Looking to buy a cargo trailer

[Van on 66]

Hello everyone!

My 2001 Chevy Astro Van is getting pretty full so I am looking into buying a small cargo trailer to pull behind me.  I mainly am interested in having something to store food supplies, especially in light of all that is going on.  I got stuck in the middle of all the hoarding this past spring when I was boondocking in the Mohave Desert and I don't want to go through that again. 

All that being said, I am looking for advice as to what brand might be the best, the kinds of things to consider when pulling a trailer, and am even wondering if one of the larger motorcycle cargo trailers might fit the bill.  It seems that these trailers would put less strain on the tranny, brakes, etc.

Anyway, please feel free to reply and comment.

 

[ckelly78z]

I would go with a 6x12 cargo trailer to be able to have storage for all your things, and a place to stay should your van need repairs at a shop. Consider using the trailer as a kitchen as well to keep the smells, and mess out of your van.

This trailer is only 1200# empty, double that weight for anything you might add, and this is still way below your van's tow rating.

https://www.usacargotrailersales.com/in-stock-trailers/enclosed-trailer-6x12-white-single-axle/

2001 Chevrolet Astro/Towing capacity
4,700 to 5,900 lbs

 

[highdesertranger]

first off what is your towing capacity?
second what is your GCWR? Gross Combined Weight Rating
third what does the van weigh now fully loaded?

those three things are going to determine how much trailer you can tow. I would not even get close to capacity on an a
Astro van. a V-6 engine and a relatively weak transmission doesn't make a good tow vehicle.

highdesertranger

 

[trailer-t]

^^^^^That seems to be a pretty good trailer for the price in the link above if that is the size Van 66 wants.
Douglas GA has a bunch of cheaper priced trailers. My 7 by 12 from Missouri was like $3300 in 2016.
It is an Arising brand and I have been happy with it. They are manufactured somewhere down south.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I'm gonna get right to the point and leave out all the other stuff:

A 6x12 cargo trailer or anything larger, is too much trailer for an astro van.

The small motorcycle cargo trailer you mention is certainly light enough, but you will not be able to see it in your mirrors...forget about backing a trailer you cannot see. (yes I know about cameras, that might help)

I would consider an in-between size, one that is fully embedded in your van's 'wind shadow'...something around 4x6 or 5x8. Plenty of room to hold a LOT of stuff, but not so big that it overloads the capacity of your van. 

Good luck!

 

[Van on 66]

I would go with a 6x12 cargo trailer to be able to have storage for all your things, and a place to stay should your van need repairs at a shop. Consider using the trailer as a kitchen as well to keep the smells, and mess out of your van.

This trailer is only 1200# empty, double that weight for anything you might add, and this is still way below your van's tow rating.

https://www.usacargotrailersales.com/in-stock-trailers/enclosed-trailer-6x12-white-single-axle/

2001 Chevrolet Astro/Towing capacity
4,700 to 5,900 lbs

Thanks for the reply and the information.  And you saved me the step of having to look up the tow capacity. 

 

[Van on 66]

first off what is your towing capacity?
second what is your GCWR?  Gross Combined Weight Rating
third what does the van weigh now fully loaded?

those three things are going to determine how much trailer you can tow.  I would not even get close to capacity on an a
Astro van.  a V-6 engine and a relatively weak transmission doesn't make a good tow vehicle.

highdesertranger

Thanks for the reply.  I do need to verify all this information which I am working on.

 

[Van on 66]

I'm gonna get right to the point and leave out all the other stuff:

A 6x12 cargo trailer or anything larger, is too much trailer for an astro van.

The small motorcycle cargo trailer you mention is certainly light enough, but you will not be able to see it in your mirrors...forget about backing a trailer you cannot see. (yes I know about cameras, that might help)

I would consider an in-between size, one that is fully embedded in your van's 'wind shadow'...something around 4x6 or 5x8. Plenty of room to hold a LOT of stuff, but not so big that it overloads the capacity of your van. 

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply.  As a matter of fact, even one of the people who has a motorcycle trailer for sale on craigslist responded to me that backing up one with the van would be something that would be difficult, so I appreciated his honesty. 

I have been doing a lot of looking around the internet to see what is available and I completely agree with you and highdesertranger that most of the trailers are too big for the Astro Van.  I figured that something around the 4x6 size would be ideal, but haven't come across one yet.  I also decided that 5x6 is still too large.  

All that being said, I came across a motorcycle trailer that is app. 4x8 in total length and it is also taller than the standard motorcycle trailers.  And it has the largest towing capacity of any of these that I have looked at.  Although this person is from Mesa, AZ he is actually spending the summer not too far from me so it would easy to look at it.  Here is the link so you can tell me what you think.

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/mcy/d/mesa-time-out-cargo-trailer-model-ion/7150049987.html

 

[tx2sturgis]

Cute, looks like a little rolling Pac-Man!

But it will disappear behind your van...making it hard to know if its even still there. I know because I have pulled mc trailers behind a small pickup, as well as many 10's of thousands of miles behind my motorcycles. 

These trailers are specified in cubic feet...and are generally limited to around 250-400 pounds of cargo....which is the standard for mc cargo trailers...lets say this one is 16 cu feet...well you can get a 10-15 cubic feet cargo pod for the top of your van and not have to worry about towing anything, difficulty backing it, or tags, tire maintenance, etc. Or you could get a smaller one, say, 6-10 cf and then use a rear receiver hitch rack and a couple of plastic totes and carry quite a lot of stuff without having to mess around with a little trailer.

I'd keep looking...keep your options open.

 

[Van on 66]

And you are right.  It does look like a little Pac Man!  LOL

And you are correct about all you said too.  I am continuing my search and deciding what to do, but there is a lot of things that are good about this trailer.  It is about the largest capacity I have found among motorcycle trailers.  This one is rated at 22.3 cf and has a max weight capacity of 510 lbs.  It turns out that the guy is only around 30 miles from me so I might at least take a look at it.

Thanks again for all the input!

 

[highdesertranger]

oops I was thinking you meant a trailer to put a motorcycle in. not a trailer meant to be towed by a motorcycle.

my bad. carry on

highdesertranger

 

[tx2sturgis]

Yeah, HDR that happens a lot...its confusing.

It helps to refer to trailers that haul motorcycles as motorcycle 'haulers', like toy haulers. And motorcycle trailers, are the ones that are pulled by motorcycles. Now I know that there is some crosstalk between those two, they are not absolute. All you have to do is google motorcycle trailer and you will get BOTH kinds of trailers. 

v66, good luck with it, and it is bigger than it looks in the pic...maybe those are 15 inch wheels?

 

[ckelly78z]

https://images.app.goo.gl/K1yHTt84URNXHqen8 Here is a low top 4x8 trailer that has a rear door, and a side door. (Not common on smal trailers)....You could still see the fenders of this trailer in your mirrors, and it old be easy to tow. It also has a V nose for better aerodynamics.

 

[Van on 66]

oops I was thinking you meant a trailer to put a motorcycle in.  not a trailer meant to be towed by a motorcycle.

my bad.  carry on

highdesertranger

LOL  That's my fault for not clarifying it better.  So I will carry on.  

 

[Van on 66]

Yeah, HDR that happens a lot...its confusing.

It helps to refer to trailers that haul motorcycles as motorcycle 'haulers', like toy haulers. And motorcycle trailers, are the ones that are pulled by motorcycles. Now I know that there is some crosstalk between those two, they are not absolute. All you have to do is google motorcycle trailer and you will get BOTH kinds of trailers. 

v66, good luck with it, and it is bigger than it looks in the pic...maybe those are 15 inch wheels?

You are right. I thought it looked small in the pics, but then I pulled up the specs from the manufacturer and was surprised. I wish that the wheels were 15's. Unfortunately, they are 12's which I guess is a downside.

 

[Van on 66]

https://images.app.goo.gl/K1yHTt84URNXHqen8  Here is a low top 4x8 trailer that has a rear door, and a side door. (Not common on smal trailers)....You could still see the fenders of this trailer in your mirrors, and it old be easy to tow. It also has a V nose for better aerodynamics.

Thanks for the info.  They even have a 4x6 which is even better.

 

[Malamute]

I rather like that motorcycle trailer in the craigslist ad, Im not in a position to do anything about it but like it though.

 

[Van on 66]

I rather like that motorcycle trailer in the craigslist ad, Im not in a position to do anything about it but like it though.

Thanks for the comment.  I am a little enamored with it myself and will be at least taking a look at it physically which I have let the owner know.   I guess we will see what happens.  

 

[tx2sturgis]

Since those little trailers are perfect for larger touring bikes, they would also be perfect for small economy cars, and I suspect they would be just about ideal for a Prius or other small hybrids....maybe even a smart car.....

With a small economy car thats sits pretty low, you can (or should be able to) see the trailer behind you, which is a lot safer and makes it easier to back up if needed. But they kinda disappear in your mirrors behind a pickup or van.

 

[Van on 66]

Since those little trailers are perfect for larger touring bikes, they would also be perfect for small economy cars, and I suspect they would be just about ideal for a Prius or other small hybrids....maybe even a smart car.....

With a small economy car thats sits pretty low, you can (or should be able to) see the trailer behind you, which is a lot safer and makes it easier to back up if needed. But they kinda disappear in your mirrors behind a pickup or van.

And I totally agree with you, which is my major concern about these trailers.  The major upside that I do keep coming back to with these is that they are FAR less taxing on the vehicles pulling them.  And though I haven't made a decision about them as of yet, it would seem that you could mount a flag or something on the small trailers so that they could be seen behind you.  What do you think?  And that being said, I am still looking for an in-between size trailer such as a 4x6 but I haven't seen one that I like yet.