# What size trailer?



## Burkman (Oct 14, 2012)

I am a small residential electrician who is getting tired of working out of the back of my truck. I am thinking about buying a trailer but am unsure of what size to buy. Im torn between a 6x12 single axle and a 7x14 tandem axle. i do occasionally need to haul a trencher and four wheeler. What size trailers do you gs use? Do you have pictures of your rig? Thanks! Ps. I am pulling it with an F-150, four door, short bed, 8500# towing capacity.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Try this thread

http://www.contractortalk.com/f40/job-site-trailers-show-off-your-set-ups-48819/


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## svronthmve (Aug 3, 2008)

As bc said, search the the threads. There's a ton of useful info there.

In my opinion (& based on personal experience), don't do the single axle. It's VERY easy to overload. And you WILL overload at some point!

And then you'll end up wishing you'd spent the extra for the double. Just do it now & save yourself the frustration (and the extra $$$!).


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

You will always want a bigger trailer in the long run. I agree that single axles are very easily overloaded. If you do go single axle, upgrade to at least a 5k axle. And put brakes on it. I have a 7x12 and it is too small. It is a true 7' wide. Doesn't have fenders but fender boxes inside the trailer. Fits into spaces better than a 7x with fenders, but you have to deal with the interior space being slightly smaller. I wish I had gotten a 14-16' trailer instead.


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

I have the 7x14 dual axle, and it's a good size for us. Pull it with a F250, don't think a 150 rated at 8500lbs would be the ideal tow vehicle.

If your dead set against getting a larger truck, I would probably be tempted to get a smaller trailer.


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

Of course, a few weeks after getting the smaller trailer you'll wish you got the larger truck.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

TxElectrician said:


> I have the 7x14 dual axle, and it's a good size for us. Pull it with a F250, don't think a 150 rated at 8500lbs would be the ideal tow vehicle.
> 
> If your dead set against getting a larger truck, I would probably be tempted to get a smaller trailer.


I tow my 7x14 with my truck every day. Mines rated at less towing capacity as his. I also tow the mountain roads a lot. Never had one issue or problem and I'm at about 50k miles now. F150's can handle a 7000lb trailer easy.


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## Frank Castle (Dec 27, 2011)

Trailers and Boats! You always want a bigger one. 
Personally, I would go double axle and as big as you can afford (or store).:laughing:

Take them for a test ride so you can see weather or not you like how they track behind your truck.


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## svronthmve (Aug 3, 2008)

Frank Castle said:


> Trailers and Boats! You always want a bigger one.


Those aren't the ONLY things guys always want a bigger one of! :whistling:


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

Something else I forgot to mention. Tag trailers should be set up for around 10-15% tongue weight. My 7x12 is a 7k GVWR trailer. That means I should have around 700 lbs of tongue weight if tue trailer weighs 7 thousand lbs. Wrong. The way I have my trailer loaded, I have about 1200 lbs tongue weight and the trailer is only 6-6.5k lbs. ok with my f350 and class V hitch. But a f150 you are going to want to be careful of overloading your hitch. I run a weight distributing setup on my trailer when it is totally loaded.


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## Frank Castle (Dec 27, 2011)

svronthmve said:


> Those aren't the ONLY things guys always want a bigger one of! :whistling:


Some things go without saying....:whistling:


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

BCConstruction said:


> I tow my 7x14 with my truck every day. Mines rated at less towing capacity as his. I also tow the mountain roads a lot. Never had one issue or problem and I'm at about 50k miles now. F150's can handle a 7000lb trailer easy.


It's well documented you love your truck:thumbsup::laughing:
I prefer to use a heavier vehicle for towing, but to each their own.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

TxElectrician said:


> It's well documented you love your truck:thumbsup::laughing:
> I prefer to use a heavier vehicle for towing, but to each their own.


My trucks bigger and heavier than most f250's I pull up next to in the yards. The new f150's have higher capacitys, Stronger frames, more powerful engine, bigger brakes and a lot more advanced tech like trailer sway control with integrated brake controller than the f250's had 5+ years ago. 

The only way your gonna know how nice they tow is to test one. My trailers pretty much topped out for weight when fully loaded and it squats less than the majority of 3/4 tons around here. I do have the extra leaf because I have 20's on there but I think the majority of the f150's have that extra leaf. if not it can be ordered as a option.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Morning Wood said:


> Something else I forgot to mention. Tag trailers should be set up for around 10-15% tongue weight. My 7x12 is a 7k GVWR trailer. That means I should have around 700 lbs of tongue weight if tue trailer weighs 7 thousand lbs. Wrong. The way I have my trailer loaded, I have about 1200 lbs tongue weight and the trailer is only 6-6.5k lbs. ok with my f350 and class V hitch. But a f150 you are going to want to be careful of overloading your hitch. I run a weight distributing setup on my trailer when it is totally loaded.


You need to arrange the weight better. You don't need that much weight forward. ESP on the newer vehicles that use trailer sway control. I moved the majority of my heavy stuff to the rear so that I don't even need to get in the trailer to get it. It made my trailer balance out very well around 12% tounge weight. I have seen them tested with a negative tounge weight and trailer sway control worked so well there was zero sway at high speed.


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