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Posted by: sparkster
No matter what trailer you get iw would take it and get it covered(or most of it) with truck bed liner spray. That stuff is amazing and can be applied to anything and they even have colors now. This will protect your trailer from rust, nicks, dings and ity looks good to. I did it to my large 8 machine flatbed trailer and just covered my custom sides with it and anything else that wasn't powdercoated or wood. It has help up very well and didn't cost very much. It's easy to clean also.
Posted by: GE4x4
I had a custom made aluminum trailer made for my specs for $1700. It's a 6'x14' all aluminum frame with pressure treated deck with 10 flush tie downs. It has 14" aluminum wheels with radial tires on torques axles. It has side pockets so I can make rails all around. It also has the front jack with wheel. I was quite suprised a custom trailer was made for that price. It was only $500 more then a Big Tex of the same size, but the GT had steel side rails which would make for a very hard side load. I can load 3 sideways on my aluminum. Plus the BT weighed 500lbs more thus gave me 500lbs less payload or 1 atv. Plus the BT came with steel wheels and bias tires and leaf spring suspension. My aluminum was well worth the extra.
Posted by: Bing
i had a trailer like you describe but smaller
I liked the expanded metal floor,,,,because the mud washes right thru when you wash em off
sounds like a good price
why dont you just cut to the chase and get the 7x14 V nose aluminum enclosed
Posted by: Bing
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And what did that #3500 axle cost you?
i looked into replacing my 3500 axle with bent spindles
$101 with bearings
dexter axle
Posted by: Bing
whatever you end up buying,,,,,try and get the largest wheels you can
those little donut tires go thru bearing pretty fast,,,especially if you get close to the weight rating
Posted by: Dragginbutt
I have a couple thoughts. I agree that you get what you pay for. No I would not use a cheap trailer for 20K's worth of quads. No matter what you buy, as soon as you get it home, grease the bearings. and do it religously. Every time you pull more than 50 miles, do it. It is cheap insurance. ALWAYS check air pressure in the tires, every time before you pull. Put some wd-40 all over the hitch assembly as you hook up nad as you put it away
Now for trailers. I have a large alluminum flatbed, and a very expensive enclosed 22 ft v-nose overheight (8 ft tall inside). For sort hauls, the flatbed is the way to go. For anything overnight, or more than a 100 miles, I pull the moose. I like th esafety of having everything out of sight. It comes with a cost though. I had to trade my Hemi for a diesel to pull it. The hem struggled with it. Not becasue of th eweight, but becasue it was so tall, it pushed a lot of wind. Too much for the half ton truck to pull safely. The diesel gets double the milage on the road. Enough to save me enough in fuel that it makes the truck payment. (I pull every day).
I will offer a horror story though. My trailer is a custom job from front to back. (See my gallory for pictures) I had nothing but trouble from the PACE American factory in GA. If you get a choice, have it built in one of the other plants. The GA boys are trouble all the way through the process. Dont' get me wrong, I love my trailer, and will buy another one, but not from that factory.
Lastly, go with alluminum if at all possible. No reason to pull all that weight around. Alluminum does NOT rust either.
Posted by: Dragginbutt
That is exactly the point. There are some out here that will criticise me when I recommend not going with those or the ones from Harbor freight. Nothing personal, no dig intended.. as I can fully understand the $ issues. My motivation is to not have to spend the same money over again when the bargain falls apart. When you have to do that, it isn't much of a bargain. I looked at them closely myself. And found that for a little more money, I could get one with real tires on it, that was fully welded, and it wasn't rusting sitting there waiting for someone desperate enough to buy it. I have seen guys use them, and to a man, after a year, they are looking again. The steel is sub par, they are falling apart, welds are breaking, fenders are falling off etc. Just trying to save you some grief down the road. There is a reason why you pay more for certain brands. Funny thing is, when you talk to those that have a few years under their belts, and several trailers behind them, you almost exclusively find they are pulling the big name trailers these days. Experience is a great teacher. You can either learn from it, or suffer from your own adventures...
Posted by: 95sport400
DON'T buy anything steel! They're heavy and they will rust before you know it. First scratch in the paint and it will never be the same. You should be able to find a used 8x10 aluminum snowmobile trailer for less than $700. Get a tilt-bed and you don't have to screw around with ramps.
Posted by: 95sport400
Don't know if this is still available: trailer
Posted by: 95sport400
And what did that #3500 axle cost you? I have a few friends who built trailers and it cost them more than buying new. I just found a 2002 Karavan 8x10 aluminum for $400. Deals are out there if you look. I've owned several steel trailers over the years and they did the job. But I'll never buy another one after owning aluminum.
Posted by: 95sport400
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those little donut tires go thru bearing pretty fast,,,especially if you get close to the weight rating
Might have been true in the past, but the new ones aren't a problem if you keep them greased (absolutely don't get one that doesn't have greaseable bearings.) Took my '99 from Michigan to South Carolina and back in addition to all the regular use and it's still fine.
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you may want to go with a wishbone style aluminum trailer for the extra structure support.
I just sold my Triton XT10-101 because I HATED that damn wishbone! If I had a dollar for every time I smacked my knee crossing back and forth tying down on the front..... Especially if it's slippery where your walkin'.
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I don't like tilt trailers because the trailer is at an angle making it less convenient when loading/unloading two quads.
If you have two people it's real easy. One person just stays on the first one holding the brake while you load the second. If you're alone, just run the first one on, throw a strap on the front of it, and tilt the trailer again to load the second. To me, it's easier than messing with ramps.
Back in the 70's, I had a trailer that was wide enough for two sleds of 60's vintage but not the newer, wider ones that were coming out. It had it's wheels AND leaf springs outside the bed. You pulled a pin at the front of each leaf spring where it attached to the frame, and the spring pivoted up on the spindle dropping the bed to the ground. THAT is easy loading! Even back in the day, I only ever saw one other trailer like it.
Posted by: watzupdog
I was at home depot today and looked at a 4.5 x 6 trailer. Snowbear or something like that. The cost on it was cheap, only $449, with military discount of 10% it would be $405. Not a bad price but then I looked around on the side and saw bits and pieces all bent up. These things was made Cheap, I've decided to spend a little extra and get a trailer from my local trailer builders. They have 15 inch used tires on them inwhich later on I can buy new tires and not worry about having to go the back roads to my riding area because I cant go faster than 55mph with those dinky 12inch tires. I wanted to go cheap but just couldnt bring myself to do it.
Posted by: ryankmiller
Well my little trailer wont hold my 800. The sport 400 was fine. But I put the 800 on it and the springs hit the bottom. So I am looking into a trailer. I searched for aluminum, for weight savings, but they are a bit pricey. Now I got my eye on a Sportstar II from Northern Utility. It's only $800+shipping. In the picture. It shows a Sportsman, and a scramy sitting sideways on it. It is a side loader. Holds 2000 lbs, and has a good size tire on it. The bottom is not wooden. Open diamond shaped cutouts for a floor. Does anyone have this trailer?
I am staying away from Homedepot and Lowes trailers. The feel cheep. I pushed down on a corner and you can see the whole bed flex. Not very sturdy at all. And also from what I have read somewhere else. They rust very quickly.
Posted by: ryankmiller
Here is the link.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&productId=200244974&R=200244974&cm_ven=TL&cm_pla=DF&cm_ite=trailer
Posted by: ryankmiller
Yea I was looking into the aluminum snowmobile type trailers. I can't find one new or used around me.....I looked into a new one. I am sure shipping will cost a ton, but the steel one was only 120#'s more. Not that big of a difference to me for 2X the price. It really is going to depend on availability and cost for me. I see plenty of steel trailers that are old that still function well. Although they don't look that good. I guess it's all in the price you pay.
Posted by: ryankmiller
I don't quite have the money for an inclosed. I have plenty of places to keep it locked up. In the winter I don't travel very far.
I thought about those walmart deals, but I can't get 2 quads on it. I think I am leaning toward the Norther catalog side loader, and the triton. Unfortunately we don't have a triton dealer anywhere near us.
Posted by: ryankmiller
In my case. I take no offence to your post. I am only hauling 1 quad. I don't like the Depot trailers. The Tritons are awesome. I actually went my own route. I built my own. I found a boat trailer, that was fairly new. I moved the axle up closer, and I squared off the front end with mild steel. I also put steel braces every 2 foot down the bed. then I used treated plywood and facined it down. The trailer is killer, and it has an axle that is rated for like 3000lbs. It is a bit heavy, although it is not small. It tracks very nicely behind my truck.
Posted by: Chilly
If you can get a Snowbear utility trailer from Walmart or Home Depot you'll be getting a decent trailer for the price. I've been happy with mine for the 2 years I've had it, 12 inch wheels, steel and PT plywood bed, and a steel frame that's surprisingly heavy duty. Axle location is adjustable for better balance, and the tongue length is as well. Converts from solid frame to a tip style by pulling one pin. Deck height approx. 13-14 inches. Trailer weighs 350 lbs, rated for 2100 lbs GVW. Our price here at Walmart was $597.00 CDN, on sale for $550 CDN. You do the math. Mine is the Model 7000, it's a darn sight cheaper to get the base model and build some simple sides (if you even need them) out of 3/4 plywood and a few hinges.
If you want, I'll pick ya one up next weekend and take a trip down South, I think I'm allowed back in the States again. I'm not sure what the statute of limitations are in Maryland... BR>
Snowbear Trailers
Posted by: tyler711
I have a two place covered snowmobile trailer, it is perfect for me. But if you just want a trailer that can hold two quads and is cheap, I have seen some utility trailers in front of Home Depot that look pretty good (never taken the time to study them, though). Good to have for utility work also. I think they were pretty inexpensive, too.
Posted by: tyler711
I've been looking at those home depot trailers also. The snowmobile trailer is great for the quads, but it isnt so good as a utility trailer (obviously). I have moved a couple full loads of firewood with it, but it banged around inside and dented the walls of the cover (I was expecting that). I have never taken my fourwheelers any further than camp (just a few minutes on the highway), so I don't think that the highway speeds would ever be a problem. How well do these hold up over time? Do they rust out quickly, or do they last pretty long?
tyler
Posted by: yaK
Just have to be a rable rouser and state the obvious.....while aluminum dose not rust it will corrode..... have a freind who thought he never had to wash the salt off cause its 'Aluminum' but after 7 years of hauling sleds in the heavy salt/calcium winter control mix , it came apart on a support . He thought it cracked ...but it had corroded away... goes to show ... if you look after it , it will last ....if not....
Posted by: four4fish
has anyone seen the shorelandr trailers the ones that all the boats are on . i think they make a very nice atv trailer our is a 3 place 2100 lb capacity weigh 820 lbs and has slotted metal floor boards with about 1 1/4 holes drilled in them every 6".ramps that come with it can be moved around the whole trailer to load from any side and store in the front and act as a rock guard we haul 4 atv 325 mag 700 sportsman 250 ex and 90 eton. everyone that see it like it and its cheep 1300 brand new. www.shorelandr.com
Posted by: 20045SP500HO
I have a 11 year old steel trailer ... if you take care of it ... it will take care of you.
Yes aluminum looks better over time and is much lighter ... but my home built steel trailer works just as well and has a #3500 axel.
Posted by: 20045SP500HO
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Originally posted by: 95sport400
And what did that #3500 axle cost you? I have a few friends who built trailers and it cost them more than buying new. I just found a 2002 Karavan 8x10 aluminum for $400. Deals are out there if you look. I've owned several steel trailers over the years and they did the job. But I'll never buy another one after owning aluminum.
I don't remember ... but we made it ... didn't buy it completed.
Posted by: silverbullet2005
I have a 2004 Triton XT10-101 all aluminum tilt trailer, I got it for $981 out the door from a local harley/polaris dealer. the nice thing about aluminum is that it will last just about forever and there is no worries about rust and heavy weight. for the extra money spent you can't go wrong with aluminum. If you go with an aluminum trailer keep in mind that for carrying two quads you may want to go with a wishbone style aluminum trailer for the extra structure support. I love my Triton trailer and am so very glad I went with an aluminum over a steel strailer because of the rust factor, even the brand new steel trailers you buy usually have rust on them just from sitting in the sales lot.
You can check out the "my Photos" link below to see pictures of my Triton trailer with my 700EFI on it, the trailer will fit two of them on it but I usually onlly have the one on it due to my wife not riding very often.
Triton
Posted by: silverbullet2005
nice thing about my Triton is that even though it's a tilt you can load them up from the side as well with the aluminum ramp. if you want to convert it to haul other stuff or brush or whatnot Triton makes side rail brackets that just bolt to the trailer then you just buy some 2x4's to slide into them and build the railing yourself.
Posted by: RobRuf
I bought a Big Tex Trailer a few months ago and love it. Its a 5x10 with side rails and a beaver tail. I got mine for around a grand. What I like most is the 205x75x15 wheels ( no sway as it is towed)
Posted by: BryceGTX
Hey ryankmiller. If you really want to protect your toys, get an enclosed trailer. It provides a lockable area for tools, quads gas and what not. It also provides protection for your quads from road debris. It is particularly important if you transport the quads in the winter on salty roads. It also provides a protected place from the elements to store the quads when they are not being used. The rear door on my trailer tilts down (spring loaded) to a ramp. See my pics. I don't like tilt trailers because the trailer is at an angle making it less convenient when loading/unloading two quads.
I hope this helps you BR>BryceGTX
Posted by: BryceGTX
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I don't quite have the money for an inclosed.
I bought a 12 foot snowmobile trailer (new) for $625. I then put another $350 in for aluminum sheeting and steel to build the enclosure. I was rushed for time, otherwise I would've built the whole trailer for even less.
As far as tires. If you get the small tires, look for the 20.5x10 D rating. These are rated at over 1000lbs each. I have four of them on my trailer with two 2000lb axles/springs for a total rating of 4000lbs. Trailer weights about 700lb, sleds weight 1500lbs total, add 40 gal gas (240lbs), tools.... So I probably carry 2700lbs of sleds or about 1800lbs of quads. My quads are only Trailblazers.. It is amazing how heavy the trailer can get. Point is, don't underestimate your requirements.
BryceGTX
Posted by: BryceGTX
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If you have two people it's real easy. One person just stays on the first one holding the brake while you load the second. If you're alone, just run the first one on, throw a strap on the front of it, and tilt the trailer again to load the second. To me, it's easier than messing with ramps.
LOL, this is easy? I'm just saying it is much easier to just open my back door and drive them in.BR>BryceGTX
Posted by: BryceGTX
Also be careful of any 8x10 snowmobile trailer. Very few will have the weight capacity to carry much more than a single Sportsman even though they have the space. They will have to have 20.5x10 C rated tires at least to carry twin sportsmans. Most 8x10 trailers have much smaller tires/axles.
BryceGTX
Posted by: Quadaddy
Dude I would stay away from any trailer that uses less than a 13" wheel/tire. (No donuts !) I design travel trailers for a living and deal with axles and loading all the time. A steel frame will out-live your lifetime as long as it is primed and painted properly. I just recently built this trailer with the help of a friend that has a metel shop. It still needs a final paint. It has 15" tires. I can tow it at 80 MPH all day long and not worry about melting the wheel bearings, etc. Remember the smaller the tire is the faster it will be turning which creates heat and pre-mature wear at the tires and bearings. Look around, you should be able to find a decent used one for a good price. Have a good 1.
Trailer
Posted by: JeffinTD
A buddy of mine has a Zieman, which I use when I don't need to take the toyhauler, and I'm really impressed with it.
It is a really nice steel trailer with steel deck with slats for water/mud to drain through, and really nice steel ramps, two on each side, that slide in to tuck under the deck when not in use.
If weight is a major concern, it probably isn't for you, but it really tows nice and ramps on both sides would be handy if you have (or your buddy has) a quad without reverse.
He got his used out of a classified for like $1000....
Zieman
Posted by: JeffinTD
Those have those little dinky tires on them, don't they? Though most of your rides might be only a few miles away, wouldn't it be nice to have something you could confidently run at extended freeway speeds?
For the same money, I would look for something (perhaps used) with 15" rims.
Posted by: jayri
I bought a new 18 foot tandem 5200 lb axle car hauler, works great, put the 90 in pickup box and other 4 on trailer sideways. The reason I bought this is so I could use it for other things also...like hauling a car or my skid loader or whatever. It will haul 8600 lbs of payload and has 235/75/15 8 ply tires. Probaly a little overkill for what u need but I have 5 polaris's.
Posted by: NeverSatisfied
GE4x4
I've been shopping for a three place aluminum trailer. The Triton atv128-2 with surge brakes and a spare tire is exactly what I'm looking for, best price so far is $2465. Do you have any pics of your trailer? Who built it for you? Do you think they could duplicate some from an oline picture?
Thanks
Posted by: oldsmoboat
8X10 Steel $1800 (I got it for $1400 because I bought 2 quads too)
Pic
Posted by: oldsmoboat
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Originally posted by: yaK
Just have to be a rable rouser and state the obvious.....while aluminum dose not rust it will corrode..... have a freind who thought he never had to wash the salt off cause its 'Aluminum' but after 7 years of hauling sleds in the heavy salt/calcium winter control mix , it came apart on a support . He thought it cracked ...but it had corroded away... goes to show ... if you look after it , it will last ....if not....
The reason I went with steel is because of the ease of repairs. Something bends or breaks you can heat it up and straighten it or cut it off and weld another piece on.
Posted by: Hemi4u2nv
The shorelandr trailers are nice. I almost bought one too, but since I had my dad buy my atvs for me where he lives, I had him get the trailer there too. I got a 5x14 steel trailer with full tube construction. It's made by RoadRunner. I tried to find a web site, but couldn't. I'm really happy with it. Easy to load the atvs with the builtin 4' ramp. The big plus is I can use it to haul landscaping crap since it has that 3500# axle and 15" tires. It was $1250.
Here's some pics if interested:
Pic 1
Pic 2
Posted by: Hemi4u2nv
The number of times I've seen those Triton trailers on the side of the road is alarming, probably why I don't see them very much except on the side of the road. No matter how good their build quality is every where else, those tiny tires and wheels just don't cut it on all the 75mph interstates around here. IMO, if you're going to do any interstate driving, get something that will handle the speed with 14+" wheels. If you don't mind repacking the wheel bearings at least once or twice a year then maybe it'll be okay.
Posted by: FloridaOleGuy
I have an enclosed trailer because I need to store it at a RV storage area. When my Son and I were into racing Micro Sprints we had a tilt bed Doolitle Trailer. Great little trailer.
Posted by: jedimike
Do you have a link for them? I'm in the market myself. I have seen a couple used ATV trailers around here for good prices, but I'm always too late.
Posted by: ssenay
Ok i know this has probably been beaten up a million times but....how bad are those home depot trailers seriously. They have one for 700 its i think 5x8?? something like that. I will probably only use it to haul my new king quad less than a 100 miles one way. So maybe 200 miles in a weekend? Will it cut the cake? Also i drive a GMC Jimmy, will that yank it around ok?
Posted by: GoodOleBoy
Recently I bought a 77x14 with drop gate for $950. It has a wrap tounge and you can get 3 atvs on it sideways or 2 up the ramp.
Posted by: Floorit
I'm new to the forum here, but have ridden quads since they were first released in the 80's. I've had several trailers over the years, mainly made of mild steel. As time went on in my life, I got married and have two kids. Both kids are now of age where they have machines able to crawl the tallest dunes and keep up with the wife and I.
All this talk about trailers to haul your machines baffles me.
Please don't misunderstand me as I'm not meaning to be offensive in your choices of trailers.
IMHO...your quads are your fun. Not cheap by any means these days. We get insurance for our cars and trucks that we cherish and baby so that when....[and hopefully it doesn't happen] there's a mishap, things happen a bit easier at repair time.
Consider this..
Quads these days on the average cost roughly $5,000 for basics models. I myself have 4 for the whole families enjoyment, along with a custom aluminum trailer that I pull behind mine for hunting trips and work on my property. The trailer I pull behind my quad is made of aluminum, which cost me $1,400.00 alone.
OK....enough with my toys.
I just ordered a Triton XT14-101 that hauls four large quads. [see photo] [cost was $2,499.00+tax/license/title & cost of additional options]
myurl
I look at the trailer value the same as I do as my toys on it. You get what you pay for.
The Triton trailers have been in use for years and have proven themselves. Triton has many styles to choose from and I feel it's worth the extra $$
Happy Quadding Fellas !!
Posted by: Floorit
Well...I went and picked up my new Triton XT14-101 last saturday. It's a thing of beauty to say the least. Weighing in at 800lbs total, it tows like it's not even there with my Toyota Quad Cab v6. When I got it home, I installed 10 stainless D-Rings [4 down each side & 2 in the middle] Four fullsize quads fit on it nicely with room to spare for a few dirt bikes between them.
6-17-2006
I got off work and hooked up to the trailer, loaded all the quads and strapped them all down. At 2am saturday we left home headed for the Sand Lakes Dunes for a day trip. The only thing I had to get use to, was the fact of the 101" width I was towing. It let you know that you had to pay attention while towing it.
It was the first time for the kids to ever see dunes that big. The whole trip there, the wife and I were telling them the area was REAL small...LOL. We pulled into the day use parking area at about 6am. We arrived there so early that most people there were still sleeping. Nonetheless, we unloaded the quads, fired them up and hit the sand.
Last time we went to Sand Lakes was 14 years ago when we were single and prior to getting married.
By the time 12:00 came, the park was getting full and the weather was turning out great. People everywhere all having a good time.
We rode till 5pm and then loaded up to head home.
We all loved the trip there and plan on another trip right after the weekend of the 4th.
The Triton trailer pulled without a glitch. Total miles round-trip = 350 ...give or take a few.
As for me buying a Triton...I love it !!
With the right maintenance, it will last for a lifetime.
