# My firewood Setup



## Petr51488 (Oct 21, 2008)

Here's what i got for my setup. I have a 6x12 bri-mar dump trailer that can hold slighlty over 2 cords and the box you see in the bed of both pickups can hold 1 cord. (Only have one) I. have 2 2500hd trucks. The blue is a gas, and the red is a diesel. The dump gets pulled with the red diesel. I sell roughly 20-30 cords a year, with more and more every year as my equipment gets upgraded. At first i would haul the wood like in the picture with the red truck. After that, i bought a dump trailer and am using that. Life is sooo much easier with the dump. I also have a landscaping business, so the dump also works as a "dumpster" where all my grass clippings and other yard waste gets thrown in. In the fall its got a leaf loader hooked up to it too. All questions and comments are welcome!


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## Petr51488 (Oct 21, 2008)

One more picture. I guess i couldn't get them to show up on the page. Anyone know how to do that?


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## savageactor7 (Oct 21, 2008)

Very nice operation you're running there Peter, do you have a commercial splitter?


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## larman (Oct 21, 2008)

thats a nice set up   larry


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## iCreek (Oct 21, 2008)

Wow, what a setup, you can move some wood for sure with 1 cord on the truck and another 2 on the trailer. Real nice setup, and selling 20-30 cord a year support the purchase?


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## Petr51488 (Oct 21, 2008)

savageactor7 said:


> Very nice operation you're running there Peter, do you have a commercial splitter?



Thanks. Not really commercial, its a yard machines (yes i said it lol) with a 5.5hp honda. It has roughly 300 hours on it and doesn't miss a beat. Great Splitter for the price. I bought it about 4-5 years ago. I just noticed that its in the picture with the dump raised in the corner of the house. 



larman said:


> thats a nice set up   larry



Thanks!




iCreek said:


> Wow, what a setup, you can move some wood for sure with 1 cord on the truck and another 2 on the trailer. Real nice setup, and selling 20-30 cord a year support the purchase?



Thanks, yea, but just not all in one trip, or atleast i havn't done so yet. 2 reasons. 1. I would rather push a button to unload (trailer) rather then unload by hand (box) and 2. I don't think its safe to have both filled, but i will do it to test it out one of these days. I know the truck can pull it, but i'm a little worried about all the weight in the bed. The trailer is very heavy when full and drops the truck a bit in the back, plus a full cord in the bed would drop it even more. Once the leaves start falling steadily, i will have to unload by hand because the dump will be used for leaves. I would think 20-30 cords would support it being that i sell them at 240 a cord. I use the trucks/trailers for my lawn business as well. I just turned 21, and have roughly 83 accounts that i service.


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## cityevader (Oct 21, 2008)

My own 2 cents based on my pre-firewood-gathering and need-to-purchase experiences for the last four years....

They (not you) would throw wood rather than stack it into a crord-space for sale. Considerable loss of wood if on the purchasing end. They'd also have toolboxes and spare tires and soccer balls and whatever to take up additional space. 

Clearly, based on your setup, you're not this type of the local around me....but can i still suggest a stacked-tight cord...or an adjustedly-increased thrown cord? 

Merely my reaction to being on the receiving end for so many years up until this one.


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## Petr51488 (Oct 21, 2008)

cityevader said:


> Clearly, based on your setup, you're not this type of the local around me....but can i still suggest a stacked-tight cord...or an adjustedly-increased thrown cord?
> 
> Merely my reaction to being on the receiving end for so many years up until this one.



Thanks! I appreciate that. What i did was stack a full cord of wood on the side, then threw it in the trailer, and marked where i would have to pile the wood into the trailer to reach my mark. I allways throw in a little extra to keep my customers happy. I have never had a complaint of short wood. 

I lied. One time i did, but the guy emailed me roughly 2 weeks later after burning the wood for that long, and told me i was short maybe 30 pieces. I'm thinking, you email me 2 weeks later, and you have the fire going between then, and then you stack it? Ofcourse you'll be short. Stack it, email me, then burn it lol. Other then him, i've had some great customers.


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## SAW (Oct 22, 2008)

Nice setup you got there. 

Also how did you get all those landscaping accounts?

You must advertise alot.


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## R Walter (Oct 22, 2008)

I would have expected to see a huge pile of chips, bark and wood debris in a pile by your splitter since you're moving that much firewood. However it looks incredibly clean.


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## abohac (Oct 22, 2008)

Petr, Hows the dump work out for you. Been seriously thinking about a dump trailer and an elevator. Does the trailer lift high enough to clear all the wood out? In you picture it seems to.


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## dbol (Oct 22, 2008)

You need to use the insert image button. (The little mountain one in the post reply.) copy the web address from the picture and paste it when you press the mountain/image icon. You will get the web address when you right click and see view image.


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## wdchuck (Oct 22, 2008)

Good looking, nice and clean appearance.

One suggestion though, on the trailer sides, have the verticals on the outside of your posts, structurally it'll be more secure, and the load will slide out even easier.
Right now, the load is pushing against your wood screws, and the chance of a board coming off is possible. 

Using carriage bolts with nylock nuts and flat washers through both pieces of wood would be another way to go. Have the bolt head on the inside of the trailer to retain a smooth surface.

20-30 cord?, and getting more orders. Where do you get your wood supply?

What is your most common amount request?


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## Wet1 (Oct 22, 2008)

abohac said:


> Petr, Hows the dump work out for you. Been seriously thinking about a dump trailer and an elevator. Does the trailer lift high enough to clear all the wood out? In you picture it seems to.



Sorry, I'm not Peter, but I have a dump trailer and can comment on your question...

Having a dump trailer is heaven sent, but one issue I've found with mine (7x14 14k GVW) is that you can't dump everything in one shot/pile. The tailer lifts plenty high, but the tail of bed doesn't sit high enough that you can dump everything out in one shot. You have to dump and then pull forward a little to get everything out of the trailer since the pile just gets too high otherwise. What you end up with is a low pile on the ground that's longer than a traditional thrown pile... I hope that make sense.

Other than that, a dump trailer is great to have around. I use mine to haul stone, fill, wood, chips from the chipper, equipment, etc... well worth the money I paid for it!


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## Wet1 (Oct 22, 2008)

To the OP... It looks like really nice and new equipment, barely even used! Be careful about spending to much on equipment when you're first starting out (well, unless you're still living with your parents and have no bills). It's easy to ring up a lot of debt, but it takes a lot of wood/work to pay for all of that stuff, but since you're already doing 20-30 cors a year I'm sure I don't have to tell you that. Luckily, it sounds like you have a lot of LS accounts that should cover everything, but still be careful when it comes to buying all that new stuff as it can come back to bite you in the butt...

Looking forward to seeing more pics with everything loaded!


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## Petr51488 (Oct 22, 2008)

SAW said:


> Nice setup you got there.
> 
> Also how did you get all those landscaping accounts?
> 
> You must advertise alot.



Thanks, I don't advertise as much, just a small add in the paper for a month or two, but most of them are word of mouth. The best type of advertisement!



R Walter said:


> I would have expected to see a huge pile of chips, bark and wood debris in a pile by your splitter since you're moving that much firewood. However it looks incredibly clean.



Yea, all the junk stays when it gets split. I split, all the junk is on the floor, gets thrown into the trailer, then trailered to another location about 20 minutes away to dry and gets dumped there. So it pretty much has 2 places for the junk to seperate. 



abohac said:


> Petr, Hows the dump work out for you. Been seriously thinking about a dump trailer and an elevator. Does the trailer lift high enough to clear all the wood out? In you picture it seems to.



Its a great investment! It makes work so much easier. Like the other poster said, its more of a semi-tall pile (depending how high your walls are) and longer because its lower to the ground. His explination is better. You have to lift all the way up, and drive forward a bit to get all of it out. 



dbol said:


> You need to use the insert image button. (The little mountain one in the post reply.) copy the web address from the picture and paste it when you press the mountain/image icon. You will get the web address when you right click and see view image.



Thanks, but in the past i was able to shrink the image to a certain percentage and it would post. 



wdchuck said:


> Good looking, nice and clean appearance.
> 
> One suggestion though, on the trailer sides, have the verticals on the outside of your posts, structurally it'll be more secure, and the load will slide out even easier.
> Right now, the load is pushing against your wood screws, and the chance of a board coming off is possible.
> ...



Yea, i figured it would look nicer to have the boards on the outside, so thats why it went like that. Either way the wood comes out nicely. Its more for looks. My wood gets dropped off in my driveway, cut up, for free. Most people either order a cord, which they think is alot of wood when i show up, or a half cord. 



Wet1 said:


> To the OP... It looks like really nice and new equipment, barely even used! Be careful about spending to much on equipment when you're first starting out (well, unless you're still living with your parents and have no bills). It's easy to ring up a lot of debt, but it takes a lot of wood/work to pay for all of that stuff, but since you're already doing 20-30 cors a year I'm sure I don't have to tell you that. Luckily, it sounds like you have a lot of LS accounts that should cover everything, but still be careful when it comes to buying all that new stuff as it can come back to bite you in the butt...
> 
> Looking forward to seeing more pics with everything loaded!



Yea, thats my thing. I almost allways buy new. Its just a personal prefference. You get the warrenty, and the satisfaction that no one else used it like an idiot before you. Ever hear the expression, "its a rental"? I see how people use things that aren't theirs, or just dont care. I've been doing this for a good 4-5 years. Everything is paid for except the red and blue truck. The blue one will be paid for by March, which will leave me only the red truck which isn't a problem at all. I also have a ton of equipment, another enclosed trailer, a 3rd truck, and a car thats all paid for too. I'm lucky to have a well established business that generates me enough money to have the toys to make my life easier. I'll post up more pics when i get a chance.


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## dsm382 (Oct 22, 2008)

Petr51488 said:


> Yea, thats my thing. I almost allways buy new. Its just a personal prefference. You get the warrenty, and the satisfaction that no one else used it like an idiot before you. Ever hear the expression, "its a rental"? I see how people use things that aren't theirs, or just dont care. I've been doing this for a good 4-5 years. Everything is paid for except the red and blue truck. The blue one will be paid for by March, which will leave me only the red truck which isn't a problem at all. I also have a ton of equipment, another enclosed trailer, a 3rd truck, and a car thats all paid for too. I'm lucky to have a well established business that generates me enough money to have the toys to make my life easier. I'll post up more pics when i get a chance.


and your only 21?  good job you work aholic you......wish i had been raised that way back then... oh well.
nice setup, nice job. good luck to ya
i assume you push snow also?


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## Petr51488 (Oct 22, 2008)

dsm382 said:


> and your only 21?  good job you work aholic you......wish i had been raised that way back then... oh well.
> nice setup, nice job. good luck to ya
> i assume you push snow also?



Yep, turned 21 a few weeks ago. The work comes at a price though, but i don't regret it. Yea, i bought the red truck last year and the blue one a month ago. I got a plow for the red one, not knowing i would have the blue, so that one is all mounted up. I have an 8'6 boss super duty plow. Theres also a crew (2 brothers) that take one truck and do all my residential properties. They have 2 blowers and finish the properties in roughly 3 hours. Its a very effiecient opperation. It'll be my first year plowing. Some might think that the parents paid for everything, but thats very far from the truth. Zero was given to me.


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## Freakingstang (Oct 22, 2008)

Nice setup, and let me say, good for you dood!!!!

these days, the up and coming generations expect everything handed to them left and right.


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## KMB (Oct 22, 2008)

Freakingstang said:


> Nice setup, and let me say, good for you dood!!!!
> 
> these days, the up and coming generations expect everything handed to them left and right.



:agree2: 

Kevin


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## Kingsley (Oct 22, 2008)

What kind of fuel mileage do you get with the trucks? Thats a 6.0 in the blue truck right?
Thanks and super nice set-up, I'm drooling!


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## Petr51488 (Oct 22, 2008)

Kingsley said:


> What kind of fuel mileage do you get with the trucks? Thats a 6.0 in the blue truck right?
> Thanks and super nice set-up, I'm drooling!



Are we talking empty? or loaded? I dont have the mpg indicator in my blue truck, but i average 9mpg towing my enclosed trailer in all city driving. HIghway i hear they do 13mpg tops, empty. It only has 800 miles on it and i havn't calculated the highway yet, nor empty city. THe diesel gets 21-22 highway at 65 empty and maybe 13 with the dump. It does far better then the 6.0, not to mention the insane power difference!


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## Freakingstang (Oct 22, 2008)

Petr51488 said:


> Are we talking empty? or loaded? I dont have the mpg indicator in my blue truck, but i average 9mpg towing my enclosed trailer in all city driving. HIghway i hear they do 13mpg tops, empty. It only has 800 miles on it and i havn't calculated the highway yet, nor empty city. THe diesel gets 21-22 highway at 65 empty and maybe 13 with the dump. It does far better then the 6.0, not to mention the insane power difference!



my 05 2500HD with the 6.0L gets 9-10 city driving, but it weighs 7500-7700 all the time (utility bed full of tools). 

Highway at 65-about 11. never got worse the 9 pulling a 10K trailer.

highway @ 77-80 gets 13.5....go figure and it has 4.10's in it.

Love that 6 Liter, well as far as gas motors go.


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## savageactor7 (Oct 22, 2008)

Peter I think you have a very smart operation, good equipment, ya get paid to cut trees, haul them away, then when things are slow on the landscaping side you can keep key employees working splitting wood, then sell the splits to someone else. excellent planning all the way around. Props to you.


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## abohac (Oct 22, 2008)

Wet1 said:


> Sorry, I'm not Peter, but I have a dump trailer and can comment on your question...
> 
> Having a dump trailer is heaven sent, but one issue I've found with mine (7x14 14k GVW) is that you can't dump everything in one shot/pile. The tailer lifts plenty high, but the tail of bed doesn't sit high enough that you can dump everything out in one shot. You have to dump and then pull forward a little to get everything out of the trailer since the pile just gets too high otherwise. What you end up with is a low pile on the ground that's longer than a traditional thrown pile... I hope that make sense.
> 
> Other than that, a dump trailer is great to have around. I use mine to haul stone, fill, wood, chips from the chipper, equipment, etc... well worth the money I paid for it!


Makes perfect sense. What kind do you have and how much did you have to give for it (if you don't mind me asking)?


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## Petr51488 (Oct 22, 2008)

Freakingstang said:


> my 05 2500HD with the 6.0L gets 9-10 city driving, but it weighs 7500-7700 all the time (utility bed full of tools).
> 
> Highway at 65-about 11. never got worse the 9 pulling a 10K trailer.
> 
> ...



Yea, from what i've read that sounds right. Low numbers lol 




savageactor7 said:


> Peter I think you have a very smart operation, good equipment, ya get paid to cut trees, haul them away, then when things are slow on the landscaping side you can keep key employees working splitting wood, then sell the splits to someone else. excellent planning all the way around. Props to you.



Thanks but Let me clarify this paragraph. I don't do tree work. Maybe a few small giant shrubs here and there, but no trees. My landscaping keeps me busy non stop from april through december. It never slows down. My only employee is my brother that helps me out after school, and during the summer. I do roughly 70% of the work myself. He's in charge of the splitting while i haul it away. My only down time, if you want to call it that, is from january through march. In those months i do snow, when it snows, and work for my fathers business on tractor trailers. I also go to school full time while doing all this. Its a very busy schedule, but it works.


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## jcappe (Oct 22, 2008)

[QUOTE Thanks but Let me clarify this paragraph. I don't do tree work. Maybe a few small giant shrubs here and there, but no trees. My landscaping keeps me busy non stop from april through december. It never slows down. My only employee is my brother that helps me out after school, and during the summer. I do roughly 70% of the work myself. He's in charge of the splitting while i haul it away. My only down time, if you want to call it that, is from january through march. In those months i do snow, when it snows, and work for my fathers business on tractor trailers. I also go to school full time while doing all this. Its a very busy schedule, but it works.[/QUOTE]

Hats off to ya buddy, I wish there was more of you in this world !


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## Petr51488 (Oct 22, 2008)

[/QUOTE]Hats off to ya buddy, I wish there was more of you in this world ![/QUOTE]




Thanks, i really appreciate that.


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## slofr8 (Oct 22, 2008)

> Zero was given to me.


I hope I can afford to give my kids everything so I can choose not to. A good work ethic can't be called zero. 
Well done.


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## forcedintoit (Oct 22, 2008)

here is mine


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## Wet1 (Oct 23, 2008)

abohac said:


> Makes perfect sense. What kind do you have and how much did you have to give for it (if you don't mind me asking)?



I bought mine used (it's a 2006 model) this summer, I don't recall the brand off the top of my head. I bought it off a guy on CL for $4500, which is pretty cheap for a fairly new 7x14 14k GVW dump trailer in great shape. The thing is built like a tank and it hasn't had any problems lifting over 12k of stone on multiple occasions. It came with 4' side extensions (see below) which I take on and off depending on the task at hand.








A trailer similar to mine new probably runs around $8k to $9.5k, kind of pricey for casual usage, but money well spent if you're going to put it to work... especially considering what it will do compared to your average HD truck and the wear and tear it can save on your truck as well.

I originally wanted a 6x12 with a high GVW, but I found mine at a great price and jumped on it within minutes of it being listed. By the time I got there to pick it up, the guy said he already had about 15-20 calls on it. Good deals on used dump trailers go fast on CL, but they do pop up and you have to be watching for them. You can get the smaller 6x10 and 6x12 trailers at a better price and I think they are probably better suited (size wise) for your average Joe. My trailer is great, but it is pretty big and requires a beefy truck to pull it when loaded (I have a 12v Cummins). I've seen 6x10's going for as low as $1900 and 6x12's for as low as $3k in decent shape. Newer and larger models demand a premium. 

The lifts can be scissor or hydraulic piston, stick with the piston(s). If you can find one with the dual pistons, that's the preferred setup on bigger models.

They also make high and low boy versions, some have the bed over the tires, and others don't. Both designs have a couple of advantages, but I found the high boys sit too high for access and are top heavy in use. For this reason I would suggest looking for one with the bed sitting between the tires.

Speaking of tires, make sure they are in good shape (if used) and are rated for the heavy loads... a new set of tires aren't cheap, plus they're what keep you safe.

If you want new check out Cam or Bri-mar or keep an eagle eye on CL for used:
http://www.camsuperline.com/
http://www.bri-mar.com/


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## Petr51488 (Oct 23, 2008)

Nice trailer. Are those walls connected at the corners? It looks when its full the walls would snap out because they don't go into the stake pockets. Mine go a good 3 feet down.


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## huskystihl (Oct 23, 2008)

Petr51488 said:


> Thanks! I appreciate that. What i did was stack a full cord of wood on the side, then threw it in the trailer, and marked where i would have to pile the wood into the trailer to reach my mark. I allways throw in a little extra to keep my customers happy. I have never had a complaint of short wood.
> 
> I lied. One time i did, but the guy emailed me roughly 2 weeks later after burning the wood for that long, and told me i was short maybe 30 pieces. I'm thinking, you email me 2 weeks later, and you have the fire going between then, and then you stack it? Ofcourse you'll be short. Stack it, email me, then burn it lol. Other then him, i've had some great customers.



You are being quite fair! I can show many stacked cords that were hauled in a 3/4 diesel with cab high side boards. I would never stack wood on tool boxes and socker balls but a 4x4x8 stack is a 4x4x8 stack. Nice setup and way to keep it honest.


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## Petr51488 (Oct 23, 2008)

huskystihl said:


> You are being quite fair! I can show many stacked cords that were hauled in a 3/4 diesel with cab high side boards. I would never stack wood on tool boxes and socker balls but a 4x4x8 stack is a 4x4x8 stack. Nice setup and way to keep it honest.



Yea, all it takes is to stack it once, and you know where to fill it up to every time after that.


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## wdchuck (Oct 24, 2008)

Wet1 said:


> I bought mine used (it's a 2006 model) this summer, I don't recall the brand off the top of my head. I bought it off a guy on CL for $4500, which is pretty cheap for a fairly new 7x14 14k GVW dump trailer in great shape. The thing is built like a tank and it hasn't had any problems lifting over 12k of stone on multiple occasions. It came with 4' side extensions (see below) which I take on and off depending on the task at hand.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Props for doing sides that are structrually sound.


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## Petr51488 (Oct 27, 2008)

Here's a quick shot of my 3 trucks. Theres also a car, but i havn't taken a picture of it yet.


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## CUCV (Oct 27, 2008)

Wet1 said:


> I bought mine used (it's a 2006 model) this summer, I don't recall the brand off the top of my head. I bought it off a guy on CL for $4500, which is pretty cheap for a fairly new 7x14 14k GVW dump trailer in great shape. The thing is built like a tank and it hasn't had any problems lifting over 12k of stone on multiple occasions. It came with 4' side extensions (see below) which I take on and off depending on the task at hand.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Wet1 look like you bought my trailer... just kidding but its the same one I had. I went to buy an equipment trailer at a year end trailer sale and came home with the equipment trailer and a 7x14 dump a few years back. That dump trailer is built like a tank and can haul tons too. I ran the 7x14 for a summer as well as my 6.5x 12. I found I could get in to places just a touch better with the smaller trailer so I decided to to sell the 7x14 as I was going to sell the smaller trailer. The deal breaker was getting stuck off road hanging up the huge beam where the cylinders mount on the 7x14 trailer. The guy who bought my trailer stopped in to show me the slip for 19K of black pack he put in it. Dam tough trailer.


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## Kingsley (Oct 28, 2008)

GMC=Gay Mans Chevy 
jk :biggrinbounce2: 

Nice rigs!


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## John D (Oct 28, 2008)

Petr, very nice setup you have! I am happy to hear you are working hard at a young age,if only most young men worked so hard,instead of playing video games.
Wet1, I have the same trailer,and bought it brand new. It is built by All Pro out of Jacksonville ,Fla. I had my father tow it home to me in april of 06,I got it for under 5K brand new,mine has the 33" sides,a spare tire,and loading ramps ,which are built very heavy duty,almost too heavy duty,as its difficult to lift them.I love mine,it has been a beast.I can get 2 cord in it pretty easily.


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## Petr51488 (Oct 28, 2008)

John D said:


> Petr, very nice setup you have! I am happy to hear you are working hard at a young age,if only most young men worked so hard,instead of playing video games.
> Wet1, I have the same trailer,and bought it brand new. It is built by All Pro out of Jacksonville ,Fla. I had my father tow it home to me in april of 06,I got it for under 5K brand new,mine has the 33" sides,a spare tire,and loading ramps ,which are built very heavy duty,almost too heavy duty,as its difficult to lift them.I love mine,it has been a beast.I can get 2 cord in it pretty easily.



John, nice trailer, but my only concern with it is how low it is to the ground up front. Looks like something can break easily


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## cycledude232 (Oct 28, 2008)

its great to see another young guy out there working hard. i too do firewood, i don't have the nice trucks that you do but i am working on it. im 19 and i have done over 100 cord of firewood this past month, i log the wood i do, i work for my uncle doing firewood, and thats where the bulk of the 100 cord have been done, he has the "real" equipment. i love it, im going to get a plow as well this year and use the "days off" from firewood to plow. i do some landscaping but am very limited on customers in the very rural area i live in. i too have been given zero from my parents except a good home growing up. i have payed my own way for some time now, and love being able to see all the work i accomplish, i have a close buddy who has a very well established landscaping business in brockton mass, and he has done it the same way you have. work hard and reap the benefits. keep up the good work.

Oh and what are you going to school for? im also going to college from home.
best of luck!


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## Petr51488 (Oct 28, 2008)

cycledude232 said:


> its great to see another young guy out there working hard. i too do firewood, i don't have the nice trucks that you do but i am working on it. im 19 and i have done over 100 cord of firewood this past month, i log the wood i do, i work for my uncle doing firewood, and thats where the bulk of the 100 cord have been done, he has the "real" equipment. i love it, im going to get a plow as well this year and use the "days off" from firewood to plow. i do some landscaping but am very limited on customers in the very rural area i live in. i too have been given zero from my parents except a good home growing up. i have payed my own way for some time now, and love being able to see all the work i accomplish, i have a close buddy who has a very well established landscaping business in brockton mass, and he has done it the same way you have. work hard and reap the benefits. keep up the good work.
> 
> Oh and what are you going to school for? im also going to college from home.
> best of luck!




Its good to see another kid out there doing good for himself! I'm going to college for general business. I think i have 1 more year left.


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## John D (Oct 28, 2008)

Petr51488 said:


> John, nice trailer, but my only concern with it is how low it is to the ground up front. Looks like something can break easily



Yes, I was concerned too at first,but after almost 3 yrs,and many trips off road,thru ditches,and carrying a lot more than 14K,it hasnt been an issue. When i tow with my GMC 2500HD,it does get close to the ground,but when i use my Dodge/Cummins as i usually do,the truck doesnt squat nearly as much,so the front stays nice and high.The trailer is very well built,with twin 9 ton hoists,and it easily dumps 15K in it,+ the 4500 is weighs empty.The top rail is thick,ive tapped it by accident with my skid steer pretty good,and it didnt budge at all. I am using it for firewood now mostly,I load it with my homemade splitter on my Cat 246,split and load at the same time.


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## Petr51488 (Oct 28, 2008)

John D said:


> Yes, I was concerned too at first,but after almost 3 yrs,and many trips off road,thru ditches,and carrying a lot more than 14K,it hasnt been an issue. When i tow with my GMC 2500HD,it does get close to the ground,but when i use my Dodge/Cummins as i usually do,the truck doesnt squat nearly as much,so the front stays nice and high.The trailer is very well built,with twin 9 ton hoists,and it easily dumps 15K in it,+ the 4500 is weighs empty.The top rail is thick,ive tapped it by accident with my skid steer pretty good,and it didnt budge at all. I am using it for firewood now mostly,I load it with my homemade splitter on my Cat 246,split and load at the same time.



Thats wierd. Do you grab the log with the skid and split it over the trailer?


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## John D (Oct 28, 2008)

Petr51488 said:


> Thats wierd. Do you grab the log with the skid and split it over the trailer?



Yes, I am not selling wood,it is only for my own use.I have an outdoor boiler,it will take 16" logs easily,about 33" long.So I homebuilt a 30" long splitter for just the big stuff.most of the wood im splitting is to big to handle efficiently.I just finished it a few weeks ago,Ive since painted it,but havent had time to take pics yet.You pick it up ,and load /split it in one operation.My 13 yr old daughter split,and loaded a cord of oak,and locust in 30" long sections easily,as does my girlfriend.It saves me time,I can be bringing the wood to the pile,and delimbing it,cutting it in 30" lenths,while they handle the splitting/loading without the backbreaking labor.I wouldnt want to split your typical load of firewood with it,while you could,it doesnt pay between the time,and machine hrs,chasing little pieces of wood with that ,Id rather use a small unit,and do it by hand.


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## Petr51488 (Oct 28, 2008)

John D said:


> Yes, I am not selling wood,it is only for my own use.I have an outdoor boiler,it will take 16" logs easily,about 33" long.So I homebuilt a 30" long splitter for just the big stuff.most of the wood im splitting is to big to handle efficiently.I just finished it a few weeks ago,Ive since painted it,but havent had time to take pics yet.You pick it up ,and load /split it in one operation.My 13 yr old daughter split,and loaded a cord of oak,and locust in 30" long sections easily,as does my girlfriend.It saves me time,I can be bringing the wood to the pile,and delimbing it,cutting it in 30" lenths,while they handle the splitting/loading without the backbreaking labor.I wouldnt want to split your typical load of firewood with it,while you could,it doesnt pay between the time,and machine hrs,chasing little pieces of wood with that ,Id rather use a small unit,and do it by hand.



True, but splitting really doesnt take much. My brother sits in a chair while he splits. Personally it just looks easier for me to split, and throw it into the trailer rather then grabbing each piece and splitting it over the trailer. What if you need to cut a piece in half more then once? I'm not knocking your setup or anything, its just that i havn't seen anyone doing it like that.


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## John D (Oct 29, 2008)

If I was handling small logs,I'd agree with you,but most of my stuff is 17-24" around x 30 long.Very heavy stuff,and not easy to load a few cords of it.The skid steer makes that back breaking work easy,and allows my help(kids,and girlfreind) to do it for me ,when otherwise I'd be the only one capable of loading and splitting logs weighing 50-200 lbs.
My younger brother uses a conventional wood stove,and he used my SS to break up the huge oak logs,then switched to a 35 ton huskee from TS to do the rest of the splitting,since he needs pieces no bigger than 18" long,and 8" in diameter. 
For what I do,my splitter works perfectly.Ill try to get more action pics when i get a few minutes time.I have already cut/split 90% of what i need for the yr,so im not sure when ill use it again.


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## shamusturbo (Oct 30, 2008)

Peter,
Im a 19 year old college student that has an operation similar to yours outside Pittsburgh. Like you, I started it with my brother and no more than a pat on the back from our parents. During the summer he works on a farm and I am a boilermaker apprentice so we cut, split, and delivery wood for pocket money and a truck payment. However I can't find a tree service supplier to simply drop wood off. I pay quite a bit for a tri-axle worth of 20-26ft lengths of hardwoods. We handle between 175-200 cords a year along with the delivery and stacking the wood where the customer wants it. I sell it by the half cord but 90% of my customers buy an entire cord. My brother(16) helps me much like your brother( splitting while I drive and sitting while splitting from time to time)and we have been at it since before I could drive the wood myself (4 years). Do mind me asking what you charge for a cord of wood and how much you charge for delivery? how did you find someone to drop wood off for you to split? I will try to get a tree service to allow me to remove the wood when they are done but I have tried this before unsuccessfully.


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## Petr51488 (Oct 30, 2008)

shamusturbo said:


> Peter,
> Im a 19 year old college student that has an operation similar to yours outside Pittsburgh. Like you, I started it with my brother and no more than a pat on the back from our parents. During the summer he works on a farm and I am a boilermaker apprentice so we cut, split, and delivery wood for pocket money and a truck payment. However I can't find a tree service supplier to simply drop wood off. I pay quite a bit for a tri-axle worth of 20-26ft lengths of hardwoods. We handle between 175-200 cords a year along with the delivery and stacking the wood where the customer wants it. I sell it by the half cord but 90% of my customers buy an entire cord. My brother(16) helps me much like your brother( splitting while I drive and sitting while splitting from time to time)and we have been at it since before I could drive the wood myself (4 years). Do mind me asking what you charge for a cord of wood and how much you charge for delivery? how did you find someone to drop wood off for you to split? I will try to get a tree service to allow me to remove the wood when they are done but I have tried this before unsuccessfully.



I hope you charge extra for stacking, otherwise its a waste of time. I used to stack, but then realized it took forever doing it myself, and it just wasn't worth it so i stopped. Now i only drop it in the driveway and leave. I charge 140 for a half cord, and 240 for a full cord delivered. Its tough up there because i could burn a 1/4 tank in the same distance it would take me here to do the same distance. There are no hills around here, and highways make it easy to transport, plus you dont get as much for wood. I guess what i'm trying to say is that you have more overhead then me just due to location. I also don't split the profits with my brother. I "treat" him as an employee and pay him generously by the hour. 

We have a house up in the poconos, and there was a guy taking down a tree. I told him that my house is down the road and i would like the wood. He looks at me like i had 3 heads, and told me 100.00 bucks. Then i'm thinking to myself... i have to pay for this wood?! are you crazy?? I must be spoiled, because around here the tree companies pay big bucks to get rid of their wood. Its not like out there where you can just dump it in the woods.


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## shamusturbo (Oct 30, 2008)

Peter,

I get 150 for a half cord and 300 for a full cord. I would really like to cut out the stacking but no one else does it and older folk love it! I agree with you that word of mouth is the best advertising! I have a few neighborhoods where i have delivered to 7 or 8 houses in a row. I am looking hard for the same exact trailer you have and i want to fab a dump on 2004 chevy d-max 3500 crew cab. I use a 8x20 carmate 5 ton that sucks to unload by hand!! i also agree with you that buying new is the best way to go because you know who used it (just you)! I live just north of Pittsburgh but go to Mercyhurst college is Erie pa and wanna start pushing snow here(in the snow belt). Like you I have had only one customer feel shorted and she called back to apologize months later. When I deliver to new customers I find that they are surprised to see how much a half or a full cord is inside of a truck. I wish people were more educated about how much they are getting for there money. 

Ill get pictures post up as soon as I can!!

Cycledude,

If you don't mind me asking how much are you getting per cord and are you delivering it?


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## Petr51488 (Oct 30, 2008)

shamusturbo said:


> Peter,
> 
> I get 150 for a half cord and 300 for a full cord. I would really like to cut out the stacking but no one else does it and older folk love it! I agree with you that word of mouth is the best advertising! I have a few neighborhoods where i have delivered to 7 or 8 houses in a row. I am looking hard for the same exact trailer you have and i want to fab a dump on 2004 chevy d-max 3500 crew cab. I use a 8x20 carmate 5 ton that sucks to unload by hand!! i also agree with you that buying new is the best way to go because you know who used it (just you)! I live just north of Pittsburgh but go to Mercyhurst college is Erie pa and wanna start pushing snow here(in the snow belt). Like you I have had only one customer feel shorted and she called back to apologize months later. When I deliver to new customers I find that they are surprised to see how much a half or a full cord is inside of a truck. I wish people were more educated about how much they are getting for there money.
> 
> ...




Thats alot per cord. Is that including stacking? How long does it usually take you?


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## shamusturbo (Nov 1, 2008)

Stacking takes the two of us about 20 mins for a half or forty for a full (typically) some places are harder to unload and stack and back the trailer and truck into. Did you simply just call around to find a tree service that would dump the wood off for you?


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## Petr51488 (Nov 1, 2008)

shamusturbo said:


> Stacking takes the two of us about 20 mins for a half or forty for a full (typically) some places are harder to unload and stack and back the trailer and truck into. Did you simply just call around to find a tree service that would dump the wood off for you?



Yea, but i'm willing to bet that they won't do it down there. You'll prob have to meet them at their jobsite.


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## cycledude232 (Nov 1, 2008)

im getting 225 green and 350 seasoned, but i don't have any seasoned right now. i log all my wood myself and with my set up its pretty cheep to do so. i can log about 5-6 cord a day and i can only cut and split up to 4, so a few days logging a few days splitting and delivering. works out for me.
when i log it, i cut it to 4 foot length so i can easily stack it to cut and split close to the splitter. tree length is a pain in the butt.
i will try to post some pics but im pretty lame when it comes to that kind of stuff:greenchainsaw:


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## Petr51488 (Nov 6, 2008)

Anyone else seeing that firewood sales are slow? I don't remember from last year, but i was flying through the wood last year. Maybe it's still to early? I only sold about 5 cords so far. I know last year i was delivering in December, maybe people are waiting for it to get cold?


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## John D (Nov 6, 2008)

Petr51488 said:


> Anyone else seeing that firewood sales are slow? I don't remember from last year, but i was flying through the wood last year. Maybe it's still to early? I only sold about 5 cords so far. I know last year i was delivering in December, maybe people are waiting for it to get cold?



I think the oil prices being lower than last yr affect it as well. #2 heating oil can be had for 2.29-2.59 here now.It was cold for a week or so last week,but its very warm right now.


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## Petr51488 (Nov 7, 2008)

John D said:


> I think the oil prices being lower than last yr affect it as well. #2 heating oil can be had for 2.29-2.59 here now.It was cold for a week or so last week,but its very warm right now.



Yea, but i figured even with lower fuel prices, its still cheaper to use wood. Alot of people around here use gas too


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## John D (Nov 7, 2008)

Petr51488 said:


> Yea, but i figured even with lower fuel prices, its still cheaper to use wood. Alot of people around here use gas too



Cheaper would depend on how efficient there oil fired setup is,as well as there wood stove.If you have to buy your wood,it isnt not much cheaper than oil now,doesnt a cord of wood replace about 100 gallons of oil? Seems with wood being about $225 a cord,if my math is close,oil is just as cheap,and no mess,or labor.

Anyone heating with electric should be still by buying lots of wood,our electric rates are very high yet,they went thru the roof this summer,and havent went down one bit.


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## Petr51488 (Feb 3, 2009)

Thought i would post an update. As of 2 weeks ago, my firewood has sold out. I've nearly doubled my selling pile from last year so maybe thats why it went slow. This year was slow, but it all went. Had i still been selling, i'm sure i would have sold atleast 10 more cords. I just dont want wood that has been seasoning for more then a year in storage pile. In a few weeks i'll start splitting for next winters wood. I'll post pics when i get a chance.


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## John D (Feb 3, 2009)

Im glad to see you sold it all,and could have sold more.Sure beats getting stuck with a bunch of wood and not making the $$. By all reguards you should be having a good snow season,we are here,just gotta get paid now..


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## thejdman04 (Feb 3, 2009)

John D said:


> Im glad to see you sold it all,and could have sold more.Sure beats getting stuck with a bunch of wood and not making the $$. By all reguards you should be having a good snow season,we are here,just gotta get paid now..



Congrats on selling up. You got a nice looking set set up.


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## Petr51488 (Feb 3, 2009)

John D said:


> Im glad to see you sold it all,and could have sold more.Sure beats getting stuck with a bunch of wood and not making the $$. By all reguards you should be having a good snow season,we are here,just gotta get paid now..



Thanks! As for the snow season... we've had a great one so far. We got maybe 8 of the 1-3 inch storms which is better then nothing! I got to go out on every one of them and made a nice chunk of change on all of them. They say the pattern is for more snow through the end of winter.


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## MtnHermit (Feb 3, 2009)

That is impressive.


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## thenorth (Feb 3, 2009)

this is our woodlot area...........
the norwood mill is under the tent at top left of pic............
splitter etc.............






John


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## thejdman04 (Feb 4, 2009)

Nice setups


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## Petr51488 (Mar 12, 2009)

I had some free time this week and decided to paint my dump trailer. It took a beating over the months that i've owned it. Everything from firewood to grass storage lol I'll have more of the final product. These pictures are of the before and primer. I'll have the black tomorrow. I ended up putting primer and black epoxy paint. Splitting has also started for next years sellings.


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## Petr51488 (Mar 12, 2009)

Picturesss


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## Petr51488 (Mar 13, 2009)

And heres the final product.


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## bohawg1 (Mar 14, 2009)

Its hard to believe your only 21,, whos place are you at doing all the trailer work> painting and grinding? I just wish more boys would have the same outlook you have in life. You are going in the right direction and keep up the good work. You are showing your little brother something too trust me he looks up to you. All and all all of this is great what your doing but one peson you need to thank is the lord jesus i sure hope hes in your life too. If you have then you have the whole package my friend.. I even look up to you and im 39 hahha


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## Petr51488 (Mar 14, 2009)

bohawg1 said:


> Its hard to believe your only 21,, whos place are you at doing all the trailer work> painting and grinding? I just wish more boys would have the same outlook you have in life. You are going in the right direction and keep up the good work. You are showing your little brother something too trust me he looks up to you. All and all all of this is great what your doing but one peson you need to thank is the lord jesus i sure hope hes in your life too. If you have then you have the whole package my friend.. I even look up to you and im 39 hahha



I'm doing all the work at my dads shop. He's in the tractor trailer repair industry and has a huge indoor/outdoor shop. I allways look for things that i can offer, or advance in that others might not want to do themselves, but would rather hire out. I'm not someone who goes around trying 15 different types of businesses. I Like to stick with what i'm doing and do it the most efficient way. And yes, i have been blessed with such a great business. I owe it all to the man above. Thanks for the compliments.


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## bohawg1 (Mar 14, 2009)

you need to put up a pic with you and your brother with your equimpment, so we would seem to know who you was with a face..


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## Petr51488 (Jul 16, 2009)

A little update..... i bought another bri-mar durmp trailer. This ones a 7x14 heavy duty dump trailer. Compared to the other one Its got dual pistons, closer crossmemebers, 14k axles.... but this trailer holds about the same as my other one because its heavier. I'm going to build up walls for this one as well...


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## Petr51488 (Jul 16, 2009)

Heres a few more...


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## Petr51488 (Jul 16, 2009)

And i forgot how to do it so those pics show up in the post... so sorry about that..


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## husky455rancher (Jul 16, 2009)

killer setup man! im hopin to get either a old dump truck or a dump trailer one day.


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## Petr51488 (Jul 16, 2009)

husky455rancher said:


> killer setup man! im hopin to get either a old dump truck or a dump trailer one day.



Thanks! i went with a dump trailer because with a truck you need insurance, gas, maintenance, etc. but with a trailer, all you need is a truck, which you should allready have.....


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## chucker (Jul 17, 2009)

Petr51488 said:


> Thanks! i went with a dump trailer because with a truck you need insurance, gas, maintenance, etc. but with a trailer, all you need is a truck, which you should allready have.....



only problem with a trailer is you can never get it close enough to dump like a truck. always just a foot to long ???


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## Petr51488 (Jul 17, 2009)

chucker said:


> only problem with a trailer is you can never get it close enough to dump like a truck. always just a foot to long ???



Yes, and also the pile is 10x longer because the trailer is lower to the ground.


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## Petr51488 (Jul 22, 2009)

Here's a few dumping. Its gotta be atleast 3 cords of wood in the trailer. Very heavy tow, but the d-max took it without a problem.


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## John D (Jul 22, 2009)

Petr51488 said:


> Here's a few dumping. Its gotta be atleast 3 cords of wood in the trailer. Very heavy tow, but the d-max took it without a problem.



Thats a lot of wood for a 14K trailer! I get over 2 in mine and its very heavy,esp with oak.I know im overweight,but not sure by how much,never weighed her that heavy.


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## Petr51488 (Jul 23, 2009)

John D said:


> Thats a lot of wood for a 14K trailer! I get over 2 in mine and its very heavy,esp with oak.I know im overweight,but not sure by how much,never weighed her that heavy.



I agree and i bet it was either at, or above its rating.


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## John D (Jul 25, 2009)

Petr51488 said:


> I agree and i bet it was either at, or above its rating.



I tow my SS and attachments,its about 12K,either my cummins or my 8100/Allison yank it like nothing.The load of firewood feels at least 1.5x heavier,maybe more.I need to leave myself soom room to get going,and i dont go very fast,for fear of blowing a tire.My guess is she weighs about 16-17K loaded with at least 2K tongue weight.Trailer is around 4200 empty.Truck/ trailer stops great from 45-50mph,which is as fast as i go that heavy, i only go 3-4 miles to my house with it,only 1 mile of 2 lane road,the rest 25-30 mph backroads.


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## Petr51488 (Jul 26, 2009)

John D said:


> I tow my SS and attachments,its about 12K,either my cummins or my 8100/Allison yank it like nothing.The load of firewood feels at least 1.5x heavier,maybe more.I need to leave myself soom room to get going,and i dont go very fast,for fear of blowing a tire.My guess is she weighs about 16-17K loaded with at least 2K tongue weight.Trailer is around 4200 empty.Truck/ trailer stops great from 45-50mph,which is as fast as i go that heavy, i only go 3-4 miles to my house with it,only 1 mile of 2 lane road,the rest 25-30 mph backroads.




Yea... the most important thing is trailer brakes. They are a MUST. I have brakes on both axles...and ofcourse the truck brakes are great too. I travel on the highway doing 65ish and feel very stable.


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## John D (Jul 26, 2009)

Petr51488 said:


> Yea... the most important thing is trailer brakes. They are a MUST. I have brakes on both axles...and ofcourse the truck brakes are great too. I travel on the highway doing 65ish and feel very stable.



Yes Sir! The truck actually doesnt take much more distance to stop from 50 or so than without a trailer,the brakes are that good,as long as the controller is set right,with the ramp angle,and gain set perfect.My 7K enclosed mowing trailer takes more distance to stop than the 14K dump overloaded,mostly due to the 10x2.5 tiny brakes on the enclosed trailer .Im pretty sure DOT law is brakes on all axles,anyway,I wouldnt have it any other way.


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## FLEX MEANSTREET (Jul 27, 2009)

Nice outfit you have there. I am saving for dump trailer just like that, i know it will make life so much easier. I like your set up you made for your trucks and wanted to see if you could let me know how you made it, looks HEAVY DUTY. I have a 03' Chevy 2500HD. 

Thanks for the help


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## Petr51488 (Jul 27, 2009)

FLEX MEANSTREET said:


> Nice outfit you have there. I am saving for dump trailer just like that, i know it will make life so much easier. I like your set up you made for your trucks and wanted to see if you could let me know how you made it, looks HEAVY DUTY. I have a 03' Chevy 2500HD.
> 
> Thanks for the help



What do you mean? What do you want to know how to make?


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## FLEX MEANSTREET (Jul 28, 2009)

Sorry i should have been more specific but I wanted to know how you built it? I like how you put the steel on the front corners of the rack, does it go down to the bed of your truck or just run on the corners of it? And how did you mount it the rack to the the bed? Any info would be helpful. Thanks


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## Petr51488 (Jul 28, 2009)

FLEX MEANSTREET said:


> Sorry i should have been more specific but I wanted to know how you built it? I like how you put the steel on the front corners of the rack, does it go down to the bed of your truck or just run on the corners of it? And how did you mount it the rack to the the bed? Any info would be helpful. Thanks



Oh, i didnt know what you were talking about. That box thats in the back of the pickup bed doesn't get used too much for firewood anymore. Those steel corners are on the front of the box, and also a smaller version of it is located on the inside where the walls and the floor meet. Here's another picture of it.


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## FLEX MEANSTREET (Jul 29, 2009)

Thanks for the pictures. I am just looking for a way to haul a cord in "safely" in the bed of my truck, until I can purchase a trailer. Does the weight of the box hold it down safely for driving while its empty? Is there anything "bolted" down from the box to the bed of your truck? How much split wood does that hold? Which trailer (14' or the 12') do you like better for delivering firewood?

Thanks again


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## Petr51488 (Jul 29, 2009)

FLEX MEANSTREET said:


> Thanks for the pictures. I am just looking for a way to haul a cord in "safely" in the bed of my truck, until I can purchase a trailer. Does the weight of the box hold it down safely for driving while its empty? Is there anything "bolted" down from the box to the bed of your truck? How much split wood does that hold? Which trailer (14' or the 12') do you like better for delivering firewood?
> 
> Thanks again



It does hold it down, but i do use 2 thick straps that go over the top for safety, when its empty and full. The box holds a cord of wood and i like the 6x12 for delivering wood because its easier to back into peoples driveways. A majority of people dont order more then 2 cords anyways, so theres no sense in dragging the bigger heavier trailer for no reason. Their driveways are also smaller so the 6x12 gets in there perfectly.


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## MNGuns (Jul 29, 2009)

Petr51488 said:


> Thanks! i went with a dump trailer because with a truck you need insurance, gas, maintenance, etc. but with a trailer, all you need is a truck, which you should allready have.....




You may want to check with your insurer if you are usin g the trailer for commercial purposes. My commercial insurer (Progressive) requires a policy for each trailer ($100 a year) to cover liabilty, not replacement value, in addition to the insurance I carry on the trucks (lot more that $100 a year). This insurance is not cargo insurance, but just liability, and is based on the type and size of trailer you use.


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## Petr51488 (Jul 29, 2009)

MNGuns said:


> You may want to check with your insurer if you are usin g the trailer for commercial purposes. My commercial insurer (Progressive) requires a policy for each trailer ($100 a year) to cover liabilty, not replacement value, in addition to the insurance I carry on the trucks (lot more that $100 a year). This insurance is not cargo insurance, but just liability, and is based on the type and size of trailer you use.



Thanks for the heads up, but i'm pretty sure its covered in my insurance. The trailers are registered to my company name so it should be covered under my commercial truck insurance. I hope the 7k a year on 2 trucks and liablilty insurance isnt for nothing lol


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