Easy way of loading chunks into my trailer?

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ropensaddle

ropensaddle

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I bought a furniture dolly at Northern tool last winter. Can be had for cheap, but the wheels are too small for this kind of thing. A cheap idea to try: put some cheap air-filled wheels (8" or so) as found at Tractor Supply, Northern Tool, or the like, on a small 2'x4' constructed frame and tip the round onto it and push it or winch it up a ramp into the trailer. I've not actually done this, but I may give it a try sometime.
Them wheels won't hold up as I have mentioned they are two piece and eventually warp and come apart the lawnmower idea I have been contemplating but different profile tires will make dolly not set straight.I guess I could raise axle hmmmmmm!The wheels starting to roll now cheap self propulsion small echo maybe hmmmmm weight to power
what gears to make it pull two speed hmmmmm!
 
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crowbait

crowbait

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Cripes...a regular 2 wheel dolly. As long as the tires are air filled, and I lay a ramp on the back of my trailer, that should work more than fine. Too simple, man. Thanks!
 

jags

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Cripes...a regular 2 wheel dolly. As long as the tires are air filled, and I lay a ramp on the back of my trailer, that should work more than fine. Too simple, man. Thanks!


After I read his post, I thought the same darn thing. Gotta be too simple, can't work if its that simple. Must have electric or hydraulics or an engine. At least something with cables and hours of engineering and welding....NO-NO- Brain can't take it anymore..........sorry, had a minor implosion.

Good answer:rock:
 
sperho

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Cripes...a regular 2 wheel dolly. As long as the tires are air filled, and I lay a ramp on the back of my trailer, that should work more than fine. Too simple, man. Thanks!

Problem solved! (Sometimes the obvious answer isn't too obvious for reasons I can't determine...)
 
Mr. Obvious

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If the chunks are really huge like 36 inch diameter, You just use a strap to hold them while you tip the dolly back. That is if you are working alone.

BTW the 2 piece wheels do bend and eventually break at the axle housing but just weld em back up. Good mig practice or use a small rod for stick.
 
crowbait

crowbait

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Do they make dollys with motorized wheels? When we get a big chunk or two on the dolly, or when my girl friend is moving chunks with the dolly while I'm cutting, having a mororized dolly would sure help...even if it was slow.
 
habanero

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I use my dolly quite a bit for moving wood, but have had the same problem Ropensaddle is talking about. The wheels last for a while, but then break at the axle tube. I've tried rewelding them, but that hasn't proven effective either. So, the next time I'm at my favorite scrap metal dealer, I'm going to find me some 1/4" or 5/16" plate and cut out donuts to weld onto the axle tubes. I'll keep the 2-piece concept, just drill and bolt through both donuts. I figure the thicker plate should provide a much better weld joint.
 
johnha

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I'm with Triptester. I know its not a real good photo of the log lift, but a design like this on your trailer would do the trick. This is mine.

Jags, how is that winch powered? I like it very much by the way.


What I do if I know I'm loading big rounds is take my tri-fold aluminum ATV/Tractor ramp along. I can roll just about any size round up it. Since it is an open ladder type, the round has less tendency to roll back.
 
beerman6

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I think Home Depot sells the foam filled tires for a 2 wheeler,not sure how good the rims are though.

I bought a cheap one from Big Lots,welded a 22x16 "foot" on top of the original also added some wheel protectors and some hooks for a strap,I found that with that large of a plate I really didnt need a strap.
 
johnha

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I think Home Depot sells the foam filled tires for a 2 wheeler,not sure how good the rims are though.

I bought a cheap one from Big Lots,welded a 22x16 "foot" on top of the original also added some wheel protectors and some hooks for a strap,I found that with that large of a plate I really didnt need a strap.


Any way you could post a pic of that, beerman?
 

cjk

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I struggled with this also. I ended up just quartering the big rounds and halving the others.

It makes loading, unloading and splitting SO much easier I started to doubt my intelligence because it took so long to figure out.:confused: I never claimed to be a rocket scientist but this is so simple I was a little pissed at myself it took so long.:censored:

Make some curly fries and save your back, wrestling those big rounds on the splitter is no fun and you get more on a load with smaller pieces.:clap:

Sharp chain on a 361 works great by the way............
 
bushinspector

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Very interesting thread, I was just looking for the best skid steer to lift longs on to our dump trailer. One of the things I have found is to never lift the whole log. We bought a cheap dolly and after we cart the log to the dump trailer we lay the dolly down, STAND ON THE HANDLE, and then lift the log on to the edge of the bottom plate.(At this time the bottom plate is vertical) and then just push and flip the top on over. Our dump trailer is about two feet tall.
 
ircr450

ircr450

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I couldn't agree with Brushwacker more. I have cut firewood for years and have tried every thing you can think of to handle big rounds, tractors, wood splitters, and a lot of wrestling. I have found the fastest way to deal with big rounds is cut them into managable sizes so they are easy to load, unload and split. The key I have found to this is use a big saw with a razor sharp chain. Here is an example.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LH08k5Kf4AI
 
Zodiac45

Zodiac45

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Roll pieces to the trailer and lift. Lay one piece flat behind the trailer then roll/walk the big pieces up. Sort of like stairs. My wife usually helps and is also there for safety. The bad part is the big pieces still have to be dealt with once your home.

That's the way I've always done it too but an easier solution is too bring a plank or 2 with you for a ramp and get an old boat trailor winch or the like, mount in the front of your pickup bed (or trailor) and wind them right in. It's not as fast but you can do it by yourself. I usually just use a pulp hook and then attach the winch rope with a caribiner on the end. They crank right in.:cheers:
 

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