Unless you started mowing at the young age Jason Binder did, your next purchase right after your first mower was likely a means to carry it around. Walker user Gerry McCarthy, owner of Mac’s Landscaping in Burlington, Massachusetts, did the next best thing 35 years ago when he started his business. “I made my first trailer,” McCarthy recalls. “I purchased the running gear and built a make-shift frame on it.”
That first hauler doesn’t hold a candle to the spiffy, enclosed trailers he now uses, each with signage of a beautiful property his company maintains. “Enclosed trailers work best for us,” McCarthy adds. “They are a rolling advertisement for our company, offer security for our equipment, and provide shelter for crew members when it rains.”
Roger Krans, owner of Kransco Lawn Services in Lynn Haven, Florida, uses both enclosed and open trailers. “Open trailers are easier to get into tight spaces,” he relates. “They’re lighter to pull than enclosed trailers, less expensive, and you can load them with debris.” Still, Krans says he prefers enclosed units. “Enclosed trailers keep equipment out of the sun (which is quite damaging in Florida), out of the rain and secure from theft.” Like McCarthy’s, his trailers also double as traveling billboards. “Plus, they make operators look more professional,” Krans adds.
Kransco’s open and enclosed trailers carry the same equipment, although the latter can carry more irrigation pipes, heads and connectors. Enclosed trailers feature the company’s name and telephone number on all four sides, along with Walker emblems. Always safety-minded, Krans uses safety cones whenever he stops at a property, and crew members are trained to look before walking out from behind a trailer. “If we have to park on the road, we also have our flashers going the entire time we’re on the property,” Krans adds.
Wired Up
“The top maintenance concern with all trailers is the lighting system,” Krans points out. “Our trailers are used every day and lights can get damaged very easily. We check our lights, including turn signals, brake lights and parking lights, every morning before going into the field.”
One way to minimize light issues is to ensure that wires running underneath the trailer are not exposed, says Wells Cargo regional sales manager Mark Bonek. “Ideally, wires should run through the main frame or otherwise be protected. They should also be continuous, without connectors that can cause ‘electrical shorts’.”
A common mistake when purchasing any trailer, Bonek adds, is buying one that is undersized without enough carrying capacity. “Before making a purchase, mark-off an area in your garage and see if your equipment fits.”
Bonek offers a few additional purchasing tips. “The trailer tongue should be at least 48 inches long, preferably 60 inches to allow for tight turns. A full-width hinge on the ramp door is important. If you’re not loading on level ground, corner hinges may twist or flex. Make sure the enclosed trailer is well-ventilated, too.
“Look for solid engineering and construction,” Bonek adds. He points out features such as using a heavy-duty tubular steel main frame and steel corner posts that extend to the bottom of the frame for maximum welding surface. An undercoated chassis will protect the trailer from corrosion, while all exposed steel frame surfaces should be primed and painted.
Bonek recommends a plywood flooring that measures at least 3/4 inches thick, Wolmanized® and pressure-treated to withstand moisture. “A quality trailer will help operators avoid downtime and reduce maintenance and service costs,” Bonek emphasizes. “Quality construction and engineering details will extend the life of trailers just as they do for mowers.”
Theft Protection
Both McCarthy and Krans mentioned that one key benefit of enclosed trailers is the theft protection they offer. Still, equipment can be at risk if doors are left unlocked or trailers unattended for long periods of time.
In its 2009 theft report, LoJack Corporation, manufacturer of a stolen vehicle recovery system, ranks the most popular construction equipment stolen, along with the states with the highest theft rates. Generators, air compressors and welders were the most popular items stolen, followed by backhoe and wheel loaders, skid-steer loaders, light utility vehicles and trailers, and forklifts/scissor lifts.
California, Florida, Texas, Arizona and Georgia were the states with the highest theft rates, according to LoJack’s recovery data.
LoJack offers other tips for keeping equipment safe:
Label all equipment with unique identifying numbers.
Keep accurate inventory records. Include manufacturer, model, year and purchase date for each piece of equipment and record the serial number of each major component part.
Use immobilization devices such as wheel locks, fuel shut-offs or ignition locks, or install battery-disconnect switches.
Focus on physical site security. When possible, fence-in equipment and park it close together in a circle. Keep smaller pieces in the center, chained to larger equipment. Install on-site security cameras and motion sensors. Communicate with law enforcement, e.g., request more frequent patrols, especially in known high-theft areas.
LoJack has been manufacturing its radio-frequency recovery system since 1986. Once installed in an automobile or truck, the device integrates with law enforcement agencies to assist in the recovery of the vehicle. In 2009 alone, the company says it recovered nearly $11 million in stolen construction equipment.
The device is especially appropriate for landscape contractors who work in high-crime areas, but all company owners can benefit from knowing how to protect their equipment from being stolen.
There’s logic behind buying a trailer for your company. If you’re starting out, a more affordable open trailer is likely the best alternative. Open trailers can double for hauling away debris. They also offer easy access to equipment—a plus for crew members, but a minus when operating in high-crime areas. Enclosed trailers are attractive on many fronts, including providing a safe haven for equipment.
Just like buying a mower, buying a trailer requires matching the trailer to the application, ensuring that it has enough capacity for the job at hand, and is built to take the day-to-day punishment that mowing contractors dish out.
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