What do you do when you need to occasionally transport some cargo on a flatbed trailer? Unless you must haul cargo on it regularly, buying a cargo trailer will not make sense. If you have been in the market for flatbed trailers, you know they are expensive.
Buying one only for occasional use can be a waste of money and space. The other option, and the better one, would be to rent a flatbed trailer instead. When you get a flatbed trailer rental, you can handle your hauling needs at a fraction of the cost of buying one. To ensure a safe and smooth trailer towing experience, you must find and pick the right flatbed trailer rental. If it is your first time renting a trailer, this trailer rental guide will tell you everything about finding the perfect flatbed trailer rental for your needs.
From understanding the type of flatbed trailer to its compatibility, size, and condition, this trailer rental guide will cover everything. When you finish reading this guide, you will be able to identify the best fit for your needs. If you do not know where to find and book one, this guide also has a section to help you with it.
Trailer Rental Guide | The Two Types of Flatbed Trailers Available in the Market
To find the right flatbed trailer rental, you must first understand the different types and what they offer. Flatbed trailers come in two variations: Bumper-pull and gooseneck. To help you determine which might suit you better, this section of the trailer rental guide will discuss how they are different from each other.
Understanding Bumper-Pull Flatbed Trailers
A bumper-pull trailer is the more common of the two types of flatbed trailers. While the name might make it seem that you attach bumper-pull trailers to a tow vehicle’s bumper, that is not the case. Bumper-pull trailers have a hitch design that connects them to a vehicle on a tow bar mounted on its frame. These trailers get their name because the connecting point used to attach them to a tow vehicle is close to its bumper.
Bumper-pull trailers are capable of handling light- to heavy-duty hauling tasks. Since they are smaller than gooseneck trailers, bumper-pull trailers are also lighter. Due to their hitch design, bumper-pull trailers can easily connect to most pickup trucks and some SUVs featuring matching tow balls.
Understanding Gooseneck Flatbed Trailers
A gooseneck trailer is not as common. Unlike its traditional counterpart, a gooseneck trailer does not connect to a tow vehicle near the bumper. Instead, its hitch design goes over the tailgate on a pickup and connects the trailer to a tow ball mounted on the vehicle’s bed. Since they must connect to a tow ball on the truck’s bed, gooseneck trailers have a hitch shaped like a goose’s neck.
Gooseneck trailers are designed for heavy-duty hauling. If you compare a gooseneck trailer and a bumper-pull trailer of the same-sized bed, a gooseneck trailer will be much heavier. Due to its design, a lot more material goes into making a gooseneck trailer. While their design allows you to carry heavier loads, gooseneck trailers cannot hook up to any vehicle.
To pull a gooseneck flatbed trailer rental, you need a pickup truck with plenty of pulling capacity and a specialized hitch mounted on its bed. Due to its hitch design, you cannot hook a gooseneck trailer to an SUV with a hitch ball.
Trailer Rental Guide | Things to Consider When Selecting a Flatbed Trailer Rental
Now that you understand the two types of flatbed trailers in the market, it is time to learn the factors to consider when renting one. This section of the guide will tell you what to look for when browsing a list of flatbed trailers to rent.
1. Determine the Right Size for the Flatbed Trailer Rental
To ensure you can transport all your cargo, you need a flatbed trailer rental large enough to fit everything. While getting one bigger than you need might seem like a safe bet, you should not go overboard. The larger a trailer is, the heavier it will be. If the combined weight of the trailer and cargo is more than your vehicle’s pulling capacity, you risk damaging your tow vehicle.
Besides the trailer’s weight, its size also changes how much it can cost. The bigger the flatbed trailer rental, the more the charges will be. To get the best value for money, you must rent a flatbed trailer that is slightly larger than you need but falls well within your truck’s towing capacity.
2. Check Whether the Flatbed Trailer Rental is Compatible With Your Vehicle
When renting a flatbed trailer rental, you must ensure your tow vehicle can pull it. If your vehicle has a tow ball mounted on its bed, a gooseneck flatbed trailer rental will be the better fit. If your vehicle features a standard bumper-pull hitch ball, you should rent a flatbed trailer with a bumper-pull hitch.
Besides the hitch type, you must ensure your tow vehicle is powerful enough to pull the fully-loaded trailer. Check your vehicle’s owner’s manual to determine its Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). When designing vehicles, manufacturers assign a GVWR to tell owners how much weight the vehicle can pull safely.
The combined weight of your vehicle, trailer, cargo, and any other equipment you are hauling must be lower than the truck’s GVWR. If you try pulling more weight than its GVWR, you can risk damaging your vehicle’s transmission, engine, brakes, and suspension.
3. Carefully Inspect the Flatbed Trailer Rental’s Condition
When you rent a flatbed trailer, you use one already in use. For safe towing, you must ensure the rental is roadworthy and safe for towing. First, ask the trailer’s owner about its maintenance and if they have made any repairs to it recently. For your peace of mind, you can also ask them about the paperwork proving they have kept up with the trailer’s maintenance.
Besides the paperwork and asking the trailer owner about it, you must also inspect the trailer yourself. Unless its wheels, suspension, axles, and tires are in great condition, you must not rent the flatbed trailer. If you tow a damaged trailer, you put yourself, the cargo, and other motorists at unnecessary risk.
Trailer Rental Guide | Where to Find the Perfect Flatbed Trailer for Rent
By understanding the different types and the factors to consider when renting one, selecting a flatbed trailer rental becomes much easier. Now that you know how to choose one, you must consider where to find a flatbed trailer for rent. For safe towing, it must be in excellent condition. To keep things within budget, it must also be affordable.
Since sticking to a sell-only model is less hassle, most trailer dealerships do not offer trailer rentals. Those that do offer trailer rentals can charge a lot. While they might market affordable rates, many rental businesses charge based on mileage and sneak in hidden fees in the final invoice. While renting from a private owner can get you better rates, finding one available in your area is difficult. Fortunately, there is a game-changer revolutionizing the trailer rental industry.
As America’s first P2P trailer rental marketplace, Neighbors Trailer offers a convenient solution for finding and booking trailer rentals. By connecting you with private owners in your area, it can help you get the perfect flatbed trailer rental for your needs at fixed daily, weekly, or monthly rates. Since owners get more bookings if their listings are in excellent condition, you can rent a flatbed trailer confidently, knowing you are getting great value for money.
If you are interested, download the Neighbors Trailer app for Renters today. It is free and available for all iOS and Android users. Simply download the app, sign up, search for the flatbed trailer you need, and book it online instantly.
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