So You Want to Buy a Trailer. What Size is Right for You?

A trailer has many potential jobs! From hauling ATVs to the trailhead and bringing a zero turn mower to the jobsite to transporting boxes and furniture to your new house, you should keep in mind all of the possible uses you’ll use the trailer for. The best-sized trailer is one slightly larger than your intended use for it. Below are examples of scenarios you may be in.

Enclosed Cargo Trailer for (2) ATVs

Let’s say that you have (2) ATVs that are each just under 7’ in length. A 14’ long trailer will barely be able to transport those ATVs, and there will be frustration involved in securing them prior to travel. The appropriate length trailer for this situation is described below:

To determine the length of your ATV for an enclosed trailer, you will want to measure from the forwardmost point on your ATV (typically the midsection of the bumper) to the rearmost point (typically the top of the bumper, the rack, or the receiver if you have a hitch). Let’s say your ATV is 6’ 10” long, and you want to transport (2) of them. Though it is possible to transport both end- to-end in a 14’ enclosed cargo trailer, it will be a very tight fit with some maneuvering needed to tighten the tie downs located between the two ATVs and at the front of the trailer. And what about your beer cooler? With this tight of a fit, you also won’t be able to generate as much force to tighten the tie downs or have enough room for your post-riding refreshments as you would if you had more room.

Upgrading to a 16’ or larger enclosed cargo trailer or one of our Allsport ATV/UTV-specific cargo trailers measuring over 20’ in length would be a good choice. You will not only have enough room to tie down the ATVs, but you will have room for all your gear and fuel cans as well.

What if you haven’t purchased an ATV or UTV yet? In the case that you are soon planning to buy an ATV or UTV, don’t worry! Simply navigate to the manufacturer’s website to check the length, width, and height dimensions of the exact model you plan to buy. If that isn’t enough for you, bring a tape measure to your ATV or UTV dealership and measure the vehicle’s dimensions. Keep in mind that if you are adding accessories, such as light bars or roof racks, to account for the added height, length, or width from those.

Utility Trailer for Landscaper with a Riding Mower

If you have a riding mower that is 7’ in length, a 6’x8’ utility trailer will work; however, it isn’t the best choice for this situation. Securing tie downs will be difficult and you won’t have any extra room for fuel cans and other equipment, like blowers, string trimmers, and hedge trimmers.

Upgrading to a 6’x10’ utility trailer is a better choice as it will give you more storage and room to fasten tie downs.

Dump Trailer for Landscaper - Mini-Excavator / Skidsteer and Black Dirt

In this scenario, you have a Mini-Excavator or a Skidsteer that you want to transport, as well as haul black dirt on occasion. If your Mini-Excavator or Skidsteer is 9’ in length, a 10’ dump trailer will be a tight fit when you add in your tie down chains and binders. You may not even have enough room for these tie downs in a 10’ dump trailer.

Upgrading to a 12’ or 14’ dump trailer will ensure you have ample space for loading your equipment while leaving room for your tie downs to be DOT compliant.

With black dirt, if 90% of your jobs require 5 cubic yards but you have a job now-and-then that requires 5.5 or 6 cubic yards of dirt, a 6’x12’ dump trailer with a 5.3 cubic yard capacity won’t be able to accommodate all of your jobs let alone the fact that you would need to run at maximum capacity often. Upgrading to a 7’x14’ dump trailer with a 7.3 cubic yard capacity would be much more suited for all of the jobs you need to perform.

How Can I Be More Confident in Selecting the Right Sized Trailer?

If you aren’t certain of the exact size trailer you would like, no problem! Use this simple tool to determine what size trailer will work best for you. First, estimate the size trailer that you think you need. Take masking tape and tape out the dimensions of that trailer on your garage floor or driveway. Then, tape out the size of the cargo you are hauling, as well as the desired location of tie downs. After accounting for extra gear, such as your grill, cooler, and folding tables, check to see if the size fits well. Does it leave enough room for you to secure tie downs? Does it leave enough room for potential larger jobs in the future? Once you have your desired trailer size and location of cargo and tie downs taped out, take a picture. Bring that picture into your dealership to help with the conversation.