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Need advice for a trailer for hauling a car

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2009-12-09          167368

For the trailer experts, I'm in need of some trailer selection advice. Bear in mind I've never towed a trailer on the road.

I need a trailer to haul stuff around for a car restoration project. It will be pulled by my 07 Tacoma with V6 and factory tow package.

The car being hauled is about 13.5 x 5.5 feet and weighs ~2200 lbs.

What would I look for in a safe but inexpensive flatbed trailer? Would a single axle work or would tandem be better? What kind of deck would suffice? What kind of brakes would be best? Do I need a brake controller installed on the truck? What sort of tie-downs do I need to do the job safely? It will need ramps and a winch (manual would be fine) to pull the car onto the deck but is there any other "must have" features?

I'd love one of those enclosed auto trailers but those get pricey fast.


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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
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2009-12-09          167369

Ken, I am far from a trailer expert but if me I would want dual axles even if you could have a single axle rated for that load. But my biggest reason to reply is look at Craigslist here there are some decent enclosed trailers hitting there at low prices. ....

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kwschumm
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2009-12-09          167372

Quote:
Originally Posted by kthompson | view 167369
Ken, I am far from a trailer expert but if me I would want dual axles even if you could have a single axle rated for that load. But my biggest reason to reply is look at Craigslist here there are some decent enclosed trailers hitting there at low prices.


I've seen some good deals on Craigslist but still don't know what features to look for. What's the benefit of tandem axles? Seems like more maintenance and money for what benefit? Maybe just easier to balance? ....

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
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2009-12-09          167373

Dual axle, brakes on at least one axle, brake controller, 7000lb. GVWRmin., for lightness an open deck with 2' wide runners, slide out ramps (fold up ramps may not fold up and hit the car, 16' deck min. , forget hand winch--install $150 Harbor Freight 3,000 lb. elect winch--bring extra battery and connect with clamps, most trailers have places to tie down to, consider a 5,000 lb. weight distributing hitch system---if you haven't tried one you need to! Use ratcheting web strap-type hold downs that go over the 4 tires--offers better ride since car can absorb bumps rather than being part of the trailer per se. Fold-down or removable fenders a plus--otherwise you can't open doors to get in or out. Get trailer with real trailer tires, not car tires--too squishy and reduces control. ....

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kwschumm
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2009-12-09          167374

Quote:
Originally Posted by earthwrks | view 167373
Dual axle, brakes on at least one axle, brake controller, 7000lb. GVWRmin., for lightness an open deck with 2' wide runners, slide out ramps (fold up ramps may not fold up and hit the car, 16' deck min. , forget hand winch--install $150 Harbor Freight 3,000 lb. elect winch--bring extra battery and connect with clamps, most trailers have places to tie down to, consider a 5,000 lb. weight distributing hitch system---if you haven't tried one you need to! Use ratcheting web strap-type hold downs that go over the 4 tires--offers better ride since car can absorb bumps rather than being part of the trailer per se. Fold-down or removable fenders a plus--otherwise you can't open doors to get in or out. Get trailer with real trailer tires, not car tires--too squishy and reduces control.


Now that's some good information! Thanks EW. ....

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
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2009-12-09          167378

No problemo! Stay away from any homebuilt stuff too. ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
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2009-12-10          167392

The only thing I would differ with Jeff's excellent advice on is the floor.

Your comment referring to a "car restoration project" makes me think you'll be hauling more than just a single item with 4 wheels under it. Wood floors are really light and make transporting things like fenders, doors, etc. a breeze. You can screw blocks down where needed in minutes and remove them just as fast.

I would go with a full plank floor.


Best of luck. ....

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earthwrks
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2009-12-10          167394

Given a choice from a practical standpoint, a diamond tread steel floor would be my choice. I mentioned the runners since he didn't say he'd be using it as a utility trailer.

My family friends' kids love getting their little friends over and going for trailer ride behind the blue on the private back roads here. It's got a 20' drop deck with full fenders that are nearly as high as the kids' heads sitting down against them. And the dogs like the ride too. And believe it or not were talking kids ages 5-15 that beg to go up in my manlift which has a floor height of 43' straight up. To them it's a thrill. To the parents...not so much LOL! ....

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kwschumm
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2009-12-10          167397

My question was a bit ambiguous. I'll be hauling everything from a rolling chassis to a body to big parts to a complete car so the plank deck makes a lot of sense.

You guys have given enough info for what to ask for, now to start the search. Thanks a bunch. ....

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auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007
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2009-12-10          167398

The longer the ramp the easier the slope but the heavier to raise/lower. If you get the common type, hinged at the back and raises to vertical, consider adding a "Gorilla lift." Not costly, and lets me raise one-piece ramp with a finger. Or, get a two-piece ramp (left and right halves).

If tie-down points (either front and rear or, as suggested, at each tire) and a winch platform aren't included, check that it's designed so as to permit you to attach your own.

There will likely be a battery (to engage the brakes if it detaches while rolling). Eventually it will need replacing. Some trailer batteries are easy to match, others, I've heard, impossible, requiring a new case too.

(I assumed trailer tires were inferior or defective car tires, but seems I was wrong.)



....

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Murf
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2009-12-10          167415

Ken, you haven't said what kind of car you're looking at restoring, but, if it's a small'ish car you might want to consider a trailer that is substantially made from heavy angle iron.

Aside from the possible problems caused by the needed raised rails around the deck for structural strength, they make it really handy to screw wood (plywood or planks) to them to form low sides.

I made onesuch trailer for a friend a few years back. It has proved quite handy since.

Basically it's a 7' x 16' box trailer.

This makes it both light & handy.

Best of luck. ....

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kwschumm
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2009-12-10          167416

It's a 71 Opel GT. I had one in high school that I rebuilt and it was totaled when a guy turned in front of me at an intersection. Now I'm buying another for a project. It was a fun car!

They are about 13.5 feet long, 5.5 feet wide, 4 feet tall and weigh about 2200 lbs soaking wet.

The idea of screwing blocks to planks as needed is a good one.

A dealer told me today that a 7x14 7000 lb Iron Eagle trailer (box frame, pull out ramps, sloped rear end for cars with low ground clearance, full pressure treated plank floor, tandem axle with brakes on both axles, winch mount, D-rings for wheel bonnet tie downs, fixed fenders) would run about $3000. Another $200 for a brake controller. He claimed that the weight distributing hitch probably wasn't needed for my truck and this load but hooking it up and loading it would tell.

I dunno about that.

This one had fixed fenders and he said if I needed a few more inches clearance to open the car doors I could screw some additional planks down for the tires to ride on that would raise it up.
....

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earthwrks
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2009-12-10          167417

$200 for a controller through him? Check around. That's about $50 too much IMHO.

$3000 seems steep compared to that's what I spent on a 12,000 GVW with 6' more deck. Check around for a used one for less than half I bet.

Brakes on both axles on a 7K is very unusual.

Adding planks for height--classy LOL Just climb through the window if possible.

Reminds me of two guys I saw on the Coast hauling a full size Ford LTD with a downsize Chevy Blazer pulling a car trailer. The Ford wasn't technically ON the trailer. Rather, ONLY the bumper guards on the Ford's front bumper were on resting on the very rear of the trailer. No chains or anything---doing 45 on an interstate. Only in 'sippi! ....

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auerbach
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2009-12-10          167419

Simple connector is the socket-on-trailer, ball-on-tow-vehicle. Usually a 2" ball but could be a size bigger or smaller. Fancier is the pintle and ring, for heavier pairs. (Simplest is the pin-in-hole but that's for little garden tractors.)

Good that you have a trailer package but they range from just an add-on ball-holder to all the wiring plus heavier drive system plus sometimes an equalizing hitch, so find out what's already there. Otherwise a weight-equalizing hitch requires an attachment to the vehicle. Better handling, and more forgiving, eg prevents fish-tailing (out of control trailer, due to high speeds and weight too far aft on the trailer). I don't think a simple test-tow would tell if you need one. And if you have the wiring already, there are several conventions for the electrical connector, and the trailer connector must match the truck one.

Single-axle brakes are common. Controller (and electrical connector) should be properly installed and should be designed to let you control how much braking is done by each of the two relatively, because you need less braking by the trailer when it's empty.



....

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earthwrks
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2009-12-11          167420

A weight distributing hitch is basically self-contained---a combination ball mount "head" and torsion bar holder; two torsion bars; and two brackets that stay on the trailer. Ball mount stays on truck as a regular hitch; torsion bars can stay with the trailer or in the truck.

And yes a 10 minute test drive at highway speeds loaded is all you need to determine if you need this setup--especially when either passing a tractor trailer, or being passed by one. The difference is awesome!

I've had the same setup for 25 years now used on 9 trailers and 6 trucks--from 2 Jeep Comanches, a 4x Ranger, to several half and 3/4 ton Rams. I don't use the sway control option--there is plenty of friction at the ball and hitch to keep the traler straight. It is good idea to lube the ball though. I have had the ball show evidence of metal to metal galling. ....

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kwschumm
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2009-12-11          167428

I've been reading up on weight distributing hitches.

Howstuffworks dot com says this:


The most important thing to keep in mind when picking out a weight distribution system is the weight of the load you'll be towing. Weight distribution systems are rated in two ways: the gross trailer weight they can haul, and the tongue weight they can distribute. You want to make sure both of those ratings are above the amount you're looking to tow -- but not too far above it.

For example, if the weight distribution system has a 1,000 pound (454 kilogram) tongue weight capacity but the trailer is loaded with only 300 pounds (136 kilograms) of tongue weight with 50 pounds (23 kilograms) of cargo in the trunk of the towing vehicle, you're about 650 pounds (295 kilograms) under the rating. That can make the distribution unpredictable and dangerous. On the other hand, if the system is rated to 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) of tongue weight but you're attempting to distribute 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms) of tongue weight, the system won't be able to distribute the weight effectively and you'll also have some serious problems. Keep that infamous rule from "The Price Is Right" in mind when choosing a weight distribution system -- you want to bid the closest without going over.


That makes it seem that a different hitch would be needed for running empty or loaded.

That can't be right.
....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
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2009-12-11          167431

No Ken, you're misinterpreting what they are saying.

You really only need to use the WDH (Weight Distributing Hitch) to balance up a load. You wouldn't apply any load if the trailer was empty, only once you've loaded the trailer.

Bear in mind, most of these WDH's are intended for RV's where the weight of the trailer doesn't vary much.

I wouldn't be too worried about a WDH in your case though. The trailer will be ~1,750 pounds empty, you say a small car of ~2,200 pounds, that's still only ~4k pounds, about 2/3rds of what you truck is rated to pull, and easily balanced because of the relatively short wheelbase.

Not that I am in any way recommending them, but the link below is to a trailer along the lines of what I am think of.

BTW, in the way of a little background, in the period 1986-1992 I had a 1986 Toyota (4 cyl.) 4Runner and used to pull a similar trailer as this on a regular basis. It would usually have ~3k pounds on it. No WDH, no problems.

Best of luck. ....


Link:   Car Hauler

 
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Pickup Trucks and Trailers Need advice for a trailer for hauling a car
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earthwrks
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2009-12-11          167433

I agree Murf, but having WDH allows future flexibility or even presently should he need to bias the load---car, parts in such a way that there is too much tongue weight. Having WDH even on an unloaded setup can make long trips enjoyable if the tow vehicle has soft or weak suspension especially on the rear. The entire rig just rides better. ....

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kwschumm
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2009-12-11          167434

I dug out the Tacoma manual and it does appear to be well within weight limits. The manual recommends a WDH and if there's no downside that may be best for a newbie tow driver.

The car needs to be picked up next Thursday so I'll just pay a tow company $250 to bring it home 75 miles. That's a little spendy to do all the time. I'll keep an eye out locally for a used trailer like you guys are recommending and it will be a few months until I'll need to tow it myself (it will take awhile to strip the body due to cold weather and short days).

One more question. I will be going up and down a five mile gravel road that can get some bad washboard at times. Should I look for a boxed frame or do you think angle iron would be sufficient?

Thanks for all the good advice. ....

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Murf
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2009-12-11          167435

Ken, there isn't much difference between tube and angle as long as it has the upper rail which forms a sort of truss.

Of course the one advantage of angle is that there's no interior to worry about rusting. Most tube rusts from the inside (unpainted) out usually caused by moisture held by accumulated dirt left when mud settles. Open angles can't collect mud. Plus you can keep putting on paint as it gets blasted off by sand & stones.

Best of luck. ....

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earthwrks
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2009-12-11          167438

Angle trailers: it used to be here they were inferior quailty mostly coming from Alabama and Georgia---poor welds, bad design. Worst of all is the axles were made of reclaimed full size Ford car spindles. They were plopped on lathe and a boss or counter bore was "machined" in the back side to locate the axle tube before welding. Problem was they were never trued before or after welding and did not have a crown in the axle tube nor did they have proper toe-in. A buddy bought a single axle utility trailer made by these guys andd chewed a set of tires in 80 miles. Typically these trailers can be identified by looking for passenger car rims with bad tires---but being sold new. ....

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kwschumm
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2009-12-13          167450

I had a wacky idea and am curious how feasible it is.

With this new car the garage will be getting a little crowded. There's room to park everything but restoring a car takes about two parking spaces.

Would it be reasonable to buy an enclosed trailer and use it as a place to park the tractor when the trailer is not being used? It isn't used much in the winter except for the few times we get snow.

The tongue of the trailer would have to be firmly anchored but other than that, is there any downside to doing this?
....

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hardwood
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2009-12-13          167452

Kw,
My only concern would be that you might get gassed by the exhaust when starting the tractor. If your tractor will coast with the engine off maybe you could park the trailer nose high and coast the tractor out. ....

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Murf
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2009-12-13          167453

Ken, it's not whacky at all. In fact if you dig back through archives you will find where I describe using shipping containers on sites where we have to leave machines unattended for the winter contracts.

We use them both for security and shelter from the weather.

Unless you leave the machine running with the doors closed there isn't much worry of fumes. We back in so the exhaust is blowing out the door also. Mostly we do this though because it's easier to walk past the front wheel to get out than it is the back ones.

I wouldn't recommend a trailer though. They can be quite unstable when not hitched to a truck.

They are also far more expensive than a used shipping container.

Best of luck.

....

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kwschumm
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2009-12-13          167454

I remembered the shipping container idea that was talked about a few years ago but had thought *maybe* the trailer would do the same job. Since it may be unstable I'll revisit the shipping container.

We really need a shop. Hope my wife finds a new job soon :)
....

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Murf
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2009-12-13          167456

Ken, you live in a forest. Spend $5k on a small sawmill. The shop won't be far behind!

We have a small mill that puts out a lot of lumber. It's paid for itself countless numbers of times. I couldn't tell you the number of buildings it's wood created over the years.

A tree as small as 9" at the butt will make 2" x 6" lumber.

Best of luck. ....

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earthwrks
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2009-12-13          167457

I built my shop from a 40' container. I cut it in half, moved the halves together so the front end sits next to the rear end. Then I cut the two walls that now create the interior out leaving a clear space of 20 x 18. I welded the two sections together. The open end was enclosed by 2x4 studs and two barn doors totalling 11 feet. 2 2x6's created the header to support the steel roof halves. Needing more room for a wood stove, I opened the old rear doors, installed a floor, back wall and slanted roof using steel wall studs and metal siding. I installed a prehung 36" entry door on one side, and 3x4 window on the other. The nice thing about this is can dismantle it or pull it with a dozer if I have to when I buy the land next to it. And the floor is 1-1/2" wax impregnated mahogany. I have. About $2000 into it. Recently I vynil sided it with free materials. And I didn't need a permit since it sits on blocks. It's heavy though! The box alone weighed 8,500 lb. All I used to cut it apart was a metal cutting circular saw from TSC and a sawzall--in 45 minutes flat! ....

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hardwood
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2009-12-13          167458

Where do you get shipping containers? ....

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Murf
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2009-12-13          167459

Frank, nearly all the "intermodal" shipping / trucking companies sell their decomissioned containers, usually pretty reasonably too.

The last couple I bought were 20' aluminum ones, they were $1,500 each because they were insulated & watertight. They also had $750 steel ones that were a little banged up.

The 40' ones were double that price, but are of little use to me because they're akward to move around. The 20' ones go on our roll off truck.

Best of luck. ....

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earthwrks
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2009-12-13          167466

We have several terminals ports here in Deeetroit that have them. I bought mine when scrap was high. But I got mine for $1200 plus tax, and $250 for transporting. There are three or four grades of them ---pricing doesn't vary that much though.

Once I saw how easy it was to cut it I'm not convinced I would use it to secure valuables. Shoot, a cordless saw with a carbide blade can cut it like butter. Even still, the locking door mechanism is easily defeated with the same saw or bolt cutters. ....

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kwschumm
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2009-12-13          167469

There are lots of shipping container companies around here that work with the Port of Portland so availability shouldn't be a problem. Tomorrow I'll do some price shopping. A 20 footer should be OK but I'm hoping to find a taller one so the tractor roll bar won't have to be dropped first. That would be an accident waiting to happen.

Security isn't so much the issue as is protection from rain and snow. After all a sawzall can cut through a framed wall or garage door pretty easy too. ....

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hardwood
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2009-12-14          167473

Thanks for the info on the containers.
I really don't need one right now, but you never know.
I'll keep a sharper eye out for them. I see them on a regular basis on passing freight trains and an occasional one on a low boy semi, but can't recall seeing one sitting as a storage unit. I realize this wouldn't be a good soultion for tractor storage, but I have several friends who use old semi trailers for storage, they seem to be a dime a dozen locally. One guy in particular has a sawmill and uses them for lumber storage after it's been thru the kiln, he must have six or eight of them. Another fellow has a heating/AC/plumbing business in a small town. He has two or three of them sitting around till the city comes down on him because some neighbors complain. He borrows his brothers semi tractor to move them around a bit till somebody squaks again. The people who complain about his trailers don't hesitate to call him at midnight if their furnace quits.
Merry Christmas.
Frank. ....

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kwschumm
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2009-12-14          167493

Called a couple of places on a 20 foot container.

Prices range from $1695-1895 depending on how many dents I'm willing to accept, plus ~$200 delivery (40 miles).

There's a good place next to the house for it to sit, but in the future I may want to move it behind the house. Are there any tricks to moving a 5000 lb. container with a 32hp tractor?

Maybe instead of buying a 7x16 flatbed trailer a wider one would be better so the container could be winched and moved.

Once the shop is done it sure seems like these would be a good place to season firewood (assuming ventilation and no condensation).

....

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Murf
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2009-12-14          167494

Quote:
Originally Posted by kwschumm | view 167493
Are there any tricks to moving a 5000 lb. container with a 32hp tractor?


As a student of Archimedes I can tell you without doubt, leverage and hydraulics can allow a small thing to do great work.

A small hydraulic cylinder will easily allow the raising of one end, remember, a 5k pound container doesn't sit on just one point, lifting one corner or end is a lot less weight.

We use a surplus mobile home axle on a jig that catches the standard mounting / lifting points on the container at one end, and a tongue that similarly catches the points on the other end to just convert it into a trailer.

However, we've also moved them quite a ways by just jacking them up and rolling logs under them, instant rollers!! As you pull it stop when a roller comes out from under the back, and put it back in front. Likely 4 or 5 logs is all it would take.

Best of luck. ....

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2009-12-14          167495

Thanks, Murf.

I'm taking a welding class at the local community college starting in January. Maybe I'll make some container axle and hitch ends as my project :)

....

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earthwrks
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2009-12-15          167503

Some 10' Schedule 40 or 80 6" pipe works great too. The area should be free from anything that will prevent easy rolling like small rocks---think: grocery basket caster stuck on a pebble.

When I moved portable garages I did it this way using only my 33hp blue. I used the box blade as a pusher. You can guide it or steer it easily this way. And as far as steering, per se, whatever way you arrange the logs/pipes generally the unit will follow, think: roller conveyor used to move boxes in a factory. ....

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kwschumm
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2009-12-15          167504

Quote:
Originally Posted by earthwrks | view 167503
Some 10' Schedule 40 or 80 6" pipe works great too. The area should be free from anything that will prevent easy rolling like small rocks---think: grocery basket caster stuck on a pebble. When I moved portable garages I did it this way using only my 33hp blue. I used the box blade as a pusher. You can guide it or steer it easily this way. And as far as steering, per se, whatever way you arrange the logs/pipes generally the unit will follow, think: roller conveyor used to move boxes in a factory.


I think rolling on pipes will be out, it will be placed on gravel :)
....

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2009-12-15          167506

Never moved a shipping container, but did move a portable building with 4 X 6 skids under it once using the rolling pipe method. I had the same issue, gravel. I had some 2 X 12 planks I laid diwn for the pipes to roll on. It made for some extra carrying around to the other end work, but you'll only do it once. ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
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2009-12-15          167518

Ken, gravel is actually one of the easiest things to roll on.

The edges lock it together and prevent the rollers from settling in. This is why it's used on roads in the first place.

I think if you do the math you'll find that even using relatively small rollers the load per square inch is surprisingly low.

Best of luck. ....

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hardwood
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2009-12-15          167523

Murf;
I was on fresh non compacted "gravel", (crushed limestone).
On compacted gravel you are correct, and I wouldn't have needed the pipe rollers, the 4 X 6 skids would have slid fine.

OK, now just to clarify a point. I think "gravel" is a loosely used term to describe most any form of aggregate spread on a road.
Here the loose term "gravel" usually means crushed limestone. But before crushed limestone was so readily available the old timers did use red gravel from gravel pits on the roads here that was a mix of non screened small round pebbles with red soil mixed in. The crushed limestone wa a big improvement because it does interlock as you say to make a more firm road when it rains, the red gravel just went to mush in a rainy spell.
Merry Christmas. A very important fellow lets me share his birthday on the 25th.
Frank. ....

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