A Hauling Trailer

[Jeffsaw]

I bought a single axle 6'X10' trailer this fall and plan on putting sides on it for hauling brush, etc. Has anyone ever seen a false floor on a trailer that you can tip up with a winch device to make unloading easier? I'm thinking of trying to make one and could use some ideas. I don't have a chipper (yet) so I'm dealing with brush and branches at job sites.

 

[tree md]

Your not going to really be able to get too much brush on that trailer bud... Unless you cut it down and that is hard on bars and chains and a ##### to unload. I'd look for at least a 16 footer. But whatever you have make it work for you. It should serve you decently for hauling saw logs depending on how much weight you can get on it. Single axle, I'm guessing not too much.

As far as winching, well yes that would be all fine and good but would be a lot of money and work to put into a trailer that is marginal for tree work at best.

Here's a trick I used to use: Take and cut about a thirty foot hank of rope out of an old retired line. Double it and tie it off somewhere in the middle of the rear end of your trailer. You might have to manufacture a tie on but your gonna need one. Take both halves of the line and throw them up in your trailer bed on either side. you want it to look live a V in the bed of your trailer. When you load your brush cut a couple of decent sized limbs 4- 6 inches and lay them perpendicular to your drag line down the length of the trailer. Then stack your brush with the butt ends to the back of the trailer. When you get your brush loaded you can use the tails of both ends of the line to tie down your load. Once you get to where your dumping tie both ends off to something sturdy and you can pull your trailer right out from under the load.

A little old school, cheaper solution than a winch.

 

[Slvrmple72]

Old section of chain link fencing the length of your trailer plus a little more. Lay it down stack the brush on and then when you get to the dump site you hook up rope to the front end of the fence and drive the trailer out from under it. Make sense?

Oh yeah, save all of your pennies for a good used chipper, hydraulic preferably!

 

[Jeffsaw]

Yeah, the more I look at the trailer, the more I wish it was a bit longer. For the past 3 years I've been using an old 4'X8' thing with sides so I thought a 6'X10' would be a huge step up.
Thanks for the ideas guys and will probably try both ways. At least I can be generous with the height of the sides.

 

[tree md]

You can always sell the one you have when you're ready to move up. Look for something with tandem axles. Your looking for something that will haul around 10K.

 

[rwbinbc]

I have 18' with 4' side on the front and it still was a pain, I do alot of work with family but early this year picked up a cipper for dirt cheap and will not go back to hauling brush, Unless it a real small job. There is a chipper on ebay for like $750 needs work. They thought Mine was froze up, Put on a new starter and it started right up. Its a deisel also. My next step is a bucket truck hopefully with a dump bed.....Slowly move-in on up



Its up to $950 now I know where one is for $2200 just like this one that runs good. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230562660132

 

[deevo]

I bought a single axle 6'X10' trailer this fall and plan on putting sides on it for hauling brush, etc. Has anyone ever seen a false floor on a trailer that you can tip up with a winch device to make unloading easier? I'm thinking of trying to make one and could use some ideas. I don't have a chipper (yet) so I'm dealing with brush and branches at job sites.

Just get a dump trailer, then when you get a small chipper, you can tow it behind and shoot the chips into the dump trailer! Check out Squad 143's set up!

 

[treemandan]

This post calls for a flashback. circa 1994

The Ford was a 76 supercab which was great for tool, it had a nice motor( 390) with a big bed. Still just a F150 with a 9 inch and extra springs. The Scout had a 345 and 727, with no top or door this made for a great " lawn truck". It was light and powerful, the agility was multiplied by the ease if getting in and out of the truck. and having tools so close. The Pontiac was mine as well as the beater Bug.

 

[Blakesmaster]

Any more pics of that Scout, Dano? Looks like a Scout II. Was it still the original steel body or fiberglass? My old man drove tons of those things coming up. Too many to list. I remember a few mid 70's ones but mostly the 1980 II he bought new as well as a nice '64 he picked up in the early 90's. Don't really see any around much anymore.

 

[mikewhite85]

I have 18' with 4' side on the front and it still was a pain, I do alot of work with family but early this year picked up a cipper for dirt cheap and will not go back to hauling brush, Unless it a real small job. There is a chipper on ebay for like $750 needs work. They thought Mine was froze up, Put on a new starter and it started right up. Its a deisel also. My next step is a bucket truck hopefully with a dump bed.....Slowly move-in on up



Its up to $950 now I know where one is for $2200 just like this one that runs good. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230562660132

That chipper looks like a nightmare.

I suppose it depends on how mechanically inclined you are though. The parts you may need to buy may cost a lot more than its worth, let alone labor. The local Bandit dealer here charges $85 per hour on repairs. You can get a decent running chuck n' duck for about 2000.

I would get something that runs well. I recently bought a Bandit model 90 with less than 200 hours for 6 grand. I had to take out a small business loan for it because I have a hard time shelling out that much cash at once. The payments are only 230 a month, less than I would spend on dump fees otherwise. I love my chipper, even though it's only a 9". What an unbelievable difference a chipper makes! Best of wishes to you as you figure out your next equipment purchase.

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

trailer

A two axle trailer is much better than single. You can way over load a single. Shoot I way over load my to axle(3500x2). Got a new 20ft 2axle 7k ea waiting for side boards. Winter project. And yes the 8x14 dump is great. Loaded sitting in the shop tonight. Pics tomorrow.
Use a front block to slide brush/wood. Chain down length to back. Chain on front of board. Pulls board and longer chain out from under. Get ya pic Thur.

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

slide board

Here's what I use to get the brush out of my trailer. Better than rope - it will move firewood or logs, too.

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

brush out

Lay 4 or 5 fair sized limbs butt first against board. Leaves these whole peaces on bottom. Firewood on top or even mulched brush on top rides bottom limbs out. The small chain in front pulls board and long chain out from under.

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

Dump trailers are nice too

Yesterdays work. Two trees removed.

 

[Captain Crunch]

I finally found the easy way to unload brush from my 5x8. Lay one or two pieces of rope in across the trailer so they will be under the load. the most important one is a foot or two from the back. leave enough on each side to toss over the load and cinch it up. I leave the tailgate OFF and cut the brush around 10 feet, overhanging the back a couple of feet. I will pull the load down using the tie down points and some ratchet straps several times to compress it and get more on.

At the end, I cinch the two cross ropes around the load, NOTE: these are not connected to any part of the trailer, just around the load. This pulls the brush in away from sides so it will slide out easily.

My trailer tilts, which is why I leave the brush longer than the trailer. When I tilt it, the weight is resting on the ground. My kids and I can pull a huge brush load out a couple of feet using the rear lasso, then tilt the trailer and drive off. Two 80 pound boys standing on the back of the load resting on the ground will hold it as it slide off the trailer.

Tongue weight is a bit of an issue with the load overhanging, if I had to go on the highway, I would not overhang as I pretty much end up with zero tongue weight. The method works without the overhang as well.....

Used to take me 30 hard minutes to unload, now 5 easy ones.

 

[Jeffsaw]

trailer

Nice load SDS. I sure like that dolly, too. I could use one with wheels that size.

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

dolly

Yes the larger wheels are great. Load rating of 1000 lbs is nice! That job site had a four ft retaining wall. Laid ramps up trailer sideboards and across to truck bed. Just roll and dump.

 

[pbtree]

Back in the day...

I had a 16 foot length trailer, with 12 sides. Each side had 3 stake pockets, and on the passenger side I used wood stakes.

When I got to the dump, I used to cut the stakes out of the passenger side, then I would pull forward onto a board leaned on a milk carton like a ramp, under the left rear tire.

Pitch pork, and I would push the load right off the trailer.

Never failed....