Trailer Buyer's Guide

Trailer Buyer’s Guide

Are you in the market for a new trailer, and not quite sure where to start? Or maybe your business is growing, and you need to upgrade. We know there are a lot of things to think through before buying a new trailer. To help you navigate, we’ve highlighted 6 Key Considerations below. Of course, this list is not exhaustive, but it is a good starting point.

1. GVWR and Payload. 

At the very beginning of your trailer research, you must understand what GVWR you need. But what exactly is GVWR? GVWR stands for Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and it is extremely important when buying a trailer. GVWR is the manufacturer’s maximum permissible weight of the trailer + the payload on the trailer. Remember, your tow vehicle also has a GVWR. Between the tow vehicle GVWR and the trailer GVWR - if you exceed 26,001 combined GVWR, you could potentially need a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Per DOT regulations, GVWR is based on the Manufacturer VIN tag rating, NOT the registered weight.

What is Payload? Payload is the maximum allowable weight of the equipment on the trailer. Payload will ALWAYS BE LESS than your GVWR. You MUST subtract the empty weight of the trailer from the GVWR to determine payload.

When you’re determining what GVWR and Payload make sense for you, ask yourself:

• What vehicle will I be using to tow the trailer?
• What equipment am I towing? How heavy is it?
• Am I planning to purchase more/heavier equipment soon?

2. Trailer Tongue Length Considerations. 

Make sure that your trailer tongue has adequate clearance to jackknife without contacting your truck body. We can’t tell you how many customers come in with a smashed front end of their trailer. Trailer tongue length is particularly important with enclosed trailers when used on cabover trucks (Isuzu NPR) and dump or utility body trucks.

We stock many trailers with extended tongues, and you can also custom order.

3. Hitch Options. 

Trailers can be equipped with either a ball coupler or a pintle ring.

Ball couplers are available in either 2” or 2 5/16” depending upon the trailer GVWR. These are quieter with less back and forth movement at low speeds, which some customers prefer. However, because there are multiple different hitch and ball coupler sizes, costly mistakes can happen. A mis-match can lead to trailers falling off the truck.

Pintle rings are stronger and safer (because there is only one ring size). They are also easier to manage for those customers who own a fleet of tow vehicles, because there is less opportunity to make a mistake. One size fits all.

4. Suspension System Options. 

Eye to Eye Leaf Springs

• The most common suspension on utility trailers up to 7K GVWR

Slipper Spring

• A suspension upgrade for trailers in the 7-16K GVWR (less wear items)

Torsion Axle

• Lower maintenance, smoother ride, longest warranty
• Lowest maintenance cost and downtime

5. Aluminum vs Steel. 

We typically stock steel trailers as they cost less for you, while also being easier to repair. Some customers opt for an aluminum trailer because they are lighter weight, meaning they offer a higher payload and can be towed behind smaller vehicles.

6. Ramp Gate Considerations. 

Ramp gates are one of the highest wear parts on the trailer. Consider what you’re loading and ensure your gate is strong enough to handle that load.

On enclosed trailers, the ramp gate rating assumes one axle is on the ramp at a time. If you’re loading a piece of equipment that will entirely fit on the ramp at the same time, you may want to upgrade to a heavier duty ramp rating that can handle a larger load.

Ramp doors require space to open. If your customer base is in a more populated area, consider barn doors. Of course, barn doors may not be possible for you depending on what type of equipment you’re having to load and unload from the trailer.