Which Car Trailer to Rent in Palm Beach, Martin, or St. Lucie County
If you already know you need a car hauler, the only question left is which one. Loxahatchee Trailer Rentals keeps three of them in the fleet, and they are not interchangeable. One is built for sedans and small SUVs, one is built for full size trucks, and one trades a little deck length for a wider deck and the highest payload of the three.
The three car haulers run $110, $120, and $125 per day. That spread is small enough that price should not be your deciding factor. Payload, deck width, and what your tow vehicle is rated to pull should be.
Here is how to pick the right one the first time, plus the two hardware details worth checking at home before you drive out to load a car.
The three car haulers, side by side
The 20' x 7' Car Trailer - Light Duty is the everyday choice. It carries 5,500 lbs of payload on a 7,000 lb GVWR frame, weighs about 1,500 lbs empty, and rides on 2 wheel electric brakes and 10 ply tires. It has 7 ft aluminum ramps and removable fenders, which matters more than it sounds like it does when you are loading something low or wide and need room at the top of the ramp.
The 20x7 Car Trailer - Heavy Duty is the same 20 foot deck with a much stronger spine. GVWR jumps to 10,000 lbs and payload to 7,100 lbs, on 12 ply tires with 4 wheel electric brakes and an EZ latch coupler. It weighs 2,900 lbs empty, so you are trading tow vehicle capacity for the extra strength. This is the one for a full size truck, a three quarter ton, or a heavier SUV.
The 18' x 8' Car Trailer - Heavy Duty is the widest and the strongest by payload. It is a foot wider than the 20 footers, has drive over fenders instead of a fender you load between, and carries 7,500 lbs on a 10,000 lb GVWR at 2,500 lbs empty. The listing calls it out for vehicles and heavy equipment, so wide loads and small machines belong on this one.
| Spec | 20' x 7' Light Duty | 20x7 Heavy Duty | 18' x 8' Heavy Duty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily | $110 | $120 | $125 |
| Weekly | $475 | $475 | $500 |
| Half day | $75 | $80 | $85 |
| GVWR | 7,000 lbs | 10,000 lbs | 10,000 lbs |
| Payload | 5,500 lbs | 7,100 lbs | 7,500 lbs |
| Empty weight | 1,500 lbs | 2,900 lbs | 2,500 lbs |
| Deck | 20 ft x 7 ft | 20 ft x 7 ft | 18 ft x 8 ft |
| Brakes | 2 wheel electric | 4 wheel electric | 4 wheel electric |
| Tires | 10 ply | 12 ply | 12 ply |
| Fenders | Removable | Removable | Drive over |
Do the arithmetic most renters skip
Payload is what goes on the deck. It is not what your truck has to pull. Your truck pulls the trailer plus the car, so start with the empty weight and add the vehicle from there.
Add it up before you book:
- Light duty 20x7: 1,500 lbs empty. A 3,500 lb sedan on the deck puts about 5,000 lbs behind your hitch.
- Heavy duty 20x7: 2,900 lbs empty. A 5,000 lb truck on the deck puts about 7,900 lbs behind your hitch.
- 18x8 heavy duty: 2,500 lbs empty. A 6,000 lb vehicle puts about 8,500 lbs behind your hitch.
Compare that total against your tow vehicle's rating, not against the trailer's GVWR. The trailer being rated for 10,000 lbs does not mean your half ton wants to pull it.
The other half of the math is payload. If the vehicle you are picking up weighs more than 5,500 lbs, the light duty trailer is out no matter how good the price looks. If you are not sure what your tow vehicle is rated for, read the tow guide before you pick a trailer.
Two hardware details to check before you drive out
All three car haulers use a 2-5/16" ball, not a 2". If your hitch has a 2" ball on it right now, you cannot tow these, so swap the ball before you head out. The 14' x 6' Utility Trailer and the 5x8 Enclosed Trailer take a 2" ball, so having towed one of those does not mean you are set up for a car hauler.
All three need a round 7 pin connector. Every car trailer here runs electric brakes, and electric brakes need the 7 pin plug plus a working brake controller in the tow vehicle. A 4 pin flat will run lights and nothing else.
What comes with the trailer
You do not need to bring your own tie downs. Every car hauler in the fleet comes with four 15 ft straps, and the two 20 footers add four wheel straps while the 18x8 adds four axle straps. Each of the three is winch equipped and carries a spare tire and tire kit.
All three have reverse lights. The light duty 20x7 and the 18x8 also carry a tool box light, and on the 18x8 the bed and reverse lights and the tool box light are both on manual switches. If you are loading a non runner at night or fetching a car after work, that lighting is the difference between a ten minute job and an hour of guessing. Pickup is contactless from 6AM to 10PM, so a late load is a normal booking here.
How far these trailers travel
The yard is in Loxahatchee, and the service area runs from Palm Beach County north into Martin and St. Lucie counties. Palm Beach Gardens is the closest of the bigger cities at 13 miles, about 20 minutes. West Palm Beach and Jupiter are both 20 miles and about 30 minutes out.
The longer runs reach Stuart at 40 miles, Boca Raton at 45 miles, and Port St. Lucie at 50 miles. Add loading time on both ends before you decide how long you need the trailer. If you can be back the same afternoon, price the half day rate against the daily instead of booking a full day out of habit.
Booking, payment, and protection
Booking is straightforward. You pay in full when you book, there is no security deposit, and you need a valid driver's license and insurance to take a trailer out. Damage protection is available with a $250 copay, which is worth reading through on the protection plan page before you haul someone else's vehicle.
On cancellations, 48 hours or more before pickup gets you a full refund. Inside 48 hours there is a 25% fee, and there are no refunds on early returns. If the car you are chasing is still being negotiated, book once the deal is firm.
Book the right hauler
If the vehicle is a sedan or a small SUV, take the light duty 20x7 and save the money. If it is a full size truck or a heavier SUV, take the heavy duty 20x7. If it is wide, or it is equipment rather than a car, take the 18x8. When you are between two of them, size up, because the wrong trailer at the pickup is a wasted day.
See real-time availability and book online at our trailer lineup, seven days a week, in about two minutes. If you would rather talk it through with somebody who knows what your truck can pull, call 786-387-6733.