What Can a 7×5 Trailer Carry?
The 7×5 is the most popular box trailer size in Australia, and the first question everyone asks is simple: will my stuff fit? The honest answer is that a 7×5 ft box trailer has two separate limits — how much space it has, and how much weight it can legally carry — and for heavy loads it's usually the weight that stops you first.
Independent guide based on typical Australian trailer specifications, VSB 1 and Queensland TMR guidance. Always confirm the figures on your own trailer's compliance plate.
The two limits
1. Space — deck and height
A 7×5 ft box trailer has a deck roughly 2.1 m long × 1.5 m wide (7 ft × 5 ft). Standard side walls are around 300–500 mm high, and an optional cage adds a further 600 mm or 900 mm for bulky, lightweight loads.
2. Weight — payload
Payload is the maximum load you can add, and it equals ATM − Tare (see our guide on ATM, GTM & Tare). A typical single-axle 7×5 ft box trailer with a 750 kg ATM and ~300 kg Tare gives about 450 kg of payload. Heavy-duty and braked 7×5 trailers can have a higher ATM (and therefore more payload) — always check the plate.
What fits (by space)
On a 2.1 m × 1.5 m deck, a 7×5 ft box trailer will typically take:
- A queen mattress (about 2.0 m × 1.5 m) laid flat — it just fits the deck.
- A fridge and a washing machine standing up, with room for boxes around them.
- A one-bedroom furniture move — lounge, drawers, mattress and boxes.
- Green waste, garden clippings and mulch — add a cage for volume.
- A motorbike, or a ride-on mower (measure first — some are too long).
Not sure it fits? The 3D Load Planner lets you drop boxes, mattresses and whitegoods into a virtual 7×5 and see how they pack.
Where weight is the real limit
Space can fool you. Dense materials hit the ~450 kg payload long before they fill the trailer:
- Soil, sand and gravel — roughly 1.2–1.5 tonnes per cubic metre. Even a third of a cubic metre can exceed a 750 kg ATM trailer's payload while barely covering the floor.
- Pavers, bricks and firewood — a single pallet can be 500 kg+.
- Wet green waste — heavier than it looks after rain.
For these loads, fill by weight, not by volume — and check the number before you leave the yard.
Quick FAQ
How much weight can a 7×5 trailer carry? Around 450 kg for a common 750 kg ATM single-axle trailer (ATM − Tare). Heavy-duty models carry more — check your compliance plate.
Will a queen mattress fit in a 7×5? Yes — a queen (about 2.0 m × 1.5 m) lies flat on the 2.1 m × 1.5 m deck. A king (about 2.0 m × 1.8 m) is wider than the deck and will overhang.
Can a 7×5 carry a cubic metre of soil? No. A cubic metre of soil weighs well over a tonne — far beyond a typical 7×5's payload. Load dense materials by weight.
What are the dimensions of a 7×5 trailer? The deck is about 2.1 m × 1.5 m (7 ft × 5 ft), with side walls commonly 300–500 mm.
See what fits before you load. Use the free 3D Load Planner to pack your items into a virtual 7×5, and the Compliance Auditor to check you're within the trailer's weight limits — no sign‑up.
Independent reference only. Sizes and weights are typical values; confirm against your trailer's compliance plate and verify with TMR or a certified RPEQ engineer before purchasing, building or registering a trailer.