Me and the hubby are coming to the realisation that we will need to add a trailer to our camping kit pile as we'd like to take 4 bikes next year and there is no way the car can take any more!!
So me being the cheap skate that I am start looking on e-bay for a bargain we can do up ourselves. Meanwhile my hubby who has nooooo concept of spending within a budget has decided we need a twin axle as big as we can get trailer
My thinking is that the bigger the trailer we get the more stuff we'll take and have to pack and unpack for no good reason. I want one big enough to clear some of the stuff out of the boot so we can see out of the back window and I'd like a lid on it so we can put the bikes on top.
Hubby (says he) is worried about a tyre bursting and making the trailer tip over, hence the wish for a twin axle. Of course twin axle ones are bigger which he loves, much more expensive and harder to find.
Can anyone who has a trailer tell me if my need to feed the kids for the next 6 months is getting in the way of a safer trailer or if he's just trying to have the biggest trailer on the camp site
I wish we'd have had a bigger trailer as hubby suggested as we have had to have high sides for it this year, go for the biggest you can afford while still feeding the family and believe me you'll fill it and more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You don't need a twin axle but its a good idea to get a trailer with 13inch wheels. They normally run 155/80x13 car tyres. If you don't know the age of the tyres when you get the trailer, replace the tyres & you will have no problems.
Last year when we went to buy our trailer we had gone with the plan to buy an Erde 142, however when we got there we saw an Erder 153 and could see the size difference between the two. We knew the size of our biggest bif of kit (our Outwell kitchen) so needed to make sure it would fit. Unfortuately the kitchen unit wouldn't fit the 142 so started looking seriouusly at the 153, the biggest difference being that the wheels were a lot bigger which we liked. So we got the 153, got the spare wheel and carrier, jockey wheel, coupling lock, wheel clamp, lockable abs lid (as our kit stays in trailer all the time) and load bars. Cost us a lot of money but it's been worth it and it's so easy to tow. This year due to my spending and buying more gear we had to buy the extending sides and it all just about fits in. I think if we'd had the money we'd have got a twin axle but then we're more than happy than this. I think it all depends on your budget, size of your kit etc
------------- -x- Diane -x-
May 13 - Cala Gogo, St Cyprien (didn't go, hubby too ill to travel)
May 14 Ranc Davaine
August 14 Les Sablons
August 13 - Camping Playa Brava, Pals
I think the only twin axle trailers I've seen on sites have had some other 'day job' function in the week - builders or horseboxes etc.
What's unsafe about single axle? Caravans generally seem to do ok with the one. I'd agree with the comment above about wheel size. Maybe also consider getting a braked model if your OH is really insisting on upping the spec, although that's likely to add a lot to the cost with benefits that most of us do without.
It's true what they say about working out the size of trailer you need: start with what you think you'll need and then double it! But as you say, the more capacity you have, the more clutter you will drag round.
Mine's an Anssems GT750, with optional lid, and some top bars that the dealer manufactured for me.
Whatever you get, be sure to take it to a weighbridge once you have put a typical load in it. It's easy and dangerous to exceed the trailer's max gross weight.
You don't see many twin axle camping trailers, twin axle is more to do with carrying load weight capacity than anything else. camping gear is relitivley lightweight but bulky.
Even the huge Army Sankey trailers, and African expidition trailers are only mostly single axle, albiet with huge truck type wheels.
For us a 5ft x 3ft7" trailer with ABS lid which takes the internal height to just under 3ft is more than adequate, it can take upto 500kg payload which is about double the weight of my kit, the all up weight of the trailer when loaded with my kit is half a ton (500kg).
Just for info unbraked trailers in France are rated upto a maximum of 500kg when loaded, unlike 750kg here in the UK, although you can tow in France at upto 81mph so long as your car is not rated to tow 3500kg or more!.
TT's Anssems trailer is probably as good as it gets in trailers for camping, although if buying new they don't come cheap, on my wish list is a Anssems GTB-750-211 VT2 altough at £2,300 new I won't be buying one anytime soon lol.
Getting your trailer weighed is a good idea, I went down to my local weighbridge twice to get the before and after weights, they print it out all official like, handy info to have, should the need arise.
You will find the single axel trailers are much easier to manouver by hand into tight spaces than the twin axels are, they can turn in a much tighter circle too with a lot less drag and wear and tear on the tyres.
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
Thanks for all of the advice, its helped me get hubby looking at the single axle trailers again yeah!!!!
The advice about tyre size was brilliant, I didn't even realise there were different ones so thank you all very much for that.
But I'm not going to show him the picture of the box trailer as he keeps talking about getting one already. Thankfully the fact we want to put the bikes on top of the trailer helps knock that on the head.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Trailer owners help needed....
we had to buy the extending sides and it all just about fits in. I think if we'd had the money we'd have got a twin axle but then we're more than happy than this. I think it all depends on your budget, size of your kit etc
