Working on the trailer...

[nathon918]

Legal width is 102 these days...look at any OTR truck/trailer...the most common trailer size is a 53 ft, 102" wide. And almost all doubles are connected with a pintle...

Heck, even most snowmobile trailers are 102" wide...

any heavy equipment/ trailer that isn't gooseneck or 5th wheel is a pintle... look at any tag along, or whole tree chippers, they got em, hell look at any dump truck bigger than a 1 ton almost all have a pintle bolted to the hitch plate... there's nothing illegal about a pintle...

 

[mga]

Legal width is 102 these days...look at any OTR truck/trailer...the most common trailer size is a 53 ft, 102" wide. And almost all doubles are connected with a pintle...

Heck, even most snowmobile trailers are 102" wide...

got into a discussion with a neighbor about the trailers. he claims since my land scape trailer is over 80" wide i's supposed to have ICC lights on the top of my truck (1/2 ton pick up)

i looked into that and read conflicting statements. i was under the impression that the rear of the trailer must have the three ICC lights, but, since the truck wasn't that wide, i'd be OK. but, some other DoT laws say the "vehicle" must have them as well.

so, am i, along with many others are, technically, illegal when towing these trailers?

any one know the DoT laws on this?

 

[steved]

Only applies if you are commercial or using the trailer and cargo for profit (e.g. race car).

You also need the lights the trailer was manufactured at that time. Older trailers never have the center three lights...

I got into this discussion a lot of times on the diesel forums and off road forums. Guys would get dinged for not having lights, no CDL, etc. Because they had a personal off road buggy on the trailer with stickers and/or "race number" on it.

Again, towed this 102" to Washington twice, got pulled over twice; neither truck had cab lights. They were more interested in the color of my fuel.

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[Ambull01]

They were more interested in the color of my fuel.

To see if you're running off-road diesel? Just found out about off-road diesel. I live in farm country now but never heard of this stuff before.

 

[steved]

To see if you're running off-road diesel? Just found out about off-road diesel. I live in farm country now but never heard of this stuff before.

Yup...red fuel, non-taxed...Uncle Sam doesn't like to be cheated.

Almost decked a little she-cop in Kansas. Pulled into a rest area opened the door and she was right there...scared the bejesus out of me. She said "I want to dip your tanks, " to which my response was "is that what the kids call it these days?" I told her knock herself out, she said "you can't leave", to which "I responded lady, if I don't get to the restroom, there's going to be a puddle." Last I saw of her...

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[mga]

Only applies if you are commercial or using the trailer and cargo for profit (e.g. race car).

You also need the lights the trailer was manufactured at that time. Older trailers never have the center three lights...

I got into this discussion a lot of times on the diesel forums and off road forums. Guys would get dinged for not having lights, no CDL, etc. Because they had a personal off road buggy on the trailer with stickers and/or "race number" on it.

Again, towed this 102" to Washington twice, got pulled over twice; neither truck had cab lights. They were more interested in the color of my fuel.

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so, all the landscapers i see hauling their zero turns and stuff around are considered as being commercial? that means, they need to have cab lights...correct?

where as i, just being a simple schmuck hauling my own fire wood, i don't need them...correct?

interesting. thanks!

 

[firebrick43]

Being commercial means you need to register with the DOT, get commercial insurance, and depending on operating area maybe pay IFTA which is fuel taxes. Clearance lights are required for certain size vehicles, not necessarily commercial.

 

[WoodTick007]

Yup...red fuel, non-taxed...Uncle Sam doesn't like to be cheated.

Almost decked a little she-cop in Kansas. Pulled into a rest area opened the door and she was right there...scared the bejesus out of me. She said "I want to dip your tanks, " to which my response was "is that what the kids call it these days?" I told her knock herself out, she said "you can't leave", to which "I responded lady, if I don't get to the restroom, there's going to be a puddle." Last I saw of her...

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That black trailor looks to be a very well built with a heavy frame. Are those 3500lb axles.with 5 lug wheels?

View attachment 385137


I have the big flatbed thing, even put sides on it at one point to haul firewood...could haul a cord of tossed pretty easy. The only drawback is that mine is a 102" wide, and while that is only 6" wider than a typical trailer, it makes it just that much more unpleasant to tow any distance. The main drawback with mine is that it's too low to access some of the places I need to get...I would get hung just getting the unloaded trailer into the field because of its overhang. In reality, it would have been the easiest and cheapest...basically should have new tires, and put it on the road. But it weighs 2400#s (its heavy empty), and even thought the truck is capable of towing it at safely; I really wouldn't want to drag it that far (ie. 300 miles) loaded to max.

I was even looking at those little 3k GVW single axle dumpers at one point, but they really like those and the prices reflect that!

 

[steved]

I bought the black one, its a 10k and those are 6-lug axles.

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[steved]

so, all the landscapers i see hauling their zero turns and stuff around are considered as being commercial? that means, they need to have cab lights...correct?

where as i, just being a simple schmuck hauling my own fire wood, i don't need them...correct?

interesting. thanks!

Correct...unless they want to stretch the rules, they will leave a privatebguy alone. That big black trailer of mine hasn't been inspected in five years, never been given a second look.

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[steved]

Woooo-hooo!

Got the last few wires soldered, all the wiring is done short the brake wiring. Decided, ehh, I'll get it in the air and pull the wheels. By the time I was done, I not only had the tires pulled, but the axles and suspension too!

I just cut the axle bolts off, they were too rusted to try saving them. The spring bolts fought me the entire way, but its all apart. I was worried the holes in the equalizers would be egged out, but I got lucky and they are hardly worn...bushings are gone, but the holes aren't egged. And I found my bronze bushings will fit pretty good, without too much work.

If all goes well, I should have the springs bushed tomorrow, and maybe the suspension hung. Then all that is left is to pull a hub on each axle to find out which direction the axles run (brakes), weld perches on the axles, and sling them under the trailer, and install wheels/tires. Might actually have it done by Christmas!

 

[steved]

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[steved]

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[steved]

Photos of the carnage...

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[steved]

After a little work with a file (round file mounted in a drill), I got the eyes of the springs and equalizers cleaned. The hardest part was getting to plastic bushings out.

Used a balljoint press to push the new brass bushings in place. I could hardly believe it when the new bolts fit! My luck is crushing bushings, or bushings that don't fit.

 

[steved]

Done...just need the deck and four wires soldered.

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[Jakers]

that is one hell of a heavy duty trailer for its size... looking good

 

[steved]

The axles weren't as easy as I thought. I found that the Moreyde kit used short shackles (2-1/4") where I needed long shackles (3-1/4"). Using short shackles cause the shackles to flip under full articulation. So that took my suspension install from under an hour to almost four hours. Had to make a blend of Moreryde and used stuff.

I welded the new spring perches on the axles (spring under to spring over). That wasn't bad, except the one perch was punched slightly crooked, and took some filing to get right. The axles bolted right up.

I found one hub had boogered threads, the PO must have ran alloy wheels and stretched the threads on that single wheel. Took some work running them on and off to get them tight...its fine now.

As you can see, its hooked to the truck. I took it for a test run before I got any further. The good news is we must have gotten the axles welded together right. Tows perfectly straight, now wiggle, no sway. I may need to drop the the tires down to under 30psi to make it ride nice empty. But there is no shaking, no vibrations, nice smooth ride.

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[steved]

Well, short pictures proving it, its completely done.

Got the brakes wired, that's working. Got the deck installed, which takes time as there are four cross members that get sandwiched between the deck and another board. After the deck was installed, got all eight tiedowns installed, I'm not going to know how to act as the trailer never had good tiedowns before. The sides were quick, two bolts and done. A few minor odds and ends, and it was finished.

Loaded the old tires and axles to take them back home, dropped the tire pressure down to 30 psi, and took another short ride. Dropping the tire pressure down made it ride nice, at highway speeds you can't even tell its behind you.

Pictures tomorrow...I'm beat after this two day push.

 

[steved]