Shipping container axles adding?

[ArlyA]

Folks, has anyone here added axles to there shipping container to make it readily moveable?? I've been working on some 20ft versions at work and noted one in town the company had added three axles and hitch to. It looked rather nice and said they'd done that just to make it easier to move.

 

[Rustyiron]

How often do you think that you'll move it?
A "roll back" (think flat bed tow truck) can move them fast and easy. I have 3 of the 20's for jobsite storage and that's how I moved them. They're about 5000# empty and adding the running gear and tongue, lights, Jack's, etc.
no insignificant cost doing that. Older "box" truck bodies are cheaper and lighter. I had a few of these I made into storage trailers. Depending on the space required, a 14-16' body can be dropped on a set of (farm) wagon gears really easily.

 

[ArlyA]

Twice a year and it having axles making it a trailer might circumvent any city codes. Plus I'd not need to rely on some one else to move it. Do you have pics of the ones you added axles to?

 

[azbinder]

Don't know about MI, but in most states, if you are planning on moving it on a public roadway, it will need to be tagged as a trailer. Whole new can of worms.

 

[JPRambo]

Would you be moving it empty?

 

[nyone]

For minimal around the property trips to get around code just weld some axle stubs to it and have the wheels barely on the ground.

 

[Menagerie-Manor]

Folks, has anyone here added axles to there shipping container to make it readily moveable?? I've been working on some 20ft versions at work and noted one in town the company had added three axles and hitch to. It looksed rather nice and said they'd done that just to make it easier to move.

They have removable container wheel kits that use the corner post attachment points.

 

[ArlyA]

It would need to be moved about 5 miles each spring and fall while empty and I'd just do that under the radar, aka no tags. I'd add the axles and springs and leave them on. Putting on a axle system on and off would be to much of a hassle. I'll try to get a picture of the locale one I seen this week.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

It will be over 9' wide unless you put wheels under the box.

 

[sandman2234]

I took a 65 foot mobile home frame and cut it down to 40 foot to haul the one I had. I used all the metal I cut off as reinforcements for the trailer. I used jacks and a piece of I-beam with reinforced wooden reels to span one end, then backed the trailer up underneath it. When I got to the other end, I jacked it up and pulled the trailer out, then jacked it back down to the ground. A Simplex jack with the little foot on it works great!
At the last minute, I decided to call a wrecker company to haul the trailer the 30 miles to where it was going, as they were permitted to haul the trailer without tags and my half ton pickup truck would be stressed to pull it (the container was loaded). The tare weight on the 40 foot box was 2700 pounds, because it was almost all aluminum.
David from jax

 

[ArlyA]

Here is the one parked at a nearby business. The trailer-home axles didn't make it has high off the ground as I suspected they would. Across the rear, some platform would be needed so we could easily open it and machine ramp could be left on it.

 

[Rustyiron]

Twice a year and it having axles making it a trailer might circumvent any city codes. Plus I'd not need to rely on some one else to move it. Do you have pics of the ones you added axles to?

No pictures Arly. They both were about 14' truck van or box bodies. One was on a 2 axle trailer frame and the other was on a farm wagon.
You'll need to build a small sub frame to fasten the springs to distributing the load to the outer rails of the container. Then the tongue will need to get welded to the bottom.
I'd incorporate a jack at each corner for storage purposes and to unload the axle.
Pretty good welding project with most of it overhead.

 

[ArlyA]

Its front and ready to be towed by my ranger.. This is made as a sound test bed for military mufflers.

 

[2manyrocks]

Looks like a lot to tow. That tall box will have wind resistance to being towed, too.

 

[ArlyA]

Seems more venting needs to be added for summer anyway. A 2ft deep step or platform added to the rear for opening and closing the doors and with that, ramps could be left on. No ground support or jacks added other than on its hitch frame. We have no interest in truck or utility boxes since they can't take snow loads.

If anyone here has added axles to there shipping container, please post pics.

 

[Randy52]

Very easy to license a trailer in Maine, no matter what state you are in. I have box trailer I couldnt license in Pa. because have no title. No problem licenceing in Maine. Check out Maine Trailer site on the net.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

There is a company near me that has about 10 of the 40' shipping containers that have been converted to mobile kitchens. These kitchens are used in disaster areas such as when hurricanes hit.

They seem to be on custom built trailers. I'll try to get some pics for you.

 

[Gator6x4]

Reading through the post reaffirms my policy of when you see someone towing a trailer on the highway today, get as far away from them as possible.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

The containers are designed to be supported at the ends, where the lifting and tie down points are. I’d be hesitant about adding spring mounts which didn’t transfer load to the ends. But I’m a dumb ole engineer who knows enough to be worried.

For short distances empty, I would spend the $500 they are asking on eBay for an axle kit which ties into the tie down sockets on the container.

 

[WranglerX]

Here is the one parked at a nearby business. The trailer-home axles didn't make it has high off the ground as I suspected they would. Across the rear, some platform would be needed so we could easily open it and machine ramp could be left on it.View attachment 759867View attachment 759866View attachment 759865

Cheap junk axle assemblies out from under "mobile home"..... Original designed to get "mobile" from factory to its intended site, nothing more....