Trailer & hitch

Curt Class III is what I have.

I am in the same spot at the moment as I have started a project and part of the material are a number of 6"x6"x8' L landscape timbers for a small retaining wall. I sure miss my truck at this moment and would love to get a small utility trailer to make up for it. My wife doesn't want me spending the money on a trailer and she doesn't want to see it sitting in the yard not being used much. I want things :), but I have to agree with her in my case I wouldn't use it much.

However, the landscape company that I plan to order several tons of crush run and granite dust will also deliver the timbers on the same truck so I will just go that route and it doesn't add to the delivery cost. But I do miss having a truck at times.

I bought a Pro Series 2" hitch cargo carrier yesterday from e-trailer to help get some of the smaller project items home and for when I rent a plate compactor.
 
I have always owned a trailer and never had a pickup truck. I am a avid DIY (I built my house) so I know the value. There are folding trailers and there are very small trailers but if I was buying a utility trailer tomorrow I would buy one of the 4X7 ft mesh floor trailers all the big box stores are selling. They are all steel (no wood) so you can leave it outside. They are light and reasonably well built.

I do make a couple of changes to a trailer. I put a wheeled trailer jack on the tongue. It saves your back and your car bumper. You have more control when you hook up a full trailer, You can crank the hitch up to the right height and with the backup cam back right under it.

If your trailer is left outside as mine is then it will be hard on the wiring. Also I use my trailer around the yard behind a garden tractor. For this reason I have removed the lights and mounted them on a board that clamps to the trailer. When the trailer is stored, the lights and wiring are hanging om my garage wall ready to go.
 
I installed a Curt Class III trailer hitch on my CX-5. It is for pulling a utility trailer and holding a bicycle rack. The wires for the harness connecting to the trailer light were run behind panels to the underside of the rear pumper and secured with a plastic piece. There is a thread on here with pictures.

I have a Harbor Freight 4x8', foldable utility trailer. It was inexpensive and has paid for itself 10X over. I built 2' tall sides for the trailer using 1x12" pine boards. I have hauled topsoil, dirt, compost, manure, mulch, large and small trees, plants, sod, large tillers, furniture, 4x8' garage cabinets, cabinet tablesaw, etc. with it. IMHO, it is more useful and economical than a truck!
 
Rhizome said:
I installed a Curt Class III trailer hitch on my CX-5. It is for pulling a utility trailer and holding a bicycle rack. The wires for the harness connecting to the trailer light were run behind panels to the underside of the rear pumper and secured with a plastic piece. There is a thread on here with pictures.

I have a Harbor Freight 4x8', foldable utility trailer. It was inexpensive and has paid for itself 10X over. I built 2' tall sides for the trailer using 1x12" pine boards. I have hauled topsoil, dirt, compost, manure, mulch, large and small trees, plants, sod, large tillers, furniture, 4x8' garage cabinets, cabinet tablesaw, etc. with it. IMHO, it is more useful and economical than a truck!
Click to expand...

So a 5x8 utility trailer with a steel mesh floor is the best value and design for the CX5 to tow?

What is the weight limit on the CX5 towing?

Tractor Supply has a 5x8 mesh floor trailer for $600 (2,000 GVWR - 400lbs for the trailer with 1,600 lbs payload capacity). It has a 1 7/8" coupler size
 
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The CX-5 will tow 2000 but you would want brakes for more then 1000. I think your pick is ideal. Just don't load it over1000 or so. By or so, I mean, you can get 1200 or 1500 home from the local big box store at low speed with big following distance. At 1000 or so, you can take the highway.
 
I could fit about 7 2x4x8 pieces in my camry and still close the trunk. This body is a little shorter, but is there no room to fit it in? Or do a tie down on the hatch? Or are you just buying a larger quantity?
 
the CX-5. Will hold 10 ft lengths but the hatch is less then 48 wire. (About 43 wide). That's ok. It isn't what the car is for. That's the job of the trailer.

Another thing I like about using a trailer is when you get home with the load you just park it and unload it when you want.

I will bring a trailer load of mulch and transfer the trailer to the garden tractor and spend a week distributing it around the house. The car stays clean.
 
I tow this with my CX-5. You can't even tell it is back there.

IMG_1612.jpg

e36910bb2b7877d1a42f8936d2f563a8.jpg

5ad6d8153e3aab9d46b27ab618216030.jpg
 
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Utility trailers are very handy. Even when I owned a truck, I preferred the trailer because the load height is much lower.
Sold the truck when we moved into a townhouse but kept the trailer - no regrets and the cx5 tows it no problem (class 3 hitch)
My 3 fits perfect under it too lol!!


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There is no doubt that the Harbor Freight trailer will do the job for a while. If it is folded and kept in a garage when not in use, probably quite a while. I have owned them, and they are gone now. I also owned a well built trailer similar to the Olympic. Mine was built for a friends father in 1955. I got it in 1984. It lasted until last year when rust got to it (After being outside for 60 years) It was a pleasure to use.

I have a trailer that I use for a display I take to engine shows It is converted from a used trailer and is about 20 years old. It probably has 25,000 miles on it. It has small wheels and they have not been a problem even with interstate travel. but like other quality trailers it has full tubing for the frame (not formed channel) so it is stiff and has held up well.

Bottom line $260, $700, $1400 There is a difference.

light-plant-on-road.jpg
 
This is my HF trailer. I've had it for 5 years now. The heaviest load was removing 1-ton loads of gravel-laden soil in my backyard to the landfill. Here, it is used to transport a workbench (308 lbs). The side panels were sized to contain 1.5 cubic yards volume. For longer objects (lumber, sheet goods), the sides come off. When not in used, it is folded in half and put in storage. Total invested <$250 (not account for hitch/wiring). Probably saved me 10X+ that in trailer/truck rental fees over the years.

trailer with workbench.jpgtrailer with workbench 02.jpgtrailer with lumber.jpg
 
I found an IRON PANTHER steel trailer (5x8) with a jack and 2" coupler. It weighs 900 lbs.

So I could put a max of 1,000 lbs of cargo on it (not that I would)?

It would mainly be for landscape stuff for the home and some concrete bags for small projects.
 
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I found a LAMAR trailer that is 4x10 with a mesh gate and mesh sides.

Can the CX5 handle a 4x10 trailer ?? (650 lbs)

Or should I stick with a 4x8 trailer?
 
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