Box trailers are a handyman’s best friend. They’re affordable, user-friendly, practical and can be used to transport anything from garden landscaping products like mulches and pavers to tools for the worksite. They are also relatively easy to set up and connect to your vehicle, just make sure that you are buying quality for durability and ease of operation.
If you’ve recently acquired a box trailer and cannot wait to use it for your garden, Wholesale Sleepers Co, your trusted landscape material supplier, shares some tips to help you get started:
Determine its Intended Use
Begin by asking yourself what your trailer’s main use will be. This is important to ensure that you are not loading your trailer with more than it can handle. Your trailer should be the right size and type for your intended tasks. Generally, the loaded mass of your trailer should not exceed the lesser of the rated capacity of the towbar and tow coupling or the maximum towing capacity of the vehicle.
Box trailers come in largely varying sizes, so if you are planning to use your trailer for the transportation of items that are heavier like concrete pavers etc, it’s important to consult a professional first before making a purchase. The loaded mass of your trailer must be equal to or less than its maximum carrying capacity and the maximum rated carrying capacity of its tyres.
If your vehicle manufacturer did not specify the trailer’s maximum towing mass, you can compute it for yourself. Remember that the maximum towing mass of a trailer fitted with brakes is one and a half times the unladen mass of the towing vehicle. On the other hand, a box trailer that does not require brakes has a maximum towing mass equal to the unladen mass of the towing vehicle.
Inspect the Braking System
Once you have the right trailer for your needs, check whether its braking system is appropriate for it. The minimum braking system for a trailer would depend on its type, weight and the weight of the towing vehicle. Trailers with
- 0 – 750 kg loaded weight requires no brakes
- 751 – 2000 kg loaded weight requires braking on both wheels on at least one axle
- 2001 – 4500 kg loaded weight requires a braking system on all wheels and an additional automatic breakaway system in case the trailer gets detached from the vehicle during transport.
Secure Your Load
When transferring items to your trailer, it’s important to ensure that the trailers are not overloaded and that each product is properly contained within the trailer. A load should not be more than 2.5m in overall width or project more than 150mm beyond your trailer’s width. Any load that projects more than 1.2m behind your trailer should be labelled with a red flag that’s at least 300m square to ensure complete visibility. Avoid having any overhanging loads, as these can be at risk of falling off your trailer, by purchasing a trailer that can comfortably contain the load.
Swaying on the road can increase your trailer’s chance of being detached from the towing vehicle. You can reduce this by concentrating heavier loads on the centre of the trailer. Loads should also be kept as low as possible on the axle of axles. 5-10% of the total mass of your trailer, with load, should be supported by the towing vehicle through coupling.
