Enclosed Cargo Trailers - Help/Question

Skrap · Feb 11, 2016

So, the wife an I are throwing around the idea of moving about 1500 miles to be closer to her family. I have been researching the cost of renting a large box truck to having a moving company do all the work to buying a good used or new enclosed cargo trailer. Each option has its positives and negatives with regards to costs, convenience, timeframes, etc.

Question: if I went with purchasing a larger cargo trailer it would be in the 22'-28' X 8.5' size. The problem I running into is these are mostly all setup as race car haulers with gross capacities of only 10K lbs. Even the 28' trailers only have 5200# axles and weigh in at approx 3500#s. This only leaves me 6500#s of cargo capacity for all the household goods and my tools, etc. to me this seems quite low.

Do any of you know if there is a manufacture that makes this size trailer that can carry more weight? Maybe a tandem axle with 7-8K lb axles?

14hemiexpress · Feb 11, 2016

I just checked the specs on wellscargo trailers. They have a few that have gvw 13200 they are only 7'9" they aren't 8.5 24ft modle is EW2425 28ft model is EW2825 I will see if I can find one that's wider.

14hemiexpress · Feb 11, 2016

If a goose neck isn't out of the option they make them with 14700 gvw. AWG2825 AWG3225 these are auto haulers 8 and half with 28 and 32 ft lengths.

Skrap · Feb 11, 2016

Were the goose necks enclosed? I have seen a bunch of goose neck with opened beds. The only issue with them that I could see is that once you start getting into these type of trailers the cost goes up quite a bit making it more feasible to rent a 26' Penske or even have a interstate moving company do the move.

While buying a 24'-28' enclosed trailer with 10k gross trailer capacity, from what I have found so far, cost between $6-$8k, it is still almost double what a Penske truck rental would cost. I don't mind this because if we moved I may have additional use for said trailer after the fact, would give me much more flexibility to pack and unpack the trailers contents as well as give me a place to store much of the belongings until we found the right home. I could also sell it and recoup much of the original cost of the trailer.

Many of the goose neck are pushing $10k an had an open deck. But for the right trailer..............you never know. Thanks for the replies

drittal · Feb 12, 2016

Can always sell the trailer after the move and be ahead of penske

14hemiexpress · Feb 12, 2016

Yes they were inclosed but they probably would be pricey. Have you check into the pod's I don't know what there cost is but they you can take your time with them.

Skrap · Feb 13, 2016

I have thought about them but no quote as of now. One of my thoughts of the upfront expense of a trailer is that I can have it parked at my home for a week plus and load it slowly. We would then probably live at the inlaws for a week with the trailer parked at their place until,we found a place. No storage fees or anything. Then once we moved into a rental home we could park the trailer their. Take our time to look for and purchase the home we want and load it back up and do our final move to our new home. At that point I could sell or keep. Rental trucks have limited flexablilty with time frames before you start paying additional days and the cost skyrockets. Don't want to pay for storage of the posts and not have full access to our gear.

Now the quandry is how much we would sell before the move and could I get away with a 16' or 20' instead of a 24'+ trailer??? Decisions, decisions.

Jimmy68 · Feb 13, 2016

Part of our company builds trailers. From small single axle decks and enclosed too 53' tri axle flat beds, gravel trailers, Super B's, etc.
We in our shop commonly swap new heavier axles into smaller trailers per customers requirements.
If you need a enclosed trailer of a certain size and require heavier suspension, axles and/or height change. No problem. Ask around. Trailer dealers know who does what. Even used trailers get makeovers. Doesn't cost as much as you might think. Tandem axle swap including full suspension can easily be done in less than 8 hours. New axles, new brakes, new suspension (including mounts and bushings), new wheels and tires.
I can pull your trailer in at 8am. You pick up around 2pm. Easy. Maybe noon, maybe 4:30pm but that **** don't fly often.

14hemiexpress · Feb 13, 2016

Jimmy68 said:
Part of our company builds trailers. From small single axle decks and enclosed too 53' tri axle flat beds, gravel trailers, Super B's, etc.
We in our shop commonly swap new heavier axles into smaller trailers per customers requirements.
If you need a enclosed trailer of a certain size and require heavier suspension, axles and/or height change. No problem. Ask around. Trailer dealers know who does what. Even used trailers get makeovers. Doesn't cost as much as you might think. Tandem axle swap including full suspension can easily be done in less than 8 hours. New axles, new brakes, new suspension (including mounts and bushings), new wheels and tires.
I can pull your trailer in at 8am. You pick up around 2pm. Easy. Maybe noon, maybe 4:30pm but that **** don't fly often.

That's a pretty good idea the only thing I would be afraid of is sticking 2 7k axles where 2 5200 axles were and not having a big enough frame to support the extra 4000lbs of added payload.

Sounds like the way to go is to something like a 20 ft with a 8ft celing can stack some of the lighter stuff taller that away you can put more in the trailer but a 20 footer should be quite a bit lighter than a 26 or 28. That may be something to consider.

14hemiexpress · Feb 13, 2016

I'm not sure where you located at but I found a dealership with some shorter enclosed trailer with 7k axles this one is a 20 with 8ft tall Southern Dimensions Group

My dad had one that was a 20x8.5 with 8ft ceiling and that 2 foot makes a big difference.

Skrap · Feb 13, 2016

14hemiexpress said:
I'm not sure where you located at but I found a dealership with some shorter enclosed trailer with 7k axles this one is a 20 with 8ft tall Southern Dimensions Group

My dad had one that was a 20x8.5 with 8ft ceiling and that 2 foot makes a big difference.

That looks like it pretty much fits the bill right there. Thanks for finding that. I've looked at countless sites. Their website says they deal nationwide. Their in GA and I'm SoCal. Gonna bookmark their site. Thanks.

14hemiexpress · Feb 14, 2016

Skrap said:
That looks like it pretty much fits the bill right there. Thanks for finding that. I've looked at countless sites. Their website says they deal nationwide. Their in GA and I'm SoCal. Gonna bookmark their site. Thanks.

No problem. Good luck with the move.

drittal · Feb 14, 2016

Out here you can't hardly find a tandem axle car trailer with 5200lbs axles, open or enclosed.

twodogs603 · Feb 14, 2016

Skrap said:
So, the wife an I are throwing around the idea of moving about 1500 miles to be closer to her family. I have been researching the cost of renting a large box truck to having a moving company do all the work to buying a good used or new enclosed cargo trailer. Each option has its positives and negatives with regards to costs, convenience, timeframes, etc.

Question: if I went with purchasing a larger cargo trailer it would be in the 22'-28' X 8.5' size. The problem I running into is these are mostly all setup as race car haulers with gross capacities of only 10K lbs. Even the 28' trailers only have 5200# axles and weigh in at approx 3500#s. This only leaves me 6500#s of cargo capacity for all the household goods and my tools, etc. to me this seems quite low.

Do any of you know if there is a manufacture that makes this size trailer that can carry more weight? Maybe a tandem axle with 7-8K lb axles?

Build your own all aluminum trailer:
Aluminum Cargo Trailer, Aluminum Enclosed Trailers - Trailer Showroom

Jimmy68 · Feb 14, 2016

14hemiexpress said:
That's a pretty good idea the only thing I would be afraid of is sticking 2 7k axles where 2 5200 axles were and not having a big enough frame to support the extra 4000lbs of added payload.

Sounds like the way to go is to something like a 20 ft with a 8ft celing can stack some of the lighter stuff taller that away you can put more in the trailer but a 20 footer should be quite a bit lighter than a 26 or 28. That may be something to consider.

Frames would be the same. Like a 1500 to a 2500 for example. But when we lift we add extra cross members for strength. We use 2x3x 3/16 tubing for a 3" lift. Or 2x4x 3/16, 2x5, 2x6.
We cut the spring mounts off, weld the tubing to the frame. Full length where the mounts go. Example, front to back 6-7'. Weld two or three cross members in, same material. Weld the spring mounts back on, cross check measurements from the center of the hitch for square. Add second axle measured off the first. Making certain the axles are centered side to side and centered properly under the fenders. Last thing you want is crooked axles dog tracking and burning off tires.

tjfdesmo · Feb 14, 2016

I think H&H makes some heavy duty gooseneck enclosed cargo trailers.

14hemiexpress · Feb 14, 2016

Jimmy68 said:
Frames would be the same. Like a 1500 to a 2500 for example. But when we lift we add extra cross members for strength. We use 2x3x 3/16 tubing for a 3" lift. Or 2x4x 3/16, 2x5, 2x6.
We cut the spring mounts off, weld the tubing to the frame. Full length where the mounts go. Example, front to back 6-7'. Weld two or three cross members in, same material. Weld the spring mounts back on, cross check measurements from the center of the hitch for square. Add second axle measured off the first. Making certain the axles are centered side to side and centered properly under the fenders. Last thing you want is crooked axles dog tracking and burning off tires.

It's differnt if you go in a beef up the frame then I have no doubt it'll hold up. But do y'all go through a process to certifing the trailers for the extra weight? I don't know what what it takes to get a trailer certified I'm sure it's easier than uping the towing capacity in a truck. For example my truck has the 3.55 I'm rated to tow 8650 in my configueration the 3.92 trucks are rated to over 10k and the only difference is the axle ratio. If I was to put 3.92 gear in my truck it wouldn't increase my towing capacity from a legal stand point. In Theory it does and like I said I'm sure the trailer could handle it but just curious if y'all recertifi them.

Jimmy68 · Feb 14, 2016

14hemiexpress said:
It's differnt if you go in a beef up the frame then I have no doubt it'll hold up. But do y'all go through a process to certifing the trailers for the extra weight? I don't know what what it takes to get a trailer certified I'm sure it's easier than uping the towing capacity in a truck. In Theory it does and like I said I'm sure the trailer could handle it but just curious if y'all recertifi them.

Nope. It's just a trailer. If anyone (DOT, COP, ETC) were to question it it's simple visual. 5 lug, 6 lug, 8 lug. Maybe the company does something when selling a new trailer with upgrade but not that I know of. Been there three years.
Trucks we recertify.

Enclosed Cargo Trailers - Help/Question

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