Bump. I’ve been doing more thinking and research and I have a ‘book’ to post…sorry. You fellas have passed on some good, helpful info…that’s why I’m posting yet again. I’ve been looking at some old AS threads and pictures of what some folks are using for hauling firewood and I’ve changed my mind to a car hauler/equipment trailer.
I would like a utility trailer for a ramp gate mainly, and I’d like the low side rails for low height loads. It might not be a big deal, but I don’t think I’d like using plywood side boards with out attaching them to the trailer side rails. Attaching would make them more ‘permanent’ then side boards in stake pockets that could be removed quickly. The plywood could stand free with rounds to hold it up I guess.
A car hauler/equipment trailer, with the open flat deck, just seems to have more options for loads…within reason with my half-ton in front of it. I’ve found out that ramp gates are options on certain brands of car hauler/equipment trailers. Even if I’d buy a used car hauler without a ramp gate (with slide-in ramps only), I could buy a portable fold-up ramp for my mower (easier to load than with 2 individual ramps). As mentioned already, I’d like built side boards in the stake pockets better. For loads where I would want side boards; but low enough that I could reach over the side of the trailer, I’d simply build a set of lower height side boards. I’d like to get a yard or 2 or more in a nearby town to mow this summer with my ZTR mower and I’d use the low sideboards for when I’m also hauling the push mower and whatever else. To anchor the mowers inside the side boards, I could install recessed D-rings on the trailer floor. And of course use the trailer for its intended use…to haul vehicles if ever needed.
A used trailer would be fine of course, but most I’ve seen locally have a dovetail and I wouldn’t want that for the slope of the approach into my yard and other places where I have slightly dragged with the dovetailed car hauler I currently borrow. I’ve only seen ramp gates on these types of trailers in pictures online…not locally yet. I could live without a ramp gate, but because I don’t want a dovetail, I might have to go new.
I have another thought for the future…it might not be sensible. I would buy a 7K rated car hauler/equipment trailer (pretty common) with the thought of replacing the 3500lb rated axles for 5200lb axles when I would upgrade my truck. Some of the 7K rated trailers have 5” channel frames, 5” channel wrap tongues, 3” channel or 3"x2”x3/16” angle crossmembers and optional 2 5/16” couplers. Some of the 10K rated trailers have the same specs except with the 3” channel crossmembers only (not the 3” angle), standard 2 5/16” couplers (and of course 5200lb axles). So, later on I would replace the axles to get the higher weight rating. If I would go with a 7K trailer with the 3” angle crossmembers (if the 3” channels were not available), I could get them on 16” centers if the option was available. There is the trailer weight (again, for my half-ton with it’s smaller 4.6L V8 and 3.55 gears…don’t want to pull more trailer weight than I have to for payload reasons) to wonder about. Would 2000lbs. be a fair estimate for a 83” x 16’ trailer with these specs (including brakes on both axles) ? Would leave 5000lbs. of payload…legally. For a comparison, a Big Tex 70CH 83” x 16’ (car hauler) has a 5”x3”x5/16” frame, 4” channel wrap tongue, and 3”x2”x3/16” crossmembers and weighs 1800lbs. according to their specs.
One other thing is that a 10K rated trailer in the future (with the right truck in front of it…in the future) will be big enough for me. I don’t own a tractor with a FEL so all of my firewood handling is done by hand. I know a fella that has a tree removal company and he could load me up with log length wood…but I’d have the problem of unloading it without a tractor at the house. It probably could be done…but it would be hard and dangerous I’m sure. A 10K rated trailer for me would be for getting a large amount of rounds at one time…and I’m sure I would be worn out cutting and loading by myself to fully load (cord and a half?) the trailer properly. Getting loaded up with rounds with a tractor (that my tree guy friend uses) that I could roll off the trailer at the house is a different story.
I got a quote on this trailer
Trail Master in 83” x 16’, without the dovetail, 2 braked axles, 4 extra stake pockets (total of 5 each side), 48” tail gate and spare tire bracket for $2240. There are 2 other brands (PJ and Load Trail) that I want to get quotes on.
What say y’all…besides that I think way too much…
. Is my ‘axle upgrade later’ a crazy idea? Just trying to settle in my mind what to aim for.
Kevin