5 Foot Wide Utility Trailer?

[bstewert]

I'm 65, learning how to do new stuff everyday, and have a long list of things I want to learn. Biggest issue for me, aside from the normal aches and pains of getting older, is not enough time left.

 

[stig]

Actually, a 30 year old has just the same chance of stepping off the curb in front of a Greyhound bus as you do.

I do get your point, but my brush with death last fall has mede me acutely aware of easy it is for all of us, no matter what age, to come to that STOP sign at the end of the road.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Being 31 and in half a$$ decent shape doesn't hurt either

Damn straight.

You'll be fine.

 

[rfwoody]

State laws will vary. Some require inspections and brakes on different weight trailers. A tandem should have brakes, but might not. It will have a battery and a emergency breakaway brake cable. Usually trailers with brakes store the battery in a toolbox.

You're pulling with a half-ton truck, I think. Don't think you have capacity for a dump trailer, or maybe not 7k.

Do you have hills, much? Traffic much? Brakes cost money, and usually, a tandem trailer is 7k or more capacity. A flatbed will weigh a LOT less than a dump, which is one reason I haven't bought a dump trailer, Yet. I have upsized with two trucks that have the towing capacity, and I've had a chip truck for 10 years. If I didn't have a dump bed, I'd have bought a dump trailer a long time ago.

I'll get you a picture of my set-up.
I didn't mean that its not rocket science, like you should understand. I mean that it is a low-tech solution. Doesn't look fancy, but I can get it back out where I wouldn't get a dump trailer. 4wd low is a feature I'm looking for!
I've probably got 2000 pounds. Probably take half and hour to unload it all, and be packed back up. Maybe 40 minutes. One strong person.

Sean, there aren't many hills, and not much traffic unless I take it on the interstate.

haha, I wasn't talking about rocket science referring to you.... just the fact that I think I could build the sides... It occurred to me to look on youtube, etc. but I really want to see how you have yours set up. Thanks!

 

[rfwoody]

Robert, I know you would like a trailer, but do you really need one? I would say that most tree companies started off with just a pickup truck, chainsaw and some climbing gear. I know I did and believe me, it is all you need for most small jobs. Why not keep things simple?

DMc, I know you have a good point.... but I've been carrying brush/wood in my pickup bed for a couple of years and many loads (e.g. free tree removals (from the ground) and cleanups .... initially thinking for firewood business)... in fact my avitar picture is my first "public" tree "removal" job I did for a church down the road mockernut(?) hickory the wind knocked down... a lot of trips for it and others.....haha, so I sort of feel like I've "paid my dues" as far as hauling brush and logs in my pickup .... not to mention rolling big rounds up my 2x12"x10' planks into my tall pickup bed ..... but thanks for the food for thought! but when/if I get in the right frame of mind I'm almost ready to pull the trigger on the climbing gear.

 

[rfwoody]

Heck, with just that you might do better as a contract climber.

I mean, that's why I did it... I didn't want to mess with a treeco owner's worries.

haha, Butch, thanks for the idea... and I really don't relish the owner/business part of things ... but at best I would/will be only climbing the smallest, easiest, safest trees

 

[rfwoody]

I think it is male menopause, Brian.
A somewhat delayed one.
Most of us get it in our fifties, ditch the old wife for a younger model, preferably with silicone tits, and buy a sports car.

Robert got it way late, and decided treework was the way to go.

Dangerous choice, that one.
Silicone tits won't kill you,unless you are the owner, neither will a sports car, if you are smart enough to get a European or Japanese model and drive with care.

Treework sure as hell will kill a newbie if he doesn't get a mentor or a gigantic bag of luck.

Be interesting to see how this pans out.

stig, there could be some of that going on with me.

But then ever since I had the thrill of cutting down my first tree 15+ or so years ago, the chainsaw aspect (and then a little chainsaw milling) has stuck with me.
I've made some stupid mistakes (e.g. cutting through the hinge of (to me) a big tree)... but have hopefully learned some.
10+ years or so ago, when I first saw a tree climber rigging a big limb he was removing -- off a natural crotch in the same tree -- it struck me as fascinating... including the "simplicity" of the concept.

Truth is I probably would have been too chicken to consider climbing back then and never considered it.
And it is from watching some older guys climbing relatively "simple" looking trees in the last year or so that started giving me the idea that maybe I could do it.
Also Reg and August, etc. videos make great "advertisements" for the line of work, but I hope I have no illusions of that daredevil (to me) stuff.

Also, there is definitely the aspect of physical fitness... handling brush and wood outdoors... to me it is very enjoyable.

But there is the danger ... but I am thinking that maybe it will help keep my mind sharp too, more than just doing crossword puzzles, etc.

But I may try to find somebody close by to see if I can work for part time.

 

[rfwoody]

Actually, a 30 year old has just the same chance of stepping off the curb in front of a Greyhound bus as you do.

I do get your point, but my brush with death last fall has mede me acutely aware of easy it is for all of us, no matter what age, to come to that STOP sign at the end of the road.

What happened?

 

[rfwoody]

I'm a newbie. ( I gave up the hunt for a mentor a while ago). I guess my logging/sawmilling experience gives me an ever so slight head start over someone that's never been around anything like this.
I don't take chances on anything I have and will turn down work if I'm not comfortable with it.
Having a touch of fear in the back of your mind will help keep you alive I suppose.
I do think this line of work takes an intelligent person to get the job done and live through it. It's not a place for an idiot lol

I'm 65, learning how to do new stuff everyday, and have a long list of things I want to learn. Biggest issue for me, aside from the normal aches and pains of getting older, is not enough time left.

I tell myself that safety is the main thing and I don't plan to do anything "risky" I'm not comfortable with and taking all known precautions.
But it is a dangerous thing... I guess I think I can reduce my risk by keeping it to the smaller, "safer" sorts of things.

I just got done loading my pickup with a row of wood (4'x8') to deliver tomorrow for my first firewood sale of the season.
A trailer might help reduce the loading/unloading time by 15% or so.

 

[SeanKroll]

A lot more work lifting hundreds of pounds higher.

A fair-priced, used utility trailer is easy to sell for the same price.

Every series of trips that is cut in half by doubling capacity means a lot of overall time and transportation money converted to trailer payments.

You don't have to load as high, either, so less compression to fight if manually unloading.

 

[rfwoody]

A lot more work lifting hundreds of pounds higher.

A fair-priced, used utility trailer is easy to sell for the same price.

Every series of trips that is cut in half by doubling capacity means a lot of overall time and transportation money converted to trailer payments.

You don't have to load as high, either, so less compression to fight if manually unloading.

Yeah, the idea of fewer trips *really* appeals to me.

 

[SeanKroll]

 

[rfwoody]

Cool Sean. Thanks!
I get it now with the 2' and 4' sides.

That must be a 10' long trailer? ... 4 or 5' wide?

How does the winch looking setup work?

What is the advantage of the trailer hitch extension?

Thanks.

 

[SeanKroll]

Side note: I deal largely with conifers and straight limbed Deciduous trees, like Maple and alder, some Birch, etc.

Loading:
One short wall/ 4' plywood on far side. Nothing on near side. Load height about 16" off ground.
Toss/ Stack limbs oriented front to back, against far wall. It will build a slope.

"Chainsaw chipper" as needed, cutting cross wise. If you accidentally hit the walls or wood floor, they don't damage the chain. Don't stand on uncut branches to reduce saw binding. Be careful about fire with lots of dry, dead material and binding/ hot muffler. I start at the front or back, standing outside the trailer for two cuts, then climb in the trailer onto cut brush.

Keep thick branches out. These go on top when you're done slashing, and can help to unload later.

When needed add the near side stake pocket side boards. Load height about 3'.

Add near side's 4' plywood before it becomes difficult to do so. Load height from side, about 5'+, from rear/ front 3'.



The brush starts to add up, but as you continue to "chainsaw chip" it magically shrinks. There is probably around 1500+# of limbs in the trailer.
At another terrible-access waterfront (stEEP, mossy driveway & tiny parking area down at house), I had 2000#.

I do it this way (when necessary) because I don't have a way to anchor the load (rope to tree or other truck), and drive out from under it, as the green waste sites are situated.

When I am significantly full, I'll tarp the load and strap around the frame. This sucks the top of the walls inward, supporting them. If not very full, sometimes I just use lighter duty ratchet straps from plywood top to other side plywood top. Holes are pre-drilled for hooks. These holes can also be used for a rope handle or ratchet straps for dragging plywood at a job site.

When I offload, I rotate the plywood out on a corner, not lift it out. Soooo much easier. Then the next 3 plywood sheets.

If you have long straight limbs, you may be able to push through the brush pile, and roll the brush off, somewhat, but that works much better with uncut limbs. Once I'm approaching the end of the brush to load, I stop cutting it up. That goes super fast with two guys, maybe three, with some sort of lever, we can sometimes roll it off, all at once.


You might just push/ pull with a steel rake/ pitch fork etc to unload.

When enough load is off, I push the lower wall in with my hip, and pull up on the stakes until the sides pop off. Then unload as easily as possible, one way or the other.




I'll usually unload some, then drive forward. Unload the rest. I'm mindful of tire/ wire damage. Never had a problem.


5x10', 4 side panels. Bought the flatbed, home made, converted boat trailer with winch for $300. Add stake pockets and chain hooks $100. $200 in new tires this year. New ball coupler 2 years ago. Owned it 9 years.


Looking to replace it soon. I've invested in other equipment over time, instead of a newer trailer that looks better.

I

 

[sawman]

You are a kind and patient man sean. 4 real

 

[DMc]

.....I just got done loading my pickup with a row of wood (4'x8') to deliver tomorrow for my first firewood sale of the season.
A trailer might help reduce the loading/unloading time by 15% or so.

How are you unloading the wood? If you don't have one, get a Loadhandler unloading tarp. It will unload a full pickup truck load of wood in seconds.

I have also "paid my dues" as you say and still work out of a pickup truck by choice. It is silly to move brush in a trailer, in my opinion, if this is something you plan on doing more than just occasionally. Chip it and you will make the most of your time and have a reusable product that is easy to find a market for. Even if you have to give it away, you will be saving disposal costs and not putting good biomass in a landfill.

 

[bstewert]

I've had this custom-made trailer for 16 years. It's 4.5'x8.5'. When they first made it, I had asked for a 4x8 landscape trailer. They made it 4x8 to the outside dimensions, which meant you couldn't lay a sheet of plywood or sheetrock flat. Fortunately, they re-made it. I often put a tarp in first to make unloading easier.

 

[SeanKroll]

There is a heavy duty load handler.

 

[Tree09]

I have it, works great for chips, not so much for brush ime

 

[stig]

What happened?

Leukemia and a near fatal blood poisoning.

 

[rfwoody]

Side note: I deal largely with conifers and straight limbed Deciduous trees, like Maple and alder, some Birch, etc.

Loading:
One short wall/ 4' plywood on far side. Nothing on near side. Load height about 16" off ground.
Toss/ Stack limbs oriented front to back, against far wall. It will build a slope.

"Chainsaw chipper" as needed, cutting cross wise. If you accidentally hit the walls or wood floor, they don't damage the chain. Don't stand on uncut branches to reduce saw binding. Be careful about fire with lots of dry, dead material and binding/ hot muffler. I start at the front or back, standing outside the trailer for two cuts, then climb in the trailer onto cut brush.

Keep thick branches out. These go on top when you're done slashing, and can help to unload later.

When needed add the near side stake pocket side boards. Load height about 3'.

Add near side's 4' plywood before it becomes difficult to do so. Load height from side, about 5'+, from rear/ front 3'.



The brush starts to add up, but as you continue to "chainsaw chip" it magically shrinks. There is probably around 1500+# of limbs in the trailer.
At another terrible-access waterfront (stEEP, mossy driveway & tiny parking area down at house), I had 2000#.

I do it this way (when necessary) because I don't have a way to anchor the load (rope to tree or other truck), and drive out from under it, as the green waste sites are situated.

When I am significantly full, I'll tarp the load and strap around the frame. This sucks the top of the walls inward, supporting them. If not very full, sometimes I just use lighter duty ratchet straps from plywood top to other side plywood top. Holes are pre-drilled for hooks. These holes can also be used for a rope handle or ratchet straps for dragging plywood at a job site.

When I offload, I rotate the plywood out on a corner, not lift it out. Soooo much easier. Then the next 3 plywood sheets.

If you have long straight limbs, you may be able to push through the brush pile, and roll the brush off, somewhat, but that works much better with uncut limbs. Once I'm approaching the end of the brush to load, I stop cutting it up. That goes super fast with two guys, maybe three, with some sort of lever, we can sometimes roll it off, all at once.


You might just push/ pull with a steel rake/ pitch fork etc to unload.

When enough load is off, I push the lower wall in with my hip, and pull up on the stakes until the sides pop off. Then unload as easily as possible, one way or the other.




I'll usually unload some, then drive forward. Unload the rest. I'm mindful of tire/ wire damage. Never had a problem.


5x10', 4 side panels. Bought the flatbed, home made, converted boat trailer with winch for $300. Add stake pockets and chain hooks $100. $200 in new tires this year. New ball coupler 2 years ago. Owned it 9 years.


Looking to replace it soon. I've invested in other equipment over time, instead of a newer trailer that looks better.

I

You are a kind and patient man sean. 4 real

Thanks a lot, Sean!

I have enough experience with brush and limbs that I think I am totally on the same page with understanding you on how you handle it all in your explanations.

That is a very impressive rig you built.

Thanks a lot for all the great ideas!

 

[rfwoody]

How are you unloading the wood? If you don't have one, get a Loadhandler unloading tarp. It will unload a full pickup truck load of wood in seconds.

I have also "paid my dues" as you say and still work out of a pickup truck by choice. It is silly to move brush in a trailer, in my opinion, if this is something you plan on doing more than just occasionally. Chip it and you will make the most of your time and have a reusable product that is easy to find a market for. Even if you have to give it away, you will be saving disposal costs and not putting good biomass in a landfill.

Thanks DMc!

I don't mind a whole lot unloading the wood or brush... mainly its taking so many trips.

haha, I hear you about paying your dues (more than me no doubt), and I can understand keeping the simplicity of just using the pickup truck ---- but do you ever have to haul off, say, 5 or 6 truckloads from 30 or 40 minutes away? .... don't you get tired of all that driving and time?

 

[rfwoody]

I've had this custom-made trailer for 16 years. It's 4.5'x8.5'. When they first made it, I had asked for a 4x8 landscape trailer. They made it 4x8 to the outside dimensions, which meant you couldn't lay a sheet of plywood or sheetrock flat. Fortunately, they re-made it. I often put a tarp in first to make unloading easier.

<<< removed image for space >>>

That looks like a really nice setup, bstewert.

I am glad to see that some (e.g. you and Sean) are using narrower and shorter trailers .... which I think I would be more comfortable pulling.... not to mention getting into tight spaces.

 

[rfwoody]

Sean and DMc .....

thanks a lot for the photos and explanations of your trailers.


do y'all ever miss not having 2 axles?

do y'all have a 3000 or 3500 lb limit with your single axles ?

do y'all ever haul logs and/or rounds in your trailers?

thanks!

 

[Tree09]

The larger the trailer, the easier it is. Backing up a log splitter is almost impossible, a semi is so easy my dog could do it. And a bumper pull will more or less track directly behind you, it's not until you get into a gooseneck or 5th wheel that you really need to watch your inside turns.