Which trailer for a mini excavator?
Mini excavators run from 2 to 10 tons, and the right trailer changes 3 times across that range. Find your class below.
The short answer
Through the 4 ton class, about 9,500 lbs, the T-12-UT and its 16 ft deck carry a mini excavator with room to spare. The 5 and 6 ton machines are both heavier and longer: with the blade down and the boom folded for transport they pass 16 ft, so they need the 20 ft deck (4+16) on the T-16-UT or T-20-UT.
From the 7 ton class up, a mini excavator outgrows a ball hitch. The TD-40-T Heavy Tilt carries it on a 24 ft deck with air brakes and a drawbar eye, behind a truck with an air supply and a pintle hitch.
Measure the machine, not the tonnage
Tonnage classes are rough. Two machines sold as 5 ton can be 1,500 lbs apart, and a long-arm or a thumb adds weight and length. Use the operating weight on the spec plate and measure transport length from the blade to the end of the folded boom.
Which TrailMax carries your mini excavator
Operating weight includes a standard bucket and a full tank. Add a thumb, a second bucket, or a breaker if they ride along.
| Machine | Operating weight | Examples | TrailMax to order | Load on the trailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 ton class | under 4,500 lbs | Kubota U17 (3,700), Deere 17G (3,800), Cat 301.7 CR (4,200), Bobcat E20 (4,300) | T-12-UT 16 ft full tilt deck, rated 13,100 lbs | under 34% |
| 3 to 4 ton class | 6,000 to 9,500 lbs | Kubota KX033-4 (7,400), Deere 35G (8,100), Bobcat E35 (8,600), Kubota KX040-4 (9,200), Cat 303.5 CR (9,200) | T-12-UT 16 ft full tilt deck, rated 13,100 lbs | 46 to 73% |
| 5 ton class | 10,500 to 12,000 lbs | Deere 50G (10,800), Kubota U48-5 (10,800), Bobcat E50 (11,900) | T-16-UT (4+16) 20 ft deck, 4 ft stationary + 16 ft tilt, rated 14,260 lbs | 74 to 84% |
| 6 ton class | 12,000 to 14,000 lbs | Kubota U55-5 (12,200), Kubota KX057-5 (12,300), Bobcat E60 (12,600), Cat 305 CR (12,700), Deere 60G (13,600) | T-20-UT (4+16) 20 ft deck, 4 ft stationary + 16 ft tilt, rated 18,500 lbs | 65 to 76% |
| 7 to 10 ton class | 15,500 to 22,500 lbs | Cat 306 CR (15,800), Cat 307.5 (17,900), Kubota KX080-4 (18,600), Takeuchi TB290 (18,600), Bobcat E88 (19,600), Cat 308 CR (20,100), Cat 310 (22,500) | TD-40-T 24 ft full tilt deck, rated 37,980 lbs | 41 to 59% |
Picks keep the machine under 85% of the trailer's distributed capacity on the shortest deck that fits its length, with TrailMax's guidance to average 75 to 80% of rated capacity in mind. Operating weights are manufacturer figures rounded to the nearest 100 lbs, and they change with attachments, tracks, and options. Weigh your machine or read its spec plate before you order.
3 things to check before you order
Transport length
A 3 ton mini excavator is about 13 ft long in transport. A 5 ton is over 16 ft, and an 8 ton is close to 20 ft. On a tilt deck the machine has to sit on the deck with weight ahead of the axles, so the deck needs to be longer than the machine, not just as long.
Where the weight sits
Keep at least 60% of the load ahead of the axle center line. With a mini excavator that usually means driving on blade first and stopping with the house over the front half of the deck, then setting the blade down on the deck.
Your truck
Through the T-20-UT the trailer tows on a 2-5/16 inch ball with electric brakes and a brake controller. The TD-40-T needs a truck with an air supply for the trailer brakes and a pintle hitch, which puts the 7 to 10 ton machines behind a Class 7 or 8 truck.
Mini excavator trailer questions
What size trailer do I need for a mini excavator?
One rated above the machine's operating weight with a deck longer than its transport length. Through the 4 ton class the TrailMax T-12-UT works. The 5 ton class needs the T-16-UT with the 20 ft deck, the 6 ton class the T-20-UT with the 20 ft deck, and 7 ton and up the TD-40-T.
Can I haul a mini excavator on a tilt trailer?
Yes, and it is one of the main reasons to buy one. The deck tilts to the ground, the excavator tracks straight on, and the cushion cylinder lowers the deck as the machine crosses the pivot. There are no ramps to line up with the tracks.
Will a 5 ton mini excavator fit on a 16 ft trailer?
Usually not. Most 5 ton machines are 16 ft or longer with the blade and folded boom, which is why TrailMax recommends the 20 ft deck (4+16) for that class.
How do I tie down a mini excavator?
4 points on machines over 10,000 lbs, 2 on lighter ones, to the D-rings or chain slots on the deck. Lower the blade onto the deck and the boom onto a block or the deck before you chain it. Every TrailMax has D-rings or chain slots along both rails.
Where can I buy a TrailMax for a mini excavator?
Through an authorized TrailMax dealer. Use the dealer finder, or request a quote and TrailMax sales will set you up with the dealer nearest you.
Ready to price a trailer for your mini excavator? Tell TrailMax sales the machine and the deck layout you want.