Low cost trailer modifications.

[QRTRHRS]

I thought that I would share some simple but effective modifications I have made to my 10k equipment trailer that I mostly use to haul a load of hay for our horses. These mods are also helpful for other uses.

I usually load 100 bales of hay. On the flat side, I can get five layers, twenty bales each. This load was loaded with a grapple. My hay supplier uses an accumulator to gather his small bales then picks them up with the grapple. He cannot get them into his hay barn which I will explain later but he does easily load them onto wagons to get the bales out of the weather until his customers can pick them up. The grapple picks up eight bales at a time. Two "drops" leaves room for four more bales plus a little extra so on this load, I placed the last two on the flat to just about touch the ramps. My guy only had 94 bales on hand and the last one was a "starter" bale, ie; the first one baled and a bit loose so I ran the rear two straps in an "x" pattern to ensure that it stayed put.

With the narrow trailer, loading on the side makes for a tall load hence I use plenty of straps to secure the load.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Note the 6 inch PVC pipe split in half with brackets to keep the straps from digging into the hay bales. I can make the hour back road trip with the straps loosening very little. The longer one is usually used on the front of my load but due to the less than full load and the one loose bale, I placed it on the rear for this load.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Now for the mods. I welded "D" rings onto the front load stop to secure my flathooks. The vertical angles were only factory welded to the vertical flat side of the angle so I had to also weld them to the flat side under the rings. Prior to this mod, I had to use axle straps on the trailer frame.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I had welded these "D" rings onto the fenders a couple of years ago hence the rust on the support angles. The trailer came with a vertical angle to support the fender. I added a horizontal angle and diagonal angle to secure my bolt on D ring. This gave me a latch point in between the stake pockets on each end of the fenders.

 

[QRTRHRS]

The weather in my neck of the woods has allowed only so many hay making windows. My hay guy has moved all of his small bales as soon as he puts them up and not put any in the barn. Being a bank barn with the storage access being about five feet off of the ground, any hay put up there is done the hard way.

I made up the center ramp to replace a piece of plywood that we used to slide the bales onto the trailer deck rather than toss them. I took an old ladder and widened it to fit onto the pins that hold my ramps on. The one foot spacing on the ladder lines up with the angles on my ramp. In the verticle position, the ramp is secured by sliding a piece of heavy wall conduit through the angles. I used some 1/4" aluminum stock to make open brackets to secure the bottom. I can also use the ramp to walk bales of other items onto the trailer. (I also have a heavier ramp with no gaps to load heavy items by hand or with a cart). The ramp also makes for a nice backstop.

Lastly, I put some oval lifting rings on the pins that hold my ramps. Prior to this, I had to use axle straps to secure my straps to the rear of the trailer.

 

[dieselscout80]

The weather in my neck of the woods has allowed only so many hay making windows. My hay guy has moved all of his small bales as soon as he puts them up and not put any in the barn. Being a bank barn with the storage access being about five feet off of the ground, any hay put up there is done the hard way.

I made up the center ramp to replace a piece of plywood that we used to slide the bales onto the trailer deck rather than toss them. I took an old ladder and widened it to fit onto the pins that hold my ramps on. The one foot spacing on the ladder lines up with the angles on my ramp. In the verticle position, the ramp is secured by sliding a piece of heavy wall conduit through the angles. I used some 1/4" aluminum stock to make open brackets to secure the bottom. I can also use the ramp to walk bales of other items onto the trailer. (I also have a heavier ramp with no gaps to load heavy items by hand or with a cart). The ramp also makes for a nice backstop.

Lastly, I put some oval lifting rings on the pins that hold my ramps. Prior to this, I had to use axle straps to secure my straps to the rear of the trailer.View attachment 877500View attachment 877501View attachment 877502

I really like the center ramp design!

 

[Alan W.]

Yes I like the mods. Ive been toying with some sort of ramp addition so I can load my zero turn.
I have a Gatormade also. Did you pick yours up at the factory or from a dealer.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Yes I like the mods. Ive been toying with some sort of ramp addition so I can load my zero turn.
I have a Gatormade also. Did you pick yours up at the factory or from a dealer.

I went to the factory. Feb 2021 during Covid. $4180 out the door with a spare being the only option. They had six on the lot. No one else had any 10k equipment trailers in stock.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I really like the center ramp design!

I made the ramp by cutting an old aluminum ladder in half and using scrap PVC and metal pipe to widen it. I sized the 1/4" aluminum brackets to drop onto the ramp pins while wedging against the trailer when upright so it stays put. While it does hold me if I walk on it, it is not heavy enough for much else.

I have a heavier ramp made with wood that I cobbled together in order to move some household goods with a hand truck. I will post some photos. It may give you some ideas but it's heavy to work with. I keep my eyes open for some scrap aluminum angle or channel to make something strong but light weight.

 

[Alan W.]

I was also looking for a 10k trailer and went to the factory to see one. Then I saw a 14k with the wide ramps. It was a little over $6000, cant remember exact amount in 2023.
Occasionally Sandusky’s in Columbia has aluminum cutoffs fairly reasonable. Ive bought a lot of steel from them.

 

[WM75Guy]

Looks good, I like the PVC edge protector idea. I also use 2" straps with twisted snap hooks when I haul hay. My Big Tex 14GN has stake pockets every 2' so I put d-rings in each one. I use an axle strap on the round rub rail support if I need one in between. Makes it easy to strap everything down by myself, plus even if the straps loosen up a little they cannot come off.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I was also looking for a 10k trailer and went to the factory to see one. Then I saw a 14k with the wide ramps. It was a little over $6000, cant remember exact amount in 2023.
Occasionally Sandusky’s in Columbia has aluminum cutoffs fairly reasonable. Ive bought a lot of steel from them.

Thanks for the tip. I live near 206/70 so Columbia is not far.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Looks good, I like the PVC edge protector idea. I also use 2" straps with twisted snap hooks when I haul hay. My Big Tex 14GN has stake pockets every 2' so I put d-rings in each one. I use an axle strap on the round rub rail support if I need one in between. Makes it easy to strap everything down by myself, plus even if the straps loosen up a little they cannot come off.

View attachment 879875

View attachment 879876

No rub rail on my trailer so I rely on the pockets. I use J-hook straps with rub protectors so I can drop the hook through the pocket and bring it up the outside so there is no worry about coming loose should the load move. I have both twisted and straight hooks that I use with axle straps and now the D-rings.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Here is another close up of my hay ramp hooks that allow me to raise and secure it in a near vertical position. Originally, I made the ramp to slide bales of hay onto my trailer rather than to use a sheet of plywood. I used heavy wall conduit to secure it top and bottom. Then I had occasion to load from a ground level barn so I kept the ramp pinned to my lowest angle on the ramps. That did not work so well so I added the aluminum brackets.

That left a large gap which is a safety issue but I rarely load from the ground. The ramp also does not lay flat on the ground.

 

[QRTRHRS]

This is my ramp for loading with a hand truck. This was half of a ramp that I made for the box truck that I used to have. It's heavy and lives out in the weather so it looks rough. The steel tabs perform two tasks. They support the ramp so that the aluminum landing plates does not get bent and the bent tabs hook over the ramp pins to secure it to the trailer. The aluminum plate at the base provides a smooth transition to wheel my hand truck over
.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I had posted this photo of my trailer with 60 40lb round bales of hay on another thread awhile back. I had it "trussed" up like a Thanksgiving turkey due to not having the right tie down points so I got busy since then.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I added rub rails to the stake pockets on both sides. The driver's side had three pockets so I added one more.

The passenger side also had three stake pockets but the spare tire is mounted in between.

So, I welded a "D" ring to the tire mounting bracket.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I had a local gate shop fab up a six foot high corral panel to fit within the ~84" wide deck side rails for a head board. A little more security when I haul small square bales stacked five layers high. I made brackets that the panel sits in. In order to further stabilize it I added the diagonal brackets. The panel can be pulled out of the bolt on support brackets as needed.

I already had previously welded two "D" rings onto the factory vertical brackets about 1/3 of the way in from the sides. I added "D" rings to the sides and the center.

 

[QRTRHRS]

There are two stack pockets behind the fenders. Since the ramp support brackets are in the way, I could not ad a rub rail so I welded "D" rings there as well.

I had previously welded "D" rings to the center of the fenders. That was an easy ad on because the verticle support was already there. I just needed to add a horizontal and diagonal support to it. For the front and rear rings, I welded 3/16"x3" flatstock to the trailer frame inside of the fenders. I then welded 3.5" x 5/16" angle and 3"x1/4" angle to more 3" flatstock. Picture a "square" Z. I welded these to the frame behind the tires then bolted the flatstock together through the verticle fender sheet metal.

Except for the two front corner "D" rings, I used overkill 1/2" rings. Mostly for looks and not much more expensive.

 

[QRTRHRS]

But I was not done yet. I picked up this set of steps locally for 20 bucks.

After a bit of cutting, grinding, welding and some paint, I have a "catch all" rack within my trailer tongue strong enough to dance on. I think that I am done now, at least my wife thinks so.