Cold Tested: Triton Prestige PR-227 Trailer

Good things come to those who wait, they say. And Snow Goer magazine staffers patiently waited a long time before taking delivery of a Triton Prestige snowmobile trailer last year.

“Sorry, guys – but we had to sell it,” said Triton Sales Director Jeff Goodwin on more than one occasion when we inquired about our forthcoming enclosed trailer. “We can’t build them fast enough.” Our own data indicates the same trend.

Results of the 2008 and 2016 Snow Goer magazine reader surveys show that enclosed trailer use increased by 10 percent over that eight-year span, and one subset of the enclosed category is inline trailers like the PR-227 we tested last winter. Their narrow profile offers better rearward visibility than full-width trailers because the driver’s view isn’t blocked by the front of the trailer, and there’s less drag thanks to the fact the truck punches a hole that spans the entire width of the trailer’s front wall.

Triton Prestige trailer
The attractive style of our Triton Prestige trailer fetched many compliments. Click to enlarge.

Fully Featured

Triton offers 83 accessories, according to the company’s website, for its flagship line of Prestige trailers. We ordered our 22-foot demo with aluminum wheels, roof vents, side door with window, fuel doors, 32-inch cabinet, multi-color exterior and 24-inch diamond plate along the bottom of the interior, among other accessories.

The company classifies the PR-227 as a 22-foot trailer because the box portion is 22 feet long, but the ‘V’ is 5 feet long and the tongue is 3 feet – bringing the total length to 30 feet. Interior dimensions are 6 feet, 8-3/4 inches wide by 26 feet, 8 inches long from the tail to the nose, which was enough space to accommodate any combination of four machines we wanted to haul, including a trip when we transported one machine with a 129-inch track, two 137s and one with a 144-inch track. The narrow chassis of inline trailers means snowmobiles must be staggered inside – they won’t fit side-by side like in a conventional trailer. But even though there were four big sleds inside, there was enough room to allow an air gap around all machines so they didn’t rub on each other or the trailer’s walls.

Triton Prestige trailer
Tall sleds were loaded first so the following sleds could pull in without their ski loops pressing against the bottom of the running board. Click to enlarge.

To prevent the snowmobiles from shuffling during transport, we put a tie-down bar across each machine’s skis and ran a strap through the rear bumper and hooked it to the accessory Quickslide adjustable tie-down hooks in the floor. The accessory, wall-mounted coat rack was a convenient place to hang the tie-down straps when they weren’t in use. 

Pulling It

The trailer fetched many compliments from riding companions and complete strangers at gas stations and lots at trailheads. People not only admired its appearance and tidy fit-and-finish, but also its practical and well-made accessories, quality construction and superb components like the watertight door seals and rigid tie-down tracks in the floor. Exterior lights made loading easier, and the interior LEDs let us work inside – installing tie-down bars, moving and tightening in-floor hooks and connecting tie-down straps – without any trouble after sunset. Huge, labeled light switches inside the front and rear doors were easy to operate with a gloved hand.

To experiment with weight dispersion, on some occasions we loaded four snowmobiles by driving each of them in through the rear door, which put more weight on the tongue, and other times we drove them through the front door to put more weight on the tail. Both arrangements worked equally well as the three different half-ton pickups that towed the trailer last winter managed the load without sway or excessive sag, though one truck was equipped with air helper springs to limit sag caused by the extra weight. Fuel mileage for two Ford F-150s and a Ram 1500 pulling four sleds was consistently 8.5 to 9.2 mpg with variables like speed, driver, traffic, air temperature, terrain and total distance affecting the figure.

Triton Prestige trailer
The Combo Shelf worked great for storing jugs of oil. Click to enlarge.

Our only trouble with the trailer came from the man-door latch that would disengage and allow the door to open while rolling down the freeway. We made a simple adjustment to the latch plate after the first time this happened so the latch would hold more securely, but the door again opened by itself the next time we pulled the trailer.

We re-adjusted the plate’s position and threw a shoulder into the door to test it before hitting the road and all seemed well, but the latch disengaged and the door opened by itself yet again. After a third adjustment didn’t work, we set the deadbolt and that kept it closed. The problem likely stems from the fact that, like any road-bound vehicle, camper or trailer, our Triton twisted and flexed while it rolled down the road, and that allowed the latch to unhook from the plate.

More than a year passed between placing the order and taking delivery of our Triton Prestige trailer, but it was worth the wait. Its features and the company’s attention to detail translated to an overall premium trailer that looked great, and was fun and easy to use. That explains why demand is so high.

Editor’s Note: Every issue of Snow Goer magazine includes in-depth sled reports and comparisons, aftermarket gear and accessories reviews, riding destination articles, do-it-yourself repair information, snowmobile technology and more! Subscribe to Snow Goer now to receive issues delivered to your door 6 times per year for a low cost.

One thought on “Cold Tested: Triton Prestige PR-227 Trailer

  • Avatar for Matt

    Looks like you didn’t cover the floor with any guides or track mats

    Reply

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