Are you interested in camper trailer transport services? If so, you’re looking at one of the best companies to help you get yours moved. Here at American Auto Shipping, we can move anything with wheels, including camper trailers.
However, there are some things to know about camper trailers and camper shipping services that you may not know. And that’s okay – if everyone knew everything, this article wouldn’t be necessary, after all. But understanding how camper trailer transport works is important if you’re trying to ship one. So keep reading to learn more about shipping a camper trailer. We’ll discuss how they’re moved, how to prepare your camper trailer, how you can save money shipping your camper, and more.
How camper trailer transport works?
Regular cars and trucks are shipped on open or enclosed auto transport trucks. These trucks are designed to drive vehicles on and off the truck via ramps. It’s generally cost-effective and relatively easy to find. Vehicles that can’t move under their own power are often winched onto the truck. So even for a non-running vehicle, regular transport services are available.
This, however, is not the case when you ship a camper trailer. Camper trailers can’t move under their own power like a car or truck. In addition, they’re too heavy for a winch usually, and they’re too big for most transport trucks. So, what ends up happening is there are two ways to move a camper: either via a flatbed hauler, or by bumper pulling it.
Flatbed camper trailer transport is usually done via a step deck trailer. This allows the truck that is pulling the camper to be loaded on it as well. If you’re just shipping the trailer, there are lots of heavy haulers that have large enough winches to pull a trailer onto the truck. But the most cost-effective way is hot shot bumper pull. This is where a pickup truck (usually a dually) operated by a transport company hitches your trailer to the truck and hauls it for you.
Flatbed shipping vs bumper pull
Flatbed shipping is great if you don’t have any other means of getting your camper trailer anywhere. You will need to let your shipping company know that you don’t have a truck hitched to it, though. Flatbed haulers aren’t hard to find. But, finding one that can load a camper trailer onto a flatbed trailer can be difficult. Not all carriers have a winch, and there aren’t many flatbed haulers that have them as well. But it’s available if you absolutely need your camper trailer transport to be done via a flatbed truck.
Bumper pull, however, tends to be easier to find and more cost-effective in the long run. It does mean your camper trailer is towed, though. So you do have to deal with some wear and tear on your tires. But considering camper trailers are designed to be towed anyway, this is usually a better option. Bumper pull is often a better option simply because it’s easier to find. It takes less time to find a hot shot trucking company that can hitch a camper trailer to the back of their truck and move it wherever it needs to go. This usually results in faster times from booking to pickup, and lower costs since hot shot trucks don’t cost as much to operate as a flatbed trailer.
How to prepare for your camper trailer transport?
It’s important to prepare your camper trailer for transport. It is the responsibility of the owner (or the pickup person, if that is not you). For starters, all your lights should be working properly. This is especially true if the trailer is being bumper pulled, as any non-working lights could result in law enforcement stopping the carrier.
You should also make sure the hitch is properly secured, and understand what kind of hitch it is. There are quite a few; if you are unsure, you can always look online. Make sure that any and all hazardous materials, including propane or other gas tanks, are removed. This is also true for any other hazardous materials that are not allowed to be shipped across state lines. This includes, but it not limited to, firearms, ammunition, hazard chemicals, some cleaning solutions, and more. Ask a rep to learn more about what is not allowed in a vehicle being transported.
All of your wheels and axles should be lubricated properly. If you’re unsure of how often to lubricate them for your camper trailer, we recommend looking at the owner’s manual. You can likely find one for your specific trailer online if you do not have access to it. Make sure you have all the dimensions properly measured, including the weight. Weight can be difficult to measure for something so large. So we recommend looking at the owner’s manual, which should have all the proper dimensions in it.
All cabinet doors should be closed and locked, if possible. Any personal items that are loose should be either removed entirely (which is recommended) or stored safely in locked cabinets. Also be sure to disconnect the power supply to avoid any electrical accidents.
Ways to save on camper trailer shipping
When it comes to shipping a camper trailer, there’s only so much you can do to save money. Most of the cost is tied up in two things: the distance you’re shipping, and the size of your trailer. Longer distances increase the cost, as do larger trailers. But there are some things you can keep in mind when you ship a camper trailer that might lead to some cost saving. For one, shipping during the fall or winter months. Prices tend to drop during the fall and winter because there’s not as much demand for transportation services. As demand goes down, the price carriers are willing to move vehicles for goes down as well.
Shipping via bumper pull as opposed to demanding a carrier can save costs, too. We touched on that a bit above, but it’s generally easier to find a hot shot truck to haul it instead of a trailer to load it. While not always the case, it’s usually true. Hot shot trucks, for instance, get better fuel economy than long-haul trucks. That alone can help drop the cost. For more cost-saving options, make sure to speak to a representative.
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For camper trailer transport, contact American Auto Shipping.
Since 2007 Dave has written all the content and blogs for American Auto Shipping and during this time added the duties of customer support and transport logistics.
He currently resides in Washington with his three kids and their mom and cat. A fan of Marvel movies and good stories, when not shipping cars Dave can be found working on his novel, enjoying a good book or playing some tournament HALO.
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