TSC or Lowes for pellet trailer

[Tonyray]

ok.. getting a hitch/light kit installed on my toyota 4 banger truck at U-haul this week.
Lowes and TSC both have the 4x6 that I need.....prices are very close...
anyone recommend 1 over the other/?
haven't eyeballed the lowes trailer but looks the same with same load specs..
The Lowes trailer does have the gate in the back which the TSC one doesn't
but could be "made in China" junk for all I know..
neither has a wood floor which I will put in regardless..

 

[moey]

I have one of the TSC trailers "Carry-on" check the tire sizes when I bought mine the TSC ones had larger tires. Mine is a 5x8. I would suggest the 5x8 over the smaller one you can fit a piece of plywood in it. Also when you get it home put a coat of paint on it. The paint they have on them SUCKS..... Mine is 3 years old and very rusty it should not be like that if had decent paint. You may look around for better trailers they are OK for the price but you may be able to find better. The gate does not come off probably some safety BS something to consider some other brands may. If you do buy it at lowes make sure you get a 10% off coupon from ebay, online, or the post office.

 

[Tonyray]

I have one of the TSC trailers "Carry-on" check the tire sizes when I bought mine the TSC ones had larger tires. Mine is a 5x8. I would suggest the 5x8 over the smaller one you can fit a piece of plywood in it. Also when you get it home put a coat of paint on it. The paint they have on them SUCKS..... Mine is 3 years old and very rusty it should not be like that if had decent paint. You may look around for better trailers they are OK for the price but you may be able to find better. The gate does not come off probably some safety BS something to consider some other brands may. If you do buy it at lowes make sure you get a 10% off coupon from ebay, online, or the post office.

Not interested in one with a gate.. I'll use tie down straps....
I was told I should take 400 lbs off[10 bags] and put them in the truck bed for better load balance for pulling 1 ton weight..

 

[moey]

Not interested in one with a gate.. I'll use tie down straps....
I was told I should take 400 lbs off[10 bags] and put them in the truck bed for better load balance for pulling 1 ton weight..

It would probably be fine but if you haul them still on the pallet all the weight would be supported by fewer cross members on the trailer. The trailers are not that beefy. I used to open up the ton and spread them out over my trailer.

 

[Mpodesta]

Which 4x6 trailer at either store is rated for 2000lb load weight? I looked on both sites and can't find any that will hold a ton

 

[Tonyray]

Which 4x6 trailer at either store is rated for 2000lb load weight? I looked on both sites and can't find any that will hold a ton

it;s actually GVWR Weight...
that's why I Would take off 10 bags or so..
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/search/trailers-173-1
The next biggest jump up in hauling weight are Longer and Wider trailers which I don't need since I would only haul 1 ton However spread out.
.. 6x8 starts at 2400 GVWR..
4X6 5X7 5X8 are all 2000 GVWR

 

[Babaganoosh]

If you have a fold down gate it's very hard to load with a forklift. Without a fold down gate they can drive right up and put the pallet right on the trailer. If your trailer doesn't have sides it's not an issue.

I also suggest a 5 by 8 as an above poster did. It's nice to be able to put sheet rock or a sheet of plywood on the trailer.

 

[Tonyray]

If you have a fold down gate it's very hard to load with a forklift. Without a fold down gate they can drive right up and put the pallet right on the trailer. If your trailer doesn't have sides it's not an issue.

I also suggest a 5 by 8 as an above poster did. It's nice to be able to put sheet rock or a sheet of plywood on the trailer.

Agree about not needing a gate......my truckbed will fit 4x8 plywood... so really don't need bigger...

 

[Tonyray]

I have one of the TSC trailers "Carry-on" check the tire sizes when I bought mine the TSC ones had larger tires. Mine is a 5x8. I would suggest the 5x8 over the smaller one you can fit a piece of plywood in it. Also when you get it home put a coat of paint on it. The paint they have on them SUCKS..... Mine is 3 years old and very rusty it should not be like that if had decent paint. You may look around for better trailers they are OK for the price but you may be able to find better. The gate does not come off probably some safety BS something to consider some other brands may. If you do buy it at lowes make sure you get a 10% off coupon from ebay, online, or the post office.

I saw a video where a guy spray painted all the metal on the trailer[top and underneath then sprayed everything including the tire fenders with that spray stuff for truck bedliners.
dries to a hard surface..he also cut a 4x8 sheet of plywood down to 4x6 for the trailer and spray painted the bed liner stuff on both sides of the plywood before he mounted it down on the trailer.

Skip the Above...
Actually just got the video.. pretty interesting what he did to a 4x6 Trailer...

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[boo boo]

Get the one that fits your needs
I never seen the ones at lowes but the TSC ones I have. The 4x6 one should be fine it seemed sturdy for hauling pellets

TSC had a sale about a month back here and we were looking at the larger one I think it was the 10 foot one 300.00 off for 999.00
We didn't buy it and now I wished I had
Pellets
Dump runs
lumber
mulch
garden soil
and many more I would have used that thing a lot this spring and its not over yet

 

[Tonyray]

Get the one that fits your needs
I never seen the ones at lowes but the TSC ones I have. The 4x6 one should be fine it seemed sturdy for hauling pellets

TSC had a sale about a month back here and we were looking at the larger one I think it was the 10 foot one 300.00 off for 999.00
We didn't buy it and now I wished I had
Pellets
Dump runs
lumber
mulch
garden soil
and many more I would have used that thing a lot this spring and its not over yet

If the next size or 2 up had larger Gross weight I would have concidered them but they are still 2,000lbs.
my truck will handle 4x8 plywood with the gate down.

 

[MadMax31]

Whatever trailer you get, be sure to load the front of the trailer, or the bed as well. Negative tounge weight is bad news...

 

[wolfie770]

2000 GVWR includes the weight of the trailer. They are not rated to haul 2000#. You will be overweight and illegal. I have a 5X10 from TSC. It is rated to haul 2200#. Most of Lowes trailers are junk with a light mesh bottom. If the trailer does not have 15" wheels then the axle is not rated to haul a ton of pellets. Most of the cheap trailers are not. When hauling, the weight should always be centered on the axle. I fold my gate down and set a sheet of plywood over it with a 4X4 under the front end. The entire pallet sets on the plywood, centered over the axle and is strapped down. Works very well for me.

 

[acammer]

2000 GVWR includes the weight of the trailer. They are not rated to haul 2000#. You will be overweight and illegal. I have a 5X10 from TSC. It is rated to haul 2200#. Most of Lowes trailers are junk with a light mesh bottom. If the trailer does not have 15" wheels then the axle is not rated to haul a ton of pellets. Most of the cheap trailers are not. When hauling, the weight should always be centered on the axle. I fold my gate down and set a sheet of plywood over it with a 4X4 under the front end. The entire pallet sets on the plywood, centered over the axle and is strapped down. Works very well for me.

Agreed - I'm not sure where you're gonna find too many 4x6 trailers that'll haul a ton - you want payload capacity, not GVWR. Althought in most cases you can throw 10 or so bags in your tow vehicle and be close. My aluminum 5x10 Triton is rated for 1,800 and it handles that load pretty well. Agreed, weight centered over the axle is best, with a slight bias toward the tongue to keep things pulling right. As somebody else said, you definitely don't want negative weight at the tongue, that'll be a blast to pull!

 

[MadMax31]

Mine has 14" wheels, 7000 lb rating. But I do have 4 of em... With 4 brakes

I wouldnt get a 4x8, 5x10 minimum. The extra room between sides is worth it. I have 68" between rails and it makes life so much easier. Is the trailer sole purpose to haul pellets? Thats seems overkill, but I dont know what your getting charged for delivery....

The only reason I got my 6x12 is too bush hog my land when I owned a Tahoe. Now I have a Super Crew F150 but I dont use the bed for anything other than my hockey bag.

 

[alternativeheat]

Actually the weight should be slightly forward of the axle pivot point. You want about 100- 250 lb of tongue weight on the hitch. This affords proper tracking of the trailer. Centering the weight over the axle is generally a little shy on tongue weight .. When inspecting a trailer design you will see that the axle is rearward of center to the bed of most trailers. They are built that way for a purpose. I've built several trailers and spoke with other trailer builders.about balance as well. The first serious trailer I built was a car hauler with dual axles. You will notice as you move the weight a bit towards the tow vehicle how much more you don't even notice the trailer is behind you other than pulling hills and braking. Tracking becomes more one with the tow vehicle, less sway, less bobbing, assuming everything is in good condition and properly inflated tires.

Tony, I've found tie downs and broken down pellet pallets ( so called half or partial pallets) to be totally useless. The pellets just slide out from under the tie downs. However a whole pallet as it comes purchased from the store I would haul to California and back and it would stay together.. So if you are going to break them down anyway, just go all the way and spread them out between tow vehicle and the trailer bed to meet your GVW. Unless you have a means of re wrapping a 1/2 or 2/3 pallet of pellets ( they do make rolls of pallet wrap, the beverage industry for one industry uses that to hand wrap hand stacked pallets of soda for transport on the bulk soda trucks, which have the same issue over the road of spilling soda cases all over the bed of the truck.. The side loader trailers don't need that as the pallets are better contained on those. I was a fleet mech for 44 years in the beverage industry, fwiw, I've worked on many many trailers of all trypes and description.. Excuse me for trying to instill some credibility into my message LOL !! If you are going to split the load anyway, then the 2000lb payload capacity is irrelevant .But it's very relevant if you want them to slide a ton on and drive away..It's always nice to have a trailer that is a little too beefy for your purpose, then you don't have to think about it. Always think safety, know that thing can blow apart if too light, know that there are others on the road with you, so secure your load by the best means. Now 40 lb bags of pellets aren't blowing out of the bed of your trailer but they can fall there, not a nice scene. Not a nice mess to pick up and not nice as an obstacle course to other drivers either. It's a matter of using common sense.

 

[Pellet-King]

Hope you've taken a good look under that old truck for rusting brake lines, with no trailer brakes and during a stop you could blow a brake line and be in a world of hurt, you dont know ANYONE with a REAL truck?, get real buddy!

 

[Papelletman]

it;s actually GVWR Weight...
that's why I Would take off 10 bags or so..
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/search/trailers-173-1
The next biggest jump up in hauling weight are Longer and Wider trailers which I don't need since I would only haul 1 ton However spread out.
.. 6x8 starts at 2400 GVWR..
4X6 5X7 5X8 are all 2000 GVWR

The website says payload capacity on that trailer is 1750 lbs.

 

[mchasal]

The next biggest jump up in hauling weight are Longer and Wider trailers which I don't need since I would only haul 1 ton However spread out.
.. 6x8 starts at 2400 GVWR..
4X6 5X7 5X8 are all 2000 GVWR

FYI, there are trailers of the smaller size with higher weight capacity. For example: (broken link removed to http://bigtextrailers.com/30sa35sa-single-axle-utility/) That is available in a 5x8 with a 2995# GVWR and 633# trailer weight. You'd probably need to go to an actual trailer dealer, and we're probably talking a significant bump in price. You'd have to decide if it's worth that to be able to haul a full pallet without breaking it up.

ETA: Another that's down to 4x8 with similar GVWR: (broken link removed to http://www.loadtrail.com/detail.cfm?model=SA03&desc=Single%20Axle%202%2C990%20Lb%20w%2F3%22%20Channel%20Frame)

 

[acammer]

Hope you've taken a good look under that old truck for rusting brake lines, with no trailer brakes and during a stop you could blow a brake line and be in a world of hurt, you dont know ANYONE with a REAL truck?, get real buddy!

Real truck - I manage a ton of pellets with my quarter ton Chevy - an 05 Impala with a trailer behind it. If you're trying to bring a multi-ton load then sure, you need more truck. But for a ton at a time he's got plenty of vehicle. Agree to make sure the brakes, and the cooling system, are in good shape as those systems get tested pretty good when towing.

 

[moey]

wait for it........

My "fill in blank" is better then your "fill in blank"....

 

[TimfromMA]

Even if you are not at fault, expect a world of headaches if you have an accident and your vehicle is overweight.

 

[moey]

Even if you are not at fault, expect a world of headaches if you have an accident and your vehicle is overweight.

400lbs is like carrying around a fat dude in the passenger seat. If he pulls 10 bags off the top he within limits of everything.

 

[coaly]

A trailer without operating gate would be a waste to me. Someday you may want to pick up or move a washer / dryer, fridge, kitchen range........ How would you load these items? Also getting a load of mulch, stone, top soil....... you want to be able to shovel it off the back easily. I'd be lost without one that tilts as well. Lawn tractors, stoves......... my Snow Bear (Canadian) tail gate removes and lays down flat just like the front making it a 14 foot long flat bed.
You want 10% of load weight on tongue to prevent fishtailing on a small trailer. More than that squats lightweight vehicles, (and is usually the hitch weight max. or vertical weight on hitch) less than that, the trailer won't follow straight and true behind you. Some are limited by tire capacity. The larger tire diameter the better due to bearing temperature and wheel speed.
Retired a couple years ago from my own RV business including Reese distributor / installer of weight distributing hitches since 1989.

 

[Bridgeman]

I ranted about trailers and their shortcomings several times on this site. I have to deal with every type of trailer from 24 ton to 1/2 ton at work. I have a great loathing for all things trailer. I personally own 3 trailers, 2 boat and 1 snowmobile that I use for everything except sleds.
I have a few things to recommend.
Buy a galvanized trailer. Paint jobs on trailers are terrible, even the most expensive heavy duty trailers have crap paint jobs.
Buy a trailer that is 150% larger than the expected load you expect to carry. Max loading works if your trailer is in perfect shape as in brand spanking new. As tires, spring hangers wear, capacity is compromised.
Make sure the tires are properly inflated and in good condition. Economy trailers come with junk tires that wear quickly and puncture easily. It's a good idea to have a spare available.
After the first loaded trip, jack the trailer and check the wheel bearing for play and spin the tire. If you hear anything tear it down and check the bearings and races. Lots of this stuff is imported and not from the the good places.
Get an LED light kit. Shield all exposed wires with corrugated plastic shielding available at auto part stores. Make sure every place a wire goes in a hole in the frame has a protective grommet. Buy extra stainless steel frame clips and put more than need. If the clips on the trailer are not stainless, replace them. Those clips will cut the wire if your not careful.
Coat the hitch coupler with Fluid Film spray and use a pin or lock in the safety.
Load distribution has already been covered but I can not emphasize enough how important a safety consideration it is.
Make sure your ball is the correct size for the coupler. A 1 7/8" ball fits nicely in a 2" coupler. It also might have your trailer passing you on the highway. Safety chains are not optional.
Having said all this, I have my pellets delivered by a trailer with a forklift.