Thinking about buying a 5×8 cargo trailer. Don’t really need it, but more and more I find that 1- I have left something behind becasuse 2- I have to load and unload each day (or couple of days) to suit the anticipated days work. I have seen those amazing pictures here of van that are packed full, and I don’t want to do that…I fear that I would either forget what was loaded, or have to dig to the bottom (and re-load) to get something out. Granted, 5×8 isn’t very big, but it would more than double the capacity of my pickup, considering the vertical space. And I’m not thrilled about dragging around a trailer all the time. I guess it’s a milestone…cross over and all sorts of options will open, or don’t buy it and keep shuffling the contents.
Do it right, or do it twice.
Replies
El, I've towed all sorts of different sizes of trailers from an 85 CFM Gardner-Denver; through tent trailers, boats, vans, ...; and up to an over-sized gooseneck float. One thing I learned from all that is that long is easier to tow than short. 'Long' tracks better, stops straighter, and is easier to back up. If you're a long-time tower with experience at different sizes, then just chuck this suggestion; but, if you've only towed one size of trailer before, can I suggest you try renting a couple of different lengths and try them out first.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Good advice. I have towed a few things, but not many. My question was more like...should I get a trailer? At what point does it make sense? I (somewhat) admire those who can pack a van fuller than a suitcase, but there have to be inefficiencies there. And I think it looks a little unprofessional...full and organized is one thing, full and crammed in is another.
Do it right, or do it twice.
Everyone probably has an opinion on this. And let's not forget that sometimes there's a distance between what we need, what we want, and what we'd love to have. I've always felt that a good trailer will last a life-time and certainly outlive several tow vehicles; if the tow vehicle goes down, then you've still got the trailer and can rent a replacement tower; you don't have to empty out the trailer when you take the family to the lake or grocery shopping; and when was the last time you stood straight up in a van. It's also a portable billboard. .
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
I thought this might be of interest to this thread......Saw a guy who picked up a small holiday trailer, cheap, that was damaged and he fixed it up outside and stripped it out inside except for the furnace, and toilet (can't remember if there was still a sink and I don't remember seeing a fridge). He hung OSB on the walls, some right over the windows, and made drawers, shelves and racks and hangers. Seemed to work for him, and could keep the tools and glue warm when cold. Even had a little awning for lunch breaks or rainy days.
I hauled a 5x9 Pace utility trailer around for 5 years, framing houses. I ran from 3 to 5 men besides myself. I had my 708 chop saw with the DeWalt stand and extension, a Makita 8" table saw with a Rousseau stand, framing and siding guns, staple guns,2 to 4 Skil worm drives,etc.,etc., too many tools to mention. It took me some time and several evolutions to get it figured out, but the little trailer made me lots of money. I was great at forgetting what I needed on any particular day, but with the trailer, I always had everything with me. End of problem. I NEVER left the trailer on a site overnight. I parked it in my driveway, beside my house at night. It was never broken into. My only gripes with it were that it wasn't tall enough for me to stand up straight in, so I learned to just walk in, get what I wanted then back out of it. It was always a pain in the butt to go to the convenience store after work and try to find a parking space for the Powerstroke and trailer. Nothing is perfect. When I started trimming houses out, I carried almost as many tools around, but there was more than enough room in the trailer for all of them. I didn't have to carry guns and saws for 3-5 guys then, just me. So I hope this helps you make your decision on a trailer. Good luck.......
I have a 5x8 trailer that we use daily. It has taken about three tries to get the shelving and organization worked out to suit our needs, but now that we have, it carries everything needed for a two man crew doing custom remodels.
My only regret is that I didn't get a 6x10 with tandem axles. I can't tell you how many times we have hit our heads either going in or out of the thing.
Options worth having: 1. Electric brakes. Yes, what you put in the trailer will weigh more than you expected and it's nice to have the extra stopping power.
2. Skylights and battery operated lighting. Really helps you see when your in a hurry to grab that one tool you need to finish up a job.
3. Spare tire. You really don't want to leave all your tools sitting on the side of the road while you take a tire to get it fixed.
Hope this helps.
If you are thinking of buying a 5x8, buy the 6x10 or 6x12. You'll find a use for the extra room.
Can't I go 1 day without spilling my coffee?
after talking to guys with trailers on this site.. we decided on the 7x14 dual whel.. wound up about $5K including elec. brake installed on my F150.... and the new billboards sides and rear..
14' means we can carry 12' trim inside...still working on the interior setup...Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Nice rig Mike I've been considering a similar rig myself for some time.
Can you tell me what the distance from the ground to the top of your ladder rack is?
Reason being I have a cargo van now and if I put a long pick on the rack wondering if there is enough clearance from the roof of the van.
Also do you get much wind noise from the rack at that hight above the roof?
Bought a 12' cargo pro dual axle cargo trailer in Vermont in late 2000 and towed it to Alaska with all of my tools and personal belongings. Unfortunately I over packed it by 1500 pounds and had some minor handling issues intill I gave the motorcycle away in Denver.
Since then I've outfitted it with shelves and storage cubbies and a small bench. it has bright interior lighting and more than adequate safety lights on the outside. The next time I buy the same model from the same company, I'll ask for:
1. Heavy duty axles with the larger 13' brakes
2. A slightly heavier frame just so I don't have to worry about overloading it.
3. I'll ventually installl small backup floorlights to aid in backing down my driveway.
Very much worth the $4,800 I paid for it. Good luck.
David Costello
27851.16 in reply to 27851.10
benny: it's 8'-2" from the top of the cross bar to where the tire hits the road..
8'-6 1/2" from the top of the rack.. this one we special ordered with the 3 racks, double E-track on the right side, levelors on the rear, ventilators, and the hinged side door & double doors back....
tows great, but we jack it up on the job and leave it for the duration ..
here's the front end...Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Thank you Mike . That would work out quite nicely I think I'm sold.
Mike,
Since you stated that you are still working on the interior let me make a suggestion which I incorporated into mine (after I got tired of not having all the little things like small tools and fasteners banging around). My trailer is 24 x 8 so you might have to scale this down a litte bit but the principles are the same. I built a drawer cabinet with 27 drawers and place it on one side of the trailer near the back. I used 3 banks of 9 drawers and graduated the drawer sizes with the smaller ones near the top sort of like a mechanics tool chest only wider. Mounted all the drawers on full extension ballbearing slides and dadoed the drawers for dividers which can be arranged in various combinations. On top of the unit I built a rack for storing shovels/rakes/shingle strippers etc. You just slide the tool in with the business end out and everything is contained but readily available. I also built a rack for caulking and subfloor adhesive tubes and hung it on the end of the drawer cabinet. That cabinet has saved me a lot of headaches since I built it and helps greatly in organizing the trailer. I also have a lot of shelves for other things. The other item that comes in really handy is a cord/airhose rack built from a piece of 3/16 plate and 1" square tubing. I can get an amazing amount of cords/ hoses on that rack in a small space and still have room to put stuff underneath the cords. Just some suggestions. Having a trailer sure beats trying to get by with just a truck.
Mark
mark... sounds like a lot of good idears.. and of course all i gotta do is kill all of these damn alligators so we can continue draining the swamp...
used to be we could count on some time off to reorganize...so i guess i'll have to make some timeMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Mike,
Know what you mean, remember the saying " The shoemaker's kids go barefoot"?
Mark
I would like to take this opportunity to pick your brain .
Have you ever been at odds at what should actually be on the trailer ? It seems that my intentions would make a good book , but my actions just fall very short . I have wondered many times about what crazy man owns this shop I attend on a daily basis . Over and over I wonder where to draw a line between storing storage items , or making it work positive. Seems the trailer thingy brings along the same questions.
Tim Mooney
Where's that guy with the bath tub trailer? Anybody remember who that was?
Didn't Ed post that pic? Is that sort of trailer a Texan would own? ( you being an honorary one and all?)Quittintime
This guy
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=21903.1
Mike,
Here's a skeleton view of a good project for you.
Shouldn't take too long.
Clampman
yeah, but clampy... i still don't think it's gonna fly..
and who was that masked man in the 2d photo ?Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Mike,
Here it is in flight. Once I got the wings skinned, the JATO unit on the hydraulic pump that operates the wings....
Clampman
ELCID72,
I picked up a 7x14 ,tandem,enclosed about 4 months ago.
You will not regret it! You can organize,and haul all your tools,
ladders ,whatever. And you still have your pickup when you need
to run. Everybody needs to run for something. You will get used to
pulling your rig, it'll take some time, but then you'll wonder how you
got along without it.
My Two Pennies, Mitch
Was looking at the FWW issue on workshops. One of the workshops was a 8x18 garage that someone turned into a workshop. Was thinking about a trailer when I read that.
Might be some ideas there.bobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's BT Forum cheat sheet
ELCID72;
I Found a used Pace (2600$) 7x14 w/brakes and ramp. Spare tire. 12 volt lighting. The side door is rarely if ever used. It had been a race car hauler in a former life. Stout and VHD. The shelving and racks seem to be forever evolving. The trailer is worth every dime. Even get to bring the radial.
The modifications that worked out well and worth the money are levelers, back up lights on the trailer and a front mounted trailer hitch on the truck. Added a set of shocks too. Any size trailer is a breeze to park w/ the front hitch ecspecially if the trailer is narrower than a dually w/ a 8' utility box. I would like to have a little better groud clearence though. It is rather low slung.
Hope some of this helps.
MORE TOYS NOW.....
Hey ELCID72,
My experience is with both, the open and enclosed trailer. I was fortunate to find a used ex-rental trailer. EZ-HAUL. It's only 4'x6' with about 5' head clearance. But it has more than enough room for all the tools I need to build screen porchs and sunrooms. Most customers don't mind you leaving the trailer at the back of the driveway so you don't have to be dragging the *%^&$#@ all over Gods creation. These little rental trailers were built to take abuse and they do.................................Good Luck................Ford
No matter what size you get it will be to small, you just keep buying tools and supplies to fill any void in space. I have had a 6x10 for three years and it works great.
What I like:
Added 6" to the height so I can stand without hitting my head and don't have to bend over carrying tools in and out
Interior light
Brakes
What I would do different:
Get tandem axels
get a 7x12 - the extra width sure would be nice
I have heard that there is no practical difference between 7' and 8' widths. Supposedly, 7' has the wheel wells outside the box, whereas 8' has them inside. Same width and parking considerations, but you lost 6" on each side (except for the wheel wells, relatively small potatoes) with a 7' width.
As I said, haven't checked up on this, but it sounds good. Mike's trailer is 7'with wells outside, so maybe I heard right.
Mike, what do you think about this?
Jon Blakemore
it's hard enough trying to see around a 7' box... should be harder to see with an 8'.. but , space is space... since i've never seen an 8'.. i really don't have an opinionMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
>> it's hard enough trying to see around a 7' box ...
As a former truck driver, I am of the firm opinion that if you're going to regularly be pulling a trailer you can't see over, you need the big truck type mirrors on both sides of your vehicle, the ones that look like outriggers and stick way out there, and a generous size spot mirror on each side. Five inch diameter is not too big. Two inch is not big enough, IMO. With a setup like that, I very seldom felt I was having trouble seeing around an 8' wide trailer.
Another handy aid, if there's room for it anywhere, is another, smaller flat mirror on the driver's side aimed so you can see the ground right at the end of the trailer without having to lunge up out of your seat to see it in the big mirror.
Jon,
I'd say you are right. I have and 8x18, and the wheelbase is the same as a 7. I have 24" benches on both side so the extra foot comes in handy.
I opted for a walk on roof which comes standard with a ladder to the top for tie down work. Also went with the added height, I think its 7' high on the outside.
I went with and 18 footer so I could get 16' stock inside, and carry 24' poles on top. I also increased the tongue lenght by a foot or two so I could carry job boxes, compressors, generators, etc. up front.
Some things to consider I guess.Tom
Just a few thoughts regarding trailers. I have used my 5 x 10 single axle for almost 2 years now and would never go back to working out of the back of a truck by choice. When I ordered my trailer i added height to get 6' of headroom, and added a wedge nose. The nose buys you extra room at a minimal cost. It allows me to carry 13' material lying on the center of the floor. My first lesson was that you will carry more with you than you will need and that everthing weighs more than you think. After about a year I broke a spring and bent an axle due to a pothole and too much weight. I ordered a 5200 lb axle with electric brakes, 6 lug rims and heavier tires. Here is advice from my experience.
Buy a tandem axle trailer to start with.
Think about what you want or need and plan for it. Don't make your decision based on what is readily available. If it is a hassle to get in and out of your trailer, things will be stored right at the doors and will create a log jam.
As you outfit your trailer with shelves, etc, plan that it is a work in progress. Many evolutions to come. Plan for this and make allowances. Remember that all the materials you use to build cabinets and shelves add a great deal of weight.
Get a ventilator. If you carry gas cans inside your trailer, use the ventilators.
Get ladder racks on top straight from the manufacturer. Let them install.
Get a side door. If gives you an additional access point to get blocked by stuff you store there because you don't want to get further inside.
Don't buy a plain Jane white trailer. A colored trailer costs the same and makes you instantly different from the guys that went and picked out the first trailer that they could find sitting on a lot. What your rig looks like says a lot about your professionalism -- but looks can not make up for a lack of skill.
Trailers are an investment, but they don't need to cost you an arm and leg. I probably have $4000 tied up in mine, and if I wanted/ needed to sell it tomorrow, I probably could get 70 percent of my investment back.
Now a question for you other trailer owners. I have thought about putting advertising on the trailer but I am torn with the fact that it would advertise what I carry in my trailer. My trailer will never stay on a job because I am just too paranoid about losing even a portion of my investment to opportunity snatchers (thieves). Does advertising on your trailers help? How much did you spend? Are my fears unfounded?
I would love to hear from you.
Edited 2/26/2003 5:15:06 AM ET by plhalle
Hey Plhalle,
I kinda feel that just having a trailer w/a ladder rack is advertising
whats inside. Besides thieves don't care what they steal, they just steal.
So you might as well get the most out of that big rolling billboard. Just
think what it would cost to buy that much ad space,w/ that big of a viewing
audience. Everywhere you pull it, everywhere you park it.
I really don't think your fears of getting ripped off are unfounded, unfortunately
it's a fact of life, so there's no sense in letting it slow you down.
Insurance is probably the best type of lock you can put on your tool box.
( even if it is another rip off, at least you know who's doing it)
My two pennies,Mitch
i agree, insurance will help cover you. However only if you keep up-to-date inventory.
Logos etc help, however be advised they will generate many tire-kickers that probably wont pan into jobs, but they sure will want bids.
No matter what color your trailer, if its parked at constuction sites it will be noticed by thieves err pawn shop suppliers.
If you have a truck or van you might consider one of those pull out rack storage devices that can hold like 2k lbs. But they are more for hand type tools or portable tools.
If youre after safety of your tools, store the trailer in a garage at night.
I get a ton of work off my logo's. The trailer sits at a site for 3 or more days like a giant billboard. I typically bid 1 or 2 floors in every neighborhood we work. With a plain trlr. or van no one would know what was going on.Ditch
Tommy,
Ball park, what did you pay? And what is the axle configuration? Tandem or tri, and payload per axle?
Jon Blakemore
Another trick to do especially if you are hauling with a 1/2 ton is to have the axles setup the same as the wheels on your truck ( 5 on 51/2) only need the trucks spare tire to get home. And for any one crazy enough to leave it one the site overnight I would seriously consider a lowjack monitoring system just like your car.
JasonIf it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have Any!
Tandem axel, 7000 gvw, I shoud have gone 10,000. I paid $6,646.00 for an 8x18. I was told that the 5200# axles would add I think $1500. Really only comes into play if you are hauling materials.Tom
Talking about work trailers makes me think about some framers I know near here.
They had a 24' enclosed trailer they would set up at a jobsite where they were working. They had all their tools in it, as well as a fridge and microwave. It was wired for 220, and they would hook it up to the temp power on jobsites.
They pulled up to a jobsite one morning and the whole trailer was gone. The police have never found the thing. The guys lost virtually every tool they have.
They had insurance that covered it, but they lost several days of work getting set up again.
If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn?
Saw an interesting work trailer yesterday... An Arrow metal shed 6x10 maybe and a Tuff shed (8x10) on a beat up trailer. Belongs to a wam bam slam 'em devolper. Complete with advertising.
MORE TOYS NOW....
I love my little trailer. I can leave it on a job for the duration. With a van I can tow it to a job, have everything there for my finish crew, and take my stuff to another floor. No more cell phone calls: " Hey, we need more paper".
Ditch
Another:Ditch