Rig Sleds (The Trailer Thread)

I think Trout is where Knoeller's Dad got their trailer. They are a fine Porter based business.

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Originally Posted by FJAggie07

Thank you for bumping this thread. I need a trailer to start hauling Rancho Grande (the tacoma) around on behind the Power Wagon. The wheelbase on the Tacoma is 121 inches and it will probably be between 75-80 inches wide from outside of the tire to outside of the tire on the front axle. What kind of bumper pull should i be looking at to keep weight to a minimum, and be able to comfortably pull this thing around on?

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You could probably get away with an 18ft car hauler with 3500lb axles. BUT, i would suggest 5200lb or 6000lb axles. When I was looking a few years ago, the price seemed to jump when you went to the 7k, but the one posted above seems to be reasonably priced.

Brakes on one axle works fine for me pulling the heavy Bronco with a half ton, but some will insist on both axles. I have heard rumor that brakes on both has caused inconsistent tire wear, but that could be a myth.

Make sure whatever you buy has new trailer tires, and not retreads

Steel deck v. wood deck is a toss up. You could hear arguements for both, but a treated wood deck is going to be a little lighter.

At 80inches wide, you are not going to need to worry about drive over fenders. My trailer is 83" between the fenders and I sqeeze all 86" of Bronco through them.

I would look for a 20' trailer, treated wood deck, dovetail, 2 6lug axles with brakes on one, 2 5/16th bulldog, good beefy tiedowns, LEDS, and new tires with a spare.

the biggest thing is that a treated wood deck is alot lighter than a steel deck

im curious what the weight diff is. the title on my work trailer says 211, which seems light to me.

if i were to buy another trailer i would get one a little longer, mine is 18 and often i could use another foot or two. so 20 or 22 but probably not 24. then agian i haul alot of random stuff around

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Originally Posted by colman

if i were to buy another trailer i would get one a little longer, mine is 18 and often i could use another foot or two. so 20 or 22 but probably not 24. then agian i haul alot of random stuff around

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The reason you lost 2ft is because of your winch/toolbox configuration. cant bring anything all the way up to the front. Or at least i don't because the winch always doubles as a tie down. a 20ft set up like you have would be perfect.

mine is 18, the tool box is on the tongue so it doesn't take any deck space and the winch is removeable and any truck can pull up over it if it has to, still wish i would have gotten a 20 or 22

Mine's 12', you have 15" more wheelbase, so the next size up is 14'.

Mine is 16'. Of course my tool box is on the tongue. I can fit regulat cab long beds or extended cab shot beds. Anything else is too long. It is perfect for jeeps, reg. cab short beds, and any car.

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Originally Posted by JBrown89

You could probably get away with an 18ft car hauler with 3500lb axles. BUT, i would suggest 5200lb or 6000lb axles. When I was looking a few years ago, the price seemed to jump when you went to the 7k, but the one posted above seems to be reasonably priced.

I like to lean towards the 'overkill' side so that you don't put as much stress on the equipment. Bigger axles should have larger bearings that will not wear as fast, but they may cost more to replace. You can go too overkill though, and that is what I am running into w/ my GN. It is great for texas trips, but it is a heavy mother in places like Co where you are pulling some good hills. I use it at the ranch though, so I need that extra strength. It gets called into Bus hauling duty now and again too, so you never know when you need that little bit extra. :D

Brakes on one axle works fine for me pulling the heavy Bronco with a half ton, but some will insist on both axles. I have heard rumor that brakes on both has caused inconsistent tire wear, but that could be a myth.

I have never heard of the 2 brake/tire wear, but that doesn't mean it's not true. Again, 'overkill'. With the stop and go traffic in Dallas/Houston, you want all the 'whoa nelly' you can get!

Make sure whatever you buy has new trailer tires, and not retreads.

Here is where I disagree somewhat (or just want to elaborate more I guess). If it doesn't have new tires, or has retreads, just make sure that you account for that in your purchase price. Good true trailer tires are hard to beat and pay for them selves pretty quick when you don't have blow outs on I-35 w/ traffic roaring past you and a ruined rim under the trailer. To me, this is very important especially when I haul other peoples vehicles, as I feel responsible for them while they are back there...

Steel deck v. wood deck is a toss up. You could hear arguments for both, but a treated wood deck is going to be a little lighter.

2x12 treated lumber is roughly 6.6 pounds per square foot. 1/8" plate (0.120") is 5.1 lbs. You don't save any weight until you jump to 3/16's, but I don't know how well 1/8th will hold up.

At 80inches wide, you are not going to need to worry about drive over fenders. My trailer is 83" between the fenders and I sqeeze all 86" of Bronco through them.

I would look for a 20' trailer, treated wood deck, dovetail, 2 6lug axles with brakes on one, 2 5/16th bulldog, good beefy tiedowns, LEDS, and new tires with a spare.

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see above for thoughts. (JB, I don't want this to seem like I am calling you out, but you just had a lot of what I wanted to comment on.) :beer:

Weight breakdown of Wood vs. Metal on a 84" x 20' trailer (140 square foot).

2"x12" pressure treated= 924 lbs.
1/8" plate = 714 lbs. (-210 lbs)
3/16" plate = 1078 lbs. (+154 lbs.)
1/4" plate = 1428 lbs. (+504 lbs.)

Information gathered from these two sources.
http://brownlumberservice.com/PDF/lumberweight.pdf
http://www.chapelsteel.com/weight-steel-plate.html

that weight for wood sounds like wet pressure treated i bet it gets alot lighter as it dries out. also steel plate is slick as hell when it gets wet and things like to slide around alot on the metal decks

once the deck is dry it will be closer to 600 lbs

and if you have to work on something and it is sunny out steel sucks, that and the coeficient of friction is higher on wood is why i got wood

I would rather have a steel deck any day off the week for any job. treated southern yellow pine(what most smaller trailer shops use) is not what real trailer decks are made of it crackes and splinters with any real concentrated weight. with a steel deck d rings can be put down almost anywhere so the load can be properly secured using straps no way i am relying on the decks friction.

who said anything about not using straps. thats just plain stupid

I think what he is trying to say is that if you are having to factor in the 'friction coefficient' of the deck then you are not strapping the load correctly to begin with.

it was also refering to when you are working on something when it is on the trailor and not totally strapped down

So you work on your trailer when it's sitting at a 45% angle??? :flipoff2:

Someone also mentioned using a winch as a tie-down earlier in this thread as well...

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Originally Posted by bburris

Someone also mentioned using a winch as a tie-down earlier in this thread as well...

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Across town, or a real short trip I can see. Not on a cross country trip though. Maybe to suck the suspension down on a flexy rig. To each his own though.

http://collegestation.craigslist.org...597771559.html

I bought my trailer without fenders and i decided that i should make it legal so it was time for some fenders. I wanted something different than a normal trailer fender and i wanted something that could be driven over and not have to worry about destroying the fender in the process. I went with the heaviest diamondplate fender I could find then used 1 3/4 .120 wall hrew to mimmick the shape of the fenders. Thanks to Karl for the extra help with the bending. They did not come out perfect but I am very pleased with how thet turned out.

While I had the trailer in the shop I removed the bent jack and replaced it with a new 7k. To make sure that the jack would not get bent this time I raised it up about another two inches from stock.

Next I needed somewhere to mount my spares. It sucks constantly throwing trailer spares into truck beds and making sure you dont forget them. I used some all thread( Karls favorite steel second only to angle iron) and some 3 inch sch. 40 for the current time(will get 5 inch when I can find some so that the trailer rim is perfectly centered on the pipe). Then to make sure everything stays tight I welded some nuts onto a four way to keep everything where it belongs.

more pics

I don't think those wheels will fit over 5" pipe, which is 5.5" OD.

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Originally Posted by eight

I don't think those wheels will fit over 5" pipe, which is 5.5" OD.

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Not the pipe I make :flipoff2:

That looks good! I need to cut off the old one on the white trailer and get a replacement one on there. Where did you pickup the fenders?

I'm looking at that picture, like "wait i thought frick lived in the country, look at all those yuppie bmw's, i bet his neighbors hate him with that turd in front of his......oh jesus that's my house, he just dropped it off this morning":)

Gooseneck on 21 sells thems.

I like the 4-way/tire hold down.

just drill a hole in the all thread and put a pad lock through the hole and they can't steal the tires either

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Originally Posted by AggieTJ2007

just drill a hole in the all thread and put a pad lock through the hole and they can't steal the tires as easily...

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a lock will only keep an honest man honest. :beer:

true but if they are going to take it the atleast need to work a little for it

good work Kevin, looks good

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Originally Posted by AggieTJ2007

true but if they are going to take it the atleast need to work a little for it

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ed zachary!

http://tamor.org/forums/attachment.p...1&d=1267208500

you need to put a shackle in there so the spring has somewhere to move to. Had that set up on a trailer and it rode rough because the spring couldn't expand under compression.

Yep, leave the pivot in the middle and put the shackles at the outer ends.

EDIT: This puts a good bit of stress on that center pivot bolt, so make sure you check out that hardware good while you are doing anything to it.

they may be slider springs if so you don't need shackles

that is all assuming it is not a slipper spring set up, because if it is then it is set up right

You are starting with the wrong assumption, the correct one is: this is frick so it has to be wrong :flipoff:

I am pretty sure it is bolted on both ends of those springs.

Those are slipper springs, take a look under any heavier trailer. Ed, I would imagine your gooseneck has those.

I think you are right Kopecki.