Boostinjdm's Trailers

[dabar39]

I'm pretty impressed, you are giving him permission to build it his own way.

As I recall, you DID criticize his trailer on the other thread. First, the axle was in the wrong place; second, the hitch didn't have enough clearance; third, it's built too heavy. The first two have already been disproven, and since we don't know what Boostinjdm is planning to haul and dump, nobody here, other than Boostinjdm, has any basis to evaluate the third.

I'm not being nice, just giving you plenty of room to put your foot in your mouth again.

Just one question about the rails and coupler, did you allow enough room for the stick out on the trailer hitch receiver? Looks like it's gonna be mighty close if not hitting when turning or going over uneven ground.

As for the rest of your build, that's just insane, talk about wasting time and materials. That's way beyond over kill, unless I'm missing something here.

How much is the trailer rated for and how much does it weigh as it sits?

Is it an optical illusion or do you have the axle placed in the center of the trailer deck?

What is the purpose of the extra rails above your tongue rails, and the ones going up the middle of the trailer, seems like an awful lot of time and materials that could have and should have been used on other projects.
Please explain some of the reasons why you built it this way or tell us what and how the trailer is going to be used.
__________________
The above is copied and pasted from the other thread, Please show me where I criticized
anything other than my thought of it being overbuilt? When did asking legitimate questions become criticizing someone?

[Boostinjdm]

It's hard to sell an $8000 trailer in a $5000 market and still make a living.

And that is exactly the reason I don't build them specifically for sale. I build for myself, eventually somebody comes along and wants them more than I do. As we all know, everything is for sale if your pockets are deep enough.

[Boostinjdm]

I'm looking at the doubled tube on the bottom of the dump trailer. That adds quite a bit of weight, and little to no strength over a single member.

It's tough to tell much else from the picts of that unit without plans or better picts. If anything I'd say it's overbuilt, not necessarily a bad thing. It does cut into the weight you can carry and stay under the 10K limit that moves you to a class A license however.

I'm not sure I understand what you are talking about here. If you are talking about the tongue, the two members stacked and tied together the way I have done is over twice as stiff as a single member. A lot of the tubes have been placed to support a mount, spread a load or box in something. This is all 1/8" wall tubing so things like the torsion axle mounts, scissor mounts, and hinge mounts all need the load spread to avoid fatigue cracking later on. There is a lot of places where I would have prefered to use a different size tube, but this is the stuff I have on hand. I bought all the steel for the dump trailer at scrap price so there is no reason to be stingy with it.

[Boostinjdm]

Oh yeah

Why torsion axles as opposed to spring units? Height issues?

Big Rubber Bands

Yes height issues. Ease of mounting. Flexibility for ride height (these particular axles are splined so they can be set the way I want). Also, I like the fact that I can remove one or two tires and still be able to go down the road if I happen to get a flat or two. That can't be done easily with a spring and balance bar set up.

[Boostinjdm]

I should prolly include some backround on this dump trailer. It didn't start out as a dump. I originally planned on building a 5x10 3500lb flat bed for hauling my lawn mower, tube bender, and whatever else was too big or two heavy for my 4x8 but two small or not heavy enough to justify pulling the big trailer.
At that point, I already had the tubing, I purchased one axle, and I purchased a 5x10 sheet of deck plate. While in the planning stages, I roofed my house and hauled out over 6000lbs of lath and plaster to the dump (all had to be unloaded one shovel at a time). Also, I had hauled quite a bit of scrap, rock, and dirt in the past. These are the things that got me thinking about a dump trailer. I came across a deal on a second axle, so it evolved into a tandem axle 5x10 so I could haul the skid loader. Then I figured, what the hell the only cost difference to jump to a dump trailer is the hydraulics since I already had everything else.

So now I am building a 5x10 (actually 62"x122") tandem axle dump trailer. If I have done my math right, I should be able to haul 5000lbs worth of payload. That is right about the limit of what I am comfortable pulling with my truck anyway. That accomplishes all of my hauling goals with one trailer. If that is not enough, I have built it heavy enough and done things like putting a 10,000lb coupler on it so that I can change out the axles (they just bolt on) in the future for added capacity.

[farmersamm]

Never hurts to have a HD coupler. Adds very little to the cost of a bumper pull trlr. That commercially made stuff usually has the bare minimum rated coupler on it.

I like this style Bulldog. It's the best one out there, and it does a great job of preventing any uplift problems when the tongue doesn't have enough weight on it. It's the reason I used it for this towbar. It will not come off

Nice positive lock, and no mechanical crap inside it like the lever types. A HITCH FOR ALL SEASONS

[farmersamm]

Joe, you got Dabar typin' in large bold letters

I think he's yellin'

[mark8310]

Samm, I think he's a little upset. Still yelling at me ....

[DSW]

Samm I actually got hassled by a DOT cop over one of those couplers. He didn't think it was "secure" enough compared to a "normal" one. I was a bit PO'ed over the 4 BS tickets he had already given me, and proceeded to whip out the 4 ton jack and lift the back tires of the loaded truck off the ground by jacking up the trailer tongue. Cop decided to let me slide on the coupler after that.

[dabar39]

Joe, you got Dabar typin' in large bold letters

I think he's yellin'

Samm, I think he's a little upset. Still yelling at me ....

Samm
My computer is not cooperating with me when I'm trying to multi quote, won't even let me change color of the text so typing my responses larger is the only way to make them stand out from the original quotes. Yelling not implied or intended

Joe, I apologize if you think I'm yelling at you, didn't mean to hurt your feelings none

[Boostinjdm]

Sam,
I guess I'm just not a fan of that type hitch. It depends on one little rivet in the lever to move that collar, and one pin at the front. This is the one that I have taken a liking to because it is so simple and if any of the lever/latch parts fail, the wedge block will actually get tighter on the ball. The stamped steel will actually have to seriously deform for it to come off the ball. I did play around with it for awhile taking it apart and such so I could understand how it worked.

[59halfstep]

This is exactly why, if I ever build a trailer, it won't be posted here

THE VULTURES ARE CIRCLING

One has landed.

[farmersamm]

While we're all givin' expert advice on trailers here..........

DOES ANYONE GREASE THEIR BALLS??!!

I see more dudes pulling trailers without a drop of grease on the ball, or inside the coupler.

[Boostinjdm]

My balls grease themselves. Don't yours?

Really though, I carry a can of WD40 in the truck. I spray the ball, the coupler, and the wiring plug, when I hook up. Has worked well so far and doesn't collect near the amount of grit that grease does.

[farmersamm]

It's a wear thing

Tight and greazzy, or loose and sleazzzy

[farmersamm]

AHA!!!!!!!

Oils from 90w on up have impact properties.(pretty sure about this)

NLG2 is also rated for its ability to form a film between moving parts under severe impact. Or at least the better manufacturers formulate the grease to alleviate the problem

GREAZE IT AND FORGET IT

Actually, all kidding aside, I've talked to some old timers(and some young idiots too) around here that swear that using chain lube on ag equipment just collects dust and dirt.

They replace chains on an annual basis.

I like Gunk Motorcycle and Farm Equipment Chain Lube (or something like that) in a spray can. Get off the tractor every hour and give the chain a shot while it's running.

Honest to God........I've got some pretty hefty roller chain, and long expensive lengths of the said chain, that have never been replaced in over 10 years.

It's not so much about the cost of the chain. American made chain is pretty expensive though. It's about the 2 hours you lose in the day taking it apart, running to the supply house, getting it sized, and reinstalling it. It can put a real damper on an otherwise perfect day

WD-40 is better than nothing, but it's mainly solvents.

Dab a bit of grease on the ball. You can always wipe the excess off when you unhook the trailer. Don't wanna have grease stains on yer pretty bumper Tha ladies might think you's some kinda slob

[landman]

I grease them once a week or so when know one's looking

[DSW]

Isn't that a bit of a personal question to be asking us Samm?

[markfuga]

I'm a ball greaser on an annual basis I also put a few quirts of a "chain like lube" in between the spring leafs on the trailer so I don't hear the annoying -SQUEAK - SQUEAK - SQUEAK - when pulling it empty or lightly loaded.

[Boostinjdm]

Ok, a little progress. Not much though, I kinda slow.....
Got both fenders and light boxes welded up and ground smooth (forgot pics). Got rear hitch installed (also forgot pics). Got tongue enclosed and started on hydraulic tank. Trying to fit 10 lbs of **** in a 5 lb bag, or so the saying goes. Still have to finish tank and figure out my mounting for wireless box for winch and dump, and switch box for the on trailer controls. I plan on having toggle switches mounted on the tongue cover to control and disable both the winch (yet to be pictured) and the pump for dumping. I also plan to have a wireless remote for loading with the winch by myself, or dumping from the cab (reason for disable switch, don't want to catch interference and start dumping while going down the highway). Also need to figure out mount for circuit breaker. Heres some pics to tide ya over.

[Boostinjdm]

Since Dabar enjoys watching me waste so much time and material, here's one just for you. I wasted a whole afternoon getting this hitch just the way I wanted it. Profiled, bent, and some of it even tigged, just because I can. I thought a hitch would come in handy. Not just for towing double, which I'm sure is illegal in at least one of the two states I frequent, but more for adding a bed extender for hauling longer material or using a hitch mounted cherry picker for loading stuff.

[billsss]

I have built a few trailers and I have never been sorry for over building it. It is of course better to over build than under build. It never fails that no matter what I build one for I always need to haul something a little heavier at some point.

[billsss]

I like your engineering. It is definately not a run of the mill trailer. I am looking forward to the finished product.

[adam21584]

I agree over built is always better. I have seen many trailers from 7 to 10 ton trailers that where factory built not hold up to abuse and every day use. Some production trailers are scary when you get to looking at them.

[Boostinjdm]

Tonight's progress so far. Primer!