Best Utility trailer Under $1000

[tunahead72 2,403]

if your planning on running down the interstate I would definitely choose a trailer with 14"-16" car tires. The smaller ones work great down the road but at 70mph the bigger wheel turns less which means less bearing wear. Just my

 

Agreed.  Larger tires are also more stable at high speeds, with less wandering, I think you'll notice an improvement with 14" or 15" tires over the 13" tires.  If you're looking at the Carry-On line at Lowe's or TSC, check their entire line-up online, I believe they have a 5x8 with the 14" or 15" tires, with higher load capacity.  Probably a little more money, but both stores have their trailers on sale on a pretty regular basis.

[Forest Road 594]

I had been shopping for a used 5x10 trailer for some time. I came to this conclusion after seeing a few in person. For another $300-500 I'm going new! It's affordable peace of mind on my regular 225 mile trips north.

I would recommend a trailer with an A-frame front end. You can then use a sway control. They're great on long hauls!

http://www.reese-hitches.com/product_categories/sway_control

[kaiser 100]

 

My registration in Maine was done through Maine Motor Transport Association. http://www.mmta.com/page/2-737/trailer-registrations

Back in my hot rod days a bunch of us in my town registered our race cars in Maine. All we had to do was dial up Maine, talk to Hazel and Bada bing the plates were in the mailbox within a week, no questions asked...Simply amazing.Yeah, that caught up to all of us after a yr. or so when it seemed every other car in town had Maine plates on it!. Maybe some things have changed and its okay to register in Maine if you don't have property there?

Back in the day our DMV was run by the Gestapo, Combat boots and all. We'd do anything to avoid them. Ain't that right Jeff and Steve? 

 

 

LOL, i remember Hazel. back then ct was the worst. t-buckets needed fenders, vw bugs needed bumpers....all the cool cars had lobsters on their plates.

 

+1 on bigger is better too. small trailers are the worst to back up.

[SousaKerry 501]

Wow you guys up there really got it bad here in Michigan ya get your trailer weighed if it is under 3000Lbs ya take the weight ticket in and it's $75 no questions asked if ya tell em ya built it yourself.  Whatever ya do don't tell em it has a VIN or Title or your screwed.

 

No inspection, no proof of purchase, just the weigh slip

 

 

Oh yeah and the plate is $75 for life.   :handgestures-thumbupright:

 

Needless to say there are a lot of home built trailers in Mi with really old plates on them..

[953 nut 55,044]

North Carolina also has a lifetime plate for utility trailers that is $75.00, but you have to ask for it or they will be happy to renew it every year at $35.00. You will need to get a title and if it is home built the DOT will issue you a VIN and no annual inspection.

[Zeek 2,286]

Get a used enclosed if you can find one in your price range.  You can use it for more stuff.  I have a 6'x12' which is a pretty common and handy size.  Get a ramp door.  In PA if you keep them under 3,000 lb. RGW you don't have to get them inspected and you can get a five year plate.

Edited August 6, 2013 by Zeek

[DoctorHfuhruhurr 137]

I like the enclosed trailers.  Everything stays nice and dry and secure.  

[truckin88 104]

I would go new I have had a bunch of trailers new and used. Bought some to flip. I like 6.5x10/12, to me it is the best all around size, but it takes up some room, if room is an issue I would opt for a 5x8. I agree with Steve and Ken, the piece of mind in new is better than worrying about tire blow outs, bad bearings, bad races, bad hubs, bent axles, bad wiring. Trailers take abuse and honestly the prices of new arr not that much higher then used, and you don't to sink money into it.

[ThreeHorses 20]

I've got a real nice 5x12 tandem axle trailer with 13" wheels and 2,000 lb. axles. I wouldn't be afraid to pull it anywhere. It's long enough that it's easy to back.

The tandem axle setup helps it ride over bumps and potholes easier than a single axle trailer. It's also light enough that I can use it behind my

312-8, 312H, or 520H around the house. It has a steel mesh floor that I bolted treated 3/4" plywood over to give it a solid floor. The 5' bed width keeps the trailer width down so it basically tracks in the same tracks as my pickup. The 6'+ width trailers tend to track wider and you see them hitting all the chuckholes on the side of the road.

I recently got a Kubota sub-compact w/loader so moved up to a 5x14 tandem axle trailer w/3,500 lb. axles. It does have 15" wheels. I needed the extra length for the grader box that came with the tractor. The trailer also has brakes on both axles which are required in Indiana if over 3,000 GVW.

Most of the pontoon boat trailers come with 13" wheels to keep the height of the trailer dunks down. My buddy just bought a $40,000 tri-toon pontoon setup with a big 150+ outboard and his trailer has a tandem axle with 13" wheels.

I do have my 5x12 trailer listed in the classified listing under non-wheelhorse.

 

[Vinylguy 4,674]

We have a small motorcycle trailer at the shop so I picked up a tri-fold aluminum ramp with safety straps

for $150 and loaded the Snapper Zero turn. Not recommended. It was a bit of a thrill ride, No room for error.

unloading even more treacherous. It is fine for the Lawn Ranger but nothing bigger. I like ThreeHorses trailer

and if he still has it next Month I will need to make an 11 hour round trip to get it. 

 

 Thanks for all the great opinions and valid points.

 

Vinylguy

[6wheeler 603]

I have a 5'X8' Great Woods trailer that was bought at Menards 5 years ago. It has hauled countless things from furniture to 55 gallon barrels of oil. It has hauled my 1500 Gold Wing, An 850 Suzuki bike. A Yamaha Venture Royal, My 520 with a 48" deck. My C-165 and a disc and cultivator and a 12" MB plow all stuffed on it. a Yamaha golf cart several times. Plus my STX 38 (which my brother mooches all the time). Auction fodder to and from the auction. So, several tractors and lots of heavy things. I am sure we have exceeded its advertised weight capacity several times. It has a expanded steel floor as well as a flip down ramp. It is a single axle trailer with 4.80X 12's on it. We have never blown a tire or had a bearing failure on it. We do very good maintenance on it along with everything else. In the spring, the wheel bearings are re-packed and tires checked. If there is any tire checking? They are replaced(we have put on one set). Usually with Denmans. I pull it at highway speeds all the time usually with my F-250 extended cab long box. It is a little harder to get used to for backing because it tends to turn quick, but you get used to it. On a funny side note, it is also the trailer I am using for my lawn clipping carrier (behind my Dakota). I have a sort of a theory for trailers. Get what you can use. But still fits in your yard.     Pat