Cargo trailer size

[JoshT]

Planning to acquire a cargo trailer for storage around the house for a few upcoming reno projects and eventual build up into a minimalist toy hauler camper. I have got bigger trucks, but I would like to be able to retain usage of the Ranger for towing when I'm not carrying any toys.


When in say minimalist I mean it. No shower, no bathroom, no onboard water storage. Most of my staying will be at locations with bathhouse facilities, or I will setup an outdoor toilet/shower arrangement when needed. It will be all electric with an onboard fridge, convection microwave and hotplate for cooking. Just enough cabinetry built for that stuff and to store the usual camping equipment, but it will be done with the lightest materials I can figure out or manage. It will have AC, probably a mini split, and eventually a bed, though I'll probably start out with a camping cot. Eventually a fold down mattress and table on the wall, and battery bank (maybe solar, probably just generator) for off grid. Will remove the plywood interior panels and replace with foam board insulation and paneling. I won't be adding a whole lot of weight to the basic trailer.

For size I'm looking at a v-nose trailer, 16' minimal length and 7' foot width. The 16' length will allow room for ATV (Honda Rancher 420) and motorcycle (Honda Shadow VT1100 for now), or possibly 2 ATVs, end to end with storage cabinets in the v-nose portion and along one wall. The 7 foot width because there isn't much to be gained by going narrower, and plenty of comfort to gain by going wider. Planning for 7' height being as I'm 6' tall and will be adding insulation and light fixtures to the ceiling. Definitely going tandem axle, likely 3.5k, with trailer brakes. As mentioned V-nose which will help with wind resistance, and thinking about adding slope to the v section in hopes that it will help a little bit more.

I'm not too concerned with the weight. With motorcycle, ATV, and gear it will be within the trailer's rated capacity and what my larger trucks can handle. With the Ranger I wouldn't be towing toys, no motorcycle or ATV, though they are only about 500lbs each so I think it could potentially handle one or the other. When towed with the Ranger it would be loaded safely within it's towing limits. My question more comes with how the Ranger will behave with pulling something that size.

How well will a Ranger handle towing a 7x16x7 tandem axle box down the road? It's a 1999 Ranger Extended cab. Originally a 4.0L 4x4 auto w/ 4.10 gears and ~30ish inch stock tires. Now a 5.0L AWD auto with 4.10 gears (considering 3.73 change) and to get shorter tires (think 2wd stance). Potentially a returning to 4x4 in the future if I swap the transfer case out for a 4406.

Towing with the Ranger wouldn't be normal mode. I want to retain the option if I wanted to go camping somewhere that I wanted the Ranger. IE a TRS G2G. There are areas that I'd go that I wouldn't want the toys and the Ranger would be more fun for Exploring than the bigger trucks.

 

[SenorNoob]

Sounds like wind is gonna be the biggest problem. Subscribing to see what everyone else has to say.

 

[sgtsandman]

I agree. Cross winds might be a concern. 2019+ Rangers are running into that problem even though the trailer is within the tow limits of the truck. Granted, the trailers are considerably bigger than what is being asked about here but those Rangers are about 1/3 larger and are heavier than the pre-2019+ Rangers as well.

Perhaps a 12 or 14 foot would be a better option?

 

[don4331]

The simple one: Go down to U-Haul and rent their 6x12 trailer. Take it for a little spin.

Then factor in a 7 x16 will be 50% bigger.

 

[racsan]

Ive got a 6x10 single axle V-nose with 6’ interior height. When I had a 4.0 ranger (ohv,3.73) it pulled it fine but the wind resistance really made it drink the fuel. Empty that truck got 17 on my daily drive, pulling that trailer it dropped to 12. One time just to see I floored it on a long straight empty road. Had nothing in the trailer. This ranger that normally would go over 90 wouldn’t go over 75. And when the speedometer stopped going up the temperature started climbing more than it normally would go. Definitely working it. A 302 is about the same horsepower as the ohv 4.0 but im unsure about the 302’s tourque. The 4.0 was around 220/225 if I remember right. Towing the same trailer with a 2.3 lima/4.10’s? It will but not well. 55/60 is about all its got. Wouldn’t recommend it. And don’t forget braking ability/limits. If you can get trailer brakes they are well worth having.

 

[JoshT]

The simple one: Go down to U-Haul and rent their 6x12 trailer. Take it for a little spin.

Then factor in a 7 x16 will be 50% bigger.

Last time I looked into renting a U-haul trailer, they wouldn't do it on account of size and/or age of my vehicles. Even the F-250 they were squawking about the age. Decided it wasn't worth it and did something else.

Ive got a 6x10 single axle V-nose with 6’ interior height. When I had a 4.0 ranger (ohv,3.73) it pulled it fine but the wind resistance really made it drink the fuel. Empty that truck got 17 on my daily drive, pulling that trailer it dropped to 12. One time just to see I floored it on a long straight empty road. Had nothing in the trailer. This ranger that normally would go over 90 wouldn’t go over 75. And when the speedometer stopped going up the temperature started climbing more than it normally would go. Definitely working it. A 302 is about the same horsepower as the ohv 4.0 but im unsure about the 302’s tourque. The 4.0 was around 220/225 if I remember right. Towing the same trailer with a 2.3 lima/4.10’s? It will but not well. 55/60 is about all its got. Wouldn’t recommend it. And don’t forget braking ability/limits. If you can get trailer brakes they are well worth having.

Not quite right. 4.0 SOHC and 5.0L have about the same HP, OHV is less. Factory ratings: OHV 160hp/220lb-ft, SOHC 210/254, 5.0L 210/280. That was in stock form and that 5.0L was crippled. This 5.0L isn't stock. The exhaust restrictions are gone (headers & 2.5" dual exhaust), the intake paths have been opened up (everything professionally ported), and has been cammed (was told that it was a good choice for a truck by the porter). Don't have dyno numbers, but it isn't certainly isn't stock.

Getting low MPG is not too much of a concern. When I want to pull the trailer with the Ranger, I'll eat the low numbers. FWIW I've got one truck that gets 12mpg unloaded, on a good day, with a tail wind, and has about the same size tank as the Ranger. I don't drive it much, but MPG isn't the reason, that would mostly be on account of lack of AC. Imagine what that one will get when I pull the trailer with it, and that will happen eventually (with a few gas cans in the bed).

I wouldn't even think of trying to pull this thing over 75. Generally 65 would be plenty and everyone can pass me. Even pulling it behind the F-250 75 would be pushing it due to the gearing of that truck.

Trailer brakes is a large part of the reason for going tandem axle. Don't like them on a single axle, and like the weight spread better than single axle. Also if there is a tire or bearing emergency, one axle can be strapped up and keep rolling. Not ideal but would get it off the road to where it could be assessed repaired.

 

[JoshT]

Perhaps a 12 or 14 foot would be a better option?

The problem with that is that I'm pretty set on being able to take both my motorcycle and ATV (or two ATVs) on the same trip. Might not happen often, but I want to retain the option.

My F-250 has a bed length of 81.9". My current motorcycle is all of 8' overall length. My ATV's factory OAL is 80.9, but I've got aftermarket bumpers installed, that adds a couple of inches and removing them is not an option IMO. Neither one will fit in the bed of the truck with the tailgate closed (a requirement with the v-nose trailer) and, if either gets replaced, newer models have only grown bigger. That means to meet this requirement both need to fit inside of the camper at the same time.

Combined overall length is just over 14' and I could probably squeek it into a 14' trailer, definitely one with an empty v-nose, but... IMO a little space is needed around them for strapping down, a little extra space is desired for future replacements, and the front two to three foot will be cabinets. That's the V-nose portion of the trailer occupied and not available for the toys.

There you have what is setting the 16' requirement.

If I went 8 or 8.5' wide like a normal camper, I could probably park bike and atv side by side. Wouldn't be able to do that with 2 ATVs, but if they were similar in size they would only need a little over 12' of length, so 14' trailer would work. The 8+ foot width would be fine for the F-250, but if I only wanted to use it with that I could be looking at both bigger length and width. I don't like the additional width for pulling behind either the Ranger or the F-100.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

On most truck you can hook the cable over the latch thingamajig and the tailgate will stay half way up.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Build ramps inside the trailer to drive up on to put the front tires of one at over the tires of the one in front.

We use to back one dune buggy into the trailer. We built a square tube fixture with a come along hooked to the top... then to the front of the first buggy. Lify the front of it... and drove the second buggy under the front of the first.

 

[JoshT]

That would work with a couple of buggies. They have a long wheelbase, the front end is light weight with most of the weight being in the rear, and the fronts are very short compared to a 4-wheeler. You wouldn't need much angle to clear the front of one buggy with another.

Rear fender of the motorcycle is around 3 foot high. To put the front tires high enough to clear the fender it would require a 2:1 pitch on the ramps. Realistically you'd need the middle part of the ATV to be over the back end of the bike to fit into a shorter trailer. That would be closer to a 1:1 pitch. At that point you may as well stand it up on its rear bumper.

Even if you pulled it off with ramps they would be huge to have the strength and stability to support the entire 500lb ATV while in motion. Given the width of the ATV, said ramps would be in the middle of the floor, not against the walls, they would need to be removed to use the camper as a camper. That would be a PITA to handle and store when home, even more when you arrive at your camping destination.