[tjl]

I have been reading some past threads about enclosed trailers and I am going to looking for one next year. I agree with everyone who has one and has decorated it with all their company information. I saw some at the MAHTS in Feb '06 and I was impressed to the point of knowing that I was going to have one.

At this point in time I have not decided on size but I will be towing it with a heavy duty pickup with a tow capacity of at least 10,0000 lbs.

My question is: What brand should I be looking at? and why?

If any of you have pictures of your trailers please enclose them or email to me at tlacey@stny.rr.com

Thanks

[Matt Kulp]

What type of work are you going to be doing with the trailer? How heavy is the equipment you have, and will aquire in the near future? How long of a trailer?

[Bill Schwab]

There are only two trailers I will invest in. Wells Cargo, and Featherlite.

Why those? Down side, they cost more. Up side, consistency.

In the trailer game, what is done to keep costs down is to purchase components such as brakes, axles and connectors from the first manufacturer who is cleaning out last years inventory. There is nothing qwrong with doing things this way if you look at your numbers as a manufacturer.

However, the end user gets a surprize when it comes time to repair the purchase. By not knowing EXACTLY what component is in your trailer, when the brakes wear out (I'll use that example) you get to play Russian Roullette at the parts counter to get the pieces you need to make the trailer work. It comes down to "Downed Time". Can you afford to lay your trailer up for a week while a company that does not have thier act together finds the right parts for you?


Wells and Featherlite are consistant with thier components, and by using the VIN number, the counter person can get you exactly what you need.

With other brand names, not to say the trailer is well built, they typically cannot guaranty identical parts replacements.

I look at down time and service for every single new toy we add to our fleet, more so than price, more so than brand. So, with one trailer to your fleet, servicability becomes ever more critcal.

[tjl]

Thank you for replying to my thread.

I am not putting any heavy equipment in this trailer, I have another trailer to haul my excavator, tractor and skid steer around in. So this will have all my power tools, job box, saws and everything that I need to install pavers and retaining walls.

I have not even looked at what size in need yet or how I plan to outfit it, but what I really needed you provided, which was make of trailers at this point.

Tom

[John T]

We have a number of U.S. Cargo trailers. Oldest one is a 98 and is now in need of replacement or some heavy tlc. Overall, we have had no real problems with them at all. We just bought a new trailer last year. My dealer recommended a new line called American Hauler. This company was started by the same guy who started U.S. Cargo. He waited out the non-compete when he sold U.S. Cargo and got back in the game. I had one problem pretty quickly that the dealer stood behind but it just left a bad impression on me. Apparently this was a problem they have seen before. I wouldn't rule them out but it just proves the old rule to wait a while before buying anything "new" till the kinks are worked out.