Skip to content
Rugged Aluminum Trailers
Build & Price

How Much Do Utility Trailers Weigh? (Chart by Size and Material)

Real curb weights for every Rugged open model — pulled live from the catalog — plus honest steel comparisons and why the difference is usable payload.

Rugged Aluminum Trailers

The team that builds them

Updated February 11, 20266 min read
On this page

Trailer weight matters twice: once against your vehicle’s tow rating, and once against the trailer’s own GVWR — every pound of trailer is a pound of payload you lose. Here are our real numbers. Unlike most published charts, this one cannot go stale: it renders from the same catalog data our builder prices from.

Rugged aluminum trailer weights

Curb weight by model — lightest first
Rugged open-trailer weights (from the current catalog)
ModelCurb weightGVWRPayload
5 x 8 Open Utility Trailer471 lb2,990 lb2,519 lb
5 x 10 Open Utility Trailer493 lb2,990 lb2,497 lb
6 x 10 Open Utility Trailer592 lb2,990 lb2,398 lb
6 x 12 Open Utility Trailer670 lb2,990 lb2,320 lb
6 x 14 Open Utility Trailer751 lb2,990 lb2,239 lb
6.5 x 12 Open Utility Trailer714 lb2,990 lb2,276 lb
6.5 x 14 Open Utility Trailer927 lb2,990 lb2,063 lb
6.5 x 12 Tandem Axle Trailer1,023 lb7,000 lb5,977 lb
6.5 x 14 Tandem Axle Trailer1,089 lb7,000 lb5,911 lb
6.5 x 16 Tandem Axle Trailer1,130 lb7,000 lb5,870 lb
6.5 x 18 Tandem Axle Trailer1,170 lb7,000 lb5,830 lb
6 x 12 Single Axle Tilt Trailer875 lb2,990 lb2,115 lb
6 x 13.5 Single Axle Tilt Trailer950 lb2,990 lb2,040 lb
6.5 x 12 Single Axle Tilt Trailer950 lb2,990 lb2,040 lb
6.5 x 13.5 Single Axle Tilt Trailer1,025 lb2,990 lb1,965 lb
6.5 x 18 Tandem Axle Tilt Trailer1,450 lb7,000 lb5,550 lb
6.5 x 20 Tandem Axle Tilt Trailer1,650 lb7,000 lb5,350 lb
8 x 16 Tandem Axle Deckover Trailer1,700 lb11,400 lb9,700 lb
8 x 18 Tandem Axle Deckover Trailer1,800 lb11,400 lb9,600 lb
8 x 20 Tandem Axle Deckover Trailer1,900 lb11,400 lb9,500 lb
8 x 22 Tandem Axle Deckover Trailer2,000 lb11,400 lb9,400 lb

What the trailer can carry

Curb weight is only half the picture. The number that decides whether a load fits is payload — GVWR minus the trailer itself — so it is charted separately here rather than left for you to subtract.

Payload capacity by model — highest first

How steel compares

Published curb weights for comparable steel utility trailers typically run 40–70% heavier — a 5x8 steel trailer commonly weighs 700–900 lb against our 471, and 6.5x14 steel tandems frequently exceed 1,700 lb against our 1,089. We cite ranges rather than naming specific competitors because steel specs vary widely by gauge and build; check any specific model’s placard.

What the difference buys you

  • On a 2,990 lb GVWR single axle, 300 lb of trailer savings is 300 lb more mulch, machine, or material per trip.
  • Under a 3,500 lb SUV tow rating, the aluminum 5x8 leaves ~3,000 lb of margin; a steel equivalent may leave under 2,600.
  • Lighter trailers are also simply easier to move by hand in the driveway — a real daily-use difference on single axles.
Is curb weight the same as shipping weight?
Close but not identical — options add weight. Our builder shows added weight per option and a live payload-remaining figure as you configure.
Does the printed weight include the ramp and rails?
The catalog weights above are base configurations. Options such as ramps, rails, and tread plate walls add real weight, which the builder tracks against payload.