# What kind of trailer for moving logs



## paulterpstra (Nov 19, 2007)

What kind of trailer would people suggest for moving logs? I can get logs from a local arborist. I am not looking to move a lot of logs at one time. Just a few at a time. At home I would mill the logs if it is good wood, or I would cut it into firewood lenghts and split it.

If it is not practical to move the logs, I may just use a chainsaw mill on site and move the cut boards.

thanks


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## Gumnuts (Nov 19, 2007)

*Coffee time down under /35*and rising*

Definately - tandem/ modify - winch / tilt/ drop down sides or flat bed.
Sometimes I pay rree crew who has there own crane truck.They don't charge that much $150 $200 ( 90cent to the dollar US ).Sometimes they drop them in for free.Depends if they have a buyer or working hungry.When you start putting yourself upfront with other crews ,you'll get more logs than you want.Look for one with crane truck.
Have a 8 x 5 and tandem I use for my own jobs.But if i had the $'s ,time,weldiing skills to spare i'd modify or rebuild.
Ideal for me would be
- 2 detachable sides with winch mounts for either side.
- low wheel profile that would allow ladder rails to either side.
- winch mount at tow end
- maybe even a half or full tip / hydraulics would be cool.
My wife often catches me sighing or cursing under my breath-
she does;nt ask whats wrong anymore ,cause she she knows it's
to do with the logs i have'nt picked up YET ,that are stashed on differant properties . 
As i have nuff logs and projects to last me at least, couple of years, there's a sticker on my forehead reads 'dream on '. 

:bang:


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## woodfarmer (Nov 19, 2007)

have i got a deal for you, 7x12 tandem, tilt with a winch, old equipment float $2000


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## Gumnuts (Nov 19, 2007)

*Stihl 35**



woodfarmer said:


> have i got a deal for you, 7x12 tandem, tilt with a winch, old equipment float $2000



Looks sweet.Thanks for the pics.

Can you give postage cost to Australia ?  :help:


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## Stihlboy088 (Nov 20, 2007)

tandem, maybe dumpbed to make the unloading process less labor intensive?
#1 go with an electric winch, #2 Electric winch with a Hoist? #3 perhaps if masive amounts of coin is falling out of the pockets maybe something with a hydraulic grapple?


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## Wismer (Nov 20, 2007)

paulterpstra said:


> What kind of trailer would people suggest for moving logs? I can get logs from a local arborist. I am not looking to move a lot of logs at one time. Just a few at a time. At home I would mill the logs if it is good wood, or I would cut it into firewood lenghts and split it.
> 
> If it is not practical to move the logs, I may just use a chainsaw mill on site and move the cut boards.
> 
> thanks



First of all what kind of tow vehicle will you use? what size logs? what kind of logs? I would definatly recommend a dump trailer, it makes unloading a hundred times easier. I would also suggest a deckover trailer (deck over top of wheels) and maybe a dropside (sides fold down) for ease of loading with a forklift or tractor, and if necessary you can roll the logs up the side of the trailer.

Anything else you would use your trailer for? It's always nice if you can get two birds with one stone.

PS, Paul, I see you are from Hamilton. I am from Niagara (Vineland) good to see more ontarions on here.


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## paulterpstra (Nov 20, 2007)

thanks for all the replies so far!

tow vehicle is a pickup truck (I am actually looking at them this week, so I don't have one yet)

two birds with one stone - I would like to be able to deliver and move split firewood loads also. 

size of logs would be variable, but I would probably cut them to 10 foot lenghts, of whatever I could fit.
type of logs would be oak, ash, and maple. possibly others, but those are the main ones I am interested in. I would use the wood for my own woodworking projects, and possibly some boat building (small boats)

I like the idea of fold down sides to roll the logs up onto the trailer.


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## deevo (Nov 20, 2007)

woodfarmer said:


> have i got a deal for you, 7x12 tandem, tilt with a winch, old equipment float $2000



Thats heavy duty by the looks of it! How heavy is that? What kind of truck do you use to tow it? I'm just in Barrie and am looking for a bigger one then I have right now.:greenchainsaw:


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## Wismer (Nov 20, 2007)

paulterpstra said:


> thanks for all the replies so far!
> 
> tow vehicle is a pickup truck (I am actually looking at them this week, so I don't have one yet)
> 
> ...



Sounds to me like a deckover dump trailer is the choice for you... especially for the firewood it sure is nice to unload with a push of a button instead of an hour of hard labor. You will need to spec it out according to the tow vehicle, but something like a 10,000 lb tandem sounds about right. You will need a 3/4 ton truck minimum to pull. You can use a smaller trailer and vehicle, don't get me wrong, but the 5 ton sounds like the sweet spot to me. 

smallest set up i would go with is a tandem 3500lb (7000 lb total)axle dump trailer and a half ton truck 


Craig


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## woodfarmer (Nov 21, 2007)

deevo, i'm not sure what the weight is, i put 8-12 to 14' beech logs on it and tow with my farm tractor. i 've towed it empty with my gmc half ton and you'd hardly know its there


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## deevo (Nov 21, 2007)

woodfarmer said:


> deevo, i'm not sure what the weight is, i put 8-12 to 14' beech logs on it and tow with my farm tractor. i 've towed it empty with my gmc half ton and you'd hardly know its there




Does it have working lights and can hook up to a 2" ball? I have a gmc 1/2 ton with a hd 305 and a ford expedition 5.4 litre for towing my things around. Are you right in Oshawa or on the outskirts?:greenchainsaw:


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## woodfarmer (Nov 21, 2007)

2 5/16 ball, i think the lights should work i can test them on the weekend, trailers in bowmanville 10 mins east of oshawa


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## LNG24 (Dec 12, 2007)

I think a 3/4 Ton Pick Up is too small. Hope he didn't get one already. Find yourself a used 6 wheel Dump Truck. The largest you can easily afford and you won't need the dump trailer. Instead you can get a logging trailer to pick up whole logs.

If you go with a dump trailer. a 3/4 Ton Pick Up will be fine, but then go with the 7x14 Heavy Duty Dump. The 6x10's seem to get overloaded real quick. At least mine does.


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## Wismer (Dec 12, 2007)

A 3/4 ton truck is fine..

paul said in his original post "I am not looking to move a lot of logs at one time. Just a few at a time."

I'm assuming he is more a weekend warrior, and i doubt he wants to break the bank and go and buy a dumptruck???? Just the other day I moved three large (largest being 26inch at the base) beech log, the other two were the 2nd and 3rd log from that tree. I loaded them into my 7x14 tandem landscape and moved them no problem, with my HALF ton 2wd pickup. With my trailer weighing 1500 pounds, I have a 5300 pound capacity, that it 4 or 5 GOOD size logs. My truck is an '01 chevy silverda 1500 with the 4.8L vortec. Very happy with this truck.

a pickup truck can also act as a personal vehicle, so he can drive it all week. No point in getting a dumptruck that is expensive, and youd only use it on the weekends. A half ton will work fine, a 3/4 will work better. A dumptruck..... overkill...?


but I really don't know, He'll have to get back to us.



take 'er easy

Craig


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## Husky137 (Dec 12, 2007)

Wismer said:


> A 3/4 ton truck is fine..
> 
> paul said in his original post "I am not looking to move a lot of logs at one time. Just a few at a time."
> 
> ...



A classic case of Tim Taylor syndrome.:hmm3grin2orange: Screw the dump truck, get a triaxle with a Prentice loader. Quit #####footing around.:hmm3grin2orange:


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## Stihlboy088 (Dec 12, 2007)

Maybe a 1 ton with a dump bed? useful for logs, landscaping, snowplowing and unloading groceries for the wife (as well as the wife sometimes). Oops did I write that?


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## czar800 (Dec 12, 2007)

I would get a dump trailer I can't tell you all the things you will use it for. 

You thought you had a lot of friends when you just had a pickup truck ( get a dump trailer )!!!!

View attachment 61001


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## 2dogs (Dec 13, 2007)

I have a deckover goose neck with beavertail and ramps. A car trailer works OK and can be found cheap.


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## LNG24 (Dec 13, 2007)

I stand corrected. A trailer will work for him. I got hung up on the pic of the yellow trailer and also though he was doing this full time. I myself have a 6x10 dump trailer and love it. Especially now that I learned that I can get a full cord of fire wood in there. I did find out that there are two different 6x10's. One is Heavy Duty, 9-10k GVW with a 7k lb payload. The other is just a 7k GVW with a 5k lb payload. 

If you can, go for the bigger especially if you want to max it out and move it with a 3/4 ton truck.


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## sawyerDave (Dec 14, 2007)

*Trailer for logs*

Whatever style trailer you get, be sure to get a tandem axle (2 axle) trailer. I've hauled long logs (16-24'), on a low flatbed car trailer, and also on a higher Brimar dump trailer. Each has its benefits/drawbacks. Car trailer, being lower is easier to load, no matter how you load it. To unload, you will either pull the log off with a loader, or forklift, or tie the log to something sturdy, and drag the trailer out from under. The dump trailer is , of course easy to unload, but takes a good sized loader to load. Also, if the log is longer than the trailer, best bet is to put the big end in the back of the trailer, and hang the overage out the front of the trailer. This better balances the load, but you will probably need to do what I did to strengthen the front end of the trailer body, by putting a 4X6 of oak along the front top rail of the trailer. This strengthens the trailer and raises the log above the level of the truck's tailgate, if it's that long. Of the 2 choices noted, the flatbed car trailer is more stable to drive down the road, as it has a lower center of gravity. Good luck on your choice, just my $.02


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## LNG24 (Dec 15, 2007)

There is a dump trailer out there, I can't recall which brand, but it not only acts as a dump trailer. It is capable of carring a skid steer or mini excavator! Even has its own set of ramps built in. 

If I had to get, or had the opportunity to get another dump trailer, I would definately go larger. Both Longer and more GVW. Even though this trailer would maax out my current vehicles towing ability, if I ever upgraded trucks, my trailer is now undersized! Better to be too big than too small.


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## STLfirewood (Dec 15, 2007)

LNG24 said:


> There is a dump trailer out there, I can't recall which brand, but it not only acts as a dump trailer. It is capable of carring a skid steer or mini excavator! Even has its own set of ramps built in.
> 
> If I had to get, or had the opportunity to get another dump trailer, I would definately go larger. Both Longer and more GVW. Even though this trailer would maax out my current vehicles towing ability, if I ever upgraded trucks, my trailer is now undersized! Better to be too big than too small.




You can not replace a dump trailer for a guy that does a decent amount of work. They are really a good deal when you look at them. My father and I work together and we have 3 dump trailers. 2 are 14x7 with 7k pound axles. They have slide in ramps with d rings in the floor for hauling the skid steer. The other is a 12x6.5 with 6k pound axles. It has 40 inch sides. Sometimes I buy firewood. I'll take a trailer and leave it at a guys house he calls when it is full. I take an empty and pick up the full. I just have drive time to pick up 8 ranks (2 2/3) cord of wood. It really saves a lot of time. You will never regret the purchase of a dump trailer.

Scott


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