Need advice quickly one trailer purchase

[Gary Fowler]

Heck I cant even snag one from a dealer. That one was sold when I called.

The good news is that he can get another one in my May 9th so I am still ok.
Regarding finding them on Craigslist, not around Arkansas. I havent found a dealer there that handles anything larger than 3500# axles on trailers. I guess the Arkies just pile it on regardless of weight when the dont go too far. Lots of folks never even license them. Heck I pulled my brother in laws to Houston and back with no tag and didnt even realize it. I later found out that he had never registered it in the year that he had it. (now it is registered and tagged)

 

[Gary Fowler]

I just noticed Dynasim's post said 7K car hauler, yes they are all over the place, but it wont haul the weight I need to haul. I need 6K tandem axles minimum. The one I found for $2995 was sold but another will be arriving in a couple of weeks ----20 footer with 2 foot drop deck and wooden deck with dual 6K axles and heavy duty 6000 pound front jack, electric brakes on rear axle and break away battery backup, also has 10 ply tires and includes a spare tire :licking: Everything I wanted in one package

 

[jeffsw6]

If you are getting one from a dealer, you might consider ordering one. You could get brakes on both axles. I can't see what kind of tie-downs the pictured trailer has, but heavy D-rings in the floor are obviously nice for this type of trailer. Other things I would not want to go without, if buying a new trailer of this style, are stake pockets and all LED lights.

From your earlier posts, it seems like you might not really use your trailer very much anyway, so it is questionable if you really need to own one; but if you are going to spend $3000 you may as well price a few hundred dollars more of options that will 1) make it more useful to you; or 2) make it easier to sell if you decide you don't use it enough to have money tied up in it.

$0.02.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I just noticed Dynasim's post said 7K car hauler, yes they are all over the place, but it wont haul the weight I need to haul. I need 6K tandem axles minimum. The one I found for $2995 was sold but another will be arriving in a couple of weeks ----20 footer with 2 foot drop deck and wooden deck with dual 6K axles and heavy duty 6000 pound front jack, electric brakes on rear axle and break away battery backup, also has 10 ply tires and includes a spare tire :licking: Everything I wanted in one package

A 7K is ok with brakes on one axle but anything bigger really needs them on both. I have warped the rotors or my truck too many times to have not learned this lesson.

Spend the extra $150 and add them to the second axle or you will replacing rotors on you truck weekly.

Chris

 

[dstig1]

Sounds like a good deal, but see if they can add second axle brakes, or do them yourself afterwards. I "second" the second axle brakes :laughing:

 

[Gary Fowler]

I know I posted that I was able to get the trailer ordered with brakes on both axles but now I dont see it.
Anyway, the cost was $150 extra for the brakes on both axles when order from the factory but $250 if done at the trailer dealer.
Final cost for the 20 foot 12K GVW rated trailer with wooden deck, dove tail, ramps with hidden storage in rear, heavy tongue jack, spare tire, all tires 10 ply rating, break away brake system, 4 wheel brakes and temp. tag came to $3150.
I may not use it much especially for long distance hauling but as the old saying goes, most accidents occur less than 25 miles from home, so like the Boy Scout motto, be prepared. Money in the bank wont do you any good when you are dead.
I did look at renting a trailer for picking up my TLB but none of the rental agencies had anything that would haul it according to their website when you filled in the weights. The car haulers have an open center which may not work with the wheel spacing either.
I may even look at opening a business to do mowing, dirt work and light backhoe work. IF so, then the trailer will be handy to have. There are a couple of lawn mowing business locally but not heavy bush hogging or light tractor work. My little B 26 would fit a good niche for small jobs where folks dont wont there yard destroyed by 20,000 pound machines. Just an ideas for filling my retirement moments.

 

[Gary Fowler]

If you are getting one from a dealer, you might consider ordering one. You could get brakes on both axles. I can't see what kind of tie-downs the pictured trailer has, but heavy D-rings in the floor are obviously nice for this type of trailer. Other things I would not want to go without, if buying a new trailer of this style, are stake pockets and all LED lights.


From your earlier posts, it seems like you might not really use your trailer very much anyway, so it is questionable if you really need to own one; but if you are going to spend $3000 you may as well price a few hundred dollars more of options that will 1) make it more useful to you; or 2) make it easier to sell if you decide you don't use it enough to have money tied up in it.

$0.02.

I did order one with brakes on all axles. Costs were just $150 extra so I question why dealers dont order them that way just for safety. Could be a good selling point and why wouldnt some one pay that extra if it is available on the lot. Same with spare tires, heavy duty jacks etc.

You arent my wife posting under an alias are you. You sound just like her.:laughing: But you are right, if I could rent one, that would be the logical thing to do, but there just isnt any place to do that in the size that I need. I do NOT need one everyday for sure. Let me give you an example, last year I had an issue with intermittent tach working on my big LS. NO way to haul it to the dealer for repair. Dealer want $200 each way even though the work would be warranty. He has no field repair truck. So $400 to find an electrical short (post here on TBN later told me how to fix the problem by the way) AND the dealer had his truck and trailer tied up hauling hay (more money in that for him than warranty work -man I do need another dealer)and said it might be 2 weeks before he could come get it anyway. IF that was a total breakdown issue, then I would want it fixed pretty quickly, so my own transport would be nice to have. Other than the LS tractor, my other hauling could have been marginally done with a 7K GVW trailer.

Anyway, I think the trailer for most folks is like a spare tire, it does nothing but take up space till you need it, then it is invaluable to you. I guess that is why you see so many for sale as they havent used them so they sell them. Hope they dont need one again later.
Now, I need to add another shed to store it under also.

 

[jeffsw6]

Now, I need to add another shed to store it under also.

Just get a couple of tarps and secure them so they won't blow away. Protecting the deck from sun/rain will make the wood last longer but it isn't going to save you so much maintenance, long-term, that it is worth putting up a shed for it.

The main thing to do with trailers you don't use often is put them on jacks or blocks so the tires do not rot away, and keep the battery charged so the conductors inside don't corrode.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Not a bad idea if no shed to put them under protect the wood by covering it. I dont think a tarp would last long in the windy conditions I get some times. I wonder if buying some 20 foot roofing tin and just laying it on top with proper overlap would work? Secured with a couple nylon straps. Water shouldnt get under it and if it did the wood should dry fast from underneath and of course the hot sun on the tin would sure temper that wood to be like steel on top. Blocks could be put under the trailer easily by just lowering the front, blocking up the rear frame at the corners tightly and then jacking the front backup so the front is higher to make the water run off. When the tires are off the ground, one could go by and give them a few spins to keep everything lubed and turning the drum brakes to keep them from seizing, kind of like rotating the shafts of stored rotating equipment like pumps and turbines to prevent shaft sag and lube the bearings.
I think I may already have enough blocks to work, just need some covering.
I think first though a good soaking with a water seal product like Thompsons water seal top and bottom would be a good idea.

 

[jeffsw6]

I could be underestimating the wind in your area, but I think you may be making this harder than it needs to be.