Help finding small, single drop axle, low deck trailer
- Thread starter TimS
- Start date
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Diamondpilot
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2007
- Messages
- 16,316
- Location
- Daleville, IN
- Tractor
- Jinma 254/284 Ford 861 Powermaster at work
Tim
Also you must account for the scope of the chins to tie down your equipment. Then need to be at a 45 deg angle or there about's to the tie down points on the trailer. This takes length. My 14' long tractor is about the max fit on my 18' trailer.
Chris
jeffsw6
Gold Member
The price difference for longer trailers is usually not too big. Two feet might sound like a lot more room to work with but it's not if you want to carry extra implements. I am a believer in buying more trailer than you think you need so you don't have to spend time upgrading.
Iplayfarmer
Super Member
Agreed.
16' opens up a lot of possibilities. If the price isn't much more, I'd go for 16'.
Another thing to consider as you look is that some things are easier to change later.
The low deck, no dovetail, and electric brakes are costly to change later. Recessed lights, set-back jack, and stake pockets are fairly easy to add. Even a coupler is pretty easy to change, but it's a good idea to have a pro do the welding on a coupler.
jeffsw6
Gold Member
I don't understand why the coupler is important. Those 3-way trailer balls are available everywhere. If I was going to modify my trailers to make them all go on the same size ball I would pick 2 5/16" not the smaller sizes, which are intended for lighter loads.
deepNdirt
Veteran Member
May I asked why the OP ask about a smaller trailer in the first place?
I think he has been convinced that a larger dual axle trailer would be better,
But let us shift to asking what kind of towing vehicle he plans to use?, Under normal circumstances of having a full size truck etc,etc, Yes we all would try to use as large of a trailer/load as the truck can comfortably tow,
example: back when I trade my 13 ft trailer for the 16 ft I have now, The person I trade with had downsize his vehicle from a full size truck to a Chevy s-10 with the 4.3 engine, He told me the truck could in fact pull the 16 ft trailer although was ridiculously out sized and the truck simply didn't have the proper rear-end for towing all the time, so be that the reason he wanted to trade and downsize trailers and quite understandable,
I talked to him a few weeks later, asking how the trailer was working out for him? he said it was a perfect match for his S-10 and can hardly know its back there, Of course I already knew that
. that size trailer towed perfectly,
Actually when I owned the trailer I frequently pulled it with my wife ford explorer 5.0 ( Bumper ball ) with no problems, I wouldn't even think of pulling the 16 ft I have now with it, Yes I'm sure it has the power but just as the man with the S-10 .... a 16 ft is simply too large and outsizes the vehicle,
when I pulled the 13 ft / tractor loaded it was a good fit, although as others have mentioned was no room for loading extra implements, and with the work I was doing with my tractor I needed extra implements, and was the reason I traded up, otherwise I would have been happy towing that size trailer and tractor with any Mid/size vehicle,
BTW the 13 ft was a dual axle and as mentioned is best to go with dual axles for so many reasons,
I think he has been convinced that a larger dual axle trailer would be better,
But let us shift to asking what kind of towing vehicle he plans to use?, Under normal circumstances of having a full size truck etc,etc, Yes we all would try to use as large of a trailer/load as the truck can comfortably tow,
example: back when I trade my 13 ft trailer for the 16 ft I have now, The person I trade with had downsize his vehicle from a full size truck to a Chevy s-10 with the 4.3 engine, He told me the truck could in fact pull the 16 ft trailer although was ridiculously out sized and the truck simply didn't have the proper rear-end for towing all the time, so be that the reason he wanted to trade and downsize trailers and quite understandable,
I talked to him a few weeks later, asking how the trailer was working out for him? he said it was a perfect match for his S-10 and can hardly know its back there, Of course I already knew that
. that size trailer towed perfectly,Actually when I owned the trailer I frequently pulled it with my wife ford explorer 5.0 ( Bumper ball ) with no problems, I wouldn't even think of pulling the 16 ft I have now with it, Yes I'm sure it has the power but just as the man with the S-10 .... a 16 ft is simply too large and outsizes the vehicle,
when I pulled the 13 ft / tractor loaded it was a good fit, although as others have mentioned was no room for loading extra implements,
and with the work I was doing with my tractor I needed extra implements, and was the reason I traded up, otherwise I would have been happy towing that size trailer and tractor with any Mid/size vehicle, BTW the 13 ft was a dual axle
and as mentioned is best to go with dual axles for so many reasons, jeffsw6
Gold Member
Not to disagree with you, but keep in mind it is easier to get the tongue weight right on a longer trailer than one where the loads only fit one way.
I have a 6x12 box that my equipment only fits (easily) in a way that puts a heck of a lot of weight on my tongue. It's fine for my truck because it is big enough to carry the extra tongue weight, and it is within the design limit of the tongue assembly, but if I had a smaller truck, I would actually rather have a longer trailer that I could load correctly, than a smaller one which is a little lighter and shorter.
Just my $0.02 but I don't think you can go wrong with a few more feet of trailer in this situation. I would put 4000# maybe 5000# behind an S10 / Ranger / etc if it was loaded right, on the other hand I would not put my 6x12 on any of those smaller trucks.
I have a 6x12 box that my equipment only fits (easily) in a way that puts a heck of a lot of weight on my tongue. It's fine for my truck because it is big enough to carry the extra tongue weight, and it is within the design limit of the tongue assembly, but if I had a smaller truck, I would actually rather have a longer trailer that I could load correctly, than a smaller one which is a little lighter and shorter.
Just my $0.02 but I don't think you can go wrong with a few more feet of trailer in this situation. I would put 4000# maybe 5000# behind an S10 / Ranger / etc if it was loaded right, on the other hand I would not put my 6x12 on any of those smaller trucks.
Deere Greg
New member
Check the specs on a 2" ball... might be limited to 3500# max.
While I am typing...
A valuable piece of info I gleened from lurking on TBN is the value of extra length. Not length to fit more stuff, but room to move the load to place the center of gravity where required. Then again on a tandem, that is not as much of an issue as on a single axle.
(edit... I see "wiggle room has been mentioned...)
One of the coolest reasons for getting a single axle trailer is the common feature of deck tilt... gravity operated (often hydraulic damped) for self-propelled toy hauling. If your not after that aspect / feature, then a tandem is worth the extra maintenance given the added stability and terrain-handling (i.e. soft/uneven ground) of two axles.
Greg.
While I am typing...
A valuable piece of info I gleened from lurking on TBN is the value of extra length. Not length to fit more stuff, but room to move the load to place the center of gravity where required. Then again on a tandem, that is not as much of an issue as on a single axle.
(edit... I see "wiggle room has been mentioned...)
One of the coolest reasons for getting a single axle trailer is the common feature of deck tilt... gravity operated (often hydraulic damped) for self-propelled toy hauling. If your not after that aspect / feature, then a tandem is worth the extra maintenance given the added stability and terrain-handling (i.e. soft/uneven ground) of two axles.
Greg.
deepNdirt
Veteran Member
Jeffsw6 I totally agree with you about weight positioning being easier achieved with a trailer 2 times the size of a tractor, I was only stating as whether or not a certain size truck has the capability to comfortably tow a large trailer and its load, I to have a 6 x 12 enclosed cargo trailer with single axle, at times it is difficult to position the weight as to not have it all on the tongue, But with the rear suspension of my tow truck know the truck can handle more excessive weight than the trailer tongue itself can hold,
To be quite honest if you look at the picture of the 13 ft trailer I was talking about with the tractor loaded onto it you can see where most of the tractor and its weight is positioned, I used to curl the bucket under and it fits inside the rails, although it was more convenient to simply rest it on top of the rail,
To be quite honest if you look at the picture of the 13 ft trailer I was talking about with the tractor loaded onto it you can see where most of the tractor and its weight is positioned, I used to curl the bucket under and it fits inside the rails, although it was more convenient to simply rest it on top of the rail,
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powerstroke444e
Veteran Member
I have one of the ditchwitch type single axle trailers and would not trade it for anything. it has 1 8,000 axle with eletric brakes and it tilts its very low and it great for small trenchers tractors and 2 pallets of ??? and you can unload or load it with a pallet jack, These can usually be had for under 2,000 used. I have pulled it with a tandem and a compact suv and even my town car and ATV.
It is very handy but not my only trailer it just one tool of many depending on the job at hand.
It is very handy but not my only trailer it just one tool of many depending on the job at hand.
