trying to price a trailer before the auction

   / trying to price a trailer before the auction #1  

Jframe

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So a local auction house is going to offer a Load Trail two-axle trailer with a 14 foot dump bed. It is set up for a ball hitch. I would prefer a 5th wheel, and a pintle would be my second choice, but a good buy is more important. It's a 2014 model. No one can look at it yet, that viewing day is the end of the month. The trailer looks very good in the one picture, not all beat up, not much rust. Rubber looks OK but picture in adequate for much evaluation. I want a trailer to tow my skid steer. The trailer I have for my compact tractor is way too small for the skid steer. What sort of price range would this trailer go for in your area? Thanks very much. The pricing advice I received here for buying the skid steer was very helpful.
 
   / trying to price a trailer before the auction #2  
Dump trailers are expensive. I assume it’s double 7k axels? Assuming it’s in good condition it’s probably worth 10k.
 
   / trying to price a trailer before the auction #3  
New is going $12,000 to around $15000. I would be looking for roughly 5-7% depreciation per year, so around 45% to 63% below the price for new. Now, some auctions are crazy now, and it might be closer to 80% of the price of brand new, but thats crazy for a 10 year old trailer, that probably cost $6500 when it was purchased... So, say $4500 on the low end to $8250 at the high end.
 
   / trying to price a trailer before the auction #4  
New is going $12,000 to around $15000. I would be looking for roughly 5-7% depreciation per year, so around 45% to 63% below the price for new. Now, some auctions are crazy now, and it might be closer to 80% of the price of brand new, but thats crazy for a 10 year old trailer, that probably cost $6500 when it was purchased... So, say $4500 on the low end to $8250 at the high end.

You’re not going to get that much deprecation when inflation is making up for it. We don’t have any pictures which would greatly help but you’re dreaming to buy a 14k dump trailer that’s not bashed for $4500. If you did find one you better jump on the chance. I’d be happy to buy a 14k dump truck that’s not bashed for $8250.
 
   / trying to price a trailer before the auction #5  
I'm not saying it will sell for that, but unless it's pristine, I would look at new, if you're paying almost new prices. I know stock can be a problem, but I'm seeing a lot of new 7x14, dual 7k axles, in-stock at $11,500 to $13,000 within a 50-mile radius with a quick search.

Now, what I can't comment in these I see, or this auction one is the little things that might make or break it for your use case, like slide out ramps, angle of approach, how high the skid steer rides above the axles, dump angle, tie down points in the dump bed, ect.
Screenshot_20230315_072326_Chrome.jpg
 
   / trying to price a trailer before the auction #6  
So a local auction house is going to offer a Load Trail two-axle trailer with a 14 foot dump bed. It is set up for a ball hitch. I would prefer a 5th wheel, and a pintle would be my second choice, but a good buy is more important. It's a 2014 model. No one can look at it yet, that viewing day is the end of the month. The trailer looks very good in the one picture, not all beat up, not much rust. Rubber looks OK but picture in adequate for much evaluation. I want a trailer to tow my skid steer. The trailer I have for my compact tractor is way too small for the skid steer. What sort of price range would this trailer go for in your area? Thanks very much. The pricing advice I received here for buying the skid steer was very helpful.
If it’s a ball hitch with adjustable hitch plate, you can convert it to a pintle easily. Costs under $100. I think you might like a HD ball hitch better on a trailer that small.
Just make sure it comes with ramps and it’s wide enough & long enough before you bid. Will your skid steer be longer than 14’ with its attachments? A brush mower sticks out pretty far…
 
   / trying to price a trailer before the auction #7  
I think you mean gooseneck. 5th wheels are usually just RV's or hotshot guys.

Not sure why you would want a pintle over a ball. I hate pintle hitches unless load and tongue weights require you to step up. Too much banging back and forth.

And most trailers anymore, for less than $100 you can simply swap the coupler out to a pintle or vice versa.

As for loading.....loading equipment in a dump trailer can be a trick. I'd make sure it has jacks on the tail of the trailer to prevent the tail of the trailer squatting and lifting the back of the truck. And especially if it has torsion axles....as constant loading and unloading is gonna take a toll on the back axle being constantly overloaded.

And some dump trailers arent made to handle the rated weight on the ramps. I have seen stickers on the backs of alot of dump trailers that list max ramp load. Some of them as little as 5k max ramp load on a 14k trailer. Just depends on how the ramp is made. But if its only hooked into the swinging tailgate....I have see heavy equipment bend/bow downward the bottom of the swinging frame.
 
   / trying to price a trailer before the auction #8  
New is going $12,000 to around $15000. I would be looking for roughly 5-7% depreciation per year, so around 45% to 63% below the price for new. Now, some auctions are crazy now, and it might be closer to 80% of the price of brand new, but thats crazy for a 10 year old trailer, that probably cost $6500 when it was purchased... So, say $4500 on the low end to $8250 at the high end.
I bought my flatbed load trail flat bed for $3,500 in 2006, a similar one that was painted black in stead of orange like mine just sold for $6k in a few days out of the local hardware store parking lot. I don't think you're estimates are correct in the current market.
 
   / trying to price a trailer before the auction #9  
I think you mean gooseneck. 5th wheels are usually just RV's or hotshot guys.

Not sure why you would want a pintle over a ball. I hate pintle hitches unless load and tongue weights require you to step up. Too much banging back and forth.

And most trailers anymore, for less than $100 you can simply swap the coupler out to a pintle or vice versa.

As for loading.....loading equipment in a dump trailer can be a trick. I'd make sure it has jacks on the tail of the trailer to prevent the tail of the trailer squatting and lifting the back of the truck. And especially if it has torsion axles....as constant loading and unloading is gonna take a toll on the back axle being constantly overloaded.

And some dump trailers arent made to handle the rated weight on the ramps. I have seen stickers on the backs of alot of dump trailers that list max ramp load. Some of them as little as 5k max ramp load on a 14k trailer. Just depends on how the ramp is made. But if its only hooked into the swinging tailgate....I have see heavy equipment bend/bow downward the bottom of the swinging frame.
If you use a dedicated pintle hitch (not a pintle ball combo) it takes a lot of the slop out of it in my experiences.
 
   / trying to price a trailer before the auction #10  
If you use a dedicated pintle hitch (not a pintle ball combo) it takes a lot of the slop out of it in my experiences.
Yes they do. But still not as smooth as a ball.

On a 14k trailer, I see no reason to want a pintle for a personal trailer.

One advantage though....and a buddy that owns a landscape company with a dozen or so trucks and trailers told me.... With a pintle you don't have to worry about incompetent employees using the wrong size ball
 
 
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