Buy a trailer (instead of a pickup truck)

[cheesepuff]

I have been on both sides of this. From 91 to 07, I owned a pickup (4x2 4 cyl Toyata w/3500 lbs towing). 2007 on I bought a Toyota Sienna (minivan), and a 5x8 utility trailer with a 1' rail like lawn services use (mesh ramp). (mesh ramps take off and store... to much resistance)


I hauled a lot of stuff with the pickup, most notably and often wood for my aunt.

Shortly after getting the van, I decided to get a 5x8 utility trailer (heavy duty, like lawn services buy). In part because I was having a shed built, and I was doing the underlayment myself. (aka yards of Grade 8 Limestone). I also bought a Lawn tractor, and mounted a hitch ball on the back. This is awesome for getting your trailer places you don't want to take your tow vehicle.

So I'd pick up a yard of Grade 8 Limestone at a time, and pull it with my lawn tractor to the back of my lot, and shovel it off. Plus the trailer was going to hide behind the shed normally and the incline was such that i could not pull it up the hill myself. And the minivan across the grass wasn't an option.

Caution: pulling heavy stuff with a lawn tractor can be real hazardous. You can not stop a 4,000 pound trailer with a lawn tractor on a downhill, you're a very noisy speed bump. (the noise is you screaming)
consider backing a heavy load down a grade. Go lighter if neccessary. Everything is easier if it's level... but it's never level.
Also, don't try this if it's wet. Trust me.

This worked great, and between that and some other landscaping duty savings I called it a push on the $900 I paid for the trailer (new with extra tire and other crap). Yes there were paver driveways involved. Nice to have the pallet of bricks within reach. And to have them loaded on the trailer at Menards with a fork lift.

I use the trailer to haul motorcycles (up to 3 KLR-650's), and have several configurations which I've made videos on how to do.
Shows 4' box (lockable) trailer / 2' wall, utility config.
see youtube search on "enclose a utility trailer mikebzak"
not enough posts to include link

For my next couple thousand mile trip out west, I have a modification of the 4' high box, I think will significantly boost mpg. Going west into the wind at 65 mph I was getting 14 mpg. Which was horrifying. But I want to be able to enclose and lock as well as carry two or more kayaks. I'll got tapered to the back 3' high at the front, and 1' high at the back. I'll have half the space (internal) but I'll probably get over 20 mpg. (I'm targeting 24 mpg, but I'm an optimist) A good trade for my long camping trips.

I'll keep the 4' walls, just put a tarp over the plywood, it doesn't take a lot of room. And it is nice to have the flexibility.

Most of the time I use the 2' walls which is great for wood, gravel, limestone, sod and whatever. Also, for single day trips where I don't have to lock it over night. It is even nice to protect the motorcycles from road debris and stuff. I can get 22 to 23 with the 2' walls. The gate in the back matters. That is with the 2' gate, my gate is in two 1' parts and I usually just need one.

The main reason I abandon my "pickup truck" ways was to get something more comfortable and flexible. With a trailer, i can haul anything I could with my pickup. But I can also seat 7. This does come up for me. I've seen pickups seat 7, but that wasn't what I was going for.

I really like loading the trailer with the camping gear and keeping the van interior strictly for the comfort of the people. Having a place to lie down (foam mats with an exercise mat on top) while rolling is great on long trips. You can't do that when loaded to the gills.

Loading and unloading a trailer is much better than a pickup. My old pickup was pretty low, but the trailer is even lower. This makes a huge difference on those paver projects.

When I build out the new trailer configuration, I'll probably make a new (and hopefully better) video.

Significant observations:
- Trailers are crazy cost effective and haul more
- Enclosed trailers are a bigger hit on gas mileage than you'd think
- Pickups are still cool, you always have your hauling capacity "with you" (aka you don't have to go get your trailer), and it is nice to not have to back up a trailer
- Gas mileage and comfort are better getting away from pickups
- Water, snow and ice never collect in the bed of my minivan like it did in my pickup
- While I like the idea of the little "harbor freight" 4x8 trailers, the wheels are small (bad) and the frame (as well pointed out elsewhere) need some "help".
- plywood is cheap, and you can cheaply make your trailer do some pretty cool stuff, paint this if you want it to last
- make the parts modular and storable. (I lean them against my shed with a tarp over them) (see video)
- Pickups used to be cheap
- In 1991, a comparably equiped minivan was 50% more.
- In 2007 a comparably equiped minivan was 0% more (than a pickup).

I actually wanted a mini-van in 91. They didn't tow much then and they were crazy expensive relative to pickups.

[talonts]

Originally Posted by cheesepuff

For my next couple thousand mile trip out west, I have a modification of the 4' high box, I think will significantly boost mpg. Going west into the wind at 65 mph I was getting 14 mpg. Which was horrifying.

That's not horrifying - when I moved from CA to FL, on my second trip I towed a 5x8 U-Haul behind my Talon, and the mind-numbing I-10 "scenery", and temps of over 100 degrees with no AC (and windows rolled up so I could hear the radar detector) caused me to speed up more and more to "get out of there". One of my tanks I got 8mpg. I won't mention what speeds I was finally driving at, but it was "fast", trailer or not ;-) When travelling around the speed limits, I topped out at 22mpg on a tank. Still cheaper than renting another truck and flatbed for the car, though.

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by ron

that is a very desirable original WV trailer! wish I had one

I can't find the picture of the one I really like but this is close:

It's a custom basket on a Sears Allstate frame.

And here's the sort of thing those fiberglass units mimic.

Two 23-window busses had to die.

Edit: Those are "jail bars" on the inside of the windows. They came stock in the back windows of barndoor buses.

[Wizard_Of_Ahs]

I also have the 4 X 8 "foldup" trailer....but mine was from Harbor Freight. It's rated at 1185lbs which is plenty for what I need. It has the 12" tires and has held up very well for the last 10 years....it lives outside !!

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Youtube is endlessly entertaining.

Here's an interesting, versatile trailer from SylvanSport GO | Lightweight, Small Pop Up Campers - Camping Trailer

Pretty nifty !

Just needs closed sides.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

I like those teardrop trailers because of their aerodynamic profile, and also due to the enhanced protection to the load in opposition to an open trailer.

[freebeard]

This appeared in the book Rolling Homes.

One step up from a teardrop.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Redneck trailer

[freebeard]

"D@mn hippies!"

How about a fifth-wheel on a tag axle, AKA farm implement trailer:

[pete c]

Found a guy with a 96 expire uhh, I mean aspire who is looking to trade for a Ranger, so I might become one of these trailer dudes as I already have a lightweight utility trailer I bought a few years back.