easily-I wish they made em 1'taller.
oh yeah- it cost $7500 3 years ago.
Those are some sweet trailers.
Tho' pricing is definitely not for the faint of heart.
Be eating beans and ketchup soup."Live Free, not Die"
we bought a 7x14 dual wheel about three years ago... CarMate..
i side door, double rear door, electric brake, full headroom...
nice size... some models have a pointed prow to utilize the space at the front frame
this was about $4500 then...
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I've seen that unit before, but didn't know anyone using one. Could you put lift shackles on the suspension to get some head height and save the scalp?That is an AL unit,isn't it? Frame too? or just the body?
Is there something about the frame and hitch that makes it easier to manuever in small driveways etc? And - what sort of climate do you have? You still take things inside on the job sometimes, right?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I could put shackles in it, or use the 4" ramps I made , but most of the time I just duck or wear a football helmet.
The frame is steel, the floor is plywood, and the rest is aluminum. It is more manuverable than most other trailers because it has a single pull arm. You can jacknife the trailer to about 80º , before the truck bumper gets in the way. Most trailers have an "A" frame coming from the box, limiting that amount of flex.
I am an hr north of NYC, so of course I end up taking stuff inside in the winter, But when it is above freezing-It is awfully nice to pull into the driveway,open the doors,your shop already set up,work the day,10 mins cleanup- one knew you were there. Small jobs is where this shines.
In a light drizzle, can you work under the drop awnings or is it miserable? I have ####12' ex-Ryder step van. I like the headroom and being able to get parts, tools and things without getting drenched, but it is dark in there, and a full load means i have to unload half the stuff to get to some things. The truck is on its last legs so i am definitely in the market and was considering a trip to Dakota last year for one, but pictured muyself outside with water running down the nape of my neck...and that dampened my enthusiasm for awhile
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
driizle-light rain, the awnings keep you dry. Steady rain with some wind, you will prefer to be inside, but grabbing your stuff is easy - you don't have to pull out the vacuem,tablesaw,and generator, just to reach whatever you have stored in the center of a regular trailer.
I just checked out the trailers on the site you posted...MAN are those nice!! I've never seen trailers like that, heck, I said I'd live in it, the wife said ' you'd have to....Hmmmm.
GB
Look at a haulmark. They are very quality units. Had a pace. They are just outright cheap. Frame cracked too. (Luckly I weld). The haulmark is great. Very solid. I bought an 8 x 20. The only thing you'll hate, it the size. It's huge. some of my smaller job sites are difficult to park at.
Can't I go 1 day without spilling my coffee?
I have an H&H 18x8 tandem. I think the thing I like most is that it holds so much stuff. The days of "oh I forgot this and have to make a trip to get it" are gone. A close second is I opted for the rear door to be a ramp. Waaaaaaaaaay good idea. Things like pumps, compressors, pressure washer - heavy but on wheels. No more lifting. Even simple stuff like the occasional couple of sheets of DW or ply it just makes easier than having to go up a step.
Get a spare the day you get the trailer, and carry a jack & wrench in it. The first time you blow a tire youll be oh so glad.
Interior lighting would be real nice. Mine came with one single light by the front door but its pitiful for actually seeing anything. EZ track or whatever they're selling - also a great idea. Cheap and it holds a lot of weight anywhere you want. Lets you strap things down, to the side, whatever.
I will say this. Put some thought into how you store things and keep them there while you're bumping down the road. Shelves need cleats, doors need latches. Anything loose will be all over the floor when you open the doors next.
I think a tandem is a great thing if you have a place to park it. Bulldog couplers are great as well. LED lighting. Very nice. You'll want a hitch lock and chocks. Not expensive, but worthwhile. Dont forget about $400 for the truck hitch and brake controller if you don't already have one.
Ill also offer the opinion that you need a truck that was meant to be pulling it. I have seen guys go around town with an 8x16 on a 1/2 ton truck. Not rated for that, not doing well at it. Im glad I have the truck I have (1 ton diesel) and while it will go anywhere in town I want, with a stiff wind, its all I can do to keep it 75 on the interstate.
I don't think working out of it is going to pan out in the long run. It fills up, work space goes away, real quick like. It gets awful tight in there. I have cut things in there in a pinch, but it is wayyyyyyyy less than an ideal setup.
One of the better ideas I had when I got it (I know how I am) was a shelving unit - think cabinet, inside the front door, which was intended for all the stuff that has no other home and I'm always grabbing. Thats turned out to be handy. Always right there. Oh, hooks. Like garage organizer stuff. Screw them through the wall into the ribs up front where you can't store anything square. Vac hoses, ext cords, air hoses, all hung nice off the floor.
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
RW The ramp door sounds great, but does it ever get in the way(i.e. no room to open it or uneven ground)?
I have a chevy extended 3500 van so I dont think hauling it will be a problem. Even with this large van you hit it right on the head as far as not having to run for all the little things. I completely run out of room with all of my tools and have no room for parts(this is important because i'm still doing a little bit of everything).
I'm still hoping to be able to work out of it if necessary but I think the greater benefit will be the ability to have "stock" with me.
msa... we thought about the ramp door.. but decided the double rear doors were more convenient...
you can always keep a ramp handy if you're going to wheel things in or out
we find the terrain usually makes wheeling impractical..so the double doors fit the bill
also... you need about 7' for the ramp plus the maneuvering room at the bottom..
lot's of locations you can't open the ramp door.. but you can open the 3' double doorMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
'89 GMC Step Van. 18' long cargo area.CLean body runs great. $1600 on ebay. Best part was the ride across the Big Mac on the ride home. Mike
No, I dont really run into problems with it not having room to open. The concern is valid, but its kind of like your big van. You don't try to park in economy car spots. So you just dont tend to put it places that would block the door. If it is uneven ground, the door is strong enough. Ive had one corner in the dirt and the other a foot in the air. I can still walk on it without it flexing.
You sound oh so much like me oh, maybe a year ago before I got this. I had gone through the evolutions with vehicles - nothing is big enough. I thought I had it cured with the 1 ton truck, crew cab and long box and all. But you always outgrow the room you have before the first payment is sent. I still do that some days, but to a lesser degree. Im not buying a semi, dangit. "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
I just checked out the H&H site. Those are some impressive trailers. Unfortunetly the closest dealer is in Ohio(over 160 miles away). I wouldn't mind the trip to pick up the trailer but that might be a problem for parts.
Not to talk you into anything, but parts is parts. I dont think it much matters who you get it from, there's not that much you could end up needing that you cant get locally, and most of it you can fix yourself.
Oh, I did think of another gee whiz thing after reading the other posts. For whatever reason, H&H seems to size theirs by the clear span inside, so my 18' is from the rear door to the beginning of the bumpout. Down the middle its more like 19. "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
I gotta admit you really have me thinking. As I said those trailers are impressive. They seem more costly upfront but they come standard with many items that are options on other models(side door, rock guard, etc).
Hmm. Look around. Theres a place in town that sells them (I dont know how, but I suspect as PT Barnum said - theres a sucker born every minute), and the place I got mine, 20 miles away. For my 20 mile jaunt, I saved about $4500. Yeah. 18', tandem, ramp, side door, 1 interior light, 7000lb. $5000. Not too shabby."If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
Look around, is exactly what I plan to do. I've got some good info and a wish list, now I need to do a little homework and sell my house (no room to park here and we have another baby on the way).
Thanks for all the suggestions and advice.
Go to the left of your screen and at the bottom is a search, put trailers in there and your'll get lots ofstuff. http://forums.taunton.com/n/main.asp?qu=trailers&find=Search&webtag=tp-breaktime&ctx=search&cl=632358&af=10000&o=relevance&be=0
Breaktime #40236.1
Clay thanks for the tip. I have done an advanced search and found some good info. I was mainly asking about the different brands you guys are hauling and what you would change about them now that you've worked with them for awhile. Ya' know, any regrets?
I definitely like the upgrade to the heavier axles, 5000 Lb instead of the 3500 lb. the other thing this does is If it's pace is they run the floor joice on 12" centers so the floor is firmer. Plus when it's loaded up or empty it really tows nice. I think the upgrade was like ???? couple hundred for both axles + the larger tires, no flats yet- like 2 years.
We have a 7'x14' CargoPro trailer. I love the size, it's always been just right for us. Can't even remember ever wishing to have a bigger one. Trailer that is.
CargoPro is a crappy brand though. Not surprised no body even mentioned it. They join aluminum right to steel and our 2001 is now starting to rot away due to the chemical reaction and of course the salt we have here in the winters.
The brakes worked about a week or two. I got tired of taking it back FIVE times to get fixed. Then the dealership went under.
I had to have the tongue extended about 2' so the back corners of our F-550 dump truck didn't dent it----again--- when turning sharp.
I've looked at CarMate and they seem much better. They seem to understand the aluminum/steel thing and they don't do it at the bottom. I think the next one will be a CarMate.
You mighta got a lemon. CargoPro makes one of the best trailers available. I researched trailers for about 3 months before deciding on one. I chose a CargoPro based on what I read online and what other trailer users suggested and haven't been the least bit disappointed. I've got a 6 X12 V- Nose that I run my framing crew out of. I love the thing..... zero complaints. No aluminum joined to steel on mine either.... although it's an '03.... maybe they got smarter? Couldn't imagine working without one now that I'm used to it.
I didnt even consider heavier axles. The heavier floor sounds good. How do you like the Pace trailer? They were one of the first brands I considered.
I Think the QQ in trailers is just less them we are used to judging. Not so much all the major brands are pretty simular, my 2 cents.
When I first picked it up It was in southern Utah so I got to put a good distance for starters to see how it pulled, got into some pretty good wind and the unit was very stable.
I'm 5'10 so I wanted as low as possible so I went with the 6' standard hight cieling. When I stand up straight in the first stepup in the door way you will get wacked, so far only once. Flat style roof, 2 vents,2 ceiling lites, pressure treated ply wood, heavy alluminm siding, can't remember but like twice the thickness I'd have to look up the spec sheet and the axles and tires and some crome on the front. 7'x14' but cause of the nose it caries 16'ers in the middle. Oh and flood lites on the back, they come in handy.
At one point I did a litte van stuff and it's kinda the same- Take a box and see how much good stuff you can build into it.
Also if you get to order what you want I've been thinking about getting some factory door hinges that are used for the double doors and such. And I want to mount them so I can just pin the second half so to use the side of the trailer as a table saw base/ cms base. After about a year now I am just getting the moxie to start putting holes in the outside. Yes I will have to have a dedicated plank or ?2xs or somesuch.
I've been thinking about getting the tool master trailer myself, but I just don't like the cost or the height. What I think I'm going to do now is buy a concession trailer. You can get awning style doors that open on either or both sides. Then I'm going to build a slide out unit so my saws can be pulled out and used right there under the awning, out of the rain or snow. Your shelving is going to be accessable from either the inside or the outside now, making it easier to get to things in a hurry, and if you've got big stuff to haul like sheet goods, you don't have to worry about blocking the shelves to with it. You can just open the awning door and pull whatever you want off of the shelf from the outside. Best of all, they're much cheaper than the tool trailers. I'd love to have some feedback from people on how well they think this would work, especially if they've done it or seen it done.
Does anyone own any W-W trailers? They make steel trailers that are supposed to be a bit hardier and harder to break into. A buddy of mine was putting shelving in an aluminum trailer and slipped with the cordless, put his bit tip through the wall, with a steel one that kind of thing shouldn't happen.
A 16' trailor measures about 15'6" inside front to rear.
I bought an 18'x 7' Carmate so I could put 16 footers inside.
Also, get the extra headroom
I think I paid $5,200
Listen to me this is VERY IMPORTANT: think about where you are going to park it at your house. Make sure you order it with the side door on the side that faces where you are going to load it from.
I dont know how many times I have walked around my trailor to get to the side door and I have to leave extra room in the driveway when I park it!
I agree about the side door. At first I didnt think I wanted a side door but now I think it will be a big convienence.
I use the side door 10 to 1 over the rear doors.
msa.......... we couldn't function in our trailer without the side door..
lot's of time , the rear is blocked by gear, but we can still get in and around thru the side doorMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I have a 6x10 with double doors in the back. The nice thing is that it's small, fits perfectly in 2 parking spots at the mall or wherever the job may be (full size truck to pull with). The bad thing is that it's small. It's almost 6 ft tall inside, but I've smacked the top of my noggin 3 times on the door frame getting in and out, and you remember each time and say #@!!**!! I have a 24 ft U-haul truck also, nice but 'where do you park it' is the question I get asked most, my reply is, exactly.
GB