If you have a truck, you probably already know some of the many uses for it.

A pickup truck can be large enough for you to lend a hand when a friend is ready to move. It can haul around rocks you are picking up to build a wall around your property. It can even provide a great place to watch a drive-in movie.

But if you have never even touched the hitch on the back of your truck, you are missing out. Many vehicles are strong enough to haul hundreds or even thousands of pounds behind them. This can come in handy for many different reasons.

In this article, we are going to be taking a look at the process you can follow to help you determine what the best size cargo trailer is for you.

What Is Your Towing Capacity?

The first thing you will want to do is determine the towing capacity of your vehicle.

Although this seems like it should be simple, it can be confusing to determine. That is because there are several different terms associated with the weight limits your truck faces.

The first is payload capacity. The payload of the truck is everything that it is carrying. That means the weight of the vehicle, the weight of the people and other items in the truck, as well as whatever you have in the bed of your truck.

This is different than the towing capacity. This means the weight that your vehicle can pull behind it. This may or may not correspond to the tongue weight. The hitch on the back of your truck may have a lower weight threshold than what your truck can safely tow.

The first thing you will want to do is check the owner’s manual for your vehicle. Different models of truck can have very different towing capacities. If you are unsure, be sure to contact your dealership for help.

You will want to make sure that both your hitch as well as your engine is properly calibrated for the towing you’re going to be doing.

For more information about this process, click here.

Assess Your Needs

Once you know what you are capable of towing, the next step in the process is determining how much you need to tow.

You will not want to buy a trailer that is at the upper limit of your towing capacity. This is for one simple reason.

Let us say that the towing capacity of your truck is thirty thousand pounds. Say that you want to purchase a trailer to carry your off-roading vehicle with you so you can go out to the desert for a little bit of fun. If your trailer is twenty-eight thousand pounds, you are going to run into a problem.

That is because your trailer is taking up nearly all of your available weight. Combined with the weight of your off-roading vehicle, you will have exceeded the towing capacity as indicated by your dealership.

It is better to find the smallest trailer to suit your needs. If you found one that was only ten thousand pounds, for example, that would allow you to put up to twenty thousand pounds on your trailer and still ride safely.

Even when you are safely within your limits, you will want to make sure you pack your trailer correctly. Start by placing your heaviest items up front. Click the link: https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a23204/uhaul-demonstration-packing-trailers-correctly/ for more information about how to pack safely.

Purchase Your Trailer

Once you have done your research, it is time for you to find the right trailer for you.

One of the most important things to keep in mind is how important it can be to buy from a reputable dealer. You can check out online reviews to help you determine if a company is trustworthy and reliable.

Once you find a dealer, you can go through their inventory. Many list their trailers online to make shopping quick and easy. 

Often, trailers are listed by their size for ultimate convenience. All you need to do is type into a search engine a query like, “7×16 cargo trailer for sale” to start you off in the right direction.

This can get you to a trailer big enough to help with any move.

Buying a trailer can be fun and rewarding, as long as you take the time to do your research.