Mounting a trailer on a trailer

[bdog]

I have this crazy idea. I have a 6x12 enclosed trailer that is set up as a mobile office. The front 10' or so is the office part with a desk and computers and the back 2' is seperated by a wall and is storage for tools an other things. It has never really pulled right because the tongue is too light and we always have to remove stuff from the back and place it inside at the front when on the road to maintain proper tongue weight. The trailer has two 3500' axles and probably only weighs 4-5k loaded.

Everywhere this trailer goes we also have to haul a kubota UTV that goes on a separate trailer.

I have a 24' 14,000lb gooseneck lowboy that I no longer use and was thinking of selling.

I got this idea to take the axles and fenders off the enclosed trailer and cut off the tongue and permanently mount it on the gooseneck slid all the way to the front. This would leave 12' behind it on the gooseneck where I could haul the kubota. The kubota weighs about 2,000 lb so the enclosed trailer and kubota would only be about 6-7000 lb and I doubt the gooseneck trailer is much over 4000 lb so it should be all ok weight wise though the tongue may be on the heavy side with the enclosed trailer at the front. Then again maybe not because the enclosed trailer is rear heavy as it is.

This would be a big plus for me in that one trailer could do the job of two. Thoughts?

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Sounds like a great idea. I would set everything up and weigh the ball to see what kind of weights you are dealing with. Also, how would you get into the enclosed trailer? Steps or turn it around so that the door faces the rear trailer deck?? I might be inclined to remove the front deck boards to eliminate water laying under the enclosed trailer and to weld brackets to the gn to bolt the other trailer to.

 

[bdog]

The gooseneck has a diamond plate floor. I was thinking of cutting holes in it to be able to mount the the other trailer. Probably run 6 tabs made of 3/8" X 4" strap between the frames.

As to getting in the enclosed trailer has swing open doors on the back to get to the 2' storage area and a man door on the side near the front to get to the office area. The gooseneck is wider than the enclosed so I was thinking I could build some steps attached to the gooseneck that fold up against the enclosed while in transit.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Sounds good to me. I think the tricky part will be the attachment though. The gn trailers I have see run an I beam main frame and would be more difficult to secure the 2nd trailer too simply using flat stock. I would def try and tie into the outer frame of the trailer or the main frame. The wind loads on that thing are going to be pretty substantial. Yeah I didn't think there would be a problem with the rear space but the office part was what I was curious about. Fold up steps would be fine as long as they could be secured and we're strong enough. I vote for pics of the build though!

 

[dieselcrawler]

Sounds like a good idea to me!

I agree, we want pictures.

 

[Stimw]

I think I would extend the tongue on the enclosed trailer to let the UTV ride in the front. Then remount the axles for correct balance.
Since you will be removing the axles anyway relocating won't be that much more work.
AND, you can sell the goose, AND be towing 4000# less weight. Less is more.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I think I would extend the tongue on the enclosed trailer to let the UTV ride in the front. Then remount the axles for correct balance.
Since you will be removing the axles anyway relocating won't be that much more work.
AND, you can sell the goose, AND be towing 4000# less weight. Less is more.

Not a bad idea except the fabrication would be easier the other way. Cut off the extra on the smaller trailer, cut some access holes and secure them together, drive the utv and secure it. Done. Also, loading the utv becomes more challengingon the front of a trailer. I wonder if the 2k utv would overload the trailer axles after all the additional steel that needs to be added to account for the longer tongue, extra deck and the utv load? I like the idea I just think it would be safer/easier to go the gn route. The money of selling the gn would be nice, but atleast it's not an additional purchase cost.

OP, do you have vehicles available to tow the gn/backup vehicles or a need to have large items in the bed of the pulling vehicle??

 

[dieselcrawler]

The UTV is likely more than 6' long (the width of the box trailer) and likely longer than 8' as well, so parking it perpendicular to the length of either trailer is likely out of the question.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Only down side is getting up and down to the office and tools.

Chris

 

[Green Power]

Sounds like a good idea, instead of cutting the tongue off, if you go under the trailer, maybe it could be unbolted?