How to Load Your Trailer as Full as Possible
Flatbed trailers can work for all kinds of loads, but if you're using your trailer to move a houseful of items, you're probably wondering how you can get your trailer to hold as much as possible. Luckily, whether you're dealing with removals or anything else, there are lots of strategies that can help you load your trailer as full as it can go.
1. Make a Stabilising Strategy
To load your trailer as full as possible, you need a strategy for keeping everything together. With a flatbed trailer, you may want to add side walls to the trailer. If that's not possible, you may want to position furniture around the perimetre of the trailer, and then, put boxes in the centre. In that case, you also need to arrange loading straps to hold everything together and a tarp so nothing blows away.
Don't leave this task until moving day, think about how you are going to stabilise the load days before your move, and invest in tarps or straps as needed.
2. Consider a Load Distributing Hitch
A special load distributing hitch may also make it easier for your trailer to accommodate a lot of weight. These hitches translate to greater strength and more stability for longer trailers especially. These hitches can also absorb some of the weight from the load. Make sure you get one that is compatible with your coupler.
3. Put the Right Amount of Weight Over the Axle
Check with your manufacturer about the ideal percentage of weight to put over the axle—this can vary a lot depending on the type of trailer you have, but it helps to improve to stability.
To give you a visual example, imagine a 5th wheeler style caravan. A huge part of the caravan's weight sits over the hook-up in the bed of the ute, and these caravans look sturdy on the road.
4. Check Your Tyres
Your tyres support the entire trailer, and if they are in poor condition, you will have more trouble moving along a heavy load. Make sure that the tyres are in operable condition—if the treads are too worn or the rims are bent, you may want to replace them before your move.
Buy a tyre pressure gauge, and on the day before or the day of the move, check your pressure and add air as necessary. Low pressure allows the weight of the trailer to virtually sink the trailer toward the ground, making it harder to move with a lot of weight.
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