When shopping for enclosed cargo trailers, the possibilities almost seem endless for customization options. You can change the aesthetics, add a host of extra features, and even beef up the construction itself.
With so many options available, we decided to make a quick reference guide for helping customers narrow their focus for designing the best custom enclosed trailer for their unique situation. Read on as we cover the top tips we’ve gathered from our trailer pros on the enclosed trailer customization process.
Design Your Own Enclosed Trailer
For the absolute best in custom enclosed trailers, we only have to look as far as Rock Solid Cargo Trailers. Rock Solid makes, well, rock-solid trailers that are known the world over for their extreme durability and functionality. But many may not be aware that Rock Solid also offers some of the very best options available for designing your own custom enclosed trailer. From the wheels to the rooftop and everything in between, the combinations of available options are virtually endless.
Trailer Design 101
When we first start with a custom enclosed trailer design job, we sit down with our clients for an honest discussion of WWH – what, where, and how. These three questions may seem basic, but we’ll demonstrate just how crucial they are for determining everything from axle size to coupler type.
What – what are you towing?
There are a plethora of different options out there for custom Rock Solid Cargo Trailers, but failing to consider what you’ll need to tow in the trailer is a rookie mistake that can cause a lot of grief down the road. Be honest with yourself about whether the trailer will be for business or for pleasure, a toy hauler or a sleeper, race or construction? All of these considerations will help you hone down your choices for size and type of enclosed trailer that meets your needs now and in the future.
Where – where are you towing your enclosed cargo trailer?
Smaller trailers like the 6 x 12 single axle are great for getting around a busy urban environment with ease. They are maneuverable and easy to park, which makes them ideal for city environments. But if you’re looking at traveling long-distances, consider a race car trailer, a larger, dual-axle trailer, or even gooseneck trailer, as these would provide the best combinations of stability and cargo-hauling muscle for the long haul.
How – what vehicle will you be using to tow and how does a trailer hook-up?
So often it’s easy to set your eyes on a custom enclosed trailer you like, I mean who could look past the 7×16 blackout special, but don’t forget about how your vehicle is set up for towing.
Some truly crucial measurements you need to know and understand before you ever decide on a trailer is the gross combined weight rating (GCWR) and the tow capacity of your tow vehicle. GCWR is the total combined weight of your vehicle and the trailer it’s towing. For example, if your vehicle manufacturer specifies your vehicle at a 7,000 GCWR, and your tow vehicle empty is 5,000 pounds, then you have 2,000 pounds left in trailer, cargo, and passengers in order to stay below the 7,000 maximum.
The other measure that you should know is how much your vehicle can safely tow. This measure varies greatly on the location of the hitch on the tow vehicle. If you have a bumper-mount hitch, then the towing capacity will be slightly lower than with a receiver hitch, which is attached to the frame. The most stable and highest-rated towing coupler in existence lies with a gooseneck trailer coupler, which is attached inside the bed of the tow truck, directly above the axle.
Enclosed trailer design has many factors which require careful scrutiny to ensure you’re happy with your purchase and get years of reliable service from the trailer. The trailer design process can, however, vary somewhat depending on the needs of the customer.
Utility Trailer Designs
Utility trailers serve a purpose, they are a tool. As with any tool in your tool belt, knowing how best to use this tool will greatly aid in the benefit you receive over the years from its use. Utility trailer designs focus more on the needs of the business or individual.
For example, with a lawn care trailer design, we’ll help evaluate things like the size and shape of the lawn equipment and available customizations like interior equipment racks. We’ll absolutely take into account which trailers would work with the tow vehicle, but tend to focus more on meeting every need of the utility-side first. With endless customization options at our fingertips, we help clients design the perfect set-up.
How to Build a Trailer
After we’ve walked through all the various options and our clients have chosen their desired customizations on a trailer, it’s time to construct the vision. While there are indeed ‘build your own enclosed trailer kits’ available online, unless you have the tools, knowledge, and experience as a trailer manufacturer, you simply won’t be able to produce a trailer on par with a manufacturer like Rock Solid. As our reputation for being a trailer dealership of integrity has grown, so too has our need for more custom Rock Solid Cargo Trailers. We utilize this brand because we know them for being honest, which all starts with their name because that’s exactly what type of trailer they produce.
Over the years, we’ve developed a great relationship with this manufacturer and have helped countless clients build their own custom Rock Solid Trailer. With everything going on in the world today, we’ve now expanded this offering to include being able to build a custom enclosed trailer, entirely online!
How to Build an Enclosed Trailer Online
Just as we do with in-person custom trailer projects, an online build will require careful conversations and a lot of back and forth in order for our trailer gurus to help find our clients the perfect trailer to meet their unique hauling needs. Below we’ll quickly go over the top decision points we help our clients walk through when building an enclosed trailer order online.
Step 1 – Decide the Size
You’ll see a lot of options on Renown’s site for different sized trailers. Chances are, you already have a specific size in mind, but this is still a useful first decision point to really dig into with your trailer. If you are really into the 7×16 and have measured all of your cargo and know it will fit great, consider also if there will be a need for things like tool storage, as these can require some additional space. If that’s the exact size you want, it’s no problem – there are so many ingenious customization options to make things like storage or access an absolute breeze.
Step 2 – Cover Your Options
It can be tough to think about all the different needs you have now, let alone trying to anticipate future needs. Thats where physically looking over the available options for custom enclosed trailers can help you envision some of these needs and the ways that customization can help make your life easier.
Options to consider include:
- Extending the tongue of the trailer which can help make turning easier and is necessary in some applications like towing a trailer behind an RV.
- Raising the roof literally by increasing the height of the trailer. This will help you fit in taller/larger items.
- Increasing the thickness of the exterior skin with a 0.30/semi-screwless exterior. Not only will this increase the strength and durability of the trailer exterior, but the aesthetics are phenomenal by eliminating waves and creating a sleek, streamlined look.
- Increasing the size of the axles to help accommodate larger, heavier loads.
- Going with a 12” on-center cross member design to increase the sturdiness and durability of your new trailer.
- Adding roof or sidewall vents to help keep the trailer interior cooler.
- Upgrading the electric to accommodate larger electrical loads for pursuits like racing or livestock transport.
- Adding doors and windows wherever you have a need for better access and light.
Step 3 – Don’t Forget Aesthetics
After getting everything decked out for meeting all your needs, don’t forget custom color options to make this trailer look as good as it will tow. If this trailer is for a business, you want it to represent well and there’s many options for helping your trailer design pop. Custom options like blacked out wheels or custom rims can really make your enclosed trailer stand out.
Start Your Custom Enclosed Trailer Order Now
When you’re ready to start your custom built trailer design process, we invite you to call on our many years of expertise to build the perfect enclosed trailer. Being a custom enclosed trailer dealership for so many years has left us with an almost uncanny ability to help you design a trailer that meets your needs, fits your budget, and provides years of faithful service. Contact our team to go over the designs for your custom trailer concept today.
I have a small airplane with folding wings (kitfox) 8’ width need a ramp opening with of at least 8’1” width to accommodate this 6’6” height 26’ long it weighs 900lbs so light weight axels are best to keep ride soft.
I am interested in building a hand-wash station trailer. I bought a 7×14 utility trailer and am going to build from that base.