So I'm in the market for a trailer. I've pretty much decided on a 6x12 or there about. I'm thinking one with the 3500# axle on it should be suffice for now. I will have about 1000 pounds of equipment on the trailer (plus the trailer) just about daily for work.

My 07 F150 FX4 5.4 came with the Towing/Hauling package, so I have the hitch, brake controller wiring and relay, tranny cooler, etc.

Now I noticed that some trailers come with electric brakes. What is normally the limit where you would have to install a brake controller?

--

In the future, I will have a dual-axle trailer with about 3k pounds on it (plus the trailer), and I'm thinking at that point I'll probably need the brake controller...or a bigger truck lol.

Any thoughts?

Also, I'm kind of new to the trailer game...anything to look out for, or definitely look for in the trailer? I will get an open trailer for now just because they're less expensive, but if I found a nice enclosed trailer, I'd pick it up in a heartbeat.

Thanks.

 

My opinion is if you can't pick up the tongue of the trailer and move the trailer around by yourself a few feet, you need one with electric brakes.

 

For starters:
Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas are the only states that allow surge trailer brakes.

Any other state and you will need electric, electic over hydraulic, electric-hydraullic feedback type or air brakes...the most common and least expensive on on trailers towed by light trucks/cars is electric.

DOT has ruled that any trailer over 3500#'s (GVW) needs trailer brakes on all axles (minor exceptions) when used in a commercial application. Most states have requirements that in a non-commercial application that 10,000#'s is the minimum limits where brakes are required. Some states mimick the federal commercial DOT lawsfor non-commercial....like Colorado.

Here is a good rule of thumb.
If the trailer weight is 25% or more than the tow vehicle, use trailer brakes.

If your trailer GVW ((Gross Vehicle Weight) the heaviest weight the trailer could legally be) is in excess of 25% of the tow vehicle weight, you need electric trailer brakes. So lets say your F150 as you drive it weights 3200#'s, you should consider trailer brakes a requirement on any trailer with a GVW of 800#'s or more. This is so that added weight does not upset the tow vehicle when emergency braking. The tow vehicle GVW does not matter concerning trailer brakes because we are trying to determine when the trailer weight will influence the tow vehicle when braking. Now lets say that you have a Subaru that weights 2500#'s...now any trailer over 625#'s (25%) should have brakes. Think about how 3300# trailer would push a little Subaru around under emergency braking....but not having electric brakes on that trailer would be legal.

I hope this post helps....

 

Do it right from the start and get a dual-axle trailer with the elect brakes.A 1000 lbs or so you will feel it when you try too stop with a load on it.A dual-axle trailer pulls better then a single axle and carrys the load better.If you need a enclosed trailer then get it now and save money down the road.Also get a trailer that will take care of your future needs,a few feet of space makes all the differance.That my 2 cents

 

Thanks for the info all, and for the advice. I really appreciate the time.

Wildman, yeah I hear you on that, but I'm thinking if I can find a nice used trailer, one someone bought, towed 4 or 5 times, and now just wants to get rid of, then I can sell it for what I bought it for in a year or two...although you're right, and I agree...do it right the first time.

 

Some states require brakes on trailers over 2000 pounds. A 6x12 single axle trailer will weigh 1500-1800 pounds, plus your cargo. You will notice 2500 pounds behind you and trailer brakes would help. Get the Prodigy now.

Steel and aluminum prices have only gone up, and thus the prices of cargo trailers. Get $2500 for a single axle trailer or $3500 for a larger dual. Just get what you need now. Your truck will pull a double 3500 pounds axle trailer all day long, so no need to worry about upgrading your truck later.

 

I'd get a double axle the first time around. Far more useful for other things and they resell better. The only thing that sucks is they wear out tires faster since they bind a little in tight turns.

Buy an open trailer now then upgrade later. There's no point in paying extra now and using more gas to tow it if you don't need it. If you look, most used trailers sell for just about as much as new ones. I saw a double axle Carson that was trashed (brake wiring munched, fenders munched, bald tires) sell for $1500 in less than a week, $150 MORE than I bought the EXACT same trailer NEW from Carson (of course, tax/license killed me, but still). Plus, the trailer was located in Compton, a not so friendly suburb of Los Angeles...

Try looking at your local Carson dealership. Also, find one with scratches on it, they discount the price. Since you're probably going to put a bunch of scratches on it, why not save some money.

Make sure to get brakes on it. Most single axles that size are around 1000lbs before load, so once you throw some crap on it, you'll likely need brakes. My double axle 16' Carson car hauler weighs in at 1400lbs.

 

Thanks SR for the tips...and yeah I noticed that the price of a decent used trailer isn't that far off of a new one.

I drove by a dual axle open for sale not too far from my home last weekend and didn't stop, but I've been meaning to drive there again to get the number...I was kind of in a hurry.

My only problem is that since it will be used for business, the enclosed trailer is like a rolling billboard...and it will definitely keep all of my stuff safe and locked up with no unloading and loading into my truck required.

I found a nice barely used 5x8 enclosed for 400 bucks and I'm really tempted. I realize I'd outgrow that pretty quick, but funds are pretty tight at this point and I don't want to spread myself too thin, so I'm considering it for the time being...probably a bad move but I just need something to get by for now. If it's as big as my truck bed, I definitely have enough room for now, plus I can throw the little stuff in my bed if I have to.

 

$400 is cheap for any enclosed trailer. If it's in good shape, get it.