Utility trailers are very useful regardless of the actual reason you need them at the moment. This is evident when you rent or borrow a good multipurpose trailer. Sooner or later you understand that having one in your garage will make life easier for you.
But what to look for in a trailer? There are a lot of specs and certainly no lack of Aussie made offers on the market. They are made to suit our needs and those are the good news. The bad news? So many iterations of the basic concept.
How to Make Sure It Will Last
You got to start from the materials that are put into making the trailer. If you find that galvanized steel or aluminium was used for making the unit you are looking at durable small enclosed utility trailer. Usually the steel is in the chassis and frame, while composite aluminium body makes the enclosure. Some manufacturer even go as far as adding checker plate finish around the base.
To make sure your investment is well placed, take a closer look at all of the signs of craftsmanship. These are practically details, but they play into the maintenance profile and service life of the unit. Utility trailers with heavy duty hinges, gas struts and flush mount locks will make your purchase worthwhile. And on the mechanical side of things – brakes, wheels, tires and LED lights should be new and not some second hand fix up.
How to Get the Size You Need
Choosing the right size trailer can be a real drag. First you need to check: what size do enclosed trailers come in? Typically you can find trailers in 8 x 5, 9 x 5, 10 x 5, 10 x 6 and 12 x 6 sizes. This translates into a height of 1800mm and lengths that are made to measure. The width is more or less standard and dictated by road safety regulations. You can easily find Australian trailer makers that will make you a trailer according to custom measurements.
So when you come across products described as large or small enclosed utility trailer double check what small actually means. Apart from the dimensions you can also use the capacity expressed in GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) as a guide. Estimating payload capacity is straightforward – by no means exceed the amount that is recommended by the manufacturer.
How to Customize It for Specific Task
The dimensions are only the most basic element you can customize in your trailer. Experienced trailer makers can adapt the concept to suit your requirements. You can usually choose the number and location of openings, you can add ladder racks or mount spare tire holder. Inside the enclosure you can add shelving system, drawers or some specific piece of gear (like confined space training equipment). And finally you can choose from up to 12 different colors for the enclosure.
Bear in mind though that sometimes is best to stick to standard trailer configuration. This plays into the multipurpose utilization of the trailer and makes servicing (or replacing worn out parts) a much easier task.
What Can You Use Utility Trailer for
Landscaping
The typical landscaping machines are fitted with wheels, however you can’t actually use them on the road. If you have a utility trailer with a ramp you can easily haul your mowing equipment to and fro. Professionals use dedicated mower mover trailer, but every home owner or estate manager can employ a trailer to transport the machine. You can also load your hand tools.
Waste Disposal
Enclosed trailers are great for transporting trash. If you are the landscaper from above you can load the trailer with biomass. When compared to trucks (and even to ute trays), trailers are much easier to fill up with and dispose of debris. On the flip side, capacity is limited, but if you are doing low key construction work or similar, trailer will do.
Moving Furniture
Sometimes is best to hire moving service to take care of transporting furniture and personal belongings. But if you need to move one single piece of bulky equipment or furniture you can actually do a better job with an enclosed utility trailer.
Carry Supplies or Luggage
People who spend a lot of time on the road have a dedicated luggage trailer as an option. It serves to free up a lot of space in the original vehicle, be that a regular car, a 4WD or an RV. When you are not traveling, but you have substantial cargo to transport, trailers come as very handy. You can use them to haul construction supplies or to get your monthly shopping load to the outback.
Off Road and Camping
Those that are constantly on the run are known for adapting a trailer to serve as an outdoor kitchen. This is one notch above your usual luggage trailer because off roaders carry more gear - more or less they live of their vehicle (at least for a while). If you don’t want to create something as elaborate as a kitchen, you can create shelving system and use the trailer as a heavy duty cabinet or a toolbox.
Recreational Equipment
There are many ways to take extreme sports gear in your vehicle. You can even attach an ATM motorbike to the tray of your ute. Placing such sporting equipment in an enclosed trailer is more convenient and safer too. Your bikes, your surfboards, your skies – you can load them and focus on the road ahead.
Livestock
You will need a proper cage or mesh wire for some species, but you can definitely transport livestock in a trailer. Useful when you are buying or selling, simply relocating or taking an animal to the vet.
