Utility Trailers for 3rd Gen / with exciting Poll Options

Does anyone tow a utility trailer behind their Third Gen? LET'S SEE THEM !!

After several tries at loading my wife's quad and my dirt bike into the truck or on the truck, we have decided to buy a trailer.

We are looking into the 5x8 mesh floor from Tractor Supply. After much reading, it is better than the same model offered at Lowes due to the larger 13 inch wheels instead of 12. I will be putting down a 1/2 to 3/4 inch treated plywood floor over the mesh and will be replacing the lights and wiring with something better. These trailers come with a 1 7/8" coupler. Why no 2 inch? These go on sale for 599 every so often. They are 699 on the website and 799 in stores.

Does anyone have any opinions on these or other trailers. Similar trailers with much larger trailer tires and very heavy axles run around 1800 dollars.


I have found a picture of a bike and a quad side by side. So that is possible, unlike in the back of the truck.

 

You won't regret getting a utility trailer. My suggestion is to get the cheaper one with smaller tires. You will be replacing tires/ rims in the near future. Replace with bigger,radial tires. It will come with bias tires and they are all shit!

I build utility trailers, so I kind of have an idea on what is decent out there.

This is what I like to build.

 

Its just a distorted PIC. Here is the best PIC I can find.

 

You do need the tongue long enough so the corners of the trailer don't knock out the tail lights on the truck when sharply turning the Trailet while backing up.

 

Yes, the winch is a nice feature. The first time you have to winch up a dead quad or mower, you will be thankful.

 

I had one of the $700 5x8 Lowes trailers that I hauled my Raptor 660 on. It was just right for it. Hauled it from NC to AZ without issues. If I was putting a quad and bike on it, I'd go a up to a little bigger trailer. One thing I did notice was that the expanded metal deformed quite a bit until I started putting boards under the tires. Now I got a big one.

 

Pay a little more and get a good quality trailer like a big tex, PJ, or a local or regional manufacturer. Those things from Lowes and Home Depot are barely a step up from harborfreight. They are Chinese junk.

You'll always have those people who say ,"my Chinese trailer works great, no issues" but those are the same people who will recommend a $500 inverter generator from HF over a Honda EU2000.

 

My friend and I went in together on the $599 trailer from tractor supply almost 4 years ago. They run awesome deals during spring and thanksgiving. I believe we have packed the bearings twice and replaced the tires once. I would definitely recommend putting plywood down, the metal is starting to stretch with the weight of his ATV. The only thing I have an issue with, is when it's empty, that trailer is so pretty loud. But other than that, never had an issue with it.

 

The Lowes model around here costs more with the 12 inch than the 13 inch from TSC. I don't know why. This carry-on model has welded on fenders so is going with bigger tires going to be a problem? The 12 inch model also has them welded on. What tires do you put on ?

 

It's not a little more in a 5x8, it's 1000 dollars more. We don't have that money for a trailer. But I do see the difference in the wheels and tires and much bigger axle.

 

I have had the 5x6 from home depot for almost 8 yrs now and it has been great. Packed bearings every other year replaced lights and one tire. Overall has held up to my abuse, bent the tongue with about 1.5 tonnes of shingles but other than that it has been good to me. Mesh floor is complete garbage and it does make alot of noise when its empty. Loaded its fine. Also seems to have a mind of its own when parking. Might be due to its lightweight and size.

 

I bought a trailer from an actual trailer dealer.I purchased a utility trailer with car size tires and pressure treated deck for the same price as a HomeDepot or Lowes trailer that had small tires and a cheap mesh deck.

 

Car sized tires is the answer.

I tell all my customers to replace the original, bias tires with radial when the time comes. The shittiest radials are better then the worst bias tires.

I like to use light truck tires (LT). Many will argue that you must use trailer tires for replacement, but you won't hear that from me.

The only problem is 15" truck tires are rare and anything smaller is even more difficult to find.

Passenger car tires will work,but attention to not overloading the trailer must be watched.

 

The trailers from Lowes and the farm stores are no more Chinese than a trailer store. All are assembled domesticly with Chinese parts.

Tires and wheels - Chinese
iron- Canadian
Axles- USA
Spindles and hubs and bearings-usually Chinese
Lumber a northwestern USA
Couplers-chinese

Utility trailers are kinda like sex, no such thing as bad trailer or sex, just some are better than others.

Not everyone needs or has room to store a bigger trailer, so the HF trailers can work just fine.

 

I got the Tractor Supply 5x8. You can find the build thread here:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/5x8-tractor-supply-utility-trailer-build.430108/