Building extension for my trailer

[travlitt]

I have a 16,000 GVW bumper pull trailer that is 25'+ a 2' dove tail. When I haul my tractor and my ZTR I have a little to much toungue weight. I am building a 30" extension for it so I can move the tractor back closer to the rear end. This will move enought weight from the front of the trailer to the rear for a better load balance.
Before


My tractor with 8' brusg hog


































All that is left to do is sand blast it and paint it.

 

[Morning Wood]

Too bad the axles aren't forward a foot

 

[Gary Fowler]

Yep, bad placement of the axles on that 25 foot trailer. They should be much farther forward for proper balancing of the load on a 25 foot trailer. They appear to be in about the same location as my 20 foot trailer so you would be putting a lot more tongue weight on it if you moved any amount forward. When I load my tractor on my 20 footer it is about the same position in relation to the trailer axles as yours but I have 5 foot less in the front..

 

[JerryK]

That type of axle placement is usually used with a dump truck/pintel hook setup. Dump trucks can handle the tongue weight...

 

[George2615]

What kind of tow vehicle are you using.
Maybe helper springs, air bags, or a weight distribution hitch are needed on your tow vehicle.
My 22' 14K tilt bed trailer has an empty tongue weight of almost 1100# and I have no problem with too much tongue weight or rear end squat when loaded towing it with a half ton pick up. My axles are mounted back quite a ways on the trailer also.

 

[GPintheMitten]

It's nice to have a longer trailer. Nice fab work.

Question. Did you consider moving the axles forward?

 

[redshirt]

I know you tried this before tackling the extension, but what happened when you backed the tractor on?

 

[travlitt]

I know you tried this before tackling the extension, but what happened when you backed the tractor on?

Backing it on would have solved part of the problen. When I have to have both my tractor and my ZTR for some of my mowing jobs, this is overall the best solution.

 

[travlitt]

What kind of tow vehicle are you using.
Maybe helper springs, air bags, or a weight distribution hitch are needed on your tow vehicle.
My 22' 14K tilt bed trailer has an empty tongue weight of almost 1100# and I have no problem with too much tongue weight or rear end squat when loaded towing it with a half ton pick up. My axles are mounted back quite a ways on the trailer also.

I pull it with a 3/4 ton GMC diesel and I do use a weight distribution hitch. If I can move the load toward the rear, I won't have a front end hitch weight problem.

 

[travlitt]

It's nice to have a longer trailer. Nice fab work.

Question. Did you consider moving the axles forward?

I did consider moving the axles forward, but decided that would/might compromise the overall safety of the trailer. I needed the additional length anyway.

 

[GPintheMitten]

I see. Good job.

 

[bdog]

Looks like you did a good job. Kind of a little tricky fabrication with the dove tail being there. Did you consider cutting the dove off and adding the extension between it and the main part of the trailer? I see nothing wrong with what you did but done that way you could have retained the existing ramp hinges and light brackets.

I had a similar problem on my trailer but my fenders were all tore up so I decided to move the axles forward and put new fenders. It was a two day job. All the welding is done and it is painted but I still need to repack my bearings while I have the wheels off and rewire everything as the wires were running through conduit right where I had to be welding and cutting.

 

[travlitt]

Looks like you did a good job. Kind of a little tricky fabrication with the dove tail being there. Did you consider cutting the dove off and adding the extension between it and the main part of the trailer? I see nothing wrong with what you did but done that way you could have retained the existing ramp hinges and light brackets.

I had a similar problem on my trailer but my fenders were all tore up so I decided to move the axles forward and put new fenders. It was a two day job. All the welding is done and it is painted but I still need to repack my bearings while I have the wheels off and rewire everything as the wires were running through conduit right where I had to be welding and cutting.

I did give that some thought. Doing this the way I did, the trailer retained the origional configuration and I did not comprise the origional frame. Much easer to add the extension to the end of the dovetail. The angle of the dovetail is about 6.5 degrees where I welded the extension on. That was not a problem. The extension is on the same plane as the main deck. As for as saving the hinges for the ramps, I just cut them off with a torch and made 3 new ones and welded them on the back rail prior to the welding up the rest of the frame.

 

[travlitt]

Follow up on my trailer frame extension.

Load fits much better.





Pickup sets nice and lever as well as the trailer

 

[bdog]

Looks like a good fit. Just what you needed.

Kind of off topic but the DOT would eat your lunch the way you have that tractor secured. The loader needs to be secured and the strap on the shredder is fine for the shredder but would not count as a rear securement for the tractor. Not sure the weight on that but if under 10k you need a minimum of one securement on the front and one on the rear plus all attachments including loader need separate securement. If over 10k you need a securement on each of the four corners of the tractor plus all attachments including loader.

I don't think it is going anywhere but thought I might save you some tickets. Been there and done that. On my backhoe I have to use 6 chains. One on each corner plus one over the hoe and one over the loader. Doesn't make sense really as they aren't going to fall off but the DPS guy told me it is to prevent it from accidentally rising and hitting a overpass or something. How it would defy gravity and lift up on its own I don't know I didn't write the law.

 

[travlitt]

Bdog
I am aware of the tie down rules. Now that I can move the tractor back from where it was, I can put the tractor rear tie downs in place. When I have to haul double for work, I will remove the loader.

 

[bdog]

Good deal :thumbs:

Just was checking to save you a potential ticket if you didn't. I know I didn't use to know the loader had to be secured. I used to haul my tractor with a loader and shredder attached with just chains on the tractor.

 

[travlitt]

Follow up on my trailer frame extension.

Load fits much better.

View attachment 467828



Pickup sets nice and lever as well as the trailer

View attachment 467829

View attachment 467832

View attachment 467829

View attachment 467830

 

[travlitt]

Follow up on my trailer frame extension.

Load fits much better.

View attachment 467828



Pickup sets nice and lever as well as the trailer

View attachment 467829

View attachment 467832

View attachment 467829

View attachment 467830

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