8'x30' deckover (ish?) trailer refresh

[aczlan]

No offense taken Tinhack, just trying to figure out how much I can safely haul on it and if it will work for what I need to do.
The decking is "well weathered" 3/4" plywood that is screwed down with self drilling screws, I dont trust it to hold my weight in some places. It will be replaced with 2x8 planks (or possibly 2x6 planks) after the new crossmembers are installed. At the front and back there is a piece of angle that looks like it went over the end of 2x? planks (it sits about 3/4" above the plywood), so I would guess that this is not the first or second deck that it has had.
Supposedly the previous owners hauled a skid steer on it with a job box on the front, not sure how that could be done with how its setup.
If the trailer isn't heavy enough, it will get a new deck, new jack and get sent on down the road (might take 8-10 feet off of it first and make it a 20-22' trailer). No sense keeping it around if I cant trust it with a tractor on it.


Aaron Z

 

[aczlan]

Pulled the plywood deck off tonight, there were only 2 pieces that I needed a pry bar for, the rest ripped off by hand.
Will load test it with round bales tomorrow, need to move a bunch of them from one barn to the other.

Aaron Z

 

[aczlan]

The frame:










10 bales on the trailer:


Aaron Z

 

[GLyford]

I wonder if it was purpose built for hauling porta-johns or plastic irrigation pipe or something like that...?

 

[fried1765]

Pulled the plywood deck off tonight, there were only 2 pieces that I needed a pry bar for, the rest ripped off by hand.
Will load test it with round bales tomorrow, need to move a bunch of them from one barn to the other.

Aaron Z

In my opinion, your best bet would be to sell it, and find a heavier built trailer.
Not a good idea to do a lot of $$ fixin, and then decide it is not adequate for your needs.
I only needed a 10K trailer, but bought 14K.
Turned out to be a very good decision.

 

[aczlan]

In my opinion, your best bet would be to sell it, and find a heavier built trailer.
Not a good idea to do a lot of $$ fixin, and then decide it is not adequate for your needs.
I only needed a 10K trailer, but bought 14K.
Turned out to be a very good decision.

I might sell it and buy something else, but I will get more selling with a deck on it and in a usable condition.
Right now I am into it under $1k, I have the steel on hand (other than possibly the 3/16 for fishplates).
Expenses to finish it should be welding rod, wood for deck, 4 tires (as well as a tire/rim/mount for a spare?), Lights, wiring, conduit (to run wiring in) and a coupler.
If I keep it, it will also get a toolbox up front with leftover 12v deep cycle battery, a solar charger and a small winch (have a 2000# harbor freight one that should be adequate to pull on a non-running rolling load).
I plan to make it into a 8' wide 22+2 or 21+3 dovetail deckover.
I will finally use up the piece of 6" I beam that has been in the way in the shop for the last 4 years as a new center frame rail (in line with the tongue), then add in cross members (pallet rack beams of which I have a surplus).
Here is roughly what I am thinking:



Red is the new back of the trailer.
Purple is the new wheel locations.
Green circle is the current back cross member of the trailer which will go at the top of the dovetail (Green line)
Orange is the dovetail cuts (will actually end up on the other side of the 1x3 cross member).

Aaron Z

 

[fried1765]

I might sell it and buy something else, but I will get more selling with a deck on it and in a usable condition.
Right now I am into it under $1k, I have the steel on hand (other than possibly the 3/16 for fishplates).
Expenses to finish it should be welding rod, wood for deck, 4 tires (as well as a tire/rim/mount for a spare?), Lights, wiring, conduit (to run wiring in) and a coupler.
If I keep it, it will also get a toolbox up front with leftover 12v deep cycle battery, a solar charger and a small winch (have a 2000# harbor freight one that should be adequate to pull on a non-running rolling load).
I plan to make it into a 8' wide 22+2 or 21+3 dovetail deckover.
I will finally use up the piece of 6" I beam that has been in the way in the shop for the last 4 years as a new center frame rail (in line with the tongue), then add in cross members (pallet rack beams of which I have a surplus).
Here is roughly what I am thinking:
View attachment 676672

View attachment 676675
Red is the new back of the trailer.
Purple is the new wheel locations.
Green circle is the current back cross member of the trailer which will go at the top of the dovetail (Green line)
Orange is the dovetail cuts (will actually end up on the other side of the 1x3 cross member).

Aaron Z

THAT sure seems to be a LOT of work and expense (tires/decking etc.) to still have a light capacity, non branded trailer.

 

[Fuddy1952]

If it were mine, say I paid $900 for it, I'd rather sell it now if I could make $150...or put $100 and a few hours in it if I could make $400...but not put $2,000 and 40 hours in it thinking I could get $3,500 for it.
It has to be figured out like that (I'm pulling numbers out of the air).
Sometimes just cleaning it up, maybe getting lights working, rattle can paint: let the next person fix it up their way and you made a little money. It may make a good farm wagon...not road use.

 

[Norm W]

It looks as though there are brakes only on one axle. Some states require brakes on all axles. The only exception I know of is for transport of mobile homes and temporary buildings such as construction offices.

 

[aczlan]

It looks as though there are brakes only on one axle. Some states require brakes on all axles. The only exception I know of is for transport of mobile homes and temporary buildings such as construction offices.

Correct, NY only requires them on one axle. The other axle has a backing plate where brakes could be installed, but no brakes on it.

Aaron Z