Home Improvement → 5'x8' utility trailer - which to buy

I want to buy (new or slightly used) a 5' x 8' utility trailer with 12' or 13" wheels and a wood floor (for hauling dirt or driveway rock) either with or without a drop down ramp.

I see lots of trailers at Tractor Supply:
»preview.tinyurl.com/mdtj5xm

and some with a single bar from the coupler to the frame but most have an 'A' frame. Some have angle iron frames and a few have a tube frame. Some have different weight capacities (2k lbs - vs - 2.9k lbs for the same size trailer as an example).

Are there any really important features to be aware of, or are most 5' x 8', 12 or 13" wheels, angle iron trailers with PT wood floors basically the same, so buy on price!

I'd also haul a riding mower occasionally plus could make some household furniture hauls - possibly at speeds of 70mph on the Interstate for distances of a few hundred miles.

(edit - changed 12 ft wheels to 12 inch wheels)

What mining operation is this trailer with monster wheels going to be use for?

They are definitely not all the same. There many variations between trailers that even look the same in many cases. In most cases you will be able to haul the rated capacity of the trailers, that's in the best case scenario which you normally won't have. You are deftly right in thinking that larger tires are the better way to go. The A-frame type frames are more rigid and less likely to flex while pulling heavy loads. The advantage of angle iron versus tubing is that you can see all surfaces of the angle iron so when a rust start forming you can immediately take care of it. Tubing can have internal rust that you don't see until it gets bad. This is especially important if you plan on leaving the trailer outside.

Dirt/rock is heavy. Won't take much to reach the limit for a cheap trailer. I looked at the HomerD, Lowes, Tractor Supply and Northern Tools trailers and most seemed flimsy.

I had an Anderson 5x10 with 15" wheels and 2000lb capacity. It was well made and tracked well. I hated the landscape gate as it was huge. On the highway it was just a big sail. I ended up cutting it down to the side rail height and using ramps.
I also moved to big 15" tires and rims (225/70-15). I had the rims so was a cheap upgrade. I could then go with regular tires (with high load capacity) as trailer tires tend to be crap and expensive.

I replaced the wire mesh floor with 5/4 decking.

If it was me, I'd go with 3k load and 15" wheels.

My brother had one, but finally decided it was cheaper in the long run to rent a truck locally as needed.

Check the max weight vs actual weight of the trailer. A yard of stone or dirt is about a ton of weight.

I've had a lot of trailers. I still have two. One thing about these tiny single axle trailers is they are not built to be tooling down the highway at 70 MPH - especially while loaded. Their tiny little axles and bearings can't take it. I'd put that thought out of my head. The max speed rating should be available from the manufacturer.
Otherwise, they are great for hauling shit around town - especially if you do not have a pickup. Also beware of the weight rating. What they advertise and what you get are two different things. For instance, some of the units you linked to say 2000 lb, but are actually 1660 lb.
I'd spend a few extra $ and get a trailer with a larger axle / wheels. Even if you have to buy used. Just make sure you get a title if your state requires it.
I bought one without a title one time and had to go through a bunch of BS to get it licensed when I moved to MO.

not mentioned yet:

if you expect more furniture, valuables? consider a closed trailer, to keep the rain and dew off the load.

yes, get one doubly large, doubly strong. then you don't have to worry.

the main advantage of the larger rims/tires, 13/14/15 is that you can find replacements and spares anywhere anytime, much cheaper ($20+ for good used tire & rim), since they are much more common. 12s and trailer rims/tires are much harder to find, and much more expensive when you do find them (rare used, $60. new).
check that the 13/14/15 lug pattern is a common one though.

Plus you don't have to store the trailer for the 99.99% time you won't be using it.

get a folding trailer. you can store it on your garage wall.
harbor freight, red trailers etc.

Did a search using the string - utility trailer moncs corner sc - there are a lot of companies around you that sell or manufacture Trailers. And could to so to your specs. That is what I did with my last one which was rated at 15,000+ lbs. Frame was fully boxed, dual axle, electric brakes, break away system, fully lighted and more. I stayed away from the pre-builts and had it custom built.

Do not just buy on price. Buy on build quality. Check Craigslist for what things are going for in the used department in your area.

^^ +1

If you really want new then at least go to a custom trailer maker and tell them what you need and what they recommend. Some of them even stock the most commonly needed units, and 5 X 8 is a popular size.

As others have mentioned, there is a lot more to consider than what you have looked at. The weight rating for one is a big one. Let's take my 16' car hauler for example. It is all steel built with diamond plate floors, large C-channel frame and has a pair of 5200 pound axles under it giving it a weight rating of 10,400 pounds. Does that mean I can put 10K pounds on it? Technically I've put more than that on it but the answer is no. Stamped on the plate on the trailer is an empty weight of 2000 pounds (I've not actually taken it to a scale to get a true empty weight) which means my true max capacity is 8,400 pounds.

The wheel sizes are a big factor and the 12" - 13" wheels are NOT made for high speed use, especially not a "few hundred miles". Plus when it comes time to replace the tires you are stuck with Walmart, Northern/Harbor freight/Tractor Supply, etc. type tires that are all pretty cheap honestly. Step up to at least 14" while 15" would be better as you can then go to any tire shop and get tires for it (at the lower weight capacities you don't need trailer service tires provided the weight capacity of the tire is in range, many car tires can handle a 3500 pound axle). This will also eliminate the warp speed the tires will be spinning at on the Interstate.

Look at ones with brakes on the trailer. The household goods and lawn tractor aren't that heavy but the dirt and rock are (which I'll talk about in more detail next). It's one thing to get the load moving but it's quite another to get it stopped and even with a 2500/3500 series truck, they aren't going to be able to reliably stop the weight of that trailer using their brakes alone. Each state has different weight limits before a brake system must be used and most states that magic number is 3000 pounds (I believe it is actual weight not maximum weight). South Carolina is a 3000 pound state but if you do any traveling say to NC, their number is 1000 pounds. It's up to you to be prepared and the safest way is to simply just go ahead and have a brake setup installed. »www.brakebuddy.com/towing-laws

Now, about the primary thing you want to haul in this trailer. A 5 x 8 trailer assuming it has 12" sides will give you a capacity of 1.5 cubic yards. ONE cubic yard weighs between 2000 and 2800 pounds depending on the material in question. Basically you couldn't even begin to load your trailer to what would be perceived as the maximum before it is way over loaded (and with the small axles and wheels, it won't handle that severe of an overload like a larger trailer would).

Simply put, nothing I see at Tractor Supply will do what you want. Their highest rated trailer is a 5 x 10 and has a payload capacity of 2115 pounds. That will barely get you into the minimum rating for one cubic yard of material. That longer trailer technically can hold 1.9 cubic yards so you will essentially only be able to load it to what appears to be half capacity. Plus with the open sides you will need to come up with some way to seal that or you'll just be losing material as you drive.

You would really be better off with a purpose built trailer for this, probably even a dump trailer (unless you want to unload it by hand). There are a couple of trailer manufacturers near you (I can't give any recommendations on them since I don't live near there) that should be able to build what you want. From what I see on their site, these guys look like your best bet: »www.trailerdepotsc.com/. They only use 3500 pound or larger axles (with 15" wheels) and some of them have mesh sides along the rails (will help hold in gravel but may not do as much for dirt, though a tarp would solve that).

5 x 8 x 1 = 1.5 Cubic Yard = 3000 - 4200 pounds. With a 3500 pound axle under it, it should be able to hold a full cubic yard of whatever you put in it. It still won't be "full" but at least now you are getting a full cubic yard on the trailer regardless of the material. This is why the trailers designed for hauling material like this have at minimum 5200 pound axles under them. That's the only way you are going to be able to actually fully load the trailer no matter whose trailer you buy.

lets clear up some of this completely worthless information.

i heard these comments years and years ago, and took them with a grain of sand. believe what you guys want, but i will provide real proof.

i bought this trailer in 04

»www.harborfreight.com/11 ··· 154.html

i put between 25,000 and 30,000 miles on this trailer (there is no typo here) some with runs over 1k in miles in 1 weekend.

that trailer was run between 55-100MPH, yes again no typo, stupid yes.

that said i sold the trailer when the trailer tires were bald. i replaced the grease in the bearings once a season and once after the 100 mph run.

number of issues "0" in regards to tires and bearings.

i currently own a 5x8 12" lowes trailer, which has again thousands of miles, which has also again run between 55 and 90mph, with 0 issue

both trailers always had between 600-900 pounds minimum on them at all times.

last week i literally took a 13' tire trailer with 2 quads, (1500pounds) across 3 States for a total of 1019 miles. with sustained speeds of 75-85mph. again original tires and again 0 problems.

i took a modified snow mobile trailer which can hold 3 quads and uses 8" tires on a 900 mile quading trip, at speeds between 75-80 mph again. look for the pattern here. 0 issues.

all bearings when pulled out look perfect, no burn marks etc.

people love to say no good on highway. after 20 minutes the bearings and the tires do not get any hotter. (verified by ir gun) multiple times per trip. it simply became a non issue.

mind you is this only my personal experience towing. im not speaking about the 30 other people towing similar trailers in my group with 0 trouble.

failures were the result of no grease in bearings, too tight spindle nut, low tire pressure, road hazard's, or damaged occurred offloading

i will try to post some pictures of these rigs. im just tired of this small tire comments, there is no proof of that in my entire life, which is prolly coming closer to 60k towing these type of trailers

8 inches tires

here is us off roading to the site. i am leading in the front. this is the HF trailer

here is the trailer i ran last week 1019 miles, 75-85 almost the entire time. again 0 issues this has 13" tires

The thing with the small tires is getting replacements. Hard to find, most made in China and poor quality. Have seen them out of round new.

My popup camper has 8" wheels. No problems. You do need to keep an eye on them as they spin fast, so they will fail quick if they get loose or loose grease.

I replaced the popup wheels with 12" as the wide 8" are hard to find and are expensive.

i don't disagree its harder to get those tires. that said i have never had a flat one and i carried a spare.

you will never find a cheaper made trailer then the HF. that said again 0 issues.

that said etrailer.com sells all of this stuff. and considering most people will never bald or wear out trailer tires. make its kind of a mute point to me

That's an awfully small statistical sample size. Just because you did it and had no problems doesn't mean others will or should attempt to do the same. Just because I made several trips with ~14,000 pounds of crush and run on my trailer doesn't mean it fared OK. In fact it didn't, it blew a tire and swiped the guard rail on the last run and bent two of the wheels on it. Just because it can be done and appears to be safe doesn't mean it will always be safe to do that.

If you look up the speed ratings of most trailers (I used Carry-On as the research point for this), they recommend no more than 55 MPH. I'm not sure if that was overall or for their 4x8 trailer I happened to click on. The wording of it seemed to be overall which I don't buy for a second.

In your example with the IR temp readings, what were the weight capacities of the axle(s) and tires? If they are under max weight that will certainly help contribute to low heat in the tire. In the case of boaterbob , what he wants to put on it will quickly overload the axle and tires which will only exacerbate any problem (and would be a problem with larger tires too, as evidenced by my car hauler with crush and run on it). Over loaded is over loaded regardless of axle size or tire size but under loaded can mask what could be a problem at higher capacities.

i never once said i overloaded axles, or tires. the axles between all 3 rigs were between 65 and 95% of the trailer max rating.

your comment was highlighted specifically in regards to "size" and "highway use"

of course tires blow when overload, that has nothing to do with the rim or the tires. i see RV's with blown tires all the time due to pushing the overload button.

i never said anything about speed rating either, all trailer tires ST and smaller that i am aware of have a 65MPH max speed limit.

i will now touch on this.

my spindle were WARM to the touch after a tow. i can place my hand on them for as long as i want , for as long as tow as i want.

the minute you put brakes on the trailer, this goes out the window.

your bearings, tires, and rims, are at least 10x times hotter then any non brake trailer bearings will ever be.

i measured close to 450 degree's once after a hard downgrade on a trailer with brakes...

For those of you who travel a lot.... what kind of trailers do you see abandoned along the roads? 99% are the crappy small trailers with small tires. When is the last time you saw a landscape style trailer sitting like that? Rarely.

I upgraded to a 6.5x12 landscape a few years back because the 5x8 was a PITA with tires. Had one blow on a trip for no apparent reason.

i have never once seen an abandoned trailer in good shape on the side of the road.

i have seen all types of junk abandoned on the side of the road including cars and trucks.

i saw a guy with a flat tire on a 22 inch rim, guess that would fall under the PITA category.

i can provide you almost daily reports of full size trailer tires blowing over on rv.net. those are 15 inch rims and tires and they sometimes blow 2 or more in a single outing

A lot of trailer-tires are produced at the very minimum spec required... Google "China-Bombs" for what RV's think of them. And on your Harbour Freight/Lowes/etc mass produced trailer, that's most likely what you'll get.

They will have a rated max speed of 62-65 mph, and it's not uncommon to slip a belt should you exceed that by much... If you keep the inflation up, speed down, and stay within weight ratings, you'll have a better chance - but if you're buying cheap, you're getting cheap.

As for the trailer - I like home-built or smaller shops/manufacturers - they are building the product to a standard, not to try and meet a price-point; or to hit a delivery deadline.

Some great deals can be found used, too... Check classified ad's - either online, or old school newspaper....

Your right tractor supply does sell some real junk for trailors. I like Ringo trailors. A little more money but well worth it.

Lots of good info on the posts - so I may look for a local business that builds their own trailers - with higher towing limits and higher quality tires.