If you depend on your heavy equipment to clear rubble, move debris, work on a farm, or support infrastructure, at some point you may need to find a way to transport it from job site to job site. Equipment trailers are essential for moving your machines, and come in handy when looking for ways to transport your equipment after a purchase. To help get you started when shopping on the market, Equipment Trader is sharing four tips for choosing the right trailer for transporting your equipment.
1. Know Your Equipment Trailer Options
There’s an equipment trailer on the market designed for every purpose. Whether you’re in construction, agriculture, landscaping, or another industry, find out what type of trailer is best for your work based on the amount of equipment you’re hauling, the weight of your machine, and what features the trailer has to offer. Here’s a quick overview of the types of equipment trailers.
Drop Deck or Step Deck Trailer
A drop deck trailer or step deck trailer is ideal for mid-sized equipment, and features an open trailer with upper and lower decks that drop down behind the towing vehicle with ramps to load equipment.
Flatbed Trailer
Designed for accommodating smaller equipment that weighs less, flatbed trailers are typically situated behind the cab of large trucks or attached with a hitch to a towing vehicle. You will often have to buy a ramp or find another means of getting your equipment onto this type of trailer.
Gooseneck Trailer
Great for heavy-sized equipment since they provide more balance with a distribution of weight, gooseneck trailers feature a long neck that extends over the bed or box of a towing vehicle and connects with a ball hitch.
Lowboy or Low Bed Trailer
Lowboy trailers or low bed trailers also have a gooseneck with an attaching hitch, but come with different deck heights that are great for maintaining heavy equipment by keeping them low to the ground with more clearance.
Sliding or Traveling Axle Trailer
A better option for heavy equipment, sliding trailers or traveling axle trailers are often longer and larger, with an axle that moves forward with a trailer tail that lowers to the ground like a ramp to load machinery.
Tilt Trailer
Another option for lighter equipment, tilt trailers are low to the ground and tilt like a ramp for loading compact machinery.
Utility or Landscape Trailer
Fit for smaller equipment, utility trailers or landscape trailers are open and have either railings or sides to secure heavy machinery, connect with a hitch, and are low to the ground.
2. Choose the Right Equipment Trailer Size
The size of your equipment will determine what trailer you’ll need when it comes to transporting your machinery to and from a job site. If you’re using a trailer that’s too small, you’ll run into risks that interfere with worksite safety, and could potentially damage your machines. If the trailer is too big, you’ll end up wasting money over time, as you run into higher fuel costs while towing. However, if you’ve got multiple machines and you’re looking to get more done in a single trip, you might want to go with a larger trailer so you can transport more equipment.
Typically a 35- to 65-ton capacity trailer will be able to transport mid-sized equipment, while a 55- to 65-ton capacity trailer will pull larger specialty equipment. Make sure your towing vehicle is the right size for your trailer, and take into consideration the weight and size of equipment attachments. Finally, ask yourself if you’ll need storage space for your equipment, such as shelves, and consider these features when shopping.
3. Consider Where You’ll Use the Equipment Trailer
When you’re trailer shopping, consider where you’ll be transporting equipment. For safety and efficiency with time and money, you need to know how far the job site is when using a trailer between projects. You should have an idea how long it will take, how much fuel you’ll be using with a loader trailer hauling heavy equipment, and what the weather and road conditions are like. Factors like having the correct number of axles on the trailer that are correctly positioned for weight distribution and knowing if there are any height limitations based on the type of trailer you’re using, and the route you’re taking, are all important.
4. Inspect the Equipment Trailer
Just as you would run down the checklist of what to look for when inspecting heavy equipment, go over all the components of a trailer when you’re shopping. This way, you’ll be confident in your purchase, and know what needs to be fixed or could be a problem further down the road. Here’s a quick rundown with what you should look for when inspecting your equipment trailer:
Trailer frame, making sure there are no dents, cracks, bent or warped pieces
Bearings are in place and secure, not rusted or corroded
Brakes and suspension are working and responsive with the controls of your towing vehicle
Tires are void of punctures, tears, and tread isn’t worn
Hitch is compatible, free of damage like rust or cracks
Trailer wiring is enclosed, and wires are intact and free of frays
Brake lights are illuminated and responsive to driver controls
Ramps support the weight capacity of equipment, are secure, and free of damage
Choosing the right heavy equipment trailer is an important part of managing a fleet and getting a job done in any industry. See what’s the best option for you when you shop based on the type of equipment you own.
