Walking Beam Trailer

   / Walking Beam Trailer
  • Thread Starter
#11  
Hehe, I guess you guys are starting to talk me out of the walking beam. The more I ponder things the more I realize that what I want would probably be too heavy to haul with the UTV. And that's really I what I need, not a trailer for the tractor. I'm still very much interested in tandem axles, maybe of the more traditional variety. The reality is I am probably not going to tow this trailer across the wilds of Alaska. I'll cut a trail through some woods and use it to haul stuff to my property. With a modicum of trail maintenance I shouldn't be in a situation where I need a 360 degree walking beam.

I'll do some more reading and head-scratching this weekend and see where I end up. There is a nice ATV Wagon on my local Craigslist at a good price, but I'd rather have something that I can haul logs and long lumber with. Maybe I ought to at least get a shipping quote on that Woodland Mills, so I know what to compare to.
 
   / Walking Beam Trailer #12  
This modified AgriFab trailer works fine behind mt ATV, my Tractor, or my small hay wagon being pulled by my tractor. I just replaced the axle with a longer one and added some spacers. Not sure why they did not make it a walking beam to begin with. They were so close to what was needed. I have used it for 10 years now. Works great. I fill it overflowing with firewood.

agrifab_2574.jpg

agrifab_2575.jpg

Axle Modification_2576.jpg

Ken
 
   / Walking Beam Trailer #13  
talk you out of it, and now talking you back into it!

i am sorry about that. you can tell how long since i drove a 4 wheeler/atv.
http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/showthread.php?235487-ATV-versus-UTV-for-logging 3rd picture. i forgot about wanting to keep all 4 tires of a tanduem axle trailer on ground. so use to pulling regular trailers. that me forget, when you go into ditches, streams, etc... good chance only 2 tires touch ground, vs walking beam design were all 4 tires stay in contact with the ground. like you noted not full 360 degree.

ATV trailer. tandem/walking axles

Swivel trailer hitch for ATV?

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/338280-atv-trailer-post4157308.html#post4157308 = 2nd picture of post 13

http://www.hondaforeman.com/attachm...338694645-homemade-atv-trailer-0217121624.jpg

short quick video putting trailer together.

http://www.countrymfg.com/atvwagons.htm = this is what i am use to see'ing hay wagon, but smaller for ATV. were everything pivots at the tongue. vs wheels / walk beam design.
 
   / Walking Beam Trailer
  • Thread Starter
#14  
I watched the video on the Woodland Mills web site and am thinking maybe I should just go with the off-the-shelf solution. I want to be able to haul logs and lumber and that rig looks like a great way to do it. I have a Woodland Mills sawmill and am impressed so far with the customer attention the company provides.
 
   / Walking Beam Trailer #15  
You will need a diagonal brace on the walking beam pivot mount bracket or the whole lot will splay out.
2nd point, which noone has mentioned, make sure you have reasonable (6"-8") clearance between the wheels. On an old walking beam trailer I had the mud would build up between the wheels and drag the trailer to a halt. The atv ran out of traction, not power.
3rd, larger wheels roll over mud better than small.
Good luck
 
   / Walking Beam Trailer #17  
FWIW, I'm at an auction today with a nice provenost trailer. This is the walking beam... IMG_20170429_085435153-2254x4007.jpg
 
   / Walking Beam Trailer #18  
^^ That's a decent design. I'd suggest not worrying about letting the beam go 360, and just make sure it has decent travel. It's going to upset the trailer more if it "trips" and goes 360 than if it is forced to go up and over.

Torsion axles are good for clearance. Bad for ride, IMO. They have very little actual suspension travel, and it sounds like the OP is looking for is a way to "average" out the terrain. The walking beam design does a great job of that! (Any obstacle only "bumps" the trailer by half the obstacle height.)

We have a little Yutrax trailer that has two wheels. It bounces all over behind the four wheeler if you go faster over rough ground, but has been fine for clearing slash. It's not a really heavy use trailer, but they do offer a walking beam version, and watching the vids, it is obvious that it rides MUCH better than the 2 wheeled version that we have. BTW, the Yutrax tows much better now that I welded the 3pc to 1pc. :)

As someone who builds almost everything I need, I'd say you're not too far off with your trailer. Get the beams under the side frame to take some stress off the pivot, and provide a reasonable travel stop. Then widen out the frame to get the track width back to where you want it. (More cargo area!!) I think 2x3 1/8" wall would be fine for the majority of the frame, but I'd up the tongue to 3x3 1/8", as the tongue will not only see vertical loads, but also side to side, especially over rough terrain. If you think you'll really load it heavy at times, you could even go to 3x3x3/16" on the tongue, and never worry about it.

FWIW, the Yutrax uses the same spindle for the walking beam pivot that they mount the wheels to. It rides on two wide roller bearings. I think you could honestly use some cold rolled round for the axle, and DOM for the pivot tube, and just put a grease fitting on it and it'd be fine. Then weld trailer stubs to the beam, and mount up tires of your choice. :)
And do share some pics when you get the build going!!
 
   / Walking Beam Trailer #19  
1stDeuce said:
^^ That's a decent design. I'd suggest not worrying about letting the beam go 360, and just make sure it has decent travel. It's going to upset the trailer more if it "trips" and goes 360 than if it is forced to go up and over.
Click to expand...

I do not understand that statement. For me, the beam only rotates when the front wheel enters something deep and steep like a ditch. Under that circumstance, the rotation makes the trailer go very smoothly through the ditch. I have yet to try to go over a log so tall that the beam would want to rotate. I think my trailer would be bottoming out under that scenario. If there were a tall narrow rock for example (which i would not have on my trails), then it may want to rotate.

The Woodland Mills trailer looks very nice. I have looked at it online several times. If I had no trailers already, I would be tempted.

Ken
 
   / Walking Beam Trailer #20  
[[ i realize there are some folks that run ATV's and hip/hop over logs on there trips out into the forest to have fun. ]]

These are the guys that keep our Emergency response numbers so high....

I'm picturing him getting it hung up and then wanting to be able to "Roll" the hung side up side over say, a rock or stump..I'd think the back wheel would have to be higher than the front wheel to get them to "Roll" on the Axle..My fear is that, now, that side would rise making that side closer to a "Rolling Over" point
 
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