building a trailer (for on-the-farm hauling)

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I'm a neophyte DIY who needs a trailor for my 40 hp tractor for wood hauling, moving hay and manure for the gargen etc. I've looked for an old manure spreader- hard to find. So, where do I pick up wheels (and what size) and what kind of steel or iron would I use to weld a frame to build my own trailor? I wouldn't be using this for the highway and truck so I don't think I need a suspension system. Any good plans out there? Any good catalogues for the kind of materials I would need? I would have a neighbor do the welding. Thnaks in advance

-- david dati (drdati@mwt.net), November 29, 2001

Answers

Response to building a trailor

Hi David. Stuff like hay and wood make for low density loads, i.e. you need a big trailer to carry any reasonable load. I suggest peeking over your neighbours' fences to see if there are any derilect trucks you can get for a reasonable price. What you need is the chassis with wheels of course. Take off everything else and build a wooden platform on top and with the cab and engine gone this might be nearly twice as long as the original. Attach a simple tow bar to the front of the chassis and after removing the steering box connect a rod from one steering arm to your tow bar. If you are really clever you might like to retain the parking brake.

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), November 29, 2001.

Response to building a trailor

Alot of people buy new trailers and don't think to take care of the moving parts, until they bust on them (you see them on the side of the highway during the summer alot around here). My husband got a broken trailer for cheap, and replaced the axle POOF! New trailer. He paid a total $150. I don't know if it would have been cheaper to build from scratch, but just a thought.

-- Dawn (olsoncln@ecenet.com), November 29, 2001.

Response to building a trailor

Old mobile home axles work well for trailers and I believe the last issue of Countryside had plans for load sleds and such. Might give you some insight for a design of your own.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), November 29, 2001.

Response to building a trailor

Great low tech trailer plans here!

trailer plans

They are really for draft animals but easily adapted to a tractor.

-- Jason in S. Tenn. (AJAMA5@netscape.net), November 29, 2001.


Response to building a trailor

It really kinda depends on the size of trailer you need. A classic is the trailer made from a pick-up box. Cut the frame off about at the front of the cab, "fold" it together and put the hitch on and your good to go. A variation of that is take the box off and build a flatbed deck on it for a greater volume capacity. If you use a 3/4 ton truck frame and axle it'll give you about a 5000lb capacity.

The mobile home axles are good too. If you look around you can probably locate axles on a frame. Shorten the frame, modify as necessary. Apply decking material and you gotta trailer. Tandem axles are good for at least 8000lbs

-- john (natlivent@pcpros.net), November 30, 2001.



Don,t make it too wide either. If you want it to go though the woods you don't want it too wide. I have a woods trailer,5 feet wide,I made it wider to haul loose hay on it,but then I couldn't push the hay off it. Back to a narrow trailer again. Merry Christmas Ray Chesterville Me The Farm

-- ray (thecfarm@midmaine.com), December 20, 2001.

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