What are trailers used for?

Are you considering buying a trailer? There are plenty of ways you can use a trailer to maximise the value of your investment, so let’s take a look at some of them.

Flatbed trailers: the most versatile option

1. Flatbed trailers

This is the most versatile category of trailers. When you see trailer parts for sale, they will usually be for flatbed trailers. Flatbed trailer parts are widely available and highly versatile, just like the flatbeds themselves. Flatbed trailers are mainly used to ship heavy objects and materials, such as industrial equipment, that won’t fit in a standard enclosed trailer.

2. Dry van trailers

   Around two-thirds of trailers used today are dry vans, which are the fully enclosed style of trailer that are usually 28 to 53 feet in length. Their enclosed space means the contents are protected from damage, weather, and theft. These dry vans are most commonly used for hauling household goods and appliances, consumables, and building materials.

   3. Refrigerated trailers

   These are insulated and built with a refrigeration unit inside that keeps the unit chilled. They are also called reefers and are primarily used to transport food

   4. Drop deck trailers

   Also called step decks, these trailers have an upper and lower deck. They can be used to double up on transportation, such as a car transporter.

   5. Lowboy trailers

   These are also called low-bed trailers and drop to just 24 inches above the surface of the road. They are typically used to transport heavy industrial equipment, farm equipment, and infrastructure materials, including things that are too large to fit on a standard flatbed.

   These trailers all have multiple uses, so businesses will invest in those that suit their needs. Trailers have a variety of applications, from small trailers used by sole traders for everyday transport to huge industrial trailers.

Choosing the right trailer for your business

When it comes to picking the right trailer for your business, a specialist retailer can help you establish your needs and cost and spec up the trailer option that will best suit you. There are then options to buy or lease trailers, each with tax implications for your business.

Using a trailer safely

Before taking a trailer out, especially one that has been standing for a while, give it a proper look over. Check the coupling and hitch for wear, the tyres for pressure, cracks and tread, the lights and indicators, and any locking mechanisms or tailgate catches. If anything is damaged or worn, replace the part before the trip rather than after it fails on the road.

Load the trailer within its stated weight limit and spread the weight evenly, with heavier items low down and over the axle. Too much weight at the back can make a trailer unstable, while too much on the hitch affects the steering of the towing vehicle. Secure everything so it can’t shift. On the road, allow for longer stopping distances, take corners wider so the trailer clears kerbs, and give yourself more time to overtake and pull out. Reversing takes practice, so try it somewhere quiet first.

Securing loads on an open flatbed

Because a flatbed has no sides or roof, nothing holds the cargo in place except what you fit yourself. Every item needs to be fastened securely enough to withstand sudden stops, turns, acceleration, bumps and winding roads. Use suitable tie-downs, straps or chains so that nothing shifts or falls off during the journey.

The open design is also what makes flatbeds so useful. A forklift or crane can load and unload from the sides, the back or above. On farms they carry hay bales, crops and machinery such as tractors and harvesters that are too large or awkward for an enclosed trailer. In construction they take equipment, scaffolding and building materials to site.

The size and weight of the cargo decide what vehicle you need. Large building materials or heavy machinery call for a heavy goods vehicle built to carry big loads safely, whether the trip is across a city or across the country.

Summary

This article explains what different types of trailers are used for, from versatile flatbeds carrying heavy equipment that won’t fit in an enclosed trailer, to dry vans protecting goods from weather and theft, refrigerated trailers for food transport, and drop deck or lowboy trailers for oversized loads. It recommends speaking to a specialist retailer to establish needs, cost, and whether to buy or lease.

Questions this article raises

• How does the cost of leasing a trailer compare with buying one outright?
• Which trailer type suits a small business moving goods only occasionally?
• What tax implications differ between leasing and buying a trailer?