What Type of Trailer Do You Need? A Guide to Common Trailer Types
Open box, closed, flatbed, car, bike, boat or livestock? Here is what each common trailer type is good for, and how to choose the right one for your job.
Choosing the right trailer makes a job quicker, safer and often cheaper. Picking the wrong one can mean two trips, a damaged load, or a trailer that is too heavy for your car or your licence. Here are the most common trailer types and what each is best for.
Open box trailers
The all-rounder. An open box trailer has a flat floor with low or mesh sides and no roof.
- Good for: garden refuse, rubble, building material, appliances, braai wood, moving odd items.
- Think about: your load is exposed to wind and rain, so cover it with a tarpaulin and tie it down properly.
Closed box and luggage trailers
A closed trailer has solid sides and a lid or roof that locks.
- Good for: holiday luggage, camping gear, boxes and furniture that must stay dry and out of sight.
- Think about: the opening limits how big an item can go in — measure the door or lid, not only the inside.
Mesh (caged) trailers
Like an open box trailer, but with high mesh sides that keep a bulky load in place.
- Good for: garden refuse, branches, light bulky loads that could blow out of a low-sided trailer.
Flatbed trailers
A flat deck with few or no sides, so long or awkward items can be loaded from any side.
- Good for: long building materials, pallets, machinery and loads that are easier to strap down than to box in.
- Think about: everything relies on proper tie-downs — use enough ratchet straps and check them during the trip.
Car trailers
Built to carry a vehicle, usually with ramps and tie-down points for the wheels.
- Good for: moving a non-running car, a project car or a vehicle bought in another town.
- Think about: a car trailer with a car on it is heavy. Check your licence code and your tow vehicle’s braked towing capacity first — see Can Your Car Tow a Trailer?
Bike and quad trailers
Low trailers with rails or wheel chocks for motorbikes and quad bikes. Use proper soft straps on the frame, not on parts that can bend.
Boat and jet-ski trailers
Shaped to cradle a hull, with rollers or bunks and a winch. Make sure the trailer fits your boat’s length and hull shape, and rinse it after launching in salt water.
Livestock and horse trailers
Enclosed, ventilated trailers with non-slip floors for animals. Animal welfare comes first: drive gently, plan rest stops and never overload.
Utility and golf cart trailers
Small, practical trailers for light jobs — garden tools, a golf cart or equipment around a farm or estate.
How to choose
| If you need to move… | Look at |
|---|---|
| Garden refuse or rubble | Open box or mesh trailer |
| Furniture or boxes | Closed box, or open box with a cover |
| Holiday luggage | Luggage or closed box trailer |
| Long materials or pallets | Flatbed trailer |
| A car | Car trailer |
| A motorbike or quad | Bike and quad trailer |
| A boat or jet ski | Boat or jet-ski trailer |
| Animals | Livestock or horse trailer |
Whatever you choose, check three things on the listing: the load capacity, the licence it needs, and its size compared with your load.
Browse the trailer types on Find a Trailer, or read How to Rent a Trailer in South Africa.
