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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Sydney
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    1,107

    Default Advise On Trailers

    I have been thinking about purchasing a trailer for a little while. When we moved items from Sydney to Albury we ended up borrowing a friends trailers which was 7 x 4 foot. It allowed us to move quite a number of items including two mattress. We are now in the position to purchase one but not much experience in what to be aware of.

    So far we have thoughts about the size 7 x 4 foot, able to carry reasonable load 500 - 750 kilograms, possible box type and not sure about cage type and wheels of a standard car(or light truck)?

    Looking for advise on what people think about second hand or new. And if new what features should one be thinking of.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
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    71
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    5,942

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    Hi Christos,
    Before offering some suggestions, a few questions if I may. What do you plan on carrying in/on the trailer? General rubbish, branches, building waste?
    A cage is handy to cart bulky items around, prunings to the tip, helping MIL move closer, mates moving. A tarp can be made to go over the cage to keep items being moved dry, so that choice is simple, if you want to become a removalist, get the cage.
    A level 6X4 trailer is approx 1 cubic metre, which equates to a tonne, so beware you don't overload it, it will void any insurance claim.
    Any trailer with a capacity over 750Kg requires braking, = extra $$$$. What vehicle do you plan on towing it with, getting wheels the same means not carrying a spare for it. Light truck, I would only use for a larger trailer, using the LT tyres equals extra cost again.
    What to look for? Firstly a chassis that is solid, not rusty or rusted out, suspension that the springs aren't flattened out, indication that it's been overloaded.
    The floor, my choice is flat sheet metal, chequer plate looks nice, but try shoveling stuff off it!!!
    On a used trailer, look across the top of the trailer to see if it's twisted, indicating a bent drawbar, which again should be solid, preferably 75X50X5 angle as a minimum or RHS. Check the wheel bearings, try moving the tops of the wheels, if they move about 5-6mm adjustment or replacement could/would be required.
    Check the condition of the tyres, make sure that they have ample tread, police love bald tyres on trailers. Check that the sidewalls of the tyres aren't perished, leading to a blow out. Some trailers have axles made from pipe, avoid these like the plague, should be able to tell these quite easily as there will be a weld around the pipe.
    Preferably drop tailgates front and rear,as you can carry longer loads timber metal etc. drop down number plate, helps keep the constabulary off your back.
    Solid tie rails all round, preferably 15nb pipe, as well as piping that goes from the outside corner of the trailer to the edge of the mudguards, stop them being bent and mangled.
    If you've access to a welder, a lot of these small things can be done yourself, trimming the hinge pins, so one is longer than the other, makes it easy to remove and install the tailgates should you have too.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Sydney
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    Default

    The main reason for needing a trailer is to transport landscape material such as dirt, wood chips and maybe gravel. So I think I might need to go for something that will handle a heavier load.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
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    71
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    You might be better off with a tandem axle 8X5 trailer, if that is going to be the intended use. If you want to get fancy you could go for a tipper, save a lot of back ache.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Sydney
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    Not really thought of going to the 8 x 5 trailer, another part to think about.

  6. #6
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
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    7,182

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    Before I bought my own trailer I used to hire or borrow, so I got to experience a range of trailers and ended up learning about long and short drawbar trailers.
    Those with longer drawbars are easier to back and of course can carry small mounts of longer material if it has drop trail gates and the material is lashed to the centre line of the trailer.

    Tandems are very nice but be aware that they are a bear to move manually.

    I ended up buying and 8x5 single axle trailer and it has been used extensively by my son and the mens shed.
    The extra length I use for carrying timber and slabs.
    The extra volume is very useful for handling low density materials like pruning, grass etc.
    The downside is it takes up more space and I cannot keep it at my place so it has to reside at my sons place.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    formerly from Sydney (north of The Harbour), NSW, Oz
    Age
    68
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Christos View Post
    The main reason for needing a trailer is to transport landscape material such as dirt, wood chips and maybe gravel. So I think I might need to go for something that will handle a heavier load.
    what is your tow vehicle ?
    this will have a significant influence on what weight you can tow
    regards from Canmore

    ian

  8. #8
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    Nov 2007
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    Sydney
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    Quote Originally Posted by ian View Post
    what is your tow vehicle ?
    this will have a significant influence on what weight you can tow
    Right now it is an Amarok(friends car) but will have access to a Prado.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    formerly from Sydney (north of The Harbour), NSW, Oz
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    Default

    does this
    Quote Originally Posted by Christos View Post
    Right now it is an Amarok(friends car) but will have access to a Prado.
    mean that you don't own the probable tow vehicle?

    If that is the case, a braked trailer is probably not a realistic option. (Remembering that override brakes only really work on the flat or when going down hill in a forwards direction.) Which, for what you want to haul, would seem to put you back in the 6 x 4 trailer class.
    regards from Canmore

    ian

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Sydney
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    That is correct I don't own the vehicle that will be used to tow the trailer. There might be a possible need to move a couple of beds and the length of the mattress is becoming factor. So the 7 x 4 trailer could be minimum.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Sunshine Coast, Qld
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    43

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Christos View Post
    . . . and not sure about cage type . . . ?
    To cage or not to cage? Cages are essential if you are moving livestock. Otherwise you can get by without one. Unless you can remove the cage, you'll find that every now and then, you will have a load that won't fit in the cage . . e.g. timber, couches, mattresses.

    For those times when a cage would be handy, maybe invest in a sheet of ply for a set of hungry sides. You'll be able to stack greenwaste higher and when you get to the tip, you'll be able to roll the greenwaste off the side and empty the trailer in a matter of minutes while everyone else with caged trailers are picking their greenwaste out from the back gate. The sides are also handy for taking away a load of mulch from the tip. I've also used the hungry sides to stack moving boxes and hold them together more securely. My four ply panels are rectangular so that I can have either 600mm or 800mm higher sides above the top of the trailer. A sheet of ply is also cheaper and space saving compared to a cage.

    Hope that helps.
    cheers.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    near Rockhampton
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazzmate View Post
    For those times when a cage would be handy, maybe invest in a sheet of ply for a set of hungry sides. You'll be able to stack greenwaste higher and when you get to the tip, you'll be able to roll the greenwaste off the side and empty the trailer in a matter of minutes while everyone else with caged trailers are picking their greenwaste out from the back gate.
    Depends if on the way to the tip Mr Plod decides that you do not have a properly secured load.

    These days the police at least in Queensland can at times be picky about how things are loaded into utes and trailers. That is why you see lots of nets covering the back of utes.
    Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    Sydney, NSW, Australia
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    There is chalk and cheese between trailers my second trailer i ever owned i thought i would buy new (box trailer) so i went to a local trailer company called Carasel Trailers maybe not typed correctly however i owned there trailer from around 2001 thru to 2010 and only than it has minor surface rust

    second trailer i bought from Mario Trailers (box trailer) within around 9-12 months the trailer was covered in rust could not believe it i cheaped out on this trailer it was the most basic low sided model but the paint should have been atlease half decent it was a mistake purchase the floor had buckled and one front corner dropped just by parking a couple dirt bikes on it

    my current trailer is similar quality to the CT it was made in 2004 i bought it in 2011-2012 and only now the mudguards are rusting this is a dirt bike/ flat bed trailer i use for hauling timber,metal,bikes,beds and furniture around on

    if i had the penny to drop on a new trailer i would go 8x5 galvanised single axle to avoid yearly inspections for rego, possibly caged or atlease frames to support lengthy items i purchase

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    near Rockhampton
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    Quote Originally Posted by gazza2009au View Post
    i would go 8x5 galvanised single axle to avoid yearly inspections for rego,
    Do not think we have that in Qld. Do not even have roadworthys for vehicles under 4.5 tonne except when sold with a registration.

    No doubt sometime down the track the Qld government will go full retard and bring in mandatory roadworthy's for all vehicles.
    Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.

  15. #15
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    Aug 2009
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    Sydney, NSW, Australia
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    Quote Originally Posted by .RC. View Post
    Do not think we have that in Qld. Do not even have roadworthys for vehicles under 4.5 tonne except when sold with a registration.

    No doubt sometime down the track the Qld government will go full retard and bring in mandatory roadworthy's for all vehicles.
    Haha we have had it for as long as i have been driving, NSW is the state whre the pollies have a cane in there hand lol

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