Trailer rebuild- a summer I will never get back.

[cockeyedMFer]

Where do you guys find trailers for so cheap. I had my heart set on a 16' or 18' PJ manual tilt car hauler with 5K axles but the lowest dealer wanted $3600 with out add ons and tax.

But $850 in 2003 dollars...what's that today, 1500-1800?

Anymore the cheapest trailer locally is a Gatormade and they're almost 2k for a very basic 7k wood decked trailer. Around '09 or so there was a spike in trailer prices that hasn't gone down.

As for the value of your labor, take the amount of money saved, divide by the number of hours and if its anywhere close to your current wage, you're doing ok. Just think of it as a summer job

Looks well worth it though. Love the color!

 

[JESSE1]

Your trailer looks great. It looks to be built much more heavy-duty than most factory built trailers.

 

[sixdogs]

Great looking trailer and an excellent rebuild job. Now you know exactly what you have.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I took an old home made trailer my dad owned and I am currently rebuilding it...
Got it down to the frame and now have 1 coat of paint on it...
I figure with paint, 4 new tires, and wiring I am gonna have over $700 in it not counting my time and the flooring...
We've got some 1" boards stored in the shed so that will save a bunch...
It is 16' but with brakes on both axles...
Not pretty but functional...

You have done a great job on that trailer...
I hope mine looks half as good when completed...
Lots of love and time involved...

 

[The Fred]

The good thing about doing your own work is that when it breaks you know what to do and where to look to fix it.
NICE job, just one question; why CAT yellow paint when you have Deeres in your signature?

Inquiring minds want to know

Fred

 

[aczlan]

The good thing about doing your own work is that when it breaks you know what to do and where to look to fix it.
NICE job, just one question; why CAT yellow paint when you have Deeres in your signature?
Inquiring minds want to know

Per his earlier posts, it is because he has a neighbor who works for CAT and got him the paint at cost.

Aaron Z

 

[bubbacuse77]

But $850 in 2003 dollars...what's that today, 1500-1800?

Anymore the cheapest trailer locally is a Gatormade and they're almost 2k for a very basic 7k wood decked trailer. Around '09 or so there was a spike in trailer prices that hasn't gone down.

As for the value of your labor, take the amount of money saved, divide by the number of hours and if its anywhere close to your current wage, you're doing ok. Just think of it as a summer job

Looks well worth it though. Love the color!

True, Every lower cost trailer I could see looked to have everything very basic. Which I'm sure works for some people but I wanted to have some custom touches. Thanks for the kind words, I love the color as well.

 

[bubbacuse77]

I took an old home made trailer my dad owned and I am currently rebuilding it...
Got it down to the frame and now have 1 coat of paint on it...
I figure with paint, 4 new tires, and wiring I am gonna have over $700 in it not counting my time and the flooring...
We've got some 1" boards stored in the shed so that will save a bunch...
It is 16' but with brakes on both axles...
Not pretty but functional...

You have done a great job on that trailer...
I hope mine looks half as good when completed...
Lots of love and time involved...

LOTS of TIME, I can't count the days I put into it? I titled this post, "The summer I will never get back", because almost every bit of free time was spent on this rebuild, mean while my 3 year old son kept asking if daddy would play with him. I had no idea it would be this involved and I felt terrible every time I told my boy, "later, let me weld a bit first".

 

[bubbacuse77]

The good thing about doing your own work is that when it breaks you know what to do and where to look to fix it.
NICE job, just one question; why CAT yellow paint when you have Deeres in your signature?

Inquiring minds want to know

Fred

Fred, I have JD tractors but I like every color tractor and piece of equipment. I ran an air to ground bombing/gunnery range for the last 5 years and we had all kinds of CAT equipment and I jumped in it when ever I got a chance. Besides I just liked the way it looked on a trailer vs the way green trailers look. Just my preference.

Thanks for the kind words

 

[cockeyedMFer]

I told my boy, "later, let me weld a bit first".

Well in 14 years when he wants to borrow the trailer, he'll understand