Gary's Trailer Quest

[85lebaront2]

My brother and I talked about loading backwards just today. That was in the midst of the conversation about drive-over fenders. Turns out that Big Blue’s front tires measure 81” outside where they meet the pavement, and probably closer to 83” at max width. And the distance between fenders on most of the trailers is 82”. So it is going to be close with the front tires, but the back track is less so backing on might work better.

However, one dream I have is building a Bronco with big tires and that wouldn’t fit between the fenders. So I’m considering drive-over fenders so I can put anything on it. Yesterday I talked with a couple of guys with a big-tired late model Jeep on a trailer and they said everyone is going for drive-overs as nothing with big tires fits.

Let's see, 1978 F250, 6 cyl, 4 speed 4WD on a friend's trailer using his E150 6 cyl C6 to tow it. Truck had to go on backwards due to width difference between front and rear. Best we could do was 35 mph before the tail started wagging the dog.

We were taking the boy scout camp's truck to rebuild the front end and replace the doors with old ones from my 77 F150.

[Gary Lewis]

Let's see, 1978 F250, 6 cyl, 4 speed 4WD on a friend's trailer using his E150 6 cyl C6 to tow it. Truck had to go on backwards due to width difference between front and rear. Best we could do was 35 mph before the tail started wagging the dog.

We were taking the boy scout camp's truck to rebuild the front end and replace the doors with old ones from my 77 F150.

A wider trailer or drive-over fenders would have allowed driving the truck on forward, thereby giving the needed tongue weight. 😉

[Ken Blythen]

A wider trailer or drive-over fenders would have allowed driving the truck on forward, thereby giving the needed tongue weight. 😉

You could purpose-build exactly what you need yourself Gary, & save in the process. I guess time is always an issue......

[Gary Lewis]

You could purpose-build exactly what you need yourself Gary, & save in the process. I guess time is always an issue......

At this point in my life I’ve come to the realization that I need to get things done faster rather than cheaper. So, I want to buy it the way I want it rather than buy a trailer and modify it. Given that, I’ve been talking with the manufacturers to get them to modify their basic trailer for what I want. As it turns out, what I want and what they’ve done are in alignment in many cases. The biggest changes from the base trailer are the raised winch stand and the battery box, but most of the manufacturers have done those things before.

However, it looks like there is one thing I’m going to have to change - wiring. There are at least two levels of finished trailers around here - which I’ll call “basic” and “fancy”. The fancy trailers have nice aluminum trim here and there, smoother paint, and wiring harnesses with gel-filled shrink tubing protecting the connections. But the basic trailers have bare crimped butt connectors. 🙈 However, otherwise the trailers are what I want with the same material being used and a much less expensive price tag.

So I’m highly likely to buy a basic trailer and immediately cut out the butt connectors, slip a piece of adhesive-lined heat shrink on, solder the wires, and shrink the tubing. I think I can do that on a clean trailer with new wires up on the lift for the $1000 or so it will save me, and probably won’t take me more than a couple of days.

 

[85lebaront2]

A wider trailer or drive-over fenders would have allowed driving the truck on forward, thereby giving the needed tongue weight. 😉

That was the point I was making, that loading one backwards, unless it is rear engined (we always load Corvairs that way) can make it very hard to control.

[Gary Lewis]

That was the point I was making, that loading one backwards, unless it is rear engined (we always load Corvairs that way) can make it very hard to control.

Yep. Someone we all know was just initiated into the too-little-tongue-weight club. The pics I saw of the tow truck had it sitting nice and level, in spite of it having coils in the rear. He heeded the warning and reported that 20 MPH was all he dared go. 🙈

Here’s a video on what happens:

[CountryBumkin]

Yep. Someone we all know was just initiated into the too-little-tongue-weight club. The pics I saw of the tow truck had it sitting nice and level, in spite of it having coils in the rear. He heeded the warning and reported that 20 MPH was all he dared go. 🙈

Here’s a video on what happens:

You may want to look at a couple of threads on the Tractor forum. They have a section on trailers, and the size and weights of may of these tractors are similar to what you intend to haul. There are some good links and advise available over there - if you have the time to read through the posts.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/

And where else can you see video demonstrating "fish tailing" effects based on trailer weight loading presented by UHaul? http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/374840-fishtailing-trailer-simulation.html

[Gary Lewis]

You may want to look at a couple of threads on the Tractor forum. They have a section on trailers, and the size and weights of may of these tractors are similar to what you intend to haul. There are some good links and advise available over there - if you have the time to read through the posts.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/

And where else can you see video demonstrating "fish tailing" effects based on trailer weight loading presented by UHaul? http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/374840-fishtailing-trailer-simulation.html

CB - I've read a bunch of the posts on that forum. Thanks. Lots of opinions and experience in there. But nothing that counters my decision.

And, that decision is to order a 20' 82-206DOF car-hauler from Starlite. Here are the spec's:

• 14,000 LB GVW

• 2 5/16" ADJUSTABLE COUPLER (15,000 LB)

• 102" DECK WIDTH

• 1/8" TREAD PLATE DECK

• 4' DOVETAIL w/ 1/8" TREAD PLATE

• 60" X 3" CHANNEL UNDER-MOUNTED RAMPS

• 2 - 7,000 LB ELECTRIC AXLE w/brakes on both axles

• 5 NEW 235/80 R16 TIRES 10 PLY w/spare mount

• 6" CHANNEL IRON WRAP TONGUE & FRAME

• 3" CHANNEL CROSS MEMBERS ON 16" CENTERS

• FRONT BUMP BAR

• TREAD PLATE DRIVE OVER FENDERS

• 10,000 LB DROP LEG JACK

• STAKE POCKETS & RUB RAIL

• LED LIGHTS

• 6-D RINGS ON THE DECK

• WINCH STAND

And, here's a picture of roughly what I'm ordering. But it won't have the stand-up ramps and it will have the winch stand. But, it is the best pic I have at the moment. We'll go order it on Thursday and it'll take about 4 weeks to make.

[CountryBumkin]

CB - I've read a bunch of the posts on that forum. Thanks. Lots of opinions and experience in there. But nothing that counters my decision.

And, that decision is to order a 20' 82-206DOF car-hauler from Starlite. Here are the spec's:

• 14,000 LB GVW

• 2 5/16" ADJUSTABLE COUPLER (15,000 LB)

• 102" DECK WIDTH

• 1/8" TREAD PLATE DECK

• 4' DOVETAIL w/ 1/8" TREAD PLATE

• 60" X 3" CHANNEL UNDER-MOUNTED RAMPS

• 2 - 7,000 LB ELECTRIC AXLE w/brakes on both axles

• 5 NEW 235/80 R16 TIRES 10 PLY w/spare mount

• 6" CHANNEL IRON WRAP TONGUE & FRAME

• 3" CHANNEL CROSS MEMBERS ON 16" CENTERS

• FRONT BUMP BAR

• TREAD PLATE DRIVE OVER FENDERS

• 10,000 LB DROP LEG JACK

• STAKE POCKETS & RUB RAIL

• LED LIGHTS

• 6-D RINGS ON THE DECK

• WINCH STAND

And, here's a picture of roughly what I'm ordering. But it won't have the stand-up ramps and it will have the winch stand. But, it is the best pic I have at the moment. We'll go order it on Thursday and it'll take about 4 weeks to make.

Nice.

[Gary Lewis]

Nice.

Well, if that was Plan S, for Starlite, we are now to Plan T, for Turn & Burn. 😳

Yesterday I got a call from a guy I’d previously been trying to reach because he has an aluminum trailer that I thought I wanted. But he wasn’t returning calls, and a week went by and I realized the aluminum trailer was pretty, but not what I wanted as it just didn’t have the GVWR I think I need.

As it turns out he was out of the country and without cell coverage, but did call yesterday. I explained that the trailer wasn’t what I wanted, and he asked what my plans are and I told him. He said he recently had a Starlite but it just didn’t work the way he wanted, so had one built by Turn & Burn and loves it. So I called them and now my plans have changed.

The trailer is essentially the same as shown above, but with a few changes:

• The tongue is 1’ longer, which gives extra clearance for the tailgate to open without hitting the jack, allows for tighter turns, and should cause it to trail better.

• The wiring is done using shrink tubing over the butt connectors, and the lights plug into the harness.

• The D-rings will be welded to the crossmember as well as the deck rather than just to the deck. And, there will be an extra one in the center of the dovetail for that one more chain for safety, and for attaching a snatchblock if you have to winch something off the trailer.

• The width between fenders will be increased to 83” from the standard 82”. That is significant as Big Blue’s tires are 81” at the contact patch, and one more inch should allow it to drive on w/o problems.

We’ll go see some of his trailers in the morning and put money down on mine if we like what we see. 😉