Utility trailer - a wish list

After years of borrowing and renting utility trailers, I'm finally going to break down and buy my own. Now the question is... what type?

Hauling vehicle: Ram 1500 SLT 4x4 with electronic trailer brake controller.

Hauling needs:

6+ cords of wood per year, usually done all in one or two days.
5 - 10 yards mulch (I actually buy 30 - 40 yards, but tri-axle delivers the first 25)
Stone for various projects, although my mason usually moves for me, or I can pay delivery.
Utility Tractor: 5' W x 14' L x 3000 lb.
Mower: 60" Z-Trak
Misc. machinery (not frequent, could rent)

I was leaning toward a tandem-axle solid-side landscape trailer. That means special order, since no one stocks the solid-side trailers, around here. Something like this:



Unfortunately, I have six or eight cords sitting in a friends field he wants moved now, and these trailers are five weeks out on delivery.

If I go with what's stocked at local dealers, it would be the same with open sides. That means no moving mulch or loose material, but do I really want to shovel mulch out of a trailer, anyway???



I could pretend I'm going to make up solid sides (wood), to fit an open-side trailer, but would probably never get around to it, given my perpetual list of irons in the fire.

Final option is nice for moving material like mulch and gravel, and could haul tractor, but finding one in the footprint I need to fit the tractor means GVWR = 14,000 lb... which is way heavy for a 1/2 ton truck.



Price isn't number one consideration, but the dump trailers are also 2x the cost of the other two options. I could pay for an awful lot of mulch delivery, for the added cost of that trailer, and save myself the time of fetching it.

Thoughts?

Thanks, guys. I agree, the equipment moving aspect it was turns me off the dump. Only advantage to the dump is that I can unload firewood and mulch in a hurry.

One thing I need to check on these solid side trailers (my local dealer carries Belmont) have load rings in the floor, so I have a good low spot for strapping the tractor in place. Car haulers are ideal for that, but not practical for my needs.

The trailers I'm considering are all 82" x 14' or 16' bed (102" x 20' LOA) and all 7000# GTWR. The truck is a 2005 Dodge 1500 SLT 4x4 with trailer brakes and factory tow package. I'm having a lot of trouble finding towing capacity information on this vehicle, as Dodge has removed all Ram Truck info from their site, and Ram Trucks has no info on vehicles before 2015. Owner's manual has nothing but useless generic towing advice, no specific capacities. I seem to remember this truck being rated at 10,000 lb. towing capacity, and this agrees with the 2016 Ram 1500 SLT towing capacity of 10,800, but I wish I could find something definitive on my truck.

A few more clues:

1. From original window sticker: Hitch - Class IV Receiver
2. From owner's manual: With a Class IV Hitch, you can tow a trailer with a GTW of up to 12,000 lbs. maximum depending on your vehicle equipment.

Well, wouldn't the company writing this Owner's Manual know my "vehicle equipment" better than me? Gotta love Dodge.

edit: This link gives some info, but it's based on knowing GCWR, which is not listed in door or owner's manual. Also, it lists ratings for 3.55 and 3.92 axles, but my bill of sale calls out a 3.31 axle. http://www.dodge.com/towing/D/vehicle_2_weight_results.jsp?franchise=D&year=5&familyMarket=U&familyDivision=T&vehicleFamily=RAM_1500&model=1500+SLT&bdy_style=U%5ET%5ERAM_1500%5E5%5E1500+SLT%5EQUAD+CAB%5E4WD&bed_wheel=U%5ET%5ERAM_1500%5E5%5E1500+SLT%5EQUAD+CAB%5E4WD%5E6.25+FT+Bed&engine_trans=U%5ET%5ERAM_1500%5E5%5E1500+SLT%5EQUAD+CAB%5E4WD%5E6.25+FT+Bed%5E4.7L+Magnum%28R%29+V8+Engine%5E6-Speed+Manual+Transmission

Thanks, guys. Yes, definitely wood deck.

Been looking more at the truck spec's, and while the 5.7 liter version of my truck (which is identical in every damn way but displacement) is rated over 7000#, my 4.7 liter-powered version is only rated 5000#. Not really an issue, as it's a temporary situation (I will be replacing this truck, soon), and I can just run light loads on the trailer for the time-being.

Unless someone gives me good reason to go another way, I'll be ordering a 6 x 16 with solid sides tomorrow. I'll check out Felling and Loadhandler, but will be going with what the local dealers have, which mostly seems to be Belmont and Big Tex.

Jags said:

Not familiar with Blemont, but Big Tex is a well respected brand and of the better built trailers I have seen.

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Yeah, I was bummed when my local dealer stopped carrying Big Tex. They implied they were having delivery problems, but maybe it was just the cost of freighting them fro Texas. Belmont is a local company, who seems to have good product.

therdlesstravld said:

For my money Id go with the dump trailer and modify the ramps and tie down points to fit my equipment moving needs.

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You're not going to pull a 16 foot dump loaded with a utility tractor with a 1/2 ton pickup. So we're not just talking about the $5k increase of dump vs landscape, in this size. I'd need a heavier truck.

Agreed, @woodhog73. I bought the 1/2 ton back when I was too young and poor to afford two vehicles, so it had to serve both as a commuter car for my day job, and weekend warrior vehicle. Now that I have a sedan for (fair weather) commuting, I'll be able to replace that 1/2 ton with something geared just toward hauling and bad weather driving. I will be shopping 2500's, when I replace it.

I did have a chance to give the Belmonts a closer look as this is what my local Big Tex dealer just switched to. They come up short of the Big Tex 70TV-16 on a lot of points, so I'm passing on them. Looks like I'm back to square one on finding a brand/dealer. I pinged a few other Big Tex dealers, to see if any might have stock, to make it worth the long drive to go get them, so I might get lucky there.

I checked the Felling site, @greg13, but couldn't find any landscape / utility trailers there.

As to dump trailers, they'd make a great third trailer, the first being occupied by my boat. I don't think I can count on a dump trailer for much of what I need it for.

Big Tex 70TV-16 on order. Optioned brakes on both axles (req'd in PA), and mounted spare tire. They already had one in stock in TX, and a trailer load scheduled for delivery in two weeks, so I'll be getting it soon!

Now to pick a new brake controller...


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Thanks for the recommendation, but I already bought the Big Tex 70TV-16. I don't usually debate on these decisions very long!

It was supposed to arrive this week, so I could go pick it up this Saturday, but now I'm told the truck is delayed a few days. Should have it by next weekend.