Here are two things to consider if you want to get a flat top trailer.
Whether you want the trailer to have a barrier
Many flat top trailers do not have barriers around their floors. However, some models do come with a relatively low barrier. It's important to think about whether you might need this feature. Having a flat-top trailer without a barrier could be useful if you would like to be able to easily load items onto or remove items off the trailer from any side of it, rather than just from the back.
Whilst loading or unloading items from your trailer's other sides would be technically possible even if it had a barrier, it would be more strenuous, as you would have to lift the items over this barrier. As such, if you want the option of easily accessing the trailer's floor from any side, then a flat top without any barrier would probably be best.
However, if you'll be putting items on this trailer that would be tricky to tie down (such as lots of small, irregularly shaped objects), then it could be helpful for the trailer to have a barrier, as its presence would ensure that even if you didn't manage to fully secure these items, the barrier would still stop them from rolling off the floor of the trailer whilst you're driving.
Whether you need a flat top trailer with a tipper feature
Some flat top trailers have a 'tipper' feature; this feature is designed to tilt the trailer off of the axles at an angle so that its contents slide off the trailer floor and onto the ground, instead of having to be manually lifted off of it.
Whilst this feature can be helpful in instances where, for example, you need to transport heavy materials that won't get damaged easily (like bags of gravel), you should not get a flat top with a tipper feature without considering if it's right for your requirements.
For example, if you'll be transporting relatively light items (i.e. items that you could comfortably lift out of a trailer that didn't have a tipper function) and these items are somewhat fragile, it might be better to opt for a flat top trailer that doesn't have this feature as, if you were to unload these items by tilting the trailer at a steep angle and allowing them to fall out of it in an uncontrolled way, they might sustain damage.
Reach out to a local trailer dealer to learn more about flat top trailers.
Share27 January 2022
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