In the United States, the term is sometimes used interchangeably with travel trailer and mobile home, varieties of trailers & manufactured housing designed for human habitation. Their origins lay in utility trailers built in a similar fashion to horse drawn wagons. In the United States trailers ranging in size from single-axle dollies to 6-axle, 13.5 ft high, 53 ft long semi-trailers are commonplace. The latter, when towed as part of a tractor-trailer or "18-wheeler", carries a large percentage of the freight that travels over land in North America. Types of Trailers Enclosed toy trailers and motorcycle trailers can be towed by commonly accessible pickup truck or van, which generally require no special permit beyond a regular driver's license. Specialized trailers like open-air motorcycle trailers, bicycle trailers are much smaller, accessible to small automobiles, as are some simple trailers, pulled by a drawbar and riding on a single set of axles. Other trailers, such as utility trailers and travel trailers or campers come in single and multiple axle varieties, to allow for varying sizes of tow vehicles. There also exist highly specialized trailers, such as genset trailers and their ilk that are also used to power the towing vehicle. Others are custom-built to hold entire kitchens and other specialized equipment used by carnival vendors. Travel trailers Popup campers are lightweight, aerodynamic trailers that can be towed by a small car, such as the BMW Air Camper and the Coleman Bayside. They are built to be shorter than the tow vehicle, minimizing drag. Others range from two-axle campers that can be pulled by most mid-sized pickups to trailers that are as long as the host country's law allows for drivers without special permits. Larger campers tend to be fully integrated recreational vehicles, which often are used to tow single-axle dolly trailers to allow the driver to bring small cars on their travels. Semi trailers A semi trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported either by a road tractor or by a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly. A semi trailer is normally equipped with legs which can be lowered to support it when it is uncoupled. A single trailer cannot exceed a length of 53 feet on interstate highways (unless a special permit is granted) in the United States, however it is possible to link several trailers together. Motorcycle trailer A motorcycle trailer may be a trailer designed to haul motorcycles behind an automobile or truck. Such trailers may be open or enclosed or open, ranging in size from trailers capable of carrying several motorcycles or only one. They may be designed specifically to carry motorcycles, with ramps and tie-downs, or may be a utility trailer adapted permanently or occasionally to haul one or more motorcycles. Another type of motorcycle trailer is a motorless wheeled frame with a hitch system designed for transporting cargo by motorcycle. Motorcycle trailers are often narrow and styled to match the appearance of the motorcycle they are intended to be towed behind. No motorcycle manufacturer recommends that its motorcycles be used to tow a trailer. Livestock trailer There are a number of different styles of trailers used to haul livestock such as cattle and horses. The most common is the stock trailer, a trailer that is enclosed on the bottom, but has openings at approximately the eye level of the animals to allow ventilation. The horse trailer is a more elaborate form of stock trailer. Because horses are usually hauled for the purpose of competition or work, where they must be in peak physical condition, horse trailers are designed for the comfort and safety of the animals. They usually have adjustable vents and windows as well as suspension designed to provide a smooth ride and less stress on the animals. Both stock trailers and horse trailers range in size from small units capable of holding two or three animals, able to be pulled by a pickup truck or even a SUV; to large semi-trailers that can haul a significant number of animals. A travel trailer or caravan is a trailer towed behind a road vehicle (or even a horse) to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable, sheltered and protected than a tent (although there are fold-down tent trailers [1]) . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation (holiday), without relying on a hotel, and enables them to stay in places where none are available. Travel trailers and caravans vary from small basic models which may be little more than a tent on wheels to those containing several rooms with all the furniture and furnishings and equipment of a home. They are used principally in North America and Europe and are rare elsewhere, so this article deals mainly with those continents. In the United States and Canada, caravans are called "travel trailers". Their history can be traced back to the early days in the 1920s, in which the people of the time called it Tin Can Tourists. As time progressed, trailers became more livable and earned a new name in the 1930s and 1940s which was the House Trailer.[1] In the 1950s and 1960s, the industry seemed to split, creating the two distinctly different entities that we see today, that of the recreational vehicle (RV) industry and mobile home industry. Today travel trailers are classified as a type of RV along with motorhomes, fifth wheel trailers, pop-up trailers, and truck campers. Smaller travel trailers and pop-ups are still made with touring in mind. These generally are less than 18 ft (5.5 m) long and contain simple amenities. By design, they are lightweight and quick to set up or prepare for travel. Most weigh less than 3,000 lb (1,350 kg). and can be towed with a large car or small truck depending upon its towing capacity. Mid-range travel trailers are 18 25 ft (5.5 7.6 m) long can weigh 5,000 lb (2,250 kg) or more, and are generally towed with compact V-8 powered pickup trucks and SUVs. They have most of the amenities of the larger travel trailers, but sleep fewer people. 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These generally range from 25 40 ft (7.5 m 12 m) long and contain all the comforts of a luxury condominium. Because they require a purpose built tow vehicle, highway tractor or large truck or SUV, these amenity-laden homes can reach 12,000 lb (5,500 kg) or more. While trailers may weigh in even above that, most long-box pickups have a maximum tow-weight of 15,500 lbs, and towing over 10,000 lbs. requires a 'class A' driver's license. Multiple televisions and air conditioners are common in units of this size. Slide-out rooms and screen porches add to livability. By law, travel trailers are limited to 400 ft2 (37 mē) of living area, and many models offer exactly that. With all of the disincentives inherent in municipal zoning bylaws and building codes to affordable, ecological (off-grid) and compact housing solutions, travel-trailers offer a legitimate and unique possibility for those considering an ecological full-time home or seasonal cottage. Travel-trailers are often acceptable (flood-plains, areas outside of urban growth limits, etc.) - where regular buildings may not tread. One of the great virtues of a trailer park, is its very light infrastructure, low ecological footprint, minimal land disturbance, abundant permeable surfaces (for stormwater drainage) and relative ease of site-restoration. Motorcycle trailer is a term used to describe a trailer used either to carry motorcycles or to be pulled behind a motorcycle in order to carry additional gear. Motorcycle carrying trailers may be open or enclosed. They may be wide, for two bikes side-by-side, or narrow, for just a single bike. The main features that distinguishes them from other flatbed or enclosed trailers are track(s) to keep the wheels from sliding side to side and sufficient tiedown points to keep the motorcycle(s) from tipping. They may also tilt, or include ramp(s) to facilitate the loading and unloading of motorcycles. Trailers towed behind motorcycles are distinguished by their relatively small size, especially narrow wheelbase. They are also often styled to match the look of the motorcycle they are intended to be towed behind. This styling can include the overall shape, fender shape, lights, chrome, etc. |