Another Trailer question

[Iplayfarmer]

I have a small Iseki TX1500 with a FEL and tiller. The tractor specs say it weighs about 1200 pounds. I would guess that with the FEL and tiller it weighs in a little over 1800 lbs. I've been hauing it in the back of my 1/2 ton pickup. Needless to say it's not my favorite experience loading and unloading the tractor from the back of a pickup truck.

In fact... on Saturday I was unloading and one of the ramps slipped when I was about halfway down. There I was dangling a rear wheel in mid air, praying that the front wheel would hold. The airborne wheel was spinning freely. I stepped on the differential lock and backed until the two rear wheels were on firm ground. Then the front wheel slipped off the ramp. The short version of the rest of the story is that the whole tractor was quickly on the ground and there's not much left of the ramps. The truck is O.K.... not even a scratch.

I got a trailer last night to haul my tractor. The question I have is "How much work am I going to have to do on it?" It's a home-made job I bought off a guy down south of here. The frame is strong, and there are cross members running widthwise every two feet along the whole length of the trailer. The axle is a mobile home axle, so it's pretty hefty. My only concern is the decking. There are two layers of plywood. The bottom layer is 1/2" and the top is 3/4". The wood is old, but it doesn't look like there's any dry rot or anything.

Unlike most of you, I'm not a welder, but I'm pretty good with wood. I had originally thought about ripping off the old plywood and beefing up the deck with some 4X4 "joists" between the cross members along where the wheels will be. Then I'd re-do the deck with 2x12 planks (or just put back the old plywood).

Do you think I need to spend the time and effort to re-build this decking, or do you think that the 1 1/4" of plywood will hold? Does anyone have better ideas for re-building the decking if that's the route I go? I do know a few good welders around, but then I'm paying for time instead of wasting it myself.

 

[BigAl]

Most of the wood decked trailers I had seen were 2x8 or 2x10 doug fir decking . I don't think you want to trust the plywood as you are talking two layers that equal 1 1/4 inches ,not one piece that is 1 1/4 thick . You really have no idea why the second layer was put on . I would just redeck the whole thing and know i had a good solid floor .
Allen

 

[AntrimMan]

You really only need solid decking where the tires will travel as long as you don't wander or slip all over the place. Maybe just run some 2by's where really needed. Man am I cheap this morning or what? Keep it safe whatever you decide.
All the best,
Martin

 

[Iplayfarmer]

If I just replace the whole deck with 2X8 will I still need to reinforce underneath where the wheels will travel?

P.S. I found the picture of the tractor in the back of the truck.

 

[BigEddy]

If you have cross members every 2 feet, I'd think 2x's would be fine without further reinforcement. My trailer is decked with 2x12's and I drive my 4000lb TLB onto it all the time. My supports are about every 2 feet as well and there is nothing special under the wheels.

For a quick fix as suggested, you could just go buy 4 @ 2x10's and put 2 on each side under the wheel tracks on top of the plywood and you would likely be strong enough as long as you can fasten them through to the frame.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Thanks, BigEddy! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif


That's why I like this forum... Real people with real experience who can tell me what has worked and what hasn't.

Thanks to BigAl and AntrimMan too. Big Help! Really!

Maybe I'll get some before and after shots and post them to this thread when I'm done with the trailer.

 

[AntrimMan]

I am doing some digging over in CT and I have hit a few big stones but believe me, I looked at your picture twice now and your stones are the biggest. Using every bit of the bed, and those ramps. Yup, your's are way bigger than mine.
That's a nice looking truck and a pretty nice tractor too.
A trailer is a good idea, your are doing the right thing.
I'm still smiling as wide as can be.
All the best,
Martin

 

[Highbeam]

So 1800 lbs in the bed of a 1/2 ton 4x4 truck. My 1/2 ton 4x4 truck, just like yours but with a canopy, weighs 5800 lbs empty and with a 6200 lb GVWR I only have 400 lbs of cargo.

Hmmmmm, 1800 lbs in the bed of a half ton. Them's some stones. Actually driving into the bed on motorcycle ramps would be the scariest part. Then you have to do it with the FEL way up in the air so that it doesn't blow the back window out.

Trailer, yes trailer. Good idea.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I will admit there is a fine line between brave and stupid. As evidenced by my decision to buy a trailer, I realize I had crossed it.

In my defense however, the whole system worked out a lot better on paper. I've got access to a truck scale at work, and my truck weighs in at only 5300 lbs. empty. The rear axle is only carrying 1800 lbs. empty and it's rated at somewhere north of 3,700 lbs. The GVWR as stated on the door is 6,400 lbs. I knew I'd be overloading a little, but not severely. When I bought the truck I got heavier tires because I knew I'd overload occasionally.

The ramps were rated at 2,000 lbs. for the pair (written on the label on the ramps). I bought them a while back for loading my motorcycle and a riding lawn mower. I figured since I had them and they were rated for the weight, I'd make due with what I had.

I also rigged a beam into the frame of the FEL to keep it up without relying on the hydraulics (the beam was added after the picture was taken).

Loading went fine. I loaded it three times. Once a few weeks back just to make sure it would work, once before I went to my grandpa's house and reduced his patch of six foot weeds to a respectible looking patch of dirt, and then after I was done at grandpa's.

Unloading got worse each time, though. The final adventure happened as I unloaded the tractor at my Dad's house so he could use it to clean out his corral. In the process of slipping off the ramps they both bent into almost a 120 degree arc. I don't know if slipping caused the ramps to bend or bending caused them to slip.

The truck drove fine with the tractor in it. I was actually pretty impressed at how well it handled. You see the pattern here? I'm a little over spec for the truck and it did fine, I'm a little under spec on the ramps and they let me down hard.(literally)

The tractor has been at Dad's ever since, and it will stay there until I can get the trailer modified to where it works more than just on paper.

This is why I'm glad I found this forum. I can rely on real world experience and not just specs on paper.

 

[Highbeam]

I overload my truck the same way. I regularly exceed the GVWR but not the axle ratings or combined rating. I also use Load range C tires, which are rated much higher than the P tires and flex less.

It is valuable to learn from other people's lessons.