trailer question

jobar · Aug 31, 2008

I dont know if this is the right place to post. Anyways I was wondering is it cheaper to build a trailer or just go buy one.

The reason I ask is im looking at a 6.8x18 car trailer from a trailer dealer in the middle georgia area and ive seen guys build there own trailers. But would like to know if its cheaper just to buid my own rather than buying a $2700 trailer.

Explorin94 · Aug 31, 2008

You could build it yourself, but you would probably seen the same cost and a lot less headache by just buying one. Now with the price of steel and buying it is crazy. Once you build one it needs to be titled and tested. $2700 sounds about ballpark.

krugford · Aug 31, 2008

In Iowa, any homemade trailer with a NET (trailer only) weight over 2,000lbs needs to be inspected before it can be licensed. Hauling a trailer with a gross (trailer + cargo) over 3,000 lbs requires trailer brakes to installed on at least one axle.

I kinda wish the Iowa Code was a little more concise on this subject. I could easily build a car trailer under 2,000 lbs nets weight that would easily exceed the 3,000 lbs gross weight, but with no inspection required for this hypothetical homemade trailer, they'd never know if you had brakes or not unless you got pulled over AND the officer knew the difference and decided to look.

I would only build your own if you've got the time and tools to do so. It took me a lot longer than expected to build my trailer because I'm a picky bastard when it comes to stuff like that. If you build your own, you'll get the quality you want, the options you want, and the satisfaction of using a trailer you built with your own two hands. I don't think I saved that much money compared to buying one, but I wanted to build mine...

Also, here's a handy link for basic trailer regulations (excluding specific state codes): http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Towing/Trailer Poster Table.mht

jobar · Aug 31, 2008

Krugford that website was helpful when I was considering building one. I would like to build one myself, like you said with my own to hands but, not sure if I want to go through the hassle of getting it titled and tested.

I just dont like the way most trailers are made with that angle iron. If I was to build one it would be a hell of alot stronger than what the dealers are selling.

I dont know, I need to think about it some more. I thought that mabey if I built it myself that it would be build the way I want it, and I would be able to save some money in the process.

Will · Aug 31, 2008

Look up your state code. It's on-line, probably at georgia.guv.

What are you looking for? Searching through car trailers on ebay I think you could do a lot better than $2,700 for an 18'.

Building one of any size is a chore. I bought a big hay trailer made from a mobile home frame several years ago. It was almost untowable. The axles weren't lined up, the frame wasn't square, the axles were too close to the center and it was way out of balance--no tongue weight and the long portion after the rear axles swept from side to side like a stegosaruas tail. It took days to cut that thing apart and weld it back together square--and lots of calculating where to put the axles for the proper balance. I put $500 in steel into it, had to add a set of brakes because all axles require brakes in Indiana--and it was mobile home axles so there are no flanges on the tubes for them. The lights were also poorly installed--and not DOT. I put at least $1,000 into it just getting it usable. It had no tie-down points on it, the deck wasn't suitable for wheeled vehicles. Basically I bought a pair of 30' long 10" i-beams, wheels and tires and made a trailer out of it.

Point is, you'll spend a lot making an 18' trailer--time, effort, money. And it requires tons of thinking before you even start. Don't ever start a big project without putting the thinking into it. No way you could come close to the price of buying one unless you have a bunch of scrap available. It's fun to drive off with a load of new steel, but it isn't cheap. Axles, hanger kits, wheels, tires, brakes, coupler, decking, d-rings, paint, lights, ramps, 1,000# of steel if you are wood decking it and 1,800# if it is getting a steel deck. That's a dollar a pound maybe, or close to it. You can estimate HERE. Where I go it works out to be a good bit cheaper so I'm always happy with my estimates from that site.

As a rule, I only build things I can't readily buy. That rule keeps me busy enough.

jobar · Aug 31, 2008

I building it pretty much for my tractor, hauling hay, my 4 wheelers, my jeep (when I go off roading), pretty much everything.

About it being a chore, I looking for another project to build, I get pretty bored when im not wrenching, or welding. I know its a big project, but Ive been trying to get all my facts in order these past couple of weeks, like you said WILL it takes a lot of planning and ive been using every moment I have to read up on this.

But, I havent made up my mind yet weather to build/buy one so, im not to concerned about it. I was just wondering if it was cheaper/better for me to build one instead of buying one.

P.S. Will that georgia.guv helped.

rboyer · Aug 31, 2008

You can definitely find car trailers cheaper than that. Just in the past month in my area I have seen two for sale for $1000 and one for $800. One of the ones for $1000 didn't have a title but still you shouldn't have to spend $2700 on one.

scotts90ranger · Sep 1, 2008

a couple years ago I found a '78 chevy cab on a stripped camp trailer frame for free, for just over $100 in plywood, bolts and paint I ended up with a ~600lb trailer with a 5000lb axle and tongue with trailer brakes (not wired up), it's not up to the task of hauling a vehicle, but if I had built it for that purpose it would be... I managed to finish the frame up with scrap I had laying around and it ended up being about a 7' by 12' deck about 1' off the ground, handy as hell... in Oregon a trailer doesn't have to be liscenced unless it's total weight is over like 1200lb, it's used so infrequently I don't worry too much about hauling a load to the scrapper or a load of hay or whatnot, I just make sure either the trailer lights work or my tail lights are completely visible and obey all other traffic laws...

jobar · Sep 1, 2008

2700 so far is the cheapest I have found where I live.

85_Ranger4x4 · Sep 2, 2008

In my area you can spend $1500 for a nice used car trailer or $2000-$2500 for a new one. If you watch you can find a bargain, but they are rare. They are one of the odd things that don't depreciate very well and buying used will rarely save you much money.

I think my dad paid about $1200 for his when it was 2 years old, it is a 2003. It is still in really nice shape and hauls our smaller tractors without a problem. You couldn't build half of one for that money unless you had the steel sitting around and nothing to do.

One thing to watch for is the jack, if it is one that just retracts up plan on putting a different one on, ours was straight until we bottomed it out a couple times... we are going to put a swivel jack on soon.

thegoat4 · Sep 3, 2008

FWIW, if you build your own trailer, you're almost guaranteed to overbuild. You'll find yourself with a very heavy trailer. It may not matter to you, depending on what you're doing, but it's worth considering.

jobar · Sep 5, 2008

Yea, im leaning more towards buying a used one. Im still looking for a good one.

Will · Sep 5, 2008

What are you going to be pulling the trailer with? I'm wondering about the weight of the trailer. I had a 16' trailer with a 3x4x3/16" angle frame and a 2-by wood deck in the past. This trailer was 1,300# and a Ranger would have no problem with it. It's large enough to fit a full-size car, but too narrow for a full-size pickup.

The trailer I now have is made from 5x2 rectanguar tubing and has a steel deck. It weighs 2,200#. It's less handy because it has no railing, but it's better for vehicles because it has no railing. This trailer has 3,500# axles--same as the utility trailer above, but with the 900# of extra weight it has less load capacity. It's sort of too much for a lot of what I do--it's ridiculous for my riding mower or little skid steer. A 14' utility trailer would hold an ext. cab Ranger. Made of angle, it would be cheap and quick to build. Probably you could keep it to 1,200# if you used 3/16"t for the main frame and any Ranger could make use of it for hauling a little tractor on or something.

Edit: Here's a better one of the old utility. I think a B2 would easily fit on a 12' and anything RBV on a 14'.

85_Ranger4x4 · Sep 5, 2008

If you are wanting to haul hay and tractors on a trailer I would't go too much smaller than the one I use. And I would pretty much forget about pulling it with a 4 cylinder truck unless it is empty. The only time I hook my Ranger on it is for manuvering it unloaded around the lot as I have better visablity than my F-150.

For tractors (depending on size) width is normally what gets you in trouble, I have to have my rear wheels set in the middle setting to get my WD-45 (pictured) to fit, and I have 2-3 inches on each side between the trailer fenders and my tires. This makes loading interesting as from the seat I cannot see the outside of my tires, several times my spotter has saved the fender from getting smashed. Also, as you can see having a little extra length is nice so you can leave attachments on the tractor and not worry about them sticking off the back and causing trouble.

We haul hay with ours too, we can get two round bales on the in front of the fenders and another from the rear between the fenders. Where we load we only have forks on the back of the tractor so we use another bale to push it all the way on, and use a loader to remove once we get to our destination. Small square bales are like lego blocks and you can stack them however many you can haul safely.

If you are pulling it with your Ranger, a trailer like Will's utility or a little smaller would be fine, you could haul a bunch of square bales or one round bale placed properly, and a couple fourwheelers. Personally I wouldn't tow a tractor or a Jeep behind your truck, no offense but it just isn't made for it. Sure while you wouldn't set any speed records it could do it, but if you get in a wreck you will be way over your rating and in major trouble even if you didn't directly cause it.

jobar · Sep 5, 2008

No offense taken, I got it from my dad for the gas mileage. No, im not pulling it with my ranger. Thats a accident waiting to happen. My uncle has a 94 GMC 3500 that im going to borrow until I can save up for another/bigger truck.
I forgot to mention that I wasnt useing my ranger, sorry for the confusion.

We use the square bales like you were saying 85 ranger. I dont have anything to lift the round ones onto the trailer.

This is my jeep that I was talkin about hauling, and well you know what a 4 wheeler looks like, and I will try to get a picture of my tractor so you can get a better idea of what im hauling. Click the picture to enlarge.

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Ok got one does this help get a better idea

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