# Bumper pull trailer size?



## Maxpower (Nov 28, 2017)

For the foreseeable future I'll only be bringing two steers, twice a year to the butcher. Of course it's always nice to leave some extra space for the future. I recently tried to get two steers to load into my little two horse and that didn't go that well. Thinking if I had something bigger they would load a little easier since it shouldn't look like a trap. Also not exactly sure of the weight capacity of my two horse, would be nice to be able to load and not have to worry about it. Been looking in the 14' to 16' range. My first thought was my typical, buy something used and cheap and fix it up. Around here you're looking around $1500 for a rusty used 16' stock trailer. A decent used one is $3000, at that price it should be pretty much good to go. I quickly started liking the idea of just paying the extra now and not having the frustration of a beat up one. 3rd option is just to go new and really not have to worry about it. 14x5 WW brand, $4700, 16x6 Calico $5400, 16x6 Cornpro $6000. I was liking the idea of the 14', that seemed like it would suit me pretty well but am a little concerned about only being 5' wide. Again don't want the steers to feel pinched and be a pain about loading.


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## KYhaymaker (Jun 7, 2018)

Be careful about going bigger than you need with a bumper pull. A smaller trailer with distribute the animals weight better and keep more of their weight off the hitch. It is easy enough as it is to put too much tongue weight on a bumper pull hitch as it is. Just my two cents.


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## StxPecans (Mar 3, 2018)

How far is the butcher? For 2 head a new trailer? I say 2 trips would be cheaper.

I also know of 2 guys running over 300 head using 16 foot bumper pull trailers. They pretty much take a load of calves to the auction everyweek or hit up 2 or 3 auctions a week.

Both guys use 1 ton single wheels.


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## Maxpower (Nov 28, 2017)

Probably 45 minute drive tops. Although there's one other problem with my 2 horse. This is an older trailer, has a big gap above the back door. I got one loaded the other day and he jumped over the door, thankfully in my yard and not on the road.

My $400 2 horse


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## farmersamm (Nov 2, 2017)

I'm sort of thinking like you on the narrower trailer. Not sure how it would work out.

I only have experience with my 6' wide, so maybe somebody could chime in with their experience with a narrow trailer.

Anyways. I have a slider on the door. And I use it occasionally.....like on the day I brought the new bull home. The guy had a really nice little portable chute he set up before I got there, and we just ran the bull up the chute into the trailer. Slicker than snot.

I'm not sure we'd have gotten the animal thru a narrow 2.5' slider. (That's assuming a 5' trailer comes with a slider??)









If you don't need a slider, I really don't think 5' would be bad at all. Once you get them loaded, less room means less moving around I'd think..which is a good thing.

If you buy used, pay real close attention to the area where the sidewall meets the angle iron bottom. Guys that don't clean their trailers have real corrosion problems there. The sidewall is the only structural support on the trailer, it forms the load carrying "beam". Any discontinuity between the web, and flange, of a beam destroys its structural integrity.

I'm kind of anal, I clean the trailer every time I use it. Easier than the PITA repairs.


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## StxPecans (Mar 3, 2018)

Not sure how wide my trailer is, i would say at minimum 7 foot wide. Its as wide as any other trailer if not wider and the slide gate has never been an issue but i have had some fat cows barely fit. If it was 6 inches narrower well that would be a different story.

I would be real heaitant on buying a used cattle trailer. Around here they are normally getting rusty or are rusted if they are iron and still bring decent money. I use to wash out my trailer often and still had rust issues after about 10 years. Now switched to a aluminium trailer and has been going good for about 10 years now. Have never washed it out. And the trailer is way lighter than a iron trailer. Now for 2 steers a year you could never justify it.

But if an aluminum trailer comes up in your search well i would highly consider it. 
I hual cattle in my trailer everyweek and both me and my dad use it. Have never washed it out but have had to shovel poop out of it as it builds up.

The trailer i have still looks new. And at the time i bought it the extra cost was hard to swallow but not having to wash a trailer is worth it. Plus it will probably last another 10 years. And the fuel savings has to be somthing it pulls way easier due to less trailer weight.


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