Trailer frames and ratings

[jimbojango]

duece and a half is to big for kansas creeks except over there east of you guys going towards latham. lol. 2 ton is about enough. and i have a 28' gooseneck and it IS handy as hell. 18 foot car trailer... not so great but ok. i'm much more fond of my gooseneck for daily use because its just so much easier to pull and back up. as well as the fact if you don't overload it to bad it never walks you around the road.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Was just at the Big Tex site. How is it that their tandem with 2 3500lb axles has a 5000lb GVWR? Frame made too light?

Ian

 

[les-or-more]

Was just at the Big Tex site. How is it that their tandem with 2 3500lb axles has a 5000lb GVWR? Frame made too light?

Ian

My guess is it only has brakes on one axle it won't get full rating of 7k until both axles have brakes.

 

[Locust Cutter]

I run a 2002 f250sd 5.4l 373 gears 4x4 and have scaled out repeatedly at 24,500lbs w/36' gooseneck full of hay..i hauled hay for neighbors all winter over 100 miles each way28 loads in all. I too thought that the gooseneck would be a better trailer for logging but found out that its a b**** to load that high up with logs.... So i use a 16' tandem axle flatbed trailer with 4x8's as ramps on side of trailer you can winch logs on and off easy...i have since sold gooseneck.... I will say i haven't had issues with the ford at all.... But can tell ya plenty of horror stories about chevy's and dodges i have owned....i would say go for a 12k small landscapers trailer and get a sway control hitch with load leveling you will be surprised what you can safely haul with a 1/2 ton...i had a 6.5x 14 worked great before i got stupid and sold it... The crappy trailer i own now works ok but is about worn out...

Well I have (2) F-350 Superduties (1-2x4/5.4 stick and 1-4x4 6.0PSD/Torqeshift), a 1/2-ton Chebby v-6 (Better half's truck) and a '92 Toyota 4banger/5sp 2wd. The Toy is my 27mpg wheelbarrow/go-cart/grocery getter/ wood fetcher (goes where the Superduties don't fit and is already all banged to hell). The gas F-350 has pulled a lot of weight and done all right, but I probably only have about another 50K before I'm looking at motor issues on it. The diesel is broken currently but will be fixed when the tax return gets here (Derby Dealer "forgot" to mention a 'few' problems,.... (about $6K worth).


The car trailer would be nice in that any of the full-size pickups could pull it for a variety of reasons. The Gooseneck is what I really want for all of the reasons that Jimbjango mentioned,... I also have access to a few tractors, so loading to gooseneck height isn't a major concern for me.

The Deuce would be nice because I'm mainly cutting in the Flint Hills, in between Leon and Beaumont and the 2 main wooded pastures that I'm selectively thinning have large/deep creeks and draws that can be a mother in any vehicle, not to mention when your trying to skid trees out of them in order to cut on semi level ground. This is especially tough when I get into his big Blackjack Oaks and Hedges,.... I could buy an ok 1969 C-50 Chevy flatbed off of a friend with a 350/4sp (split diff), but with the work it needs to be safe and street legal (my standards beyond what the State has to say about it) I think I could buy a decent old deuce for about the same or a bit less. Now a 6BT Cummins in that Chevy however, and that might be a different story...

 

[jimbojango]

hey locust, a C-50 isn't a 5 ton truck, its a LIGHT 2 ton or 1 and 3/4 ton. I have a C70 and its the HEAVY 2 ton and its a lot stouter than a c60. but they are BAD ASS for skidding logs. If she won't do it a 4650 john deere will HAHAHHA! and if that ain't big enough an 895 versitile is but they are a pain to get anywhere. Where are you cutting by Beaumont? out on one of the ranches? Hamlin is selling Rock Creek Ranch for 11.5 million, you could buy it ... its between douglas and latham though!

 

[Mntn Man]

A question for those who haul logs home:

Why don't you chunk it up and load it as rounds? If I can, I split it out there and haul it home split and leave the mess out in the trees. Just wondering what is different about where you guys do it.

 

[jimbojango]

I haul it home in logs because it is so much faster to load them whole and make 1 trip home then it is to haul a splitter down and make multiple trips. i can get TONS of wood on my gooseneck at once where as i hate putting sides on any trailer and i can cut a full day without getting tired. Then split a full day instead of working half the day and then the other half.

 

[jackel440]

A question for those who haul logs home:

Why don't you chunk it up and load it as rounds? If I can, I split it out there and haul it home split and leave the mess out in the trees. Just wondering what is different about where you guys do it.

We are clearing 8 acres of woods for a farmer now.It's faster to haul logs home than to try and cut rounds or split it.I can haul back up to 30' long logs on my deckover.Then go get another load.Cut it and split it at home later when the job is done.If we didn't do it this way we would be having a huge fire and burning the whole woods clearing right there do to time constraints.This way we get to save the wood for ourselves,and get the job done quicker

 

[wvlogger]

I personally think the double frame I beam is the way to go on something heavy. But there is the only downfall, weight. I am unsure if anyone even makes these any more. My car trailer is single beam but it is a 6" tall by 2" wide by 1/4" thick. tandem axles rated at 7000# a peice, and 10 ply tires. I tow it all with a F-150 With a 4.2. (i know i am a fool) And it pulls it all just fine

 

[jimbojango]

we've decided that it doesn't matter what type of construction it has at this point. it needs a stabilizer bar down through the center. Most of them are made out of 4 inch pipe and run the length of the trailer

 

[Mntn Man]

Thanks for the replies. I figured it had to be something like that. I don't really have a means to move logs so it is best for me to haul splits home. The only downfall is that I am usually too worn out to do anything with it when I get home, so it stays on the trailer until I get to it. Right now I have my 20 foot trailer full, a pick up box full, and I just came home with my ATV trailer full of oak that will need split. A dump trailer would rock!

 

[Captain Crunch]

My guess is it only has brakes on one axle it won't get full rating of 7k until both axles have brakes.

If you look at the trailer parts suppliers, you will see there is no 2500 lb axle. They jump from 2k to 3.5k.

Ratings also sometimes follow local regs. For instance, in WI, trailers under 3k do not require brakes or license/title. So we have lots of trailers here built as 3.5k but with 2990 lb gvw stickers.

Not saying this is the deal with the Big Tex 5k, you could ask them.

 

[les-or-more]

If you look at the trailer parts suppliers, you will see there is no 2500 lb axle. They jump from 2k to 3.5k.

Ratings also sometimes follow local regs. For instance, in WI, trailers under 3k do not require brakes or license/title. So we have lots of trailers here built as 3.5k but with 2990 lb gvw stickers.

Not saying this is the deal with the Big Tex 5k, you could ask them.

The regs may have changed since I left the trailer co. I used to work for but, then 3k and up had to have at least 1 brake axle. A 3500# idler gave you a 2990 rating. A 3500# brake axle gave you a 3.5k rating. A brake and an idler 5k and 2 brake axles 7k.

 

[Locust Cutter]

hey locust, a C-50 isn't a 5 ton truck, its a LIGHT 2 ton or 1 and 3/4 ton. I have a C70 and its the HEAVY 2 ton and its a lot stouter than a c60. but they are BAD ASS for skidding logs. If she won't do it a 4650 john deere will HAHAHHA! and if that ain't big enough an 895 versitile is but they are a pain to get anywhere. Where are you cutting by Beaumont? out on one of the ranches? Hamlin is selling Rock Creek Ranch for 11.5 million, you could buy it ... its between douglas and latham though!

Only 11.5M??? Hell thats pocket change,...LOL Yeah I've got access to 2 ranches out that way, a 1400 acre one up NW of the town of Eureka and then some various bits of land just around my house NE of Udall and some farm ground out around the Zenda/Harper/Kingman/Norwich area.
-I realize that the C-50/60 isn't a 5 ton by any means, but I could pick it up for about $500. I would then have to put another $1500-3000 in it though to fix the interior (gauges/controls), tires, brakes, clutch and rust. The engine would be a different matter (oil bath 350) but it still runs right now,... I wish that I had access to my Wife's Uncle's 825 or 830 (whatever the older model is) Versatile. It's handy for dragging a lot of things.

We usually try to cut into trunk lengths and then drag that back home. Then I can deal with the finish cutting/splitting on my own terms later on. I get WAY more done that way and make much more efficient use of my time in the field hat way.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Scroll down to the drawings. One is their 5K and the other is their 7K. Check out the tongue.

5K

7K

 

[SkyP]

Also the 7k is a pipe top rail with stouter uprights. Frame is bigger too.
The 18' version of the pipe rail is 510 lbs heavier than the 18' angle rail. Much more rigid trailer.

 

[jimbojango]

Locust- 500 for a c50 is a STEAL no matter what if it moves! i spent 500 on brakes for my c70 without buying drums or shoes just had to put cylinders and seals and fluid and kits in them (all avilible from truck parts and orielly's)

I have some buddies that trap over around Sharon... screw that mess I have plenty of tree's about 5 miles south of the kansas/oklahoma line south of South Haven and west of Braman OK if you ever run out of tree's

My C70 does have a 427 Tall deck which lets her run 70 and never even moan. Had 30,000 miles when i bought it. It is a 1979 model though, so its got a lot better interior and such. I have saw them sell for about $4000 w/ a hoist and 16' bed.

 

[Locust Cutter]

Locust- 500 for a c50 is a STEAL no matter what if it moves! i spent 500 on brakes for my c70 without buying drums or shoes just had to put cylinders and seals and fluid and kits in them (all avilible from truck parts and orielly's)

I have some buddies that trap over around Sharon... screw that mess I have plenty of tree's about 5 miles south of the kansas/oklahoma line south of South Haven and west of Braman OK if you ever run out of tree's

My C70 does have a 427 Tall deck which lets her run 70 and never even moan. Had 30,000 miles when i bought it. It is a 1979 model though, so its got a lot better interior and such. I have saw them sell for about $4000 w/ a hoist and 16' bed.

That would be pretty nice. I've heard a lot of good things about that 427 Tall Deck (Always been a Chevy (prior to 2008 anyway) man myself). I still would like a couple of trailers, but I am thinking about that truck. It may be a C-60 or bigger as it is either a 18 or 20' x 8' bed, I just don't remember the length exactly. Either way We've had 3 tons of bricks on it before and it just chugged on down the road. It always starts, burns some oil and will still run about 75 or so,... The speedometer is broken, but I was running chase in a '94 ram and paced it going about 75-80mph. Either way it's a lot faster than I'd care to go in it,...

 

[jimbojango]

ah hell, i'd drive mine 80 with a 30 foot float trailer loaded behind it. for 500 bucks though, its a steal.. i'd buy it and let you use it damn near

 

[Locust Cutter]

ah hell, i'd drive mine 80 with a 30 foot float trailer loaded behind it. for 500 bucks though, its a steal.. i'd buy it and let you use it damn near

Yeah I may have to buy it,... Now if I can just find a great deal on a Hillsboro, PJ, Kaufman or Diamon C 25-30' gooseneck. Either way it'll have to wait until I can get my Diesel Ford fixed, but hopefully by the end of the year ('11). If you ever need help cutting or otherwise, let me know!
-Bryan