Temporary beam/pole trailer?

   / Temporary beam/pole trailer? #1  

Aquamoose

Platinum Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2011
Messages
946
Location
Deer Park, WA
Tractor
Branson 3520h
I’m planning on having 2 pieces of 36’ beams cut from a saw mill operator who can cut up to 45’. The trouble is, he’s 45 minutes away via country roads. To transport would be $250. Has anyone transported beams/poles via “utility” style where the trailer wheels are chained to the pole & hitched to the vehicle? There seems to be nothing in the WA vehicle code that covers this temporary setup other than no trailer brakes are required for loads under 3,000 lbs (which is well under that) and loads cannot extend 15’ from the rear axle.
 
   / Temporary beam/pole trailer? #2  
I would be tempted to take an old farm wagon rear axle and add a very long reach pole to it,
tension it with some cabling to form a V from the hitch to the axle, hang a SMV sign on it and pull it with my tractor.
Of course with time and material I'll be over the $250 in valve if not out of pocket.
 
   / Temporary beam/pole trailer? #3  
Shucks, a short axle (c/w wheels etc.) lag bolted about 6-8 ft from rear end and well chained to the towing vehicle should do the trick.
Probably well flagged with a buddy to escort.
Main problem would be tight turns but that could be timed/planned ahead.

LOL, LEOs might object to lack of trailer 'Tags'.

Twice I hauled small aircraft fair distances by hitching the tail wheels to my car.
One haul was 75 miles and trust me I planned well ahead the route and timing to avoid Leos.
Even attached my trailer plates to the aircraft and wired stop lights as well.
Never saw a Leo!
 
   / Temporary beam/pole trailer? #4  
I知 planning on having 2 pieces of 36 beams cut from a saw mill operator who can cut up to 45? The trouble is, heç—´ 45 minutes away via country roads. To transport would be $250. Has anyone transported beams/poles via ç*¥tility style where the trailer wheels are chained to the pole & hitched to the vehicle? There seems to be nothing in the WA vehicle code that covers this temporary setup other than no trailer brakes are required for loads under 3,000 lbs (which is well under that) and loads cannot extend 15 from the rear axle.

I don't have any idea what access you have to equipment but from what you describe I would just use my 20 ft. trailer. Drive the road first to be sure how sever any dips are and how sharp any corners are then build some temporary stands at the front and back of the trailer to put the beams on so they are held above pickup bed rail height. Hang about 5 ft. off the back of the trailer, the rest over the front which will be about 11 ft. which trailer tongues are usually around 6 to 7 ft. long so that only leaves 4 to 5 ft. hanging over the pickup bed.

Be careful of oncoming traffic when rounding sharp corners and be careful of sharp dips in the road, especially if they are on a corner. Tie the beams down good and flag both ends and you will be fine. Travel when traffic is light.

I have hauled 60 ft. beams using two small trailers but I don't see that you need to go to that extend so I won't bother trying to describe how I did it.
 
   / Temporary beam/pole trailer? #5  
$250 is cheap. Spend the money and avoid trying to figure out how to do it with the risk of something going wrong and then having to deal with tens, or even hundreds of thousands in damages. Will your insurance cover you if something goes wrong?
 
   / Temporary beam/pole trailer? #6  
$250 is cheap. Spend the money and avoid trying to figure out how to do it with the risk of something going wrong and then having to deal with tens, or even hundreds of thousands in damages. Will your insurance cover you if something goes wrong?

Spoken like a man that graduated *** laude from U.Of Hard Knocks. :laughing:
 
   / Temporary beam/pole trailer? #7  
Some utility company is replacing some power poles on my road. They rented a vacant field as a staging area and to store the new poles. I saw them drag a pole they removed back to the staging area behind one of their trucks. Did see how they transported the new pole to its location. No pole trailer there. It could have been in the staging area. Road was snow covered at the time. Jon
 
   / Temporary beam/pole trailer? #8  
$250 is cheap. Spend the money and avoid trying to figure out how to do it with the risk of something going wrong and then having to deal with tens, or even hundreds of thousands in damages. Will your insurance cover you if something goes wrong?

Or find a log truck driver willing to moonlight a bit.
 
 
Top