New Trailer

[Paystar]

I agree with removing and inspecting bearings at some point. But I love the EZ-Lube spindles. The biggest issue with them is the lack of information and the abundance of bad advice on how to use them properly.
Not one trailer dealer has ever told me to fill them until you purge all the old grease out. They all just say "only 2 pumps a year" Which is the wrong way.
Another thing I really like, and other brand trucks may do it, but I love how I can enter all my different trailers by name in the dash display of my Ford.
That way I can track exact mileage of all my trailers right from the day I pick them up at dealer.

 

[Paystar]

That surprises me. What brand trailer is that?

I have an Aluma trailer I bought 9 years ago; I use it mainly to haul my side by side but I've also hauled cars and SUVs on it. Bet I've got at least 20,000 miles on it now - it is overdue for new tires. Most of my towing is on dirt roads and yet the Aluma has held up well - never had anything break. I have had to put a layer of rubber over the fenders and a protective barrier over the front because gravel thrown up by the tow vehicle was seriously pitting the aluminum.

Was a Bearco made in Ontario Canada. They were a great company to deal with, great pricing and they they stood behind their product. But like I said it had way too much flex. The fenders never stopped cracking where they attached.
The doubled up cross members in the pics is what I had added and Bearco did pay me for that. I did three sets. And now I see their newest trailers all have added cross members, so they did see my issues and tried to correct.
The trailer was rated for 5700 pound payload, but it sure didn't like my 5000 pound Ford 3000 diesel.

 

[Paystar]

And here's pics of me breaking the tailgate with my Ford 3000 when I got lazy and didn't put wood blocks under the center joint.

 

[WinterDeere]

Not confused. I don’t have Dexter’s. In my younger years I blew seals on Bearing Buddies.

Yes, easy to do that on Bearing Buddies. But not EZ Lube.

 

[CliffordK]

And here's pics of me breaking the tailgate with my Ford 3000 when I got lazy and didn't put wood blocks under the center joint.

Those ramps just don't look sufficient for the load. The Ford 3000 is listed at only about 3700 lbs + ballast + implements. Not too heavy, but I'd expect to load less than 1K on the ramps..

What is the weight rating on the trailer?

I'm not convinced that this is a mark against all Aluminum trailers, but a company certainly does have to take care with the build.

My parents had a custom aluminum horse trailer built. A few small maintenance issues over the years, but it is now over 20 years old, and in regular use by the second owner.

 

[Paystar]

Those ramps just don't look sufficient for the load. The Ford 3000 is listed at only about 3700 lbs + ballast + implements. Not too heavy, but I'd expect to load less than 1K on the ramps..

What is the weight rating on the trailer?

I'm not convinced that this is a mark against all Aluminum trailers, but a company certainly does have to take care with the build.

My parents had a custom aluminum horse trailer built. A few small maintenance issues over the years, but it is now over 20 years old, and in regular use by the second owner.

I've had my Ford 3000 on the MTO scales, it's 5000 pounds. It's the diesel version.
As you can see, those ramps have held up quite well for the number of times that tractor has drove over them. But like I say, I usually put wood blocks under the pivot hinges. Didn't look like a lot of weld penetration where it broke.
That trailer was rated for 5700 pound payload.

 

[randyjs]

Got a photo of that 2-piece gate? I've been debating sawing mine in half and hinging it, but my tractor weighs in over 5000 lb., and load on the front axle can be very high when grabbing logs off the trailer, which easily weigh over 1000 lb. each. If I hinge it, whatever means I use to prevent the hinge from breaking over backwards is going to have to also be heavy and substantial... maybe undoing the weight advantage.

The last trailer I did for a friend you could get the barrel hinges from Tractor Supply and Northern Tool. Install the hinges so you can slide the gate off if needed.

 

[WinterDeere]

The last trailer I did for a friend you could get the barrel hinges from Tractor Supply and Northern Tool. Install the hinges so you can slide the gate off if needed.

Yep, that's the way to go! I have them on my current gate, but it's big and heavy enough that removing or re-installing it alone is a real challenge.

For some reason I'll never understand, the OEM made the pins on both hinges the exact same length. So from the factory, there was absolutely no way to mount the tailgage without two people to align both hinges simultaneously. I had a situation once, where the tailgate fell off while winching a 5000# log into the trailer, and I was stuck out in the woods alone in the snow, with no way to get it re-mounted. By some miracle, a buddy who lived up the road happened to drive by 30 minutes into that frustration, and was able to stop and help me.

I fixed that by cutting about 3/4" off one of the pins, so I can stand one pin in its socket, before walking to the other side of the trailer and hefting the other into place.

 

[randyjs]

Mine had one shorter pin from the factory. I guess some manufacturers put a little more thought into their products.