poor boy log trailer ideas?

[Palletmiller]

I just got a 18ft trailer thats rated at 10,000lb  Im looking for some good ideas and pictures of some ways to modify it ot load logs on it . As of wright now the best idea I have is to weld a beam pocket on each side of the trailer about 1/2 the lenght and so i can put a winch ontop of a 4tf peace of i beam and a set of ramps on the other side and cross load them , but if any one has a quicker and easyer way please throw the ideas my way , Thanks Scott

[BW_Williams]

Welcome Palletmiller, you are talking about parbuckling and it works pretty good, been done for ages.  Don't let anyone below the logs, if you must assit or steer with a peavey, stay at the end, in case something lets go.  Good luck, BWW

[redpowerd]

i did that for years, id run a chain between two trees high enough to pick the logs with the chainfalls to back the wagon under. if i had room i roped and ramped them. then i got a loader

[Dakota]

Here's a picture of a log trailer I built last year.  I find it's a lot easier to roll logs than drag them so I designed this trailer to roll the logs up ramps.  A 2500 lb. winch does all the work.  If you're interested, I have pictures as I built it, I'd be glad to email them to you.
Dave Rinker

[Dakota]

oops! sorry, first time guy here and I forgot to click the upload button.

[Dakota]

one more time

[BW_Williams]

Welcome David and nice trailer, now were loggin'.  BWW

[redpowerd]

sheesh... first time guy takes two trys to upload photo : ;D ;D ;)
i STILL cant do it! :
welcome! lots of info here
do you have two cables runnin under the log or does it roll ok on just one?

[Kevin_H.]

We just use a winch and chain to put the logs on the back of the trailer, then spin them and pull them up between the fenders with the winch.

[redpowerd]

looks quite backbreaking 8)
is that maple

[Kevin_H.]

These two logs were water oak, I think we put one more short log across the back to max out the trailer, We have loaded some huge logs like this. The biggest so far was a sycamore that was 52" on the butt and about 10 feet long.

Havn't quite figured out how we are going to get in on the WM ;D

The winch does most of the work, You would be suprised how easy it is to get a log to turn. Most of the time we pull the log on to a pc of pipe, then just hook the choker on to one end and spin it right around.

[redpowerd]

yea, 'specially when teaterin.
we dont have wateroak or syc., too far north, jus one zone away!

[Kevin_H.]

Yep, give me a couple of pipes to roll on and a big enough lever and you could just about move anything. The down side to a set up like this is that it is hard to get more than one row of logs on.

Loading over the side will let you get more on, but we are usually max out before than.

[Kirk_Allen]

Kevin,
I load our logs the same way.  I have found that using a chain without ramps works just fine.  

We ditched the ramps after this one!



A total flat trailer like the one in the photo works best but I also  have one we use just like Kevins.  The fenders get in the way so we load from the back and then turn them just like Kevin described.

[Brian_Bailey]

Those pictures remind me of the times I used ramps and a winch to get logs up on the trailer with pretty much the same results  :D.

Now, some would call me lazy  :D :D.


 

[Kirk_Allen]

Ok Brian, you just had to rub it in didn't you? ;D

What brand hoist are you using and what did it cost?  Your set up is one of my goals so any info you can share would be appreciated.

Thanks
Kirk

[Brian_Bailey]

Kirk,  

I wasn't trying to upstage at all.  But, after being in the same situation ( more times than I care to remember ) as your last picture shows, I spent the money and became more efficent in getting the logs on and off the trailer.

It's an Auto Crane 6006EH.  It's rated for 6000 lbs. I don't like it on the trailer.  I usually have it on my F-450 Flatbed truck. I'm going to go to a larger truck and mount the crane behind the cab in the middle.

Using the truck trailer combo, you have to becareful of your combined registered weight unless you have a com. license, which I don't have  :'( .

[Norm]

That's a sweet outfit Brian, hey if you get tired of those long NY winters Iowa has lots of open space. Well that and I could use a neighbor with toys like that. ;)

[BW_Williams]

Brian, can you explain further why you don't like the boom on the trailer.  I got to run a Farma at the OLC (see post in Shows, Event section for further details) last week and I think that would be the ticket for my part time operation.  Read you loud and clear on the GVW issue, I call it staying below the radar.    BWW

[Bubba]

Hay Brian I thought this was about poor boy log trailers!  :D
Thats sure is a nice setup. Dave that trailer you made looks like it works like a champ to. Is there anything you would have changed if you were to make another one?

[Brian_Bailey]

Hey Norm,  

You must of talked to my neighbor. He has found all kinds of things that needed to be moved or lifted since I bought the crane  :D :D.

BWW,  

After putting the crane on the trailer and using it a few times. I found that the crane is more handy on the truck to do the odd jobs that seem come along. It only weighs 1300lbs and has 4 bolts, 3 cables to unhook so it's real easy to move back an forth if needed.
I have a Hardy Knuckleboom loader/w grapple that I was considering putting on my truck. The only thing holding me back is the Hardy won't lift the weight that the Auto Crane will lift.

[Brian_Bailey]

Bubba,  

Welcome to the forum.  

After paying for the Auto Crane that just how I felt "poor"  :D :D.
But seriously, just take a look at what an injured back will cost you and the dollars spent for a toy er piece of equipment is pretty reasonable.

The older I get the more I appreciate mechanical advantage .

[DanG]

Fla._Deadheader and I both built similar rigs for loading logs. I call it the DanGDeadheader Loader. : :D  Basically, it consists of an arch on the back-end of the trailer that is hinged to swing back and forth. You drop it back to about 30 degrees above horizontal and attach the log's end to it with a chain/cable/whatever. When you pull the arch forward with a winch, it travels in an upward arc, lifting and pulling forward on the log. The first pull sets the end of the log on the trailer. Then, you can drop back for another lift/pull, or simply finish dragging the log aboard with the winch.

For those really big monsters, I can lay the arch all the way back and it becomes a parbuckling ramp.

I had to do a bit of tinkering to come up with the best way to rig this thing, and I've improved it a lot. 8)  Deadheader's rig, however, started out perfect, but has failed to progress. :'(  In this loosely run, two man competition, I came in second, but poor Harold was next to last. :

[Dakota]

Redpowered,
I use 1" nylon rope fastioned into a loop.  It grips the log better and supports it as it rolls up the ramp.

Bubba,
The only different thing I would do to my rig would be to have a winch with a remote.  On logs with quite a bit of taper, one end rolls up the ramps faster than the other and I somethimes have to walk over and even up the ends as the log rolls up the ramps.  Not a big deal but it would be easier to be standing at the small end of the log to start in case an adjustment is needed.
The pictrue shows the principle of the looped rope while the trailer was in construction.

[Palletmiller]

Dave do you have any more pics of the boom, thats just what I was talking about . Thanks for the imput . Its nice to know it works. Have you ever loaded two rows high?
   Brian do you use lifting tongs or chains and straps with your crane?                 Thanks again Scottjavascript:grin()
Grin

[Kevin_H.]

Kirk,
We tried the ramp thing too, but gave up for chains after the first day, There are times when the logs are so big that we have to put blocks under the tail of the trailer to keep the rear axle of the truck from comming off the ground as we load up the log.

One nice thing about the ramps like david has is being able to load more that one row of logs

Nice pics david!

[Dakota]

Palletmiller,
Here's a picture showing the boom.  Loading a second layer is easy, just drape the rope loop over the top of the logs already loaded.
Dave

[DR Buck]

Hey DanG,

Any photos of your loader arch thingie??

I call it the DanGDeadheader Loader

Dave

[Brian_Bailey]

Palletmiller,  

I use a heavy set of skidding tongs to lift with. I just make sure I'm careful when the log is in the air.



I used a simular setup like David's on my truck before I went with the crane.