Value of old trailer

[MikeA57]

This past weekend I found out that the guy that rents our farm from us has an old goose neck trailer that they haven't used for at least 15 years sitting in the weeds at the farm headquarters. It's 21' long and has 3.tandem axles tandem on it with 6 tires total. It needs new tires and new decking boards on the bed and I'm thinking it probably will need new brakes on it too since it's set up that long. Neither he nor I have any idea of where to start one a price for something like this. Does anybody have any ideas? I don't know how old or what brand it is either. All I know is that it has sat unused for 15 years with weeds growing up through it.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[2458n]

Scrap prices are down. You are looking at a 500 dollar trailer. If it has a upper deck or a dove tail add another 150.00. Boards,brakes and tires all cost.

 

[Cataclysm]

2458n has it about right as long as the axles aren't bent and isn't some home brew disaster.

 

[wcampbell47]

I would check on what it will take to get the trailer registered if you did fix it up. Three tandem axles should put it in a 30,000 GVW class. In my area that would make it come under DOT rules for registration and on top of that a CDL would be required to tow it. Just saying there is probably more to getting it road worthy than boards, brakes, tires and lights.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I would check closely for rusted out frame members.

It will also need wires, lights, brake away battery, bearings, and paint.

Top dollar would be low in my opinion.

Tires will cost you $800. Deck will be a $1000. Brakes and bearings will be $750. Lights, wires, battery, ect figure another $200. Then paint can be $100 to $2500 depending on your wants.

Compare that to new and you will see it has little or no value.

Chris

 

[Diamondpilot]

I doubt it has triple tandems. Most likely just a triple axles pro all 6000# each.

Chris

 

[MikeA57]

Thanks guys. I was going to offer them $400 for it, but I do want to see it drug out of the weeds first. I'm sending my son down to look at it and see exactly what it is. I didn't even think about registering it or the CDL aspect of it. I'll check into that. I got to thinking about it probably will need new bearings in addition to the tires, deck, lights, brakes, etc. I thought it might be a good project but maybe not ...

 

[Gary Fowler]

New boards, tires for sure, possibly new brakes. Bearings may just need to be taken out, cleaned, repacked with grease. Paint is optional and is likely the most expense along with tires. Board replacement isn't that big of a deal if you do it yourself, just cost of lumber and self tapping screws and your free labor. I did my brother in law's 16 foot in one day. Half day getting off the old boards and about 2-3 hours placing and screwing in the new ones. The last board was the hardest, had to bow it way up to get it under the hold down angles. The rest we just slide in by angling them and then a little sledge hammer persuasion at most to get them back straight.
It would be a good project trailer for sure.

Hope you can get a better deal than I did on tires when I ruined one and had to get a spare at a local tire shop. Cost me almost $180 tax, mounting and balancing.

 

[Cord]

If you are truly farm use, then the state probably has exemptions to the CDL rules.

 

[newbury]

One of the biggest problems I didn't see discussed was titling. If it's in North Mississippi it shouldn't be to difficult. Does the owner have a title? My BIL told me that if you can get the trailer to the courthouse so they can see the VIN and you've got a bill of sale it's easy to title in Mississippi. If it was in Northern Virginia I'd just give up.

But as others have written it may cost a bit to put 6 tires on it.