Log trailer for behind a UTV

[Robert_in_NY]

Has anyone found a nice log trailer to pull behind a UTV or ATV? When I am liimbing trees along my fields I take any limbs that are big enough for firewood and leave it in the field for my grandfather to cut for firewood. I was thinking if I had a simple trailer that I could roll 8' long limbs up onto it would save another trip along the field.

If I had to build one (well, I would have my friends build it as they are set up to do this type of work) I would have dual axles (maybe walking tandem) with a heavy duty tire that will wear well for road travel. Also, I would like to design the two stays on one side so that they could fold down to form a ramp. Or design a heavy duty ramp that I can design to attach to the trailer some how. Usually I am lucky if I am loading 6" limbs but occasionally I get a tree that blows down into the field so I would want the ramp to hold up to more weight if needed. It wouldn't have to be too complicated, just drop a pin in the hitch and go.

I would prefer to find something already designed and refined that I could just buy once I buy my UTV. Does anyone have any ideas of things I should consider or links to sites that make something similar.

And I have seen some for tractors that had a gas powered grapple to load logs and that would be slick if it wasn't too expensive. Maybe if I had to build one I could design a hydraulic grapple to run behind the RTV if I buy one of them

 

[MossRoad]

Are you planning to load the trailer by hand or use something else? Or a self loading trailer?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I am not sure, I have a log roller for anything bigger then I can handle but I am hoping to keep the trailer fairly low so it is easy to slide logs up the ramp. It would be great to have a grapple on the front of the trailer to load the trailer but depending on cost would determine if I take the logs out or tell my dad and gramps to do it themselves.

I know I am limited to 20 pounds so I want to figure something out that if it is easy enough I will load by hand, if inexpensive enough I will automate it, if too much of a hassle or too expensive I am going to forget the idea. It usually takes me a while to trim the trees and remove the small brush so I am not going to waste time cutting the wood into firewood and load into a trailer behind the UTV. My gramps likes cutting firewood so if I can get the limbs and occasional log to him he will be happy. I will be happy to not have an extra vehicle running thru the fields.

I also thought it would be nice to rent the pull behind Vermeer chipper that Home Depot rents and pull that behind the UTV after I knock down all the limbs so that I can mulch the brush instead of trying to drag it into the woods and across ditches and such (that is more work then anything). If I did that it would be a trim and remove the large limbs first then come back thru with a one day rental of the chipper and get rid of the rest of the limbs.

 

[TWO GUNS]

Somewhere, a few months ago, there was a post, either on here or on another tractor site, where it showed a trailer being pulled by a atv, and it was hauling a fair size log .... Matter of fact, I went to the website, and looked at it, and even then, I thought that would be the thing to have if a man wanted to haul in his wood by the stick... I will try to find it again, but this thing was some kinda sharp, and wasn't that expensive either >>>>
It was shaped like a " U " shape trailer, with a winch that picked up the log, and was hauled very easy to point B >>>>>

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Somewhere, a few months ago, there was a post, either on here or on another tractor site, where it showed a trailer being pulled by a atv, and it was hauling a fair size log .... Matter of fact, I went to the website, and looked at it, and even then, I thought that would be the thing to have if a man wanted to haul in his wood by the stick... I will try to find it again, but this thing was some kinda sharp, and wasn't that expensive either >>>>
It was shaped like a " U " shape trailer, with a winch that picked up the log, and was hauled very easy to point B >>>>>

I think you are refering to the logging arch. I do not need something that will pull logs that big. I am only dealing with limbs and the occasional blown over tree. Usually I am cutting limbs in the 4-6" range. Sometimes I get bigger limbs as I cut the limbs back at the tree so with the limbs reaching for sunlight they can come a long way from in the woods edge.

Now that I think of it, a 12v winch mounted to the back of the UTV would allow me to pull the limbs up from the back or I can do the ramp idea and hook a pully up to the stay on the opposite side and still use the winch to slide the log up from the side via the pully.

You guys are giving me a lot of ideas and you probably don't even realize it

 

[TWO GUNS]

I thought this is what you were lookin' for >>>

This would be to big for your applicatioins >>>

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I thought this is what you were lookin' for >>>

This would be to big for your applicatioins >>>

I am looking for something like this but shrunk down to UTV size with or without the grapple

 

[TWO GUNS]

I am looking for something like this but shrunk down to UTV size with or without the grapple

That shouldn't be to hard of a project. Fix up a piece of square tubing, and throw some axle kits on, attach a bull-dog hitch, fix up you some vertical steaks. and like you said, use the winch to draw 'em up there . There you go !!!

 

[Samandothers]

I hope it is fairly level where you will be pulling your trailer. If not be careful the weight on the trailer does not cause it to wanna pass your UTV going down an incline.

I have a 700 cc ATV that can pull 1500 lbs. I have a 4x8 trailer I carry the ATV on. I put a ball hitch behind the ATV and then pull the trailer with the ATV on my land. Earlier this fall I had the trailer loaded and started down an incline. The engine brake did a good job to keep the unit from free wheeling and keep me from needing to use the friction brakes. HOWEVER, laws of nature can not be broken, gravity is not forgiving. One the way down the incline the trailer assisted by gravity decided it wanted to go faster than the 4 wheeler. A jack knife situation was created.
The only reason I did not place this on the stupid things I've done with my tractor thread was.... well because it was not with my tractor. My lesson was even though the ATV had the power to pull the load and the engine brake and friction brakes can slow and stop the wheels does not mean the load must cooperate.

I hope you find the trailer you are looking for...

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I hope it is fairly level where you will be pulling your trailer. If not be careful the weight on the trailer does not cause it to wanna pass your UTV going down an incline.

I have a 700 cc ATV that can pull 1500 lbs. I have a 4x8 trailer I carry the ATV on. I put a ball hitch behind the ATV and then pull the trailer with the ATV on my land. Earlier this fall I had the trailer loaded and started down an incline. The engine brake did a good job to keep the unit from free wheeling and keep me from needing to use the friction brakes. HOWEVER, laws of nature can not be broken, gravity is not forgiving. One the way down the incline the trailer assisted by gravity decided it wanted to go faster than the 4 wheeler. A jack knife situation was created.
The only reason I did not place this on the stupid things I've done with my tractor thread was.... well because it was not with my tractor. My lesson was even though the ATV had the power to pull the load and the engine brake and friction brakes can slow and stop the wheels does not mean the load must cooperate.

I hope you find the trailer you are looking for...

The hills are about 3 miles further from the lake. I farm in the flat lake bed region that surrounds Lake Erie.

Also, UTV's weigh more the ATV's and are designed to handle weight better. I am very well aware of the dangers of pulling heavy loads at too fast of speeds or down hills as I have been raised around my grandparents farms and have been involved with almost every type of farming available in this area at some point in my life

But you are right, any trailer if over loaded for the pulling vehicle can cause a hazzard but it isn't limited to hills. An overloaded trailer will cause the towing vehicle to need more room to stop this and if you are going to fast and need to stop quick