How many of you guys have destroyed a trailer hauling logs?

[Dan_Shade]

If you did tear one up, how did it happen?

I'm currently using a car trailer, not the greatest, but it's what I've got now, i drag them on from the end with a winch.

I'm looking to make one of those arm things to lift and set the logs like I saw in the photo archive, just so I'm not dragging quite as much...

I know my method is risking my trailer, but they're pretty sturdy, and if I watch what I'm doing, i figure I can keep from overloading it, but we know how things happen...

I'm sure a few of you guys have some interesting stories about demolishing hauling equipment

[WH_Conley]

When dragging from the end make sure you have some support at the back, could break down the rear axle or springs.

[Brad_S.]

Ditto what WH said. I turned a flatbed trailer into a beaver tail trailer loading logs from the end! :D

[MemphisLogger]

Not me  ;D



Though this one did bend by crossmembers a little when the drunk on the front loader dropped it from a foot off the deck  >:(

[Brad_S.]

If I cruised past a DOT cop here in New York with something even half as big as that in tow, they would drop their donuts and just about mess their britches with delight as they pulled me over :D.

[isawlogs]

 UrbanLogger
That x we see at the back under your trailer is that the modified cross member you are talking about ...
What kind of wood would that be .... And do you know what it did weigh in at .... other than heavy as h.....   

[Furby]

Ok guys, here's the full story as told earlier. ;) :D
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=8757.0

[isawlogs]

Thanks Furby ... I read that and I'm still laughing ...  :D :D ;)

[Furby]

I was hoping you would like that! ;) :D

[sigidi]

 :D ;DCrikey!! You blokes over ther are just plain crazy!!! ;D :D

That is one DanG great lump o Oak!

I was wondering on the trailer side of things - a bit of expansion for down the not too distant track.

So basically to summ up, the given advice would be get the strongest (highest rated) biggest DanG thing the folkes can fabricate... is that a correct sumation ;D

[Ga_Boy]

Sigidi,

You did an execellent job. ;)

Bigger is always better, my trailer is rated at 26,000 lbs (11,793 kg), my limit was what my 4x4 half ton Suburban would tow.  Just bought a GMC one ton 4X4, diesel with the allison transmission, now I gotta relearn what I can pull. 8)

There are a few pictures of my trailer on here some where, when I find them I'll link them over.



Mark

[music_boy]

     I haven't destroyed my trailer,,,yet,, :D but I jacknifed one and punched a hole in the rear Q panel. Didn't do anything to the trailer. ;D Found me a 5 ton equipment trailer, 6x16 which is bout all my 2x half ton can safely deal with. Gota get mea bigger truck.
Rick

[MemphisLogger]

Our trailer actually benefitted from the "accident"--now it has a nice "swale" to it that helps logs center themselves on the bed  :D ;D

That broken piece under the back end is the chunk of Oak I had wedged up in the channel to support the the tail of our 4/4 WO decking. It's now bolted in  8)

I built the trailer out of scrap that some joker mounds up illegally on a piece of residential zoned property in my neighborhood. He let me have it (and a bunch more) as long as I promised not to block his application for a variance. The axle-hitch-fenders-lights kit cost $400 and the weldwire another $50. It's 2x4 channel all around except the failing crossmember which are 3x3 angle. I'm gonna replace the angle with box someday, probably the same day I get around to puttin' on the lights and fenders.  ;D

   

   

[ARKANSAWYER]

  Being of safety minded person I would never exceed the safe load capacity of any piece of equipment.  :  I would not endanger my fellow travelers on the road and have great respect for the laws of the land.  But when the axle clamps bust in the middle of a curve going down hill hauling a few pecker pole pines one will tighten up a bit.  When the Man pulls you over and you weigh 39.967 lbs and limit is 25,999 you get a talking to.  When the sharp edge of a cedar slab cuts your 10,000 lb strap and you string cedar slabs from Mt Home to Norfork (about 15 miles) (also I do not look back much as I have to watch out for Yankees in front) it seems that folks do not like the addition of speed bumps on the highway.  Being safe means living long.
ARKANSAWYER
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME AS IT WAS PERFORMED BY A PROFESSIONAL.

[Kevin_H.]

We pretty much destroyed a 16' 7000lb trailer.

I lost count how many times we had to pry the smashed fenders off the wheels so we could make it home.

We bent all but two of the 3" angle cross members.

Last fall we cut all the cross members out and replaced them with 3" channel, we also cut the fenders off, they just seem to get it the way.

I wanted to add to keep an eye on your truck also, The last time some one loaded a big log for us, they dropped it about 2 ' on to the trailer, it ripped the hitch right off the frame of the truck. 

One thing to keep an eye on is if you have a piece of angle holding the deck boards on the rear of your trailer, make sure you dont rip it off when you pull the logs back off. Yep we replaced it too. 

[Ga_Boy]

I guess I should add that i now keep a good supply of those little red and yellow running lights on hand.  I seem to rip them off the side regularly when I unload by rolling the big ones off the side. 

Ya gotta love them deck overs. ;)

[Dan_Shade]

thanks, guys, good input.

One thing about blocking up the back, do you guys use like jacks to do that?  I was thinking jackstands would work, but the problem there is after the trailer sinks down on it's springs, the jackstands will no longer come out without jacking the back of the trailer up.

maybe I can get two cheap bottle jacks to put back there or something...

my trailer is pretty well made with lots of cross braces. 

I agree with ARKANSAWYER on the overloading deal, i don't want a tire blow out either....

if all this stuff pans out for me, i may get a bigger trailer, but i just want to do enough to keep occupied when I want to be occupied.

[sawyerkirk]

I have only destroyed one, about 3 times though. Most of my log hauling is done within a few miles of home, usually I pull it with my Ford 5000 far tractor. It was originally a 16' rated at 12,000#. Few years ago I was hauling about 2000bf of red oak out of a woods, going along pretty good, it was a nice cold January rain, so I was going to fast when I hit a stump with the front axle, it bent all the way back and cleaned the back axle clear off. Spent a day cutting and welding, back on the road. A while later (summer) I had a way full load, headed home, hit a bump, really hard busted the ball off, snapped the chains  trailer went flying down into the ditch, logs all stayed on, went home, got the winch truck, back on the road next day. poor trailer has been welded and rewelded way too many times. Oh yeah, My dad bought this same trailer about 20 years ago, he and I and his friend were cutting firewood on a big long hill, his friend cut his arm real bad with a saw, we bounced through an old logging road at about 80mph with that trailer bouncing off every tree and rock in the way. I think that was when we took the fenders off.

[MemphisLogger]

Dan,

I just cut a bunch of round off whatever limbs are laying around and shove them under the corners--if they don't wanna come out I take the farm jack to them.

Oh, BTW, you need to keep a farm jack with you--they're indispensible!

[music_boy]

Scott,
     I know this is a little off the thread,, but I really like yoour logo. Awesome! Great detail and covers elements of sawing.
Just thought I'd comment
Rick

[Dan_Shade]

by farm jack do you mean handy-man or a bumper type jack?

I just ordered one of those from summit racing made by hilift... there were a bunch laying around back where I grew up, but my dad said they couldn't spare one and made my buy my own, haha...

[ScottAR]

hi lift makes a good one...

As to the trailer question, I've broke quite a few at my job.  None of them were mine and I was told to do unatural things to them so it wasn't my fault.   ;D

In nearly every case, it was too much load on too small a truck/trailer or shoddy maintence or both. 

Bent the tongue on a single axle, (30 bags of 80lb. sakrete [him]"it'll haul it" [me] "whatever you say")

Hand unloaded and then bent it back with the fork lift so he could take it back home.

Single axle. Busted spindle, rim, tire, fender with 15 or so square of 30 yr. shingles.  Gave the cashier a cussin' because he had to pay for delivery.   : :

pulled a coupler off the ball.  I forget what we were loading. 

I stepped through the floor awhile back when trying to load some sheet goods.  Missed an angle iron by inches... 

That's about it so far...   :D

[Mongo]

A "summer person" who's family had a place up the road from our family homestead showed up one day asking if we had anything to help him get the trailer ball off his truck because the nut must've "rusted" and was stuck.

Took me over an hour of fighting, cussing, wrenching, screaming, and applying heat to the *DanG thing to finally get it off.  Wasn't rusted a bit--guy had pulled a trailer load of 1+ ton of coal with a 1/2" shank ball (attached directly to bumper of compact pickup even, no receiver hitch)  The thing had about the same curvature as a ")"

[Bibbyman]

We've got a light trailer but do very little hauling with it.  When we do,  we don't overload it.

But.. Many of the trailers that come on our lot are in awful bad shape.  Some of the home builts,  I don't know how they allow them on the road.