Let’s face it, purchasing a new trailer is always an investment. You’re looking for an asset that can be depended on to last you for many years and faithfully protect whatever cargo you have, wherever you want to take it. Landscaping trailers, construction trailers, even race car trailers all have specialized options and accessories that make them ideal for these situations.
But short of knowing you want a custom trailer for a unique application, how do you know what to look for when shopping enclosed cargo trailers? Today, our trailer pros are breaking down their top 10 picks to help you find the perfect trailer to meet your hauling needs for years to come.
Renown Trailer’s Top 10 Countdown for Weighing Trailer Options
Honing in on the perfect trailer takes a practiced eye. You’ll want to consider the many different ways that you plan on using the trailer, as well as finding one that will fit your budget. Diving right in and starting at number 10, let’s break down what to look for as you start browsing new enclosed trailers for sale:
10. Getting Thick Skinned
This is definitely not one every customer thinks about, but you can actually change the thickness of the trailer’s metal skin to better suit your purposes. Most standard enclosed trailers will come in with a .024 exterior aluminum metal. For many applications, this thickness is more than adequate and holds up very well. But when you want superior durability and strength built into the trailer, upgrading the skin thickness is the way to go.
Upgrading to a 0.030 gauge thickness adds increased durability against the elements and other forms of intrusion. If you want to take it even further, you can get a 0.040 gauge or even a 0.050 gauge aluminium. Enclosed trailers are relied upon to safely carry cargo from A to B and increasing the skin thickness provides better protection for the long haul. From an aesthetics standpoint, increased skin thickness translates to a “smoother” appearance. Combined with a semi screwless exterior, and you’ll have a sleek trailer with upgraded construction that’s made to last for years.
9. Looking at the Studs
A quality trailer is going to have at least 16” on center cross members, 24” on center roof members, and 16” on center side walls. But upgrading to a 12” on center floor stud, roof stud, or wall stud is an easy way to make your trailer a lot sturdier. If you’re thinking about hauling heavy loads, beefing up the trailer construction is going to pay big dividends in the number of years the trailer provides a useful benefit.
8. Focusing on Things Above – Trailer Roofs
As you envision using your trailer, think of what all you need to put in there and how you plan on getting it on and off. A standard enclosed trailer’s interior height is 6 ft 3” and a standard ramp opening is 69”. With specialized equipment, multiple workers going in and out, or just for more headroom, increasing the trailer height is a smart place to start. You can easily add a few inches, all the way up to an 8 ft interior height trailer with a whopping 90” ramp opening.
Another element of the roof is looking at trailers that have a roof liner like a Thermacool. Many of the trailers we carry like the 6×12 tandem axle from Rock Solid come standard with Thermacool liners which really help keep the temps down inside the trailer. You can also add insulation or even an air conditioning unit to keep the trailer comfortable.
7. Down and Out – Trailer Floors and Walls
The interior of the trailer is arguably more important than the exterior since this is where your cargo is and where you’ll need to have good access to. There are so many different options for making the interior of a trailer more suitable for your needs. You can add white vinyl to the ceiling or walls, increase the thickness of the plywood in the floors and walls, add aluminum diamond plate, black and white floor tile, e-tracks, d-rings, and so much more. The point is, when you start with a trailer from a reputable manufacturer and work with an experienced team like Renown, you can put together all of the trailer components that are needed to really make your experience with this trailer a lot better.
6. Tandem Axle or Single Axle Trailers
The great trailer debate is whether single axle trailers or tandem axle trailers are better for hauling. The truth is, each has situations they’re better suited for. When looking over your options, think about how heavy your cargo is and how far you need to transport it. Single axle trailers are great for hauling lighter loads, shorter distances. These trailers are ideal for urban environments where there’s a lot of turns and maneuvering. The tandem axle trailer really beefs up how much cargo you can safely carry. Tandem axle trailers come as small as 6×12 and go all the way up to 8.5×32. While we’re not biased, tandem trailers do come in more variety, giving you a lot more options to choose from to find the perfect trailer for your needs. Bottom line, for the most economical option, look at a 6×12 single axle. If you need to haul more cargo, you should consider one of the many sizes of tandem axle trailers out there.
5. Openings and Access
Having a 36” RV style side door with a flush lock is such a life saver when it comes to using your trailer for every day tasks. This small detail can make your life so much easier when you’re getting things on and off and especially when there’s several people needing to reach equipment like with a landscape trailer. Some smaller trailers don’t come standard with a side door, but, as with any trailer, you can always customize however is best for you. You can add doors and windows in a variety of shapes and sizes to most any enclosed trailer. When you need your trailer ramp door to bear more weight, you can opt for jumping up to a 4,500 lb-rated heavy duty ramp door.
4. Making Sure Your Covered with a Trailer Warranty
A big one when it comes to buying a trailer is making sure the new trailer has a factory warranty. At Renown, we only sell trailers from manufacturers that we know hold themselves to the same level of integrity as we do, who make quality products, and who stand behind their work. That’s why we’re proud all of our trailers come with a 5-year factory warranty. We don’t expect anything to happen because these trailers are just that dependable. But occasionally parts and components do wear prematurely and things do happen. When they do, it’s good to know you have the assurance of a warranty to help make things right.
3. Adding Custom Options
As you’ve seen by now you can customize just about every aspect of an enclosed cargo trailer to meet your needs. Considering which custom options are right for your situation can help make your experience so much better. Some of the many different areas that you can customize on an enclosed cargo trailer include:
- Adding Additional Height
- Increasing the Axle Capability
- Choosing from Standard, Premium, and Xtra Premium Colors
- Increasing Aluminum Exterior Thickness
- Semi Screwless Exterior
- Blackout Package
- LED Lights
- Jacks & Stabilizers
- Air Vents
- Adding Doors & Windows
- Electrical Package
- Floor Coverings
- And so much more!
When you’re browsing Renown’s extensive selection of enclosed cargo trailers, you can scroll through a full list of customization options you can add right to your order.
2. Finding a Good Brand
Who makes the best enclosed cargo trailer is really dependent on your unique hauling situation. We’re proud to represent some of the most well-known and reputable trailer manufacturers in business today. With manufacturers like Rock Solid Cargo, Spartan Cargo Trailers, and others, our team is able to provide the very best experience to our customers. At the end of the day, you need a trailer that you can depend on to get the job done day in, and day out. We choose to only sell top-quality trailers so our customers know they can depend on the product we steered them to.
1. How Much Does a New Trailer Cost
Drum roll…the number one item on your trailer-buying to-do list is to first establish a budget. If this makes you cringe, the Renown Financing Team can work with you to set up a manageable plan that works with your financial situation. We take pride in treating our customers with honesty and respect which means we’ll never put them in a trailer that isn’t absolutely right for them. Setting a realistic budget for your trailer helps us select the best options to meet your needs.
Starting An Online Trailer Order
Browse our selection, select options, and even have your trailer delivered. Start your order now.
Looking for a 24 ft enclosed car hauler.
Thanks for your interest, James! I sent your contact over to one of our sales rep.
How about some options pricing.