Plant trailers don't come as a one-size-fits-all solution. You need to work out which size of model to buy. The easiest way to do this is to answer the following questions.

1. What Is Your Typical Load Size?

To make the most of any trailer you buy, you need to size it up as accurately as you can. You need to know if it can carry the right size of items for your needs.

Think about the items you'll need the trailer to carry. If you already know the largest thing you'll need to put on the trailer, then use that as your guide. If you might need to load multiple items, say a mini-excavator and a generator, then check if they would both fit on the trailer at once.

Once you have length and width measurements, you can source trailers. You basically know the dimensions you need. If you think your needs might change in the future, you can always go up a size.

2. What Is Your Typical Load Weight?

Plant trailers also have weight restrictions. These are known as payload or carrying capacities. These measures tell you how heavy a load can be to stay within the trailer's safe limits.

So, if a trailer has a carrying capacity of 3 tonnes, then you shouldn't load it with items that weigh more than 3 tonnes in total. It isn't safe to overload a trailer. You also put unnecessary stress on it; it might break. If this happens when you're on the road, you could cause an accident.

So, think about the weight of the items you think you'll load on the trailer. Don't just use your heaviest item as a gauge. Think about what else you might need to carry with this item on a load.

In weight terms, it's often better to go a little higher than you need. This gives you more options if you do need to carry more weight in the future.

3. What Will You Use to Tow the Trailer?

The vehicle you use to tow a plant trailer also affects your choice of model. Every vehicle has a towing load limit that tells you how much weight it can safely pull.

You need to find a trailer that fits in with this limit. The easiest way to do this is to look at a trailer's aggregate trailer mass (ATM) number. The ATM number is the weight of the trailer itself added to its carrying capacity.

So, if your vehicle can tow 5 tonnes, then it can tow a trailer with an ATM of up to 5 tonnes. You shouldn't use it to tow a model with a higher ATM than that.

To find out more about plant trailers, ask a local supplier for advice.