working out of enclosed trailer

[Chris Tharpe]

What is the general concensus of working out of an enclosed trailer. Are the drawbacks to it too much to deal with or is it worth having one? I need a new trailer soon and will be either going this route or just having a larger and taller gn built.


Pros

everything is protected from weather
storage on walls
capable of being locked up


Cons
machines have to be vented
only few ways to get inside of them
fixing equipment is a pain

 

[David O'Connell Jr]

I think you just about summed it up

 

[tomtucson]

I was thinking have big doors that open up on the sides

 

[offdutyfireman]

I will only own enclosed trailers. They are vented when you open the doors. Buy Kohlers and udors so nothing needs to be worked on. Build everything on a skid that can be bolted down in 4 places . Need to work on something, slide it out with the forklift. I got answers man, I got answers. With an enclosed you can work in the rain and the machines don't care. Cold in the winter, 20 dollar space heater at night and you are good. Gotta take a leak on the job site, step in side. We have 5 gallon buckets, toilet lids and bags in the trailers and box trucks. Don't get a fold down gate. Easy to lock up and secure.

 

[Chris Tharpe]

My concerns are not so much cold weather but the ease of access. If its crammed full in the front and machines are up there then a tank over the wheels, I fell I would need a 24ft or larger to have enough space to get surface cleaners, detergent tanks, spare hoses, and everything else into it. I am not looking to build this as a rig for cleaning local restaurants and centers but something that will allow me to travel and have room for everything in it.


Russ, Nick

whats the reason you both have open trailers compared to enclosed? Am I pondering the right reasons to stay with open rigs

 

[Russ Spence]

I want everyone to see how cool I am !

 

[David O'Connell Jr]

and how cool you are. Its the haircut

 

[tomtucson]

Dave 'square surface cleaner' O'Connel, same haircut as me.

 

[offdutyfireman]

I will try to post some pics. I have 2 8gpm machines, two surface cleaners, 5 hose reels, a 225 and 50 gallon tank spare hoses and doo dads in each trailer and they are 6 by 12's.

 

[offdutyfireman]

more.

 

[David O'Connell Jr]

Its the doo dads that are important.
They also manage to take up a lot of space.

 

[David O'Connell Jr]

William how the gas mileage pulling that thing?

 

[offdutyfireman]

one more

 

[offdutyfireman]

William how the gas mileage pulling that thing?

I use F250 gas motors. About 12 mpg

 

[David O'Connell Jr]

my isuzu is about the same

 

[offdutyfireman]

Other trailer is set up the same way

 

[offdutyfireman]

my isuzu is about the same

I have chevy 350's in my old bread trucks and they get 9 mpg uphill downhill loaded unloaded. It doesn't matter.

 

[carolinawildcat]

A problem with enclosed is, to add insult to injury, after your stuff gets stolen you notice the door and locking mechanism has been completely destroyed as well.
Why can't the thieves just invest $50 in a good set of bolt cutters and not destroy the entire latch, hinges and/or door with the reciprocating saw?
Good luck finding a replacement door for the trailer, you gotta build one.

 

[offdutyfireman]

I can get trailer doors from two places local or order them online. What size do you need?

 

[810f250]

You could do what I did and have a semi enclosed trailer. You can have a cover made for the entire trailer of truck tarp.

All the doors are swing away and removable.