Utility trailer sides: fixed or stake?

I'm building a utility trailer (because I'm stupid and lowered my Nissan Hardbody and now it won't carry anything), and I can't decide if I should do some sort of removable stake side sort of thing, or just build fixed sides.

I've never owned a trailer.

For those who have - what do you recommend for sides?

What size trailer? If it will fit a 4x8 sheet of plywood, I don't see a reason for removable sides.

Mine are fixed. There are days I wish they were removable. Depends on what you are hauling.

I have removable sides on my trailer and like it that way. Depending on what I'm hauling I can have them on there or not, and taking them off can make it easier to load or unload.

Flatbed with good tie-down points.

You don't need sides if you tie well. They get in the way a lot.

My car trailer has stake holes. I've never put stakes in them. But they are good tie-down points.

Add a stowage box on the tongue or elsewhere to store a bunch of straps, chains, etc. Dedicate them to the trailer. You won't regret it.

Oh- I should add...

Mine does have a raised rail at the front. Welded in place. Very nice protection for sudden stops to keep load from coming through the car.

Seen more than a few good trailers w/ stake sides. No sides OK for hauling wallboard and lumber. Medium removable sides for furniture, appliances, moving day etc., tall sides for branches, junk and yard debris. Pretty versatile. Good idea to weld a nut to pocket enclosure to cinch down the stake in the pocket w/ a bolt

Generally, I find open flat trailers easier to work with than ones with bed sides on them.

That said, I very much like having the option of installing sides, should I want them. As well having those stake pockets gives me handy tiedown points.

you can use a trailer with sides to haul wallboard and plywood too.. you just need to be creative with some 2x4s to balance the load ontop of the sides

mw wrote: I don't see a reason for removable sides.

Riding mower. Mine is almost 60" wide

You don't need sides if you tie well.

Gravel's a bitch to tie down

I'm almost finished building mine. I'll take a pic.

I'll post pics later, but I built a Harbor Freight trailer earlier this year. I bought this one (http://www.harborfreight.com/1720-lb-capacity-super-duty-48-inch-x-96-inch-utility-trailer-with-12-inch-five-lug-wheels-and-tires-94564.html) on New Year's Day with a 25% off coupon for $300. I added a floor, and removable slab sides.

I primarily use the trailer in-town for hauling topsoil, mulch, rock, gravel, leaves, wood, and brush. With that in mind, I figured having sides would help keep material in the trailer, and I wanted the sides to have some strength. I hauled well over over 10 tons of rock out of my yard and my neighbor's yard this year, and I didn't want rocks falling through (or taking out) stake sides, and I didn't trust them to stay in place (lots of hills and bumpy pavement). Without having a scale to verify, I'd guess that many of these rocks were over 200 lbs.

I didn't want to make the walls permanent as their may be an occasion where I want to take them off (the tractor example is a good one), so I bolted everything together. I haven't done it yet, but I'm guessing I could have everything apart in 15 minutes or so.

So far, I'm happy with the compromise.

Zomby woof wrote:

mw wrote: I don't see a reason for removable sides.

Riding mower. Mine is almost 60" wide

You don't need sides if you tie well.

Gravel's a bitch to tie down I'm almost finished building mine. I'll take a pic.

Yeah, our riding mower is too wide to fit on ours, if it had sides. I would go for removeable stakes with bolts for secure mounting.

Different people, different perspectives.

When I am asked about a utility trailer, I picture something full width of the vehicle, and 12'- 16' long.

It is apparent by the posts here, that some people picture something 4' wide and 5'- 8' long.

Since the OP didn't specify, I guess we shouldn't work off our assumptions.

If I was building a small trailer, I'd have removable sides (because it is more likely to haul lawn mowers, gravel, or brush). Plus, the sides are manageable, so they might get used.

If I was building a larger trailer, I'd have a flatbed (because it is more likely to haul sheet goods, scrap steel, cars or car parts). I'd include stake pockets, but I'm pretty sure I'd never use them.

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I think stake sides are wining out. I can use them or not, but if they're fixed I can't remove them at all. I bent up some stake pockets last night, and will weld them on soon. I like the threaded bolt thingie to secure them - good idea!

The trailer is made from a rotting tent trailer that came with our house. It's a 4x8' frame, with 1500lb capacity. The intent is mainly for dump trips (take my time filling it, then haul it when it's full) and bringing home stuff for the house or shop. My wee truck is pretty gutless, so a big honking trailer is not a reality.

Thanks again!

I grew up with a 4x8 utility trailer... we had one in our house sense I was 7 or so... our first one was fixed sides... it had rebar around the top with a little space so it gave plenty of space to use tie down straps and such...

few years later it was sold and they ('rents) bought one with staked sides... it's been rebuilt a time or 2 with new wood... i've used it tons of times and loved having it around...

that being said... if I where to build a 4x8 I would prob go with the welded on tops... just make sure its designed to fit a 4x8 sheet in it laying down flat even after the sides are in (the way the staked sides where when we got it we couldn't fit a 4x8 flat :-/)

and a 4x8 is about the perfect size to have (at least for non car guys)... no need for a pick up around the house but you can still haul whatever you need (I moved multiple times with my '85 tercel thanks to that trailer)

Sorry for the delay in posting the pics.

I got this free from a coworker who's parents insisted that he get it out of their backyard. It's a cheap (if there is such a thing) Canadian tire 4x8 basic tilt frame utility trailer that he had made 2x4 stakes, and plywood sides for. I used it for a year like that, but it looked like E36 M3. The SS expanded metal pieces were 12" high, and free, so they dictated the height. The only things I bought for it was the 1" sq tube, pressure treated 3/4" decking, and 2" coupler. I think I have $50 in it, and these pics don't do it justice. It looks pretty good.

The tube is bolted into the stake holes with 3/8" bolts, and the front section bolts onto the sides with the tie down hooks I use to secure the bikes.

The only thing left to do is bolt on the fenders. Since trailer lights frustrate me more than anything I can currently think of, I'll use magnetic lights that I can transfer to my car trailer, or car when I'm using a tow bar. I also re-drilled the hole, and moved the pin for the pivot to a more friendly place, and kept the old plywood to use as a liner for when I might haul a little gravel, or take a load of loose garbage to the dump. It will be mainly used for hauling bikes. I can get 3 motocross bikes on it comfortably.

so im seriously debating selling my longbed chevy and strapping a trailer hitch to the subaru. buying/building a 4X8 ish trailer.

im seeing that you guys are running 12 inch wheels. ive always heard that those are pretty scary for highway pulling, heavy loads, etc.

what i usually use the truck for are car parts, helping friends move, brush, lumber, small quantities of logs (i love doing turning on my lathe), etc. all things that can be accomplished with a trailer.

so i giess my questions for the trailer guys in this thread are thus: 12 inch tires: safe for hevy loads/highway speeds? would you rather have a longbed chevy with a 4.3 or a trailer pulled by your daily in your driveway?

michael

If there are no other issues (money, space, neighbors complaining, etc.), I'd keep the truck. A trailer can't ever do what a truck can do (including tow a trailer ).

But there is nothing wrong with downsizing if you want to.

The question is what do YOU want?

I use the trailer as my truck. It never needs an oil change.

I run 14' tires because I tow it all over the state. It spends a lot of time at highway speeds and loaded heavy.

This is it headed out of town to install a 21' Dollar General door. Panels and glass is only about 600 pounds, but this one was 2 1/2 hours out of town.

The lights are in the steel tubes welded on the side. Mounted like that you will never have to worry about breaking them. The ones that are in there now were installed when I had the trailer galvanized ten years ago.

I just recently replaced the axle, wheels and added the tongue box on it. I still have to get the fenders built and mounted and get a tail gate built.

Edit: Yes, those are 70s era hubcaps on a 2002 van.

I am thinking of looking for the factory hitch that came from saab... not that a 900 does not already have a HUGE trunk

Dusterbd13 wrote: so i giess my questions for the trailer guys in this thread are thus: 12 inch tires: safe for hevy loads/highway speeds? would you rather have a longbed chevy with a 4.3 or a trailer pulled by your daily in your driveway?

Lots or Geo Metros, and tent trailers out there with 12's. I swapped the 12's this trailer came with for the OEM 8's (for height) and have no problem.

Dusterbd13 wrote: so i giess my questions for the trailer guys in this thread are thus: 12 inch tires: safe for hevy loads/highway speeds? would you rather have a longbed chevy with a 4.3 or a trailer pulled by your daily in your driveway? michael

if my choice was between a truck or a more resonable DD that fits the fam + trailer there is no question i'd run the trailer...

in a perfect world i'd have the truck and a flat bed trailer for car towing... along with a utility trailer and a hitch...

as for tires... I just know dad went with 13 or 14" and we've never had a problem no matter how loaded down we've had the trailer... towed it thousands of miles with our horizon (dodge omni) a few thousand with my '85 tercel (not quickly but it got us to where we needed to go lol)

I'm lucky enough to have both a truck and trailer, and the trailer does have some advantages over the truck. One of the biggest is in terms of load height. For example, I was able to use a ramp and get some heavy boulders in my trailer that I could never have lifted into my truck. I also don't cringe when they drop gravel into the trailer (gravel scratched my previous truck). Cleaning out the trailer also takes far less work than scraping topsoil out of my truck's bedliner.

My trailer has 5 lug wheels and 12" tires, and it's limited to 55 MPH. With a larger budget, I would have at least considered 15" wheels. Not as much for load capacity (my trailer can haul 1700 lbs, and that's plenty w/o electric brakes), but rather for the flexibility of taking in on the highway. It works perfectly for in-town, but I'd think twice before taking it on a longer highway trip. However, If you read the reviews on Harbor Freight, people have towed the same trailer cross-country, at 95 MPH, with triple the rated load capacity and have never had an issue, so YMMV.

I picked up the 4x8 folding trailer kit at HF today. Going to build it this weekend, and will be a single sheet of plywood so it won't be foldable as built. Primary use will be hauling brush and an occasional appliance or lawn tractor. The sides will be removeable, how high would you recommend making them?

UPDATE: It's done

Survived its maiden voyage today. Backing it up the steep driveway in a gutless standard transmission hardbody with a canopy and I can't see the danged trailer - that's a different story.

And despite my (humbly) phenomenal skill and ability with electrical, I managed to screw up all three of the trailer light wires. Not the ground, oddly enough. I swear I followed the diagram of my vintage wiring kit - did trailer light wiring colours change since 1970?