When you first start looking for your next equipment trailer, the options can feel overwhelming. Do you want a flatbed trailer or do you need a closed one to secure your items? What about a deckover trailer vs a Fender-style option? How do you narrow down your options to ensure you choose the best possible equipment trailer for your needs?

Review Your Options

There are many different ways of categorizing trailers. You’ll need to consider the three main options before arriving at your decision.

1. Flatbed vs Enclosed

Flatbed trailers are often less expensive than enclosed trailers of the same size. The use of fewer materials and the absence of windows and doors can save you a ton. Unfortunately, when hauling your load down the road or parking your flatbed trailer outside, the items it carries remains exposed to the elements. Even so, giving up those four walls allows you to carry longer and bigger items that could not otherwise fit inside an enclosed trailer.

2. Single vs Tandem Axel

How much weight do you intend to haul with your equipment trailer? Are you clearing cardboard boxes from a site for recycling or are you hauling lumber down the highway? Single-axel trailers carry less weight and generally have no braking systems installed, though you can customize trailers to include one. Tandem axels have much higher load ratings, which give you much better flexibility as your business needs change.

3. Deckover vs Fender-Style

The main difference here is the width of the cargo surface area. Deckover trailers place the deck on top of the wheels or wheel-wells, so it’s possible to extend the width to the wheels or beyond them. In contrast, Fender-style wheels place the deck between the wheels, which reduces the width significantly. The lower deck on a Fender-style rig is great for loading and unloading, but it carries a lot less.

Consider These Custom Add-Ons

Most professionals recommend a deckover tandem trailer. This provides the greatest level of flexibility across a wide range of uses down the road. Flexibility reduces the need for you to purchase another trailer within the next year because the last one lacks surface area and weight capacity to meet your needs. From here, the only decision you need to make is whether the trailer is enclosed or open.

Some manufacturers and dealers will also allow you to customize your deckover trailer, so you can ensure you get exactly what you need:

• Braking System: If you’re 100% sure you don’t need a high weight capacity, then a single-axel trailer might just work for you. However, even 3,000 lbs is a lot of weight to throw on the brakes of your truck for continual stopping and emergency stops. Installing a competent brake system improves safety.
• LED Lighting: Whether you want your open-deck trailer to be more visible to motorists or you want your enclosed trailer to have proper lighting inside, consider LED lighting. This can significantly improve your equipment trailer experience for years to come.
• Colour: If you choose to purchase an enclosed deckover trailer for commercial purposes, it’s time to consider your branding. Whether you plan to deck it out as a “food truck” trailer or just want the neighbours to know who’s managing the cleanup of a construction site, this is a great time to consider colour customizations.

Why Buy a Millroad Manufacturing Deckover Trailer

When you purchase a deckover trailer from Millroad Manufacturing, you’re benefiting from years of experience and a total commitment to quality control. You also have the option to customize almost every aspect of your trailer: from the rims to the structure to the lighting. Let us know what you have in mind and we’ll build the perfect model for you at a competitive price. Contact us to get started.