98 vs 102 wide flatbed

My flat is 96 wide but I only used it for 2 customers, with the market over capacity and equipment prices dropping I would just look/hold out for a decent 102,

 

You'll be better off with a 102.

You don't want the scales pulling you over to measure your load because it's hanging over the sides. And you'll be hauling alot of loads that take up all 102 inches.

 

Depends on what you’re going to be doing with it. Apples to apples a 96 wide will be lighter. 8 out of my 10 years pulling a flat was with a 96 wide and never had any issues. The best part of a 96 wide trailer is when you have lumber or plywood on you can keep the excess strap pinched against the load about a foot above the rail and it keeps everything nice and dry instead of pinching the excess on the rail and catching all the road spray. If you’ll be tarping a lot the tarps usually look better on a 96 wide because you don’t get air under them pulling them out to a 102 wide rail. Very rarely did I ever haul a 102 wide load, when it was it was usually 54 wide drywall next to a 48 wide unit.