Best Trailer for a Golf Cart or Side-by-Side in Louisiana
Measure the machine before you shop the trailer
Every fall the same truck pulls onto our lot on the Evangeline Thruway: a half-ton with a new side-by-side in the bed at an angle that makes everybody nervous, and a driver who needs a trailer before the deer lease opens. The answer depends on the machine, so this guide starts there.
A two-seat golf cart is about four feet wide and weighs about as much as four grown men; a four-seat side-by-side is over five feet wide and weighs as much as a small car. The trailer that is perfect for one is wrong for the other.
How big the common machines are
Manufacturer numbers, length by width by height, with dry or curb weight. A roof, winch, bumper or lift adds to them, so put a tape on yours.
| Machine | L x W x H (in) | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| Club Car Onward 2-passenger | 91.5 x 48.75 x 71 (topped) | 665 to 727 |
| Club Car Onward 4-passenger | 108 x 48.75 x 71 (topped) | 795 to 1,070 |
| Club Car Onward 4-passenger lifted | 114 x 49.5 x 80.5 (topped) | 875 to 1,125 |
| E-Z-GO Freedom RXV (lithium) | 94.5 x 47 x 46.5 (no roof) | 662 curb |
| E-Z-GO Express 6 (gas) | 144.5 x 49 x 74.5 (with roof) | 1,130 curb |
| Polaris RANGER 1000 | 120 x 62.5 x 76 | 1,487 |
| Polaris RANGER CREW 1000 | 152 x 62.5 x 76 | 1,723 |
| Polaris RZR XP 1000 | 119.5 x 64 x 71.1 | 1,586 |
| Polaris RZR XP 4 1000 | 146 x 64 x 73.75 | 1,659 |
| Can-Am Defender | 121 x 62 x 76 | 1,477 |
| Can-Am Defender MAX | 153.4 x 63.5 x 76 | 1,747 |
| Can-Am Maverick X3 (64 in) | 132 x 64 x 65.4 | 1,602 |
| Can-Am Maverick X3 RS (72 in) | 132 x 72.4 x 68.5 | 1,728 |
| Can-Am Maverick X3 MAX (64 in) | 164 x 64 x 65.8 | 1,883 |
| Honda Pioneer 1000 | 117.1 x 63 x 76.9 | 1,595 curb |
| Kawasaki MULE PRO-FXT | 133.3 x 64 x 77.6 | 1,888 curb |
Two things jump out: a two-seat UTV is about ten feet long and a crew cab is over twelve, and most cab-style machines stand 76 to 78 inches tall, which decides the enclosed question for you.
Deck width: 77 or 83 inches
Load Trail sizes its utilities by the floor you park on, so the 77x12 has a 77-inch deck and the 83x16 has an 83-inch deck.
- A golf cart at 48.75 inches has more than a foot per side on a 77-inch deck. Width is never the golf cart problem.
- A 62- to 64-inch side-by-side on a 77-inch deck has six and a half to seven and a half inches per side: enough to drive on straight, not enough to be sloppy. On an 83, it has nine and a half to ten and a half, the difference between lining up twice and once.
- A 72-inch Maverick X3 RS on an 83-inch deck has about five inches per side. On a 77 it has about two, and we would not sell you that combination.
Deck length: what fits on a 12, a 14 and a 16
Our rule is the machine plus at least 18 inches, so you can walk around it with a strap and keep the weight over the axles.
- 12 feet (144 inches). Any golf cart with room for a cooler. A two-seat RANGER 1000, RZR XP 1000, Defender or Pioneer 1000, all 117 to 121 inches, fits with about two feet to spare. No crew cab does.
- 14 feet (168 inches). Every two-seat UTV, the 132-inch Maverick X3 and the 133-inch MULE PRO-FXT, or a lifted four-seat golf cart. A 146-inch RZR XP 4 or 152-inch RANGER CREW is tight to over the edge.
- 16 feet (192 inches). Every crew cab on the list, including the 164-inch X3 MAX with 28 inches to spare. Two two-seat carts nose to tail at 91.5 inches each fit with nine inches left; two four-seaters do not, and a cart plus a side-by-side does not either.
One caution on the 16-footer: Load Trail's UE listing offers the 2-foot dovetail on 12-foot-and-up models but does not say whether it sits inside the nominal length or adds to it. The math above assumes it is inside, the conservative reading; if the build sheet shows a 16-foot flat deck plus a 2-foot dove, you have two more feet than we counted.
Ramps and gates
The gate is where side-by-side owners get hurt and golf carts get scraped.
- Fold gate. Standard on Load Trail utilities: a tubing frame with expanded metal that folds up as a tailgate, in 3-, 4- and 5-foot lengths. Our 77x12 carries a 3-foot gate; our 83x16 carries a 4-foot gate. A longer gate is a shallower ramp, which keeps a low bumper or a golf cart floor pan from dragging at the break.
- Spring assist. The 4-foot gate on the 83x16 has it. A 4-foot expanded-metal gate is heavy, and lifting it twenty times a season without help is how backs get hurt.
- Dovetail. The last 2 feet of the 83x16 deck slope down to meet the gate, cutting the angle at the top of the ramp where a long-wheelbase machine high-centers.
- Slide-in ramps. Two separate ramps stored under the deck, like the ones on our Falcon 7x14 HD. You reset them to each machine's track width every time.
- Side ramps and ATV packages. Load Trail lists side rail ramps as an option. We also stock a Falcon 7x14 single axle with an ATV package; ask what it includes on that unit before you assume.
Single axle or tandem
Weight. Load Trail's SE single axle utilities, including the 77x12, are plated at 2,990 lb GVWR and weigh 674 to 1,325 lb empty depending on the build. A 12-footer with brakes and side rails sits toward the top of that range, so plan on roughly 1,700 lb of payload and read the build sheet for the exact number. That is a golf cart with room to spare, or a two-seat UTV at 1,477 to 1,602 lb dry with very little room. It is not a 1,747 lb Defender MAX or an 1,888 lb MULE.
The UE tandem, including the 83x16, is plated at 7,000 lb GVWR and weighs 1,045 to 1,812 lb empty, leaving more than 5,000 lb for cargo at the heavy end. Any machine on the table rides with weight to spare. Our Falcon 7x14 tandems split the difference: 4,500 lb GVWR at about 1,350 lb empty, roughly 3,150 lb of payload; Falcon's tandem catalog page lists 77-inch widths and says the trailer is also available 83 inches wide, so check the build sheet for the between-fender number on the unit you are looking at.
Brakes. Louisiana RS 32:341 says a non-agricultural trailer under 3,000 lb gross weight needs no brakes, one from 3,000 to 5,000 lb needs brakes on one axle, and anything 3,000 lb or more must have brakes the driver applies from the cab plus a breakaway. The 77x12 we order has an electric brake on its single axle, more than the law asks of a 2,990 lb trailer; the 83x16 has electric brakes on both axles. Either way your truck needs a brake controller; if it does not have one, we will point you to a plug-in unit.
Two axles also mean a flat on I-10 is an inconvenience instead of a crisis. If you tow to Muddy Bottoms more than a couple of times a year, that alone is worth the step up.
Open or enclosed
An enclosed trailer keeps the machine out of the rain, out of sight and behind a lock. It is the right answer for many golf cart owners and the wrong answer for most cab-style UTV owners, and the reason is the roof.
Rock Solid Cargo lists 75 inches of interior height on its single axle cargo trailers and 75 to 78 inches on the tandems, and the ramp door opening is shorter than the interior on any of them. A Club Car Onward with a top stands 71 inches and clears. An E-Z-GO Express 6 with its roof is 74.5 inches, which clears a 75-inch interior on paper but not necessarily the door, so measure the opening on the unit before you buy. A RANGER 1000, Defender or Pioneer 1000 stands 76 to 77 inches and a MULE PRO-FXT 77.6; those may not fit under a standard roof. A 76-inch machine clears a 78-inch tandem interior on paper, not a 75-inch single axle, and the door opening decides it. A RZR XP 1000 at 71.1 inches or a Maverick X3 at 65 to 69 goes in, though a light bar or whip changes the math.
For a tall machine you need extra height. Our Rock Solid 8.5x16s on the lot carry the Plus 6 package, so measure the rear door opening on the unit before you buy. Width between the wheel wells is the other number to check.
For golf carts, our Rock Solid 7x14 V-nose tandems (rear ramp door, side door, 3/8-inch walls, 3/4-inch floor) are a natural fit. Still deciding? Put the two side by side on our enclosed cargo trailers and utility trailers pages, then text us the machine and we will tell you which one it fits.
Tie-down points and how to strap it
Both Load Trail utilities ship with four corner tie-downs, 3/8 inch by 2.75 inch. Four points is the minimum for anything with a suspension, and weld-on D-rings are cheap to add before the trailer leaves the lot.
- Strap the frame or the manufacturer's tie-down points, not the bumper, cage or A-arms.
- Pull the straps in an X so the machine cannot walk forward under braking or backward on a hill.
- Compress the suspension a little as you tighten so it does not bounce on the Breaux Bridge stretch of I-10.
- Golf carts have less to grab: axle straps beat hooking a body panel.
- Parking brake on, in gear, and check the straps at your first stop.
What fits on the trailers we stock
| Trailer | Deck | Axles / GVWR | Gate | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Load Trail SE7712 (77x12) | 77 in x 12 ft | 1 x 3,500 lb Dexter, electric brake / 2,990 lb | 3 ft fold | Any golf cart; one two-seat UTV up to about 1,600 lb dry, build sheet permitting |
| Load Trail UE8316 (83x16) | 83 in x 16 ft, 2 ft dove | 2 x 3,500 lb Dexter, brakes both / 7,000 lb | 4 ft spring-assist fold | Any UTV on the list, crew cabs and X3 MAX included; two two-seat golf carts |
| Falcon 7x14 tandem | 7 ft x 14 ft, pipe top | 2 x 3,500 lb / 4,500 lb | Spring-assist ramp gate | Two-seat UTVs, 132-inch machines, a lifted four-seat cart |
| Falcon 7x14 single, ATV package | 7 ft x 14 ft | 1 x 3,500 lb / 3,500 lb | Ramp gate | Golf carts and lighter two-seat UTVs |
| Rock Solid 7x14 V-nose tandem | 7 ft box, 75 to 78 in interior | 2 axles, electric brakes | Rear ramp door | Golf carts and low sport UTVs that clear the door |
Both Load Trails come with LED lights, a spare tire mount, square tube side rails, a treated wood floor and a 2,000 lb jack, and carry Load Trail's 232 warranty: two years on every component, three structural, two of roadside reimbursement.
Theft
A side-by-side on an open trailer is the most stealable thing in your driveway, because the thief does not need your key. He needs a 2-inch ball.
- Coupler lock that fills the coupler so no ball fits. This one stops the drive-by.
- Hitch pin lock when it is hooked up, so nobody unpins it at the gas station in Henderson.
- Chain the machine to the trailer through the frame and take the key inside. An unchained UTV still rolls off a locked trailer in thirty seconds.
- Park it tongue-in so the coupler does not face the street, and boot a wheel if it sits for weeks.
- Photograph both VINs, and hide a tracker inside a frame rail.
An enclosed trailer changes the equation: nobody knows what is inside, and two padlocked doors are two more things to defeat.
Weather in South Louisiana
We get about 60 inches of rain a year. A UTV is built to get wet; a golf cart's seats, dash and battery compartment are not, and a cart that sits uncovered under a live oak in Youngsville all summer will show it. If you go open, buy a fitted cover, not a tarp that flaps.
On the trailer itself, Load Trail powder coats, primer under a polyester gloss powder topcoat. Falcon paints, and Falcon's warranty says paint and finish durability are not covered, which is why we say the Falcon sleeps under a carport and the Load Trail can sit in the yard. And hurricane season teaches this: an empty open trailer is fine in a storm, an empty enclosed trailer is a sail. Know where you will park it in June.
Come measure it against the real thing
Bring the machine or bring the numbers. The Falcon utilities and Rock Solid cargo trailers are on the lot now with live pricing on our inventory page, and the Load Trail 77x12 and 83x16 are on the September truckload with a refundable deposit holding your spot on coming soon. If you would rather make payments, financing and rent-to-own are available on any of them. Text us at 337-279-2620 with your machine's make and model and we will tell you which deck it fits. Delivery is free within 50 miles of Lafayette, and we are at 2601 SE Evangeline Thruway, family-owned since 2016.
Sources
- https://loadtrail.com/listings/se-angle-frame-utility/
- https://loadtrail.com/listings/ue-angle-frame-utility/
- https://loadtrail.com/232-warranty-protection/
- https://falcontrailers.com/catalog/trailers/single-axles/single-axle/28
- https://falcontrailers.com/catalog/trailers/tandem-axles/standard-duty/7 (77-inch widths, "also available in 83 inch wide")
- https://falcontrailers.com/warranty.php
- https://rocksolidcargo.com/trailers
- https://codes.findlaw.com/la/revised-statutes/la-rev-stat-tit-32-sect-341/
- https://www.clubcar.com/en-us/personal/golf-carts/onward-2-passenger/specifications
- https://www.clubcar.com/en-us/personal/golf-carts/onward-4-passenger/specifications
- https://ezgo.txtsv.com/personal/models/past-models/MY25freedom-rxv
- https://ezgo.txtsv.com/personal/models/past-models/MY25-express-6
- https://www.polaris.com/en-us/off-road/ranger/models/ranger-1000/ranger-1000-sage-green-specs/
- https://www.polaris.com/en-us/off-road/ranger/models/ranger-1000/ranger-crew-1000-sage-green-specs/
- https://www.polaris.com/en-us/off-road/rzr/models/rzr-xp/rzr-xp-1000-sport-stealth-gray-specs/
- https://cdn.polarisportal.com/servicemanagement-public/OwnerManuals/9929841/RZRXP10004SpecificationsRZRXP41000E-7FDE7C49.html
- https://can-am.brp.com/off-road/us/en/models/side-by-side-vehicles/defender.html
- https://can-am.brp.com/off-road/us/en/models/side-by-side-vehicles/maverick-x3.html
- https://utvoffroadmag.com/utvs/honda/2025-honda-pioneer-1000-features-and-specs/ (Honda's 2025 spec sheet as reprinted)
- https://www.utvdriver.com/2019-kawasaki-mule-pro-fxt/ (2019 model-year numbers)
- Unit-level specs (gates, axles, GVWR, empty weights, tie-downs, doors) for the trailers we stock come from our own listings at ragintrailers.com/inventory.html and ragintrailers.com/coming-soon.html.
