Shipping container axles adding?

[Gee Ray]

Do you all buy tags for the farm equipment that is pulled down the road? This is just a covered trailer. Pull it with the tractor and hang a SMV on the back. There is no need for all the drama.

An empty 40 foot container weights something like 8500 pounds. So a 20 footer is 5000 pounds or less. Not a big deal to pull with a 3/4 ton truck.

As stated there are holes for the blades of a forklift. Therefore the container is strong enough to put the axles under the center. Move the axles closer to the center of the box to keep some of the weight off of the hitch.

It will be relatively easy to lay some angle iron along the edge of the container. Add some cross pieces and weld some spring hangers. Straight axles should be able to be found locally for a fair price. I see nothing wrong with mobile home axles for 10 miles per year. The tires will be the problem.

 

[LouNY]

Yes, a tractor and a SMV sign for short hauls avoid much of the hassles.

 

[California]

The containers are designed to be supported at the ends, where the lifting and tie down points are. I’d be hesitant about adding spring mounts which didn’t transfer load to the ends.

What about buying one that has the side forklift pockets? Seems like that design could be supported by its side rails.

... Oops. Posted this before reading beyond the post that I replied to. I see this now has been mentioned.

 

[Rebeldad1]

I see nothing wrong with mobile home axles for 10 miles per year. The tires will be the problem.

what's wrong with the tires?
You can buy some pretty nice high load range tires for those wheels.

 

[ArlyA]

On the local one with axles added, they welded 4x6 tubes (guess of dimensions) to 11 of the floor supports. This hieght gave it just enough clearance to keep the tires from rubbing. Did not look like high risk construction to me.

 

[ArlyA]

Thanks to all who gave positive and helpful suggestions.

 

[Gee Ray]

what's wrong with the tires?
You can buy some pretty nice high load range tires for those wheels.

I do not know if this still holds true but at one time the mobile home rims were an odd size that you could not buy a standard tire to fit. And the ones on the MH are poorly made. Stop and think about how many times you see a MH sitting along the highway changing a flat.

 

[LouNY]

Some states a trailer with tires labeled for MH use only are not road legal on a trailer;
however these and similar are fine.
https://simpletire.com/paid?v=1&tir..._pctTQRjBoCMkYQAvD_BwE#anchor=SiteProductLine

 

[azbinder]

I do not know if this still holds true but at one time the mobile home rims were an odd size that you could not buy a standard tire to fit. And the ones on the MH are poorly made. Stop and think about how many times you see a MH sitting along the highway changing a flat.

I used to move mobile home in central Arizona and never once blew a tire.

 

[Gee Ray]

I used to move mobile home in central Arizona and never once blew a tire.

This happened 6 or 7 miles from my home just last week. There are several mobile home builders that ship on I75. I run a hotshot truck out of Tampa and the MHs on the side of the road is very common.