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Thu May 05, 2016 5:05 am

I'm planning on buying a new utility trailer for hauling misc. building supplies and landscaping equipment. I'd like to use it to haul the buggy around when needed.

I'm looking at either a 6'x10' (cheaper and better payload) but considering going to a 6'x12' (more expensive and cumbersome).

What size trailer have most pulled their buggies around on? Buggy in question is a Berrien frame with a Berrien Nostalgia body.

Thu May 05, 2016 5:53 am

16 foot Carson dual axle car carrier..... Oh well... For width a 6 foot wide will work and you will have maybe 3-4 inches on each side for clearance ( depending on width of wheels and tires)... For length 10 will be close, yes the tires and wheels will be on trailer bed, but you will probably have some hang over front and rear.... So it may depend on the trailer you get, if it has rails or sides that are above the bed it may be a problem....

Go steal the neighbor kids sidewalk chalk and draw a box in the street (or a parking lot) the size of trailer bed and put buggy in the box, and see if you are comfortable with the fit...

Also remember buggy will be tail heavy and if trailer does not have enough tongue weight, it going to tow pretty wonky... You may have to back buggy onto trailer to get proper balance... Its all about axle placement of trailer... The extra length of the 12 foot trailer will allow you some adjustment room for proper trailer balance..

Also what are you going to tow with?.... Tow vehicle has a lot to do with how trailer/buggy combination will handle on road..

Dale

Thu May 05, 2016 6:05 am

Thanks Dale,

I'll be towing with a '15 Tacoma. 4x4, 6-cylinder with the tow package. Rated for 640lb tongue load and 6400lb towing capacity.

Chalk idea would be great if the buggy were finished :oops:

Thu May 05, 2016 6:37 am

You will definitely need to have the trailer axle in the correct spot to get your tongue weight correct.

I have seen the carnage of what happens when a trailer is loaded too light on the hitch.
The most recent one ended up with a 3 axle trailer upside down on the freeway with 50 ft of guardrail wiped out, a telescoping forklift on it's side and the truck towing it also totaled. The former co-worker was not hurt but I don't know how he managed that.....

Most small utility trailers have the axle mounted in the middle of the box.....you would want it farther to the rear to make it haul a buggy safely.
If you did that then it would be easy to overload the hitch when hauling other stuff.

Thu May 05, 2016 6:44 am

I would just put your buggy on the trailer backwards, then all the weight is towards the front.

Thu May 05, 2016 7:10 am

Buggies flat tow with just a towbar fine if they have good neutral steering

Thu May 05, 2016 8:29 am

I would flat tow all day before I would use a utility trailer.

I towed with a 1988 Jetta diesel 54 hp. Cruise at 60 mph and could easily forget I had the buggy behind me.

Using a trailer, proper weight distribution will be super important.

Thu May 05, 2016 8:29 am

As far as weight distribution of a dune buggy on a trailer goes, here is a photo showing the true center of gravity as it relates to my dune buggy. Gas tank is mounted in the front, but I can't actually remember how much gas was in the tank at the time that the photo was taken:

Thu May 05, 2016 9:52 am

Excelent Shot Gary. Thanks!!

Thu May 05, 2016 2:21 pm

Your in the landscaping business? I would buy at least a 7X14 tandem axle trailer with electric brakes. Your truck can pull it. What happens when your business grows and you need more equipment. I guarantee if you pussy foot around with a 6x10 you will kick yourself in the ass many times for not buying a larger trailer. Swallow the cost and get a real trailer.

Thu May 05, 2016 3:20 pm

Make sure you get one with real tires on it. Many of the smaller garden trailers have only 10 or 12" tires. 14" is probably best size tires.

Thu May 05, 2016 3:38 pm

If any doubt about position of the buggy on the trailer for proper tongue weight.. then get out your bathroom scale.. and place it under the tongue of the trailer.. A basic jackstand will do on top of the scale and under the trailer tongue. Maybe a small piece of plywod to protect the scale from scratches.Then move your buggy round until you get it to between 150-200lbs.

That may require loading the buggy backwards.. depending on the placement of the trailer axle(s).

General rule of thumb is tongue weight = 8-15% of total loaded trailer weight

Keep in mind that adding tool boxes and gas cans can shift that load.. so factor it all in.

Its not a bad exercise to do once a season to help remind oneself what an even load looks like.

I used to do this with boat trailers and it was remarkable how far off I could be when just guesstimating it.

Thu May 05, 2016 6:09 pm

Wasn't ex-Berrien now ACME supposed to be coming out with a buggy specific trailer? Never heard more about it, but do recall someone posting about it (probably well over a year ago)?

I always wandered if it was worthwhile getting a single axle trailer vs. dual axle for hauling a sub 1500lb buggy?

Thu May 05, 2016 7:36 pm

I came across deal on 16 foot dual axle car carrier and snatched it up, I have hauled two different buggies on it and a Baja and John Deere riding mower (looks sort of small on big trailer) and move tear drop trailer for a friend also use it for moving lumber and object to long or to big to fit on pickup bed ...Unladen weight is 1470 lbs and has gross weigh if 7200 pounds which give me payload of 5730 lbs..

Dale

Fri May 06, 2016 11:54 am

Here is mine on a 6x12 IRS with 295's barely fit in width wise...
other ideas and pics here:
http://s23.photobucket.com/user/MURZI/library/misc%20stuff/trailers?sort=3&page=1

Sat May 07, 2016 5:06 am

Minimal qualification: A trailer for which you can buy tires that fit it at any local tire store
.

Sat May 07, 2016 6:43 am

wythac wrote: Minimal qualification: A trailer for which you can buy tires that fit it at any local tire store
.

Yeah... Standard 15 wheel/tire combination, and if going out of town, carry spare... Put spare on my CC and have never needed it, but if I did not have it, you know what would happen...

Also be sure trailer had really good tie down points and that you get some good tie down ratchet straps ... I have 4 2,500lb working load, 10,000 burst load straps, what ever is on trailer stays on trailer...

Dale