Golf carts are incredibly useful motorized products. Not only are they a fun way to get around a golf course, but they’re also incredibly useful for transportation in large facilities like airports, hospitals, and military bases, etc. Due to their ease of use and affordability, many regular golfers prefer to buy their own and avoid spending expensive rental fees. And if you’re one of them, you’d probably need to transport them to and from the course. This is where a golf cart trailer comes in.
In this post, we’ll share everything you need to consider before buying a golf cart trailer to ensure you buy the right one for your golf cart.
What are Golf Cart Trailers?
As the name suggests, Golf cart trailers are detachable trailers specifically designed for loading and unloading golf carts, and transporting them to the desired destination. As long as your vehicle has towing capability, you can easily hook up the trailer and be on your way.
How to Choose a Golf Cart Trailer
If you’ve bought your own golf cart, you probably need a golf cart trailer unless you’re fine with paying parking or storage fee at your club. Choosing the right trailer for your cart isn’t that hard, especially if you’re aware of the standard weight and size of your cart. If you’re not, let’s take a look at everything you need to consider before buying a golf cart trailer:
1. Size
First of all, you need to consider the size of your golf cart trailer to ensure the cart fits on it. You can do this by measuring the length and width of your cart and choose a trailer close to that size. However, you should avoid overly large trailers to make sure the cart doesn’t move around in it and cause an unnecessary accident. In most cases, the dimensions of golf cart trailers are preset so you might not get a precise fit. The following are the most trailer dimensions you can find:
5X10 Trailer
The standard size of most golf cart trailers is 5×10. This space is not too tight or too slack so you can effortlessly load and unload your cart. However, this may not be suitable for smaller carts.
4X6 Trailer
Many golf cart owners prefer smaller trailers because they’re cheaper. While this is perfectly understandable you should keep in mind that these trailers will limit maneuverability and become unstable on rough terrains. So only consider this size if the route to the golf course is even and smooth.
6×10 trailer
A 6X10 trailer is perfect for golfers who intend to carry extra equipment along with their golf carts. However, these trailers are typically more expensive, depending on the build material, features, and safety.
2. Safety
Most golfers overlook safety when buying a golf cart trailer. Keep in mind that you’ll be pulling hundreds of pounds behind you on highways and hills. So, you need to make sure the trailer you choose has an excellent security rating. Secondly, we recommend buying a trailer with a back hatch you can use as a ramp to easily load. unload your cart. Most high-quality trailers will also pack safety chains and wiring harnesses to protect the load and drivers.
3. Build Material
Apart from different sizes and safety ratings, golf cart trailers are constructed using different materials. The build material of the trailer will influence its price, strength, and durability. The stronger the material, the longer it will last. The following are the most common build material you can choose from:
Aluminum
Most trailers comprise aluminum as the main build material due to its lightweight and shiny look. Aluminum is also rust-resistant, which makes aluminum trailers suitable for people living near the coast. However, it is not as hard or strong as steel so it will not sustain frequent abuse.
Steel
The biggest drawback with steel in the past was that it wasn’t rust-resistant. Thanks to technological developments, that is no longer the case. As a result, most people opt for steel golf cart trailers because they’re stronger and more durable than aluminum. However, they’re not as light as aluminum so you’ll need more towing capability to manage the load.
Aluminum Alloy
Aluminum allows trailers to combine the best properties of aluminum while eliminating some of its shortcomings such as lack of strength. As a result, these trailers are almost as strong as steel trailers and light as aluminum ones.
Aluminum with Steel Frames
If you don’t want to go all out on a trailer, then you can manage with an aluminum trailer with steel frames. The steel frames make the structure stronger while the aluminum body makes it lighter.
4. Capacity
Before you buy any trailer, check its trailer gross vehicle weight (GVWR) rating. This is the maximum amount of weight a trailer can carry. So ideally, your cart should be lighter than this rating. For instance, if your trailer weighs 2,500 pounds, then your cart should be slightly lighter. You can use the general formula to estimate the payload capacity:
Payload Capacity = GVWR – Trailer Weight
Our Final Thoughts
Not all trailer manufacturers offer the same quality so you’ll want to know what to look for in a golf cart trailer before buying one. The considerations in our list are just a few things you can use to pick the right one for you. Remember, it’s not just about getting to the golf course. It’s about getting there safely and ensuring you get the best out of your investment.
