Equipment Trailers and You
If you need to move equipment, vehicles, or large cargo around quickly and easily, you’re going to need an equipment trailer. These versatile tools have many uses, but it can be hard to get a firm grasp of just what they are. We here at Outdoor Motor Sports & Trailer Sales want to help you know your tools and the options on the market, so we’ve put together some information on equipment trailers below to get you started. To learn more, or to see the equipment trailers we have for sale, contact our store in Amsterdam, New York, today!
Definition
Though some dealerships and even manufacturers may use the term to just refer to trailers in general, equipment trailers themselves have a large, flat bed, low walls or no walls at all, and usually a tail or ramp attached at the rear of the bed. Equipment trailers are primarily used for moving wheeled vehicles and heavy equipment around quickly and without damaging the cargo in the process. Landscapers, construction projects, and anyone needing to move large equipment around consistently will benefit from owning one of these trailers.
What Sets Them Apart
Because equipment trailers are designed to carry heavy machinery, they tend to have a higher weight capacity. For trailers, this is often measured in GAWR, or Gross Axle Weight Rating. Each axle on the trailer has a weight rating denoting how much weight it can safely handle. If a trailer has multiple axles, they’ll be referred to by FR for front axle rating and RR for rear axle rating.
Equipment trailers most often have 6,000+ lb axles, meaning their axles can typically handle 6,000lbs or more, each.
Variations
There are many types of equipment trailers out there. Some of them have specialized designs that make them uniquely perfect for a specific type of equipment, such as landscaping models that are great for landscaping equipment.
Size and Weight Capacity
Of course there are many sizes of equipment trailers, and many different weight ratings on the market. These trailers can have lengths of anywhere between 12’ and 40’ and various widths as well. GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) is used to measure the weight capacity of the entire trailer, and equipment trailers can often handle up to 48,000 lbs.
Tails
Like we mentioned before, many equipment trailers have one or more tails or a ramp. Depending on your typical cargo, you can find an option that has 2-3 guided ramps that any 3- or 4-wheeled equipment can easily ascend. You might also require three guided ramps for something a little more unusual with three wheels. You can also just get a ramp that any equipment can be loaded with.
Hitch Types
Equipment trailers can be bumper-pulled, or they can utilize gooseneck hitch styles which fasten to the bed of a pickup truck rather than a bumper.
For more information, or to see the various equipment trailers we have available, contact us at Outdoor Motor Sports & Trailer Sales. We proudly serve Schenectady and Albany, New York—let us serve you today!