Specs on mine:
PJ trailer, Model CE
7’ wide deck between fenders, 20’ long. 5” channel frame.
5,200# axles, brakes on both.
Pine 2x deck with steel strap over the ends of the boards to keep twisting down.
The ramps have “knees” under them to support the back of the trailer when loading. I don’t care for the flip down jacks on the rear corners. Ramps are also spring assisted for lifting. It is a two finger lift...
I didn’t care for the two standard fender options, which were removable thin steel or aluminum. Neither was strong enough to stand on reliably, and the removable ones rattle like crazy. I opted to have 1/4” diamond plate steel and welded on. Should hold up...
I’ve had too many trailers with wimpy jacks that fall apart or can’t easily handle the weight if the trailer isn’t hooked up. I chose the heaviest one that PJ would install. A 12K drop leg in the center. Operation is easy via the long handle that comes all the way to the corner of the deck. Should do the trick!
Since I hate tire trouble, I upgraded the tires to 235/80-16 load range E. These are the tires you normally find on 14K# trailers, so should hold up real nice on a 10k... Since this was ordered when built, the fenders are set at the correct height for the taller tires. I had the spare moved to the front rather than the standard side mount. I’ve always found a spare tire in the way when on the side of the deck.
Since I hate deck problems, I opted for 16” crossmember spacing instead of standard 24”.
Tool box is well built and plenty big for basic trailer tools, chains and binders, straps, a can of WD, and who knows what else. I ordered the trailer with a chain tray as well, but that was missed. They’re sending one after it’s built and painted.
Reverse lights were new to me! They are integrated into the 2”x6” oval stop/turn/tail lights. There are about 4 clear LEDs on the end of all the red. An additional wire was necessary during the build, but the lights are a drop in replacement for anyone wanting to upgrade.
I also added a 3/8” rub rail down both sides. I chose gray for the color because everyone has a black trailer. If I see my trailer headed down the road behind someone else’s truck, I’ll probably recognize it. They wouldn’t do pink...
I don’t think I’ll outgrow this any time soon. I really looked hard at a few other options, but couldn’t get onboard.
I thought I wanted a split tilt, but the stationary front piece was just a hair too short for my longest implement. It also took nearly as long to release the tilt feature and lower the deck as my spring assisted ramps take to unpin and drop.
I thought about a wider deck, but just don’t need it. I’ve owned or regularly used trailers for close to 30 years and only had a couple instances where I wished the deck was a full 102” wide. A rock crawler on full width axles is the fattest thing I ever haul and I can roll right over my fenders if needed...
I thought about a 2’ dovetail to lessen the ramp angle, but I’ve wished for a flat rear on any dovetail type deck I’ve used for anything but a vehicle.
I really thought hard about the 3.5’ flip over ramps that make a totally flat deck when stowed, but a 7’ ramp when deployed. Great, as long as you can always pull way forward to fold up the ramps. A buddy has a set and doesn’t always love them if he has a long load.
I thought about a 14K# trailer, since I upgraded damn near everything to that level anyway... again, looking at my historical use. I have no need for that capacity. Honestly, a 7K would be adequate... In the end, it came down to value for my needs. I was ok with the upgrades I chose, but found my stopping point.
I hope some of this info may be helpful! The options I chose added up the about 700# of additional weight. This trailer without any options is 2,200#. Mine is 2,900.
The fenders were the most expensive upgrade, at ~$400. Tires were next, at ~$200 for the five of them. Overkill Jack was about $170, which I figured is the cost of the first replacement of a basic one. Reverse lights were the only option that I thought was overpriced at ~$180. Overall, I added about $1,500 in options to get what I wanted, and I’m happy I did. Should be a real nice trailer for several years.
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