Which Cargo Trailer To Buy

[SweetLou]

I need to get a Cargo Trailer that is 12 x 7 or 8. There are so many brands and I have done my research but what I really wanted was opinions on whether to get a Tandem or single axle. It might carry some weight in the future but mostly it will travel 1500 ea trip back up to WA each year, then return 1500 mi. It needs to be dependable and stout.
Brands seem to settle with Wells Cargo, Pace, Featherlite. Torsion Springs, or leaf. If any one has experience or opinions on this I would like to hear them.

[SweetLou]

Looking into their EW1622 or 1624. Looks to be a beast and I think it will serve me well. Here I started out looking into a 12. Hah

[Grit_dog]

16 footer will handle the slopes of approaches just fine even if it's lower to the ground, which is better for handling anyway.
Just like RVs a lot of trailer mfgs use common components, like Dexter axles, so you may find the same quality in the serviceable components of economical brands as in the more expensive ones.
If I was going high miles, hard use, inclement weather, keep forever I'd look hard at all aluminum trailers.

[gmw_photos]

Here's my take on this idea of width, regarding towing it. It's mostly what you get used to. Both my horse trailers are the full legal width ( 102" at the wheelwell/fenders ). One of these trailers is what my 18 year old granddaughter learned to tow with. One day recently, I followed her in the other truck and trailer to a barn 60 miles away. Not once did she place a wheel wrong, even on the narrow-ish county roads. To her, this is the "normal" width. I never told her some are narrower than others. All in what you get used to ?

[SweetLou]

Grit dog wrote:
Depends what you're hauling and how I h room you need. An inline 7' wide will tow noticeable easier than an 8' wide deckover like a true snowmobile trailer.
8' wide with low deck (wheel wells inside) will be a bit Bette than a deckover but you lose ground clearance. I prefer the ground clearance on longer trailers with larger rear overhangs. I have to try real hard to scrape the @ss end of my 32' deckover, but I can scrape a low floor trailer just on the wrong driveway approach.

I tow with a dually so I am use to wide. I am choosing the wheel wells inside. I have seen what can happen to fenders when these great tires options we can get blow. Fenders usually fly and causing sidewall damage. I don't know how it would go on a tandem, but not wanting to take the chance. 16ft not that long to drag its butt.

[Grit_dog]

Depends what you're hauling and how I h room you need. An inline 7' wide will tow noticeable easier than an 8' wide deckover like a true snowmobile trailer.
8' wide with low deck (wheel wells inside) will be a bit Bette than a deckover but you lose ground clearance. I prefer the ground clearance on longer trailers with larger rear overhangs. I have to try real hard to scrape the @ss end of my 32' deckover, but I can scrape a low floor trailer just on the wrong driveway approach.

[mkirsch]

Actually, width does make a difference.

An 8' trailer is 101" wide including wheels and fenders. On a lot of roads that is a tight fit between the lines, so if you wander at all you're either off on the shoulder or in the oncoming lane. It's a constant butt-clenching challenge to maintain yourself PERFECTLY centered in the lane.

That's specifically why I chose a 7' wide trailer with the wheels tucked in. It's no wider than the vehicle towing it, so if you're between the lines, the trailer is between the lines.

[SweetLou]

settle wrote:
A few other points:

Pulling a 8' or 8.5' vs 7' wide trailer is a world of difference. The 7' is much easier on the driver.

Once you pass 14' long, you get tandem axles. There is no debate.

I suspect that leaf springs would be much easier to get repaired if you ever had a problem.

Spare tires seem to have become optional. Get one and get it mounted inside your trailer. Now that we are there, remember that your truck jack and wrench may not fit your trailer; be prepared. (remember that expanding stuff rule?)

The maximum entry height will be less than the interior height due to the back wall coming down from the roof.

I wouldn't think that the width would be that much different except for the mirrors to see around it. Also good point on the entry height of the trailer and bumping your head. I think torsion springs will be a better fit. I have seen how over years go by the leaf springs don't carry the weight well.

[settle]

A few other points:

Pulling a 8' or 8.5' vs 7' wide trailer is a world of difference. The 7' is much easier on the driver.

Once you pass 14' long, you get tandem axles. There is no debate.

I suspect that leaf springs would be much easier to get repaired if you ever had a problem.

Spare tires seem to have become optional. Get one and get it mounted inside your trailer. Now that we are there, remember that your truck jack and wrench may not fit your trailer; be prepared. (remember that expanding stuff rule?)

The maximum entry height will be less than the interior height due to the back wall coming down from the roof.

[settle]

My first utility trailer was a 5x8 open. It served me well for many years.
My second trailer was a 7x16 open. It has met my needs. It can carry a Polaris Ranger Crew with snow tracks on. This trailer has been broken by hundreds of miles on Forest Service roads requiring some rewelding. An aluminum trailer would have been destroyed.
My third trailer was a 6x12 enclosed. Big enough for a few jobs; good enough to keep when I don't need the big trailer but quickly outgrown.
My latest trailer is an 8.5x24 enclosed with 7' internal ceiling. 14k gvwr (4k lbs empty) is overkill, but I would rather be safe than sorry. It is big enough for the Ranger plus a bunch of stuff I use for my hobby. This trailer is an H&H. I understand that they tend to be heavier than other trailers of a similar size, but I suspect they are overbuilt (ok with me).

Lesson: big enough rarely is.

[Grit_dog]

SweetLou wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

deltabravo wrote:
DO NOT GET leaf spring axles. They ride rough and bouncy when loaded light.

Also, even short trailers benefit from being a tandem, even if you don't need the weight hauling capacity.

Torsion axles are the way to go.

My 6x12 had tandem torsion axles. It was smooth as butter when towing.

Torsion axles ride just as hard with no load.
IMO there is no discernible performance difference between the 2, only that torsions are finicky about towing the trailer level with tandems or you'll load one axle much heavier than the other.
Brands, you're all over the board there from high dollar aluminum trailers to steel.
Again, I've owned or used more trailers than I can count and for occasional/rec use they all have worked fine.
Could argue specific advantages or disadvantages all day but most anything will haul your stuff just fine with decent tires and axles lubed up.
Only brand I've heard a lot of negative r views of is Mirage.

Grit,
Please keep in mind that since I am the OP, my main concern is that I tow a minimum 3k mi ea summer. Soon there after when I fully retire I will be towing a lot more than that with this unit. I want to buy reliability and structurally sound. So, with that said, a cheap trailer will haul as you say most anything but will it stand the test of time?

Well that makes sense for sure.
Long term, high miles, quality minded, maybe weight conscious as well, I would highly reccomend an aluminum trailer like Featherlite or Triton.
I had a Triton enclosed for about 10 years. Bought used. Probably put 30-40kmi on it. Winter summer, forest roads, hauled it to AK overloaded, etc. All I ever did was shoot some grease in the axle and new tires. It also retained its value very well to say the least.
When we outgrew it I purchased a Charmac steel frame trailer a few years ago. It has low miles, but it's 12 years old, sat out in the rain since new and also appears to be of very good quality. Everything works with no repairs to date. Apples to apples much cheaper price than all aluminum.

[SweetLou]

tinner12002 wrote:

SweetLou wrote:

bid_time wrote:
While you are negotiating, make sure to get the price to have E-Track installed. Worth it's weight in gold.

This will be a must but where and how many?

Use 3 on the floor, one in the middle and one down each side. Instead of using e-track on the sidewall in mine I purchased ring clips and screwed those into the studs as I needed them. Wasn't planning on having anything that heavy strapped to the sidewalls.

Wise advice. I want to use them because we travel long distances with it and the the straps can take the place of load bars to help loads from shifting. As the States/Feds keep robbing the highway funds, our roads are a mess and things really shift around as you possibly are aware of.

[tinner12002]

SweetLou wrote:

bid_time wrote:
While you are negotiating, make sure to get the price to have E-Track installed. Worth it's weight in gold.

This will be a must but where and how many?

Use 3 on the floor, one in the middle and one down each side. Instead of using e-track on the sidewall in mine I purchased ring clips and screwed those into the studs as I needed them. Wasn't planning on having anything that heavy strapped to the sidewalls.

[SweetLou]

Grit dog wrote:

deltabravo wrote:
DO NOT GET leaf spring axles. They ride rough and bouncy when loaded light.

Also, even short trailers benefit from being a tandem, even if you don't need the weight hauling capacity.

Torsion axles are the way to go.

My 6x12 had tandem torsion axles. It was smooth as butter when towing.

Torsion axles ride just as hard with no load.
IMO there is no discernible performance difference between the 2, only that torsions are finicky about towing the trailer level with tandems or you'll load one axle much heavier than the other.
Brands, you're all over the board there from high dollar aluminum trailers to steel.
Again, I've owned or used more trailers than I can count and for occasional/rec use they all have worked fine.
Could argue specific advantages or disadvantages all day but most anything will haul your stuff just fine with decent tires and axles lubed up.
Only brand I've heard a lot of negative r views of is Mirage.

Grit,
Please keep in mind that since I am the OP, my main concern is that I tow a minimum 3k mi ea summer. Soon there after when I fully retire I will be towing a lot more than that with this unit. I want to buy reliability and structurally sound. So, with that said, a cheap trailer will haul as you say most anything but will it stand the test of time?

[Grit_dog]

deltabravo wrote:
DO NOT GET leaf spring axles. They ride rough and bouncy when loaded light.

Also, even short trailers benefit from being a tandem, even if you don't need the weight hauling capacity.

Torsion axles are the way to go.

My 6x12 had tandem torsion axles. It was smooth as butter when towing.

Torsion axles ride just as hard with no load.
IMO there is no discernible performance difference between the 2, only that torsions are finicky about towing the trailer level with tandems or you'll load one axle much heavier than the other.
Brands, you're all over the board there from high dollar aluminum trailers to steel.
Again, I've owned or used more trailers than I can count and for occasional/rec use they all have worked fine.
Could argue specific advantages or disadvantages all day but most anything will haul your stuff just fine with decent tires and axles lubed up.
Only brand I've heard a lot of negative r views of is Mirage.