Looking for trailer advice

[illini81]

I'm currently in the market for a trailer that I will pull with our Honda Odyssey. I will use the trailer for wood hauling, as well as other miscellaneous yard work jobs.

The official towing capacity of the Odyssey is 3500 lbs. However, my understanding is that minivans aren't really meant to be used like trucks, and so I'd like to generally tow loads that are well below the towing capacity. Thankfully I can get as much free wood as I want within about 5-8 miles, so I should be able to stay off the highway when towing wood, and I should be able to split jobs into multiple small trips.

I don't know the first thing about trailers. Based on the 3500 lb towing capacity, I have been thinking that a trailer with about a 1500 lb capacity might be a good fit. It seems that trailers with that capacity weigh about 500-800 lbs, which would keep me under 3500 with plenty of margin.

Does that make sense? Would something like the below trailer be a good fit? I really have no idea what to look for in a trailer. Thanks for any and all input.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Detail-...-Ends-to-Extend-Bed-to-12-ft-MMT5X7/206586893

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I'm currently in the market for a trailer that I will pull with our Honda Odyssey. I will use the trailer for wood hauling, as well as other miscellaneous yard work jobs.

The official towing capacity of the Odyssey is 3500 lbs. However, my understanding is that minivans aren't really meant to be used like trucks, and so I'd like to generally tow loads that are well below the towing capacity. Thankfully I can get as much free wood as I want within about 5-8 miles, so I should be able to stay off the highway when towing wood, and I should be able to split jobs into multiple small trips.

I don't know the first thing about trailers. Based on the 3500 lb towing capacity, I have been thinking that a trailer with about a 1500 lb capacity might be a good fit. It seems that trailers with that capacity weigh about 500-800 lbs, which would keep me under 3500 with plenty of margin.

Does that make sense? Would something like the below trailer be a good fit? I really have no idea what to look for in a trailer. Thanks for any and all input.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Detail-...-Ends-to-Extend-Bed-to-12-ft-MMT5X7/206586893

While probably any vehicle can be used for towing, make sure it doesn't void your power train warranty (if still under warranty). I had grand light towing aspirations until I discovered it would void the 10yr/100k mile warranty. Not worth it. Next vehicle!

 

[illini81]

Very good point. The van is no longer under warranty, so no worries there. Also, I am planning on adding a transmission cooler, as that seems to be highly recommended when towing with a minivan.

 

[zrock]

Veh like that were never designed to tow no matter how light the load is. To hard on the light duty transmissions you are just asking for trouble in the future... For what your going to spend on a trailer why not take that money and buy a old beater pickup for hauling firewood and other small errands? Insure it for a few months during firewood season and then just park it till next season.. Probably cost the same as insuring your trailer for a year

 

[illini81]

Veh like that were never designed to tow no matter how light the load is. To hard on the light duty transmissions you are just asking for trouble in the future... For what your going to spend on a trailer why not take that money and buy a old beater pickup for hauling firewood and other small errands? Insure it for a few months during firewood season and then just park it till next season.. Probably cost the same as insuring your trailer for a year

That's an idea that I have considered/maybe would still consider... but I guess I'm not crazy about the idea of having to take care of brakes, tires, oil changes etc on three vehicles instead of just two. I have three kids under three right now, and just took on additional responsibility at work... so I just think of a third car as more work. Granted, there will be some work involved with maintaining a trailer, but I was thinking of it as less work. Could be wrong there, since I've never had either a beater truck or a trailer.

 

[zrock]

If your just using it for the firewood and odd trip to pick things up maint and repairs should be next to nothing. I have a old plow truck that only gets insured for a few months in the winter. It's abused and only thing iv had to do on it over the years is front brake pads and flex line... it's a beast...
Even my daily driver a 03 Silverado done steering, brakes, tires. It's reliable and never have issues. The older junk seems to last forever without issues. I'd look for a 95-03 chev or Ford. You can pick up well maintained clean trucks for cheap.
Personally I think u would be happier with a truck then a trailer in the long run. I did not even insure my atv trailer this year. Just load in the truck instead of dragging out trailer, hooking up, checking lights etc, then usually having to find a spot big enough to turn around or park...

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[illini81]

If your just using it for the firewood and odd trip to pick things up maint and repairs should be next to nothing. I have a old plow truck that only gets insured for a few months in the winter. It's abused and only thing iv had to do on it over the years is front brake pads and flex line... it's a beast...
Even my daily driver a 03 Silverado done steering, brakes, tires. It's reliable and never have issues. The older junk seems to last forever without issues. I'd look for a 95-03 chev or Ford. You can pick up well maintained clean trucks for cheap.
Personally I think u would be happier with a truck then a trailer in the long run. I did not even insure my atv trailer this year. Just load in the truck instead of dragging out trailer, hooking up, checking lights etc, then usually having to find a spot big enough to turn around or park...

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Well thanks for the advice. I guess now I'm back on the fence about this I'll have to think about it some more.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Well thanks for the advice. I guess now I'm back on the fence about this I'll have to think about it some more.

By going with just a trailer your limiting yourself. By getting a truck your keeping all of you options open in the future. Theren not alot of maintenance if your not running it alot. Tires,breaks are not routine maintenance on a vehicle that you may only put a couple thousand miles on per year same thing with the oil change you probably going to change the oil every couple of years with such limited miles. The truck is more versatile, you can take it in the woods if need be you can load it and just leave it until you're ready to unload it and if you break something it's not on your daily driver

 

[VirginiaIron]

I would get the trailer. Empty (tare) weight might be 600 pounds and that is no difference from 3 good sized adults in your vehicle. The price of the HD unit seems high. The lack of a drop gate means you will need another 250 for decent ramps just to take your mower somewhere.
I got a similar model to this without the gate assist for 750 and never regretted it.
https://sleequipment.com/utility-tr...CABEgKV9vD_BwE#product_tabs_additional_tabbed

The gate provides a lot of drag behind the crown Vic but not the f350. The comparisons at TSC with the mesh beds were as cheap in price and lighter BUT they flexed excessively when I stood on one side or the other so I went with a wood deck from another retailer. A balanced load is crucial but those trailers from TSC required a balanced load absolutely.
Just remember not to tow in overdrive, you will be fine if you follow the rules and a cooler will help.

 

[VirginiaIron]

You can only carry about 1200 pounds on that trailer from HD. The trailer does seem to perform a lot of functions, even tilt, so you won't need ramps. I would check YouTube or other sites for reviews.

 

[VirginiaIron]

Apparently, some owners are complaining about title/registration difficulties due to paperwork issues.

 

[salecker]

Get an old truck...
Get creative and find one that you always liked,and have it as your toy as well.
In your position i would find a 67-72 Chev GMC because they are my fav and are cool old trucks.Doesn't mater what it looks like just have it mechanically sound.
With an cool old truck people will always wave and smile at you,and you can feel proud of driving something very few people can. Old trucks are cheep to run and maintain.
My daily driver is a 2000 GMC 2500.It was free PO was told that they would not take it as a trade in.It was offered to me delivered but without the battery.Needed tires,power steering pump,brake line and power steering line.I had a wrecked truck like it so time is my only investment,picked up a decent set of Goodyear tires at the landfill that are still on it. I have been driving it for 3 years and have only had to change oil and feed the 6.0 liter engine. Close to 200 K miles on it now. I would never trade it for a trailer.

 

[rowerwet]

I had an old truck when I lived in Maine, annual cost was about $400.
Moved to the people's republic of Massachusetts, and found I couldn't justify the jump in the insurance cost.

My grand caravan has towed the trailer just fine for years. And that's with me scrounging about 6 cords a year.

Considering what a fully loaded van with 7 2-300 pounders and bags crammed in, a 1,00 to 2,000 lb gross trailer load is peanuts.

My 2006 grand caravan did just fine, my current 2016 grand caravan is even more capable .

 

[rowerwet]

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cu...-could-become-the-pickup-truck-america-needs/
It sounds like your van has a similar rating

 

[Ashful]

Can you quote from your owners manual on towing capacities? All I see online is that the 2018 is rated to tow 3000# with a requirement for a surge brake on the trailer.

Most light vehicles have their towing capacity limited by tongue weight capacity, which is really misleading. The manufacturers have taken to just multiplying the tongue weight capacity by 10x, as 10% tongue weight is about the minimum you need to avoid trailer sway. But how realistic is it to expect someone to always load their firewood trailer right at 10.00%?

Most load their trailers (if they’re even paying attention, like they should) to 10% - 15% tongue weight, which would have the effect of lowering the actual tow capacity to 2000 lb. on a vehicle with a 300 lb. tongue weight capacity. I don’t know if this is the case with the Odyssey, which is why we need to see that section of the owner’s manual, but that is often the case.

The other thing worth saying, that I haven’t seen anyone else state, is that towing any weight with a FWD vehicle is pretty shady. I have a lot of friends who tow their 1000# boat trailers with FWD vehicles, and that’s fine, the tongue weight is pretty well controlled, right around 100 - 150 lb. But a firewood or general utility trailer might often be inadvertently loaded with much more tongue weight.

All this is a long way of saying “mind the tongue weight”, it can really affect your ability to steer in the event of an emergency maneuver, in a light FWD vehicle.

 

[rowerwet]

I get that, most minivans are not that light, not like a FWD car is.
My trailer has the axel shifted aft by design, if the rear bumper is squatting, I just load an extra layer of wood behind the axel to bring it back up

 

[Muskoka Guy]

I have a 05 Pontiac Montana ext van, not a SV6, Tow rating is 3500#. I use this van as my work van, I have a Handyman and lawncare business, from April to Dec I tow my 6x12 landscape trailer, single axle 3500# GVWR with my lawn tractor, pushmower and other equipment depending on the day, my van is also full of tools for jobs, every day with no problems, van has 316000 km. (197500 mi)

 

[AlbergSteve]

I have a 05 Pontiac Montana ext van, not a SV6, Tow rating is 3500#. I use this van as my work van, I have a Handyman and lawncare business, from April to Dec I tow my 6x12 landscape trailer, single axle 3500# GVWR with my lawn tractor, pushmower and other equipment depending on the day, my van is also full of tools for jobs, every day with no problems, van has 316000 km. (197500 mi)

I did the same thing for a few years, 2000 Chev Venture. Took the seats the the junk yard and filled it full of tools. Never lost a tool to theft either.

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2015/04/28/what-does-your-work-truck-say-about-you/

 

[legrandice]

I would buy the trailer, i have several different ones and tow with a volvo wagon or 4 runner. The 3300lb tow rating on the volvo is fine for a small trailer eith wood. No need for another vehicle to maintain.

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[Granite Statah]

i bought that trailer in the original post, specifically to haul firewood on my property. i tow with my small tractor (Mahindra emax25), but have also used it for mulch, gravel, kids, kayaks, etc. it's surprisingly robust and went together easily, and even at 55mph rides really well. i also read the "warnings" about having registration issues, but at least here in New Hampster i had no problems at all getting a plate. on the road i tow it with a nissan armada, so yeah a bit different than that honda. i searched quite a while for a trailer, and for the money couldn't find anything better--anything used was either overpriced junk, well-priced junk, or more than i wanted to pay for a new one. i'm in a fairly rural area so sometimes my selection isn't that great. one thing i like about this is the slightly taller sides-i've really been able to put a good load of splits in it without having to add my own side boards. all i added was a couple of tie-downs for tarps, for when i hauled the mulch and hardpack.

 

[32x20]

I'm also in the 'get a trailer' camp. Years ago I got rid of my pickup in favor of a compact car + trailer for the improved mileage. That car now has 169k miles on it, many of them pulling a 4x8 utility trailer loaded with motos/furniture/firewood (Kuma Sequoia in CO). You don't need to maintain another vehicle to occasionally haul firewood, especially if you're not blasting down the interstate at 75mph.

If I had to get another trailer, I think I'd go with a little more capacity, so that the capability is there when you need it. Removable tall sides would be a nice-to-have, too.

 

[Ashful]

If I had to get another trailer, I think I'd go with a little more capacity, so that the capability is there when you need it. Removable tall sides would be a nice-to-have, too.

This is a warning more for others than you, but be just be sure to always stay within the listed GTWR capacity of your vehicle. You don’t want to get caught in an accident, whether your fault or not, with an overloaded component in your rig. Worse, if the neighbors kid cycles out in front of you, and you can’t stop in time.

 

[32x20]

This is a warning more for others than you, but be just be sure to always stay within the listed GTWR capacity of your vehicle. You don’t want to get caught in an accident, whether your fault or not, with an overloaded component in your rig. Worse, if the neighbors kid cycles out in front of you, and you can’t stop in time.

I agree. If I had a 3500lb rating, though, I'd have no qualms towing that much and I'd have a trailer rated for that. Especially if you've got some other towing experience.

When I'm breaking the rules and towing half a cord with the mazda it's on FS roads at <30mph, which luckily are right out the driveway. I'm not condoning towing this much at 50+mph.