18' trailer price check

[Piston]

Hey guys,
A friend of mine is selling his 18' trailer and I'm thinking about buying it. It's not really what I want as I want a 20' or 22' trailer, however, I'm wondering if I should buy it rather than buy a brand new trailer.
I need to measure my tractor and maybe even try loading it onto the trailer to see if it fits, but assuming it does, what do you think a good price would be for the trailer?
The guy selling it is a good friend of mine and he'll probably still borrow it in the future whenever he needs it, so we are looking for a fair price for the two of us.

it was built in 2006 according to the sticker, it hasn't had much use, in fact it's been sitting for 2 years but I don't believe the tires are dry rotted. Neither of us know if the brakes work in it and it does have obvious surface rust. Structurally it seems fine, just don't know about brakes and axles?

What are your thoughts for a fair price on a used trailer like this? Or should I just skip it and buy a brand new trailer I want? i'll be using it 1 to 2 times per month to go 120 miles, mostly highway. The weight capacity should work for me.

 

[paulwestski]

Piston
What size tractor will you be putting on the trailer?

Do you already have a brake controller in your truck?

 

[gerard]

Assuming everything works. (brakes may be frozen with rust if left sittting for a long time so it might need a brake job. Not a bad do it yourself job, just messy and a little time consuming). Id see what a new one costs and shoot for around 50-60% of that price.

 

[Piston]

Piston
What size tractor will you be putting on the trailer?

Do you already have a brake controller in your truck?

I don't have a brake controller and need to get one regardless.

The tractor is a kubota l4610 with fel. The rears are loaded with rimguard. I think it weighs about 5500-6000 with the grapple.

 

[George2615]

Hudsontrailer lists a 4T medium duty equipment trailer as having a 78" wide deck and weighs 1900lb. Your L4610 even with a loader should fit but at 18' it may not be long enough for the tractor with attachments such as a rear rotary mower. Hudson makes a good trailer.
Questions to ask yourself would be:
Am I going to haul the tractor with loader and a rear attachment? If so, 18' probably won't be long enough?
Will I ever need to haul something wider such as a full size pickup? You may need a trailer with 82" Width between the fenders for that. That extra 4" makes a big difference.

I'd hook up your loader (if equipped) and rear attachments and measure the length.
I don't know what a new 4T Hudson goes for but I'd find out then ask what the seller wants. In my area sellers would ask about 2500-3K for that. If you can get it for less I'd say that's a buy. There is a 18' 5T on Ebay the seller is asking $4500 or B/O for so a good price an 06 4T is tough to call.

 

[dstig1]

I don't have a brake controller and need to get one regardless.

The tractor is a kubota l4610 with fel. The rears are loaded with rimguard. I think it weighs about 5500-6000 with the grapple.

Is it a 10k+ trailer? You will be overweight if it is a 7k car trailer. Especially if you add anything on the 3pt.

18' would be an improvement over the 16' I have for my similar tractor, but if I was going bigger, I'd want 20' at least, so I had room to maneuver for tongue balance.

Prices are very local on these. Start searching CL to get an idea on used ones.

 

[Piston]

It's a 4 ton capacity so I can load 8k onto it. It seems like the prices are all over the place so I'm not sure what to go with.

 

[Milton Burro]

That's a fine looking trailer. The channel iron frame appears to go all the way to the back of the trailer. Heavy duty fenders too. I just bought a new 16' today for my L3400. Brakes on one axel, ramps store under the rear. The fold up ramps may prevent you from hauling a brush hog attached to the tractor with the fel on, or anything else that may protrude over the back. If your buddy just wants you to store it and you pay for tags, etc. so he can use it, I'd say you should get it for a good price. 1000 bucks would be fair IMO unless you're going to use the crap out of it in a business or something. If so, that's a $1800 trailer at least IMO. I gave 1400 for my 16 footer and it's lighter duty than that pup there. The brakes are pretty simple on those rigs. Figure about 100 bucks for a brake controller too.
edit:
That dovetail in the back will make for easier loading too.

 

[Western]

I agree, prices will be local. here they'd ask around 2k+

Since it's been "sitting" for 2 years, I would look around first, but that's me, or just borrow it from your buddy and keep up the tire's and maintenance for him. That would buy you some time and give you a feel for the trailer.

Bottom line to me is get what "you" want, that does what you need with no guess work. Of coarse if he say's "$500":laughing:

 

[paulwestski]

You may be able to get a great deal on the trailer......but like you said in your thread starter you really wanted a 22' or 23' trailer. The GVWR on this trailer barely meets your tractor weight. You said you'd be towing in excess of 100 miles a few times a year. Personally I like to have my trailers well over rated.... 2k or more. You get larger brakes and tires.

 

[milkman636]

......................................I'd hook up your loader (if equipped) and rear attachments and measure the length.
I don't know what a new 4T Hudson goes for but I'd find out then ask what the seller wants. In my area sellers would ask about 2500-3K for that. If you can get it for less I'd say that's a buy. There is a 18' 5T on Ebay the seller is asking $4500 or B/O for so a good price an 06 4T is tough to call.

George2615 sounds right to me. Hudson is a respected trailer brand in my area. I would expect to see around a $3000 asking price on this trailer along the side of the road. If he'd sell it for around $2000 you would be getting a great deal (if everything fits on it). Try loading your machine on and towing before you negotiate. At 2k I would not even mind loaning it back to him on occasion.

 

[deere5105]

In my area, I would value the trailer somewhere between $1500 and $2000. The Hudson trailer is a good trailer. I do however feel you will not be satisfied with the 18' length. I recently purchased a 22' long 12K rated trailer. The stand up ramps are very handy, but as someone else mentioned they will limit the length you can load due to not allowing overhang in the rear, unless you want to remove them temporarily. I looked for quite a while at used trailers, but wound up buying new. You may have no issues with the arrangement, but some times it is better to buy out right and not be tied to sharing equipment. I have seen this "strain" relationships. I never mind loaning to friends, but always worry when borrowing if they had plans to use the equipment at the same time I wanted it.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I do not care of it has 5 miles and the tires look brand new its going to need new ones. Trailer tires take a beating compared to car and truck tires. 60% the cost of new max but if its not long enough do not wast your time. Remember, you need room to balance it and chain it down. Those flop up ramps also severly limit what you can haul.

Chris.

 

[TheTrailerGuy]

Hey guys,
A friend of mine is selling his 18' trailer and I'm thinking about buying it. It's not really what I want as I want a 20' or 22' trailer, however, I'm wondering if I should buy it rather than buy a brand new trailer.
I need to measure my tractor and maybe even try loading it onto the trailer to see if it fits, but assuming it does, what do you think a good price would be for the trailer?
The guy selling it is a good friend of mine and he'll probably still borrow it in the future whenever he needs it, so we are looking for a fair price for the two of us.

it was built in 2006 according to the sticker, it hasn't had much use, in fact it's been sitting for 2 years but I don't believe the tires are dry rotted. Neither of us know if the brakes work in it and it does have obvious surface rust. Structurally it seems fine, just don't know about brakes and axles?

What are your thoughts for a fair price on a used trailer like this? Or should I just skip it and buy a brand new trailer I want? i'll be using it 1 to 2 times per month to go 120 miles, mostly highway. The weight capacity should work for me.

to do a new version of this trailer would be near $3,000. half price for a unit with wear and unknown brakes would be fair. Give it a test load and if it works for you, i would snag it.

 

[merlintractor]

to do a new version of this trailer would be near $3,000. half price for a unit with wear and unknown brakes would be fair. Give it a test load and if it works for you, i would snag it.

I don't think you can buy that trailer new for $3K; you can offer $1500 but don't be disappointed if you are turned down. $2K would be a fair price.

 

[TheTrailerGuy]

I don't think you can buy that trailer new for $3K; you can offer $1500 but don't be disappointed if you are turned down. $2K would be a fair price.

I sell a brand new 18' flatbed with 9,990lb GVWR and pullout ramps for $2,999. Every day, out the door. FYI... . Throw on the bobcat ramps and you are at $3249. do it in a tilt for $2945.

here is an 18' 10k tilt for reference off of my facebook page..

Pretty close to three grand no matter how you look at it.

 

[Piston]

It looks like right around $3800 to $4000 new for the same trailer from the Hudson dealer in my area. It's strange how prices vary so much by region.

I've been keeping my eyes peeled on CL for a longer trailer more like what I want, but it doesn't seem like there are too many out there, tons of 16 footers around but not many that are bigger.

I'm gonna bring the trailer over my house and try the tractor on it and see how it fits. If it doesn't fit then it's a moot point and I won't be buying it but I think it will work.
I do have a brush hog for the tractor and I know that won't all fit on the trailer. I will most likely be leaving the brush hog up in NH and only trailering the tractor back and forth, so it may not be tooo much inconvenience but it sure will be some.

Ideally I really want a bigger trailer. The situation is I can either buy this trailer, and buy a box blade and top and tilt for my tractor, OR i can go buy a new trailer, and no box blade and TnT for the tractor......Hence the reason I'm trying to make this do for now.

 

[milkman636]

That Hull quick tilt looks a little scary to me. All the weight looks to be on the rear trailer axle and the frame hitch when it is tilited. 9900 lbs. is alot of vertical load to be splitting between one trailer axle and my truck's frame hitch.

The tilts that keep both axles on the ground look alot more appealing to me.

 

[lostcause]

That Hull quick tilt looks a little scary to me. All the weight looks to be on the rear trailer axle and the frame hitch when it is tilited. 9900 lbs. is alot of vertical load to be splitting between one trailer axle and my truck's frame hitch.

The tilts that keep both axles on the ground look alot more appealing to me.

if it's a 10k trailer then you should figure that probably the carrying capacity is about 8k, with the trailer being the other 2k, give or take. as you start to load the trailer only part of the load is on the axle. the rest is still on the ground. by the time you have the front of the load clearing the first axle, the back of the load is still bearing on the end of the trailer, which is still bearing on the ground. i bet it would be hard to actually drive something on the trailer and have over 5k on any one axle. if the trailer and axles are rated for 10k then loading something that is 8k won't bother it at all.

 

[milkman636]

My concern was more about getting 3 or 4000lbs. of downforce on my hitch. My tractors run 6-7000 lbs with an attachment on the three point. If you get 6-7000 lbs of tractor up on a long lever between the back trailer axle and the hitch, its going to be pushing down pretty hard on the back of my truck.