Log trailer for behind a UTV

[Robert_in_NY]

I got a reply back from Andersen on the M-90. If you load that up with all the options (auger, 12" bucket and dump bed, hydraulic winch on the boom, brakes on one axle) the total comes to $17k. If I recall (I shut the screen down with the prices) just the log trailer, with grapple and the Honda motor was $12 - $13k.

I love this trailer design but not the price. I am going to take a picture and show my friends who own a couple large machine shops and see what they think about it. My one friend who is part owner would love this rig and would be using it up on his property also. So maybe they will be able to build it a lot cheaper and I would have to source the parts for the hydraulic systems.

But looking at the price and work required I am thinking Air19's trailer is a better fit for my budget and operation. We want to get a mini excavator some day and that would be a lot better and more useful then the M-90's excavator.

 

[air19]

Here are a couple more pictures of my trailer doing different tasks that may give you more ideas.

1) All the panels are removeable, so in the first picture I've got 20' culverts loaded up so I can take them out to their final locations on my trails. With the front and back panels removed this was pretty easy. I also had a custom hitch built that allows me to expand the tongue length from 2 feet up to 6 feet for when I'm moving really long objects.

2) The next two pictures show the ramps I use to load up my DR field and brush mower so I can take it to the back 40 quickly. The pictures showing the front of the trailer shows where the log boom fits in. It is pretty simple actually, just one of the 50 gallon booms you see on the back of pickups. But it has all the flexibility I need. I can pump up the angle of the boom. I can extend the boom from about 4 feet to 7 feet in length. I have an electric winch on top for pulling in the logs.

The only pictures I can't find are of the dump body in action. The entire bed raises about 6 feet in the air. When the body is slightly raised you can also see the storage well under the trailer where the battery is with the hydraulic pump for the dump ram.

I think it has been three years now that I've had the trailer. It cost me around $3500 back then. This was the first one they built like this and I don't know if they made any money on it. The next time around it would certainly cost more especially with the cost of materials. But I got exactly the trailer I wanted and it will last for my lifetime.

I have learned a couple things about this trailer that I didn't realize as much ahead of time. With two axles this thing does not turn easily. When I have it on the cement floor in our barn it takes some effort to manuver it. The tongue weight is very heavy. With the boom up front, and the battery and hydraulic pump in the front third it definitely drops my Ranger's suspension.

Think about what you want in a trailer and talk to Nichols about what they may be able to build for you. Everyone has different needs.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

What is the overall width on your trailer? It is a good setup and I am going to see my machine shop buddies tomorrow and see if they have any ideas since this will be right up his alley.

One thing I am wondering for you guys following this thread, do you think the RTV with rear hydraulic kit would have enough power to operate a dump trailer and possibly a hydraulic winch? This would eliminate the need for the battery and hydraulic pump on the trailer. Would the RTV's hydraulic tank be big enough for this task? I would think a control block mounted on the trailer would be simple so you can run this behind the RTV or a tractor.

Also, how do you like your 6x6 Ranger? I plan on demoing one this spring as I have some very soft ground here and the 6x6's light weight and flotation seem like a good fit but I have a few different models I am looking at. Is there anything about the Ranger you don't like?

 

[air19]

My trailer box is 40" wide outside, 36" wide inside. The wheels are 60" wide. I really like the wide wheel stance and the way the trailer box sits down between the wheels. This trailer is very stable.

I've had my Ranger since 1999 and have used it extensively to maintain our trails. If I had to get another UTV I'd have a tough choice between another Ranger and a Kubota RTV.

Ranger Pros - good engine with plenty of power, nice comfortable rider and passenger positions/ergonomics, good floatation with the six wheels, and almost impossible to get hung up in the middle with that middle axle, reasonable traction with the six wheels, but I have definitely used the winch

Ranger Cons - worthless engine braking, yearly services have cost up to $500, drivebelts always need replacing, loud engine

Bottom line - the Ranger has helped me do more tasks than I could have ever imagined. Whatever UTV you have, they will be a very handy vehicle for you.

 

[rdbrumfield]

I have been reading what has been said about trailers, tongue weight and over loads.
It has given me thought about building mine like the old farm trailers with the tires at the corners somewhat with a steering front axle. That way tongue weight is not much of a factor and you don't have a heavy trailer that wants to go straight with a heavy load on it, especially downhill in a corner trying to push you off the road. also I would think eletric brakes would be a must if the load and trailer came up close to the weight of the pulling vehicle. It might take a bit more tuning radius, and backing would take a bit more talent, but in the long run I think it would be less wear and tear.
also loading a trailer like that is more stable. One thought about backing up, you could put a pin in the drawbar so the front would not turn and lightly skid the front tires if you were unloaded. would back like a normal trailer. just thinking in print lol.

 

[ChuckinNH]

AgriFab makes this simple one for RTV's. Perhaps you could mount a simple crank boat winch to the tongue of the trailer? It is light duty, but around $500 at my dealers.

Agri-Fab

 

[rdbrumfield]

Robert, I don't think the hyd supply would be enough to operate a winch. My tractor puts out 19 gal a min and does a good job, but is not that fast.
I think you are pretty much limited to electric.
I see thise things are getting fairly advanced with what folks are doing with them.
Anyone thought of putting a power plant in the tongue area of a trailer to use for the dump, maybe having a portable ram and I beam to plug into a reciever on the trailer for splitting wood. It would also have the gpm you need to run a winch.
with quick disconnects you could run any one of them seperately or if you layed out the bucks for a valve with extra ports you could use more than one at once.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Robert, I don't think the hyd supply would be enough to operate a winch. My tractor puts out 19 gal a min and does a good job, but is not that fast.
I think you are pretty much limited to electric.
I see thise things are getting fairly advanced with what folks are doing with them.
Anyone thought of putting a power plant in the tongue area of a trailer to use for the dump, maybe having a portable ram and I beam to plug into a reciever on the trailer for splitting wood. It would also have the gpm you need to run a winch.
with quick disconnects you could run any one of them seperately or if you layed out the bucks for a valve with extra ports you could use more than one at once.

The trailers that have grapples on them have motors mounted to the tounge to run all the hydraulics. The Andersen trailer has brakes also. The winch mounted on the boom is a hydraulic driven unit. The Andersen trailer seems like the best machine out there as you can do a lot with it from skidding logs to digging ditches and trenches with a dump trailer attachment. You can even have a great fence building trailer with the auger on the boom and the post on the trailer. But I can't justify the cost of that unit no matter how hard I try I would have to log off the small section of woods that is ready just to break even on the trailer.

If I get a UTV I might just look at a way to mount a boom on it similar to a engine hoist. If I cut the logs in 6' lengths or something similar I could just load the UTV up and not worry about pulling a big trailer. Or a small trailer with a similar style boom on it like what air19 has.

 

[JayfromJay]

Hey guys. Thanks for all the kind words about what we do up here in Maine. Air19s' rig led to some other ideas with the guys in the shop. I'm going to post some pics of where that led on my page. Our latest trailer is a goosneck for your UTV.