Sides & Configurations
The side configuration determines what a box trailer can carry and how easily it loads and unloads — this is usually the first real decision after choosing a size.
Fixed Sides
Solid, welded or bolted sides that don't fold or remove. The most common configuration for general-purpose box trailers because it's the strongest and simplest — no moving parts, no wear points at hinges. Downside: loading and unloading bulky items (furniture, whitegoods) means lifting over the side rail rather than sliding in from the side.
Drop Sides
One or more side panels hinge down flat for loading from ground level or sliding items in directly — useful for pallets, machinery, or anything easier to walk or wheel in than lift. Trade-off is more moving parts (hinges, latches) that need periodic checking, and slightly reduced structural rigidity compared to a fully welded fixed-side box.
Mesh / Cage Sides
Extended height sides — often a mesh or cage extension bolted above a standard solid-side base — for bulky, light loads: green waste, cardboard, foliage, insulation batts. Increases volume capacity without increasing weight capacity, so the GTM/ATM rating doesn't change; only the practical fill height does.
No Sides (Flat Deck)
A box trailer with sides removed, or a trailer bought without sides from the start, functions as a flat deck — better suited to palletised or strapped loads than loose material. If load type varies job to job, removable sides (bolted rather than welded) give the most flexibility, converting between a box and a flat deck as needed.
Tailgates & Ramps
A drop tailgate (rear-hinged, often also usable as a loading ramp) is standard on most box trailers and is what makes wheeling in mowers, bikes or wheelbarrows practical without lifting over a rear rail. Some heavier-duty box trailers pair a tailgate with a manual tip function on the chassis for quick dumping of loose material — effectively a hybrid between a box trailer and a tipper.
Questions & Answers
Should I get fixed or drop sides?
Fixed sides are stronger and simpler if you're mostly hauling loose material you shovel or tip out. Drop sides earn their keep if you regularly load bulky items from ground level — pallets, machinery, furniture.
Do mesh/cage sides increase how much weight I can carry?
No — mesh or cage extensions increase the trailer's volume capacity, not its weight rating. The GTM/ATM limit is set by the chassis and axles, not the side height, so a taller load still has to stay within the same weight limit.
Can I remove the sides from a box trailer to use it as a flat deck?
Only if the sides are bolted rather than welded. A welded-side box trailer is a fixed configuration; a bolted-side model can be converted between box and flat-deck use as needed.