Anyone have any ideas on unloading a 6 x 12 trailer with sides , I'm going to load it with smaller pine branches that are to small for firewood . I have all the branches from a 100 ft. pine to clean up , thought about putting a mat in the trailer first but I don't have one that big , a tarp would rip . There must be something I could put down and then pull it out with the tractor .Maybe a couple sheets of particle board , need ideas.
Easy way to unload trailer
- Thread starter chugbug
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bcorradi
Arboristsite.com Sponsor
Possible lay a tow strap or two underneath it. When you get to your dropoff site loop the tow strap/straps and pull it off with the tractor.
Good idea maybe even two ropes would work, loop them back over the top of the pile and pull on all four ends at once ,could even throw a 2x4 in the front of the pile cross ways to help pull everything off . thanks
stihl023/5
Addicted to ArboristSite
Back it over a really steep hill!
If the trailer is all steel, toss a match in it.
Have some kids.
Come on, its just a lil trailer with branches in it, they are air filled, 5 minutes with two smoke and one beer break and it should be empty. Its harder to put them in there than it is to take em out.
Have some kids.
Come on, its just a lil trailer with branches in it, they are air filled, 5 minutes with two smoke and one beer break and it should be empty. Its harder to put them in there than it is to take em out.
ziggo_2
ArboristSite Operative
lay your branches with all the butt ends at the back, when time to unload (helps to have a extra hand) grab the branches on the bottom and pull off. this is how we do it for our little tree service. we unload a trailer like that in about 30seconds.
redprospector
Addicted to ArboristSite
I've unloaded many a load of brush from a 16' utitlity trailer (thank God I don't have to do it that way anymore).
On your 12' trailer you can use about a 50' piece of 1/2" rope. Tie both ends to the back of the trailer, in the corner's will work if there's nothing else to tie too. Before loading, lay the rope (both ends) up the trailer floor and let the middle of the rope hang off the front of the trailer. Load the limbs across the trailer (not lengthwise). When you're ready to unload, throw the "middle" of the rope over the load toward the back of the trailer. Tie to a tree, tractor, big rock, etc with another rope and drive out from under the load. It will roll right off the trailer.
Andy
On your 12' trailer you can use about a 50' piece of 1/2" rope. Tie both ends to the back of the trailer, in the corner's will work if there's nothing else to tie too. Before loading, lay the rope (both ends) up the trailer floor and let the middle of the rope hang off the front of the trailer. Load the limbs across the trailer (not lengthwise). When you're ready to unload, throw the "middle" of the rope over the load toward the back of the trailer. Tie to a tree, tractor, big rock, etc with another rope and drive out from under the load. It will roll right off the trailer.
Andy
I watched a tree guy unload his trailer. It was easy. He had two tires with chains at the front of the trailer. Then hooked the chains on to something solid and drove off. Everything was laying on the ground. 
redprospector
Addicted to ArboristSite
woodchuck357
Addicted to ArboristSite
This is the way I do it. Except I only lay several cross-ways, then the rest with the butt forward. Small loads can be pulled by hand or by putting a come-a-long on the looped end.
Say's the young man with a strong back.
Andy
Just one with work ethic. Smarter young man would just burn them in place while cooking lunch.
fiasco
ArboristSite Operative
Wind 'er up to redline in reverse, then slam it into second or Drive and watch it all slide off (and your gearbox explode). 
Jules083
ArboristSite Operative
I watched a tree guy unload his trailer. It was easy. He had two tires with chains at the front of the trailer. Then hooked the chains on to something solid and drove off. Everything was laying on the ground.
Thanks, now you've given me another project. :msp_biggrin:
I keep thinking about finding an old manure spreader that's PTO driven and taking the beaters off. The PTO would still drive the chain/angle iron 'conveyer' on the deck. Build a light removable tailgate. Back up to the pile, remove the gate, and turn on the PTO. Let the tractor do the work. It would work great hauling rounds also I think. Once you can't reach the ones on the back just idle the tractor with the PTO on and more would come right to you. It might even be slow enough with the tractor idling to be able to keep up stacking, then just let it run while unloading.
jthornton
ArboristSite Guru
I just hook a chain to the tongue of my 16' and lift it up with the backhoe bucket... everything slides right out. Or if it is too cold for the 310A to crank I just buck up and unload by hand.
John
John
2dumb4words
ArboristSite Operative
Ihave a 16' trailer with 4' sides. I use an old snow plow rack (anything strong enough will work) at the front of the trailer. Hook a chain to it run it to the back of the trailer. Load it up, chain it to a stump near my burn pile, and hit the gas. Definitely easier than hand unloading. Seems to work best if the chain is in the middle (not on top or bottom). Best of luck.:msp_wink:
Edit: I got the idea from watching an old black dude with two steel wheels welded together with some rebar. He unloaded solo faster than two of us did by hand. Felt dumb as a box of hammers that day.
Edit: I got the idea from watching an old black dude with two steel wheels welded together with some rebar. He unloaded solo faster than two of us did by hand. Felt dumb as a box of hammers that day.
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This site proved its worth again !! Some of you guys nailed this one , worked great saved me hours of un-loading time . I had an L -shaped steel three point hitch bracket that I had made to lift pallets that worked great . Tied a cable to it , slid it to the front of the trailer and let the cable hang out the back , loaded the trailer so full you couldn't even see the trailer with all the pine branches hanging down . Up to the woods and backed up to a tree hooked cable to the tree and pulled out , it completely unloads the trailer in 10 seconds or . Now if the bracket or what ever your using is a little buried in the brush just through a chain around it and hook the other end to the back of the trailer and pull it and the cable out from under the brush and your done !!
2dumb4words
ArboristSite Operative
Glad to hear it worked out. I keep a come a long handy for unbinding the "pull chain". I use that little trick quite a bit to unload a 16' trailer. Saves time and my back.
