Skid steers are an immensely useful and versatile tool because there are so many attachments that can be placed on the base of the skid steer so that you can do anything from dig a hole to shovel snow. But having that useful piece of equipment doesn't mean a lot if you can't get it to where you are working. You can't drive the skid steer out on the road from one place to the next, so you need to have a safe and legal way to transport it. That's where trailers come in handy. You can hitch these up to a work truck and start hauling the skid steer to where you need it to be. If you are going to buy a trailer for your new skid steer, what should you look for?
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
The GVWR is how much the skid steer weighs. This matters because trailers are only able to handle a certain amount of weight. If you put too much weight on the trailer, you are looking at the risk of damage or failure. When you are looking at the GVWR of the skid steer so that you can choose the right trailer, you are going to want to look at different numbers. You are going to want to see how much it weighs when it is just the skid steer as well as how much various attachments will add to it. You might want to look for a trailer that can handle the weight of the skid steer with the heaviest attachment you have; that way you have some breathing space.
Vehicle Maximum Tow Weight
You are also going to want to see what the maximum tow weight is that your vehicle can tow. That weight needs to include the weight of the trailer as well as the weight of whatever is on the trailer. This is important because trying to pull more weight than your vehicle can pull can do things like burn out your engine. On top of that, your vehicle may not have the stopping power to stop with that additional weight behind it, which could turn into a tragedy. So, it's important to make sure that your vehicle can tow the weight of the trailer and the skid steer. You may want to get a vehicle with a higher rating than necessary just for that added buffer.
If you have a skid steer that you need to get from point A to point B, you want to make sure that you have the right trailer and vehicle to get it there. For more information about a heavy duty skid trailer, contact a local dealer.
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