Equipment trailers come in various specifications and build materials. Thus, it is essential to consider a few factors before settling for any equipment trailer. With that said, here are four essential factors you should consider before buying an equipment trailer.
Enclosed Versus Flatbed
Enclosed equipment trailers are ideal for protecting the equipment you are transporting from the elements. Thus, the equipment gets housed inside the enclosed equipment trailer and is protected from rain, snow, and hail during transport. Additionally, they provide a private way of transporting equipment.
On the other hand, flatbed equipment trailers are not enclosed. Thus they transport equipment out in the open, which means the equipment is not protected from the elements of weather such as rain and snow. Additionally, everyone gets to see what you are transporting because the equipment is laid bare on the equipment trailer. However, flatbed equipment trailers enable you to enjoy better fuel economy because they are lighter than enclosed ones. Thus, despite the weight of the equipment you are transporting, you can save a bit of money on fuel with a flatbed equipment trailer.
Aluminum versus Steel Trailer
When choosing an equipment trailer, you have two main options as far as build material is concerned: steel or aluminum. Though both metals are sturdy and durable, they greatly differ in terms of maintenance and weight.
Steel equipment trailers are quite stronger than aluminum equipment trailers. Thus, a steel equipment trailer will allow you to felly heavier loads than an aluminum trailer in most cases. However, the added strength comes at a cost both in price and weight. Thus, steel equipment trailers are usually more expensive than aluminum ones. Additionally, the weight of the steel equipment trailer significantly reduces your fuel economy. Thus you can expect to use more fuel when hauling a steel equipment trailer and less fuel when traveling with aluminum.
Fender versus Deck Over
The width of the equipment you intend to transport also plays a major role in selecting the equipment trailer. The width of the equipment trailer's deck depends on the deck style. Typically, equipment trailer decks get constructed in two styles, namely fender or deck over.
For a fender style, the deck gets built between the wheels, which means the deck is a bit narrow to accommodate the wheels. On the other hand, a deck over style means that the equipment trailers deck gets built above the wheels. Thus, a deck over equipment trailer can have a wider deck than a fender-style equipment trailer.
Keep this information in mind as you look for an equipment trailer.
