Guys, I am THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED with the amount of information you've brought here!! You have given me a big boost up the learning curve. Thanks!! [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Guys, I am THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED with the amount of information you've brought here!! You have given me a big boost up the learning curve. Thanks!! [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
I bought my twin axle in Texas 5 years back when I needed one quick. I was moving my wife's stuff up to Alberta and figured better to buy one and do a one way trip than drag an empty down there and load. Anyway, I would have loved some of this advice then but learned a lot in the meantime.
Mine's a 16 ft'er twin axle w/ electric brakes. Rated 7k ... has carried 10k (don't GUESS how much weight you're loading ... weight it! or at least that's what I discovered!)
Wood floors (heavy plank) do well and aren't as slippery as some of the steel floors I've had. But, the planks do let water thru when it's raining. Another lesson - carpet isn't completely waterproof and wet roads put LOTS of water on the underside and, hence, through the floor!
After having used it extensively for the past 5 years - 10k load to Alberta from Texas; 10k load to Michigan from Texas; load of toys from Alberta to Michigan; L3410 twice, L3710 several times; manure wagon for rebuild; hay ... I'm still very happy with the choice. Only regret ever has been ramps. Went with 2 heavy duty removeable ramps that rest on brackets on the back ... take no room to carry (clamp to a-frame up front) ... but provide no downward support. The first lesson I learned when using the trailer to carry a tractor, well my L3710 with filled tires for sure, the front end of the tractor is coming up no matter what I have on the truck!
Lesson: carry 2 4x4's sized (lengthwise) to sit under the back end of the trailer so it cannot sag under the weight of whatever is being loaded.
Electric brakes are an absolute MUST .... saved my butt several times ... uased right, they sure save the truck brakes too!
Final lesson learned .... trailers sway ... be careful on narrow bridges and roads ... managed to bounce a wheel off a bridge abutment in Oklahoma. Spent an extra day visiting because trailer shops in the Ft Smith Ark area aren't open on Sundays ... and spent some "spare change" having an axle replaced ... the little bump had put a bend in the axle (likely the extra weight I discovered we were carrying added to the problem).
Oh, and as an alternative to the mirror suggestion ... I clip a fiberglas whip pole on the coupler so I can see where the tongue is ... I already know where the hitch is. Works.
it's a shame that common sense isn't
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<font color="blue"> the front end of the tractor is coming up no matter what I have on the truck </font color>
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Wingnut, I am having a hard time visualizing what happened to you here. Did the front end of the trailer flip up on you ... and send your tractor flying??? [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] Egads!! How did you position the 4x4s to protect against this?
I'm in agreement that the larger trailers are a real blessing when you need them. In fact, I need to borrow one now! However, I bought a well-made 5x10 single axle (3500lbs rating) trailer about 7 years ago and have only needed larger a handful of times and been able to borrow for those occasions. There's always 2 sides to everything - here's my 2 in favor of the smaller trailer.
1) it is small enough to use it anywhere with ease & still carry plenty. I have loaned this trailer out countless times and it has been used to haul everthing from leaves to logs. Every person that borrows it is amazed at how easy it is to manuever, how well it pulls, and how well it handles a load (again, it is very well made e.g. square steel tubing rather than angle iron, heavy-duty hitch & jack, 1/4" steel plated sides, 3500lb axle, tires rated more than trailer, etc)
2) COST! - I paid $700 for the trailer. The larger ones I borrow run 2,000 up.
Bottom line for me is the smaller trailer makes more sense. If I was hauling larger & longer, I would have a larger & longer trailer! If money was plentiful, I would have BOTH!! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Terry
One thing to consider... try to buy a trailer that uses the same size tires as your tow vehicle. That way you only need to carry one spare, not two. Also, invest the $50 or less in a trailer aid. It's a small ramp that you use if you get a flat. Just drive the good tire (on the same side as the flat) up onto the aid. No need to jack up the trailer. Comes in very handy if you have the tractor (or horses in my case) up on the trailer.
Another thought... make sure that you have a tow vehicle that will pull the load.... including about 50% margin for safety.
oops ..... should have been "the front end of the trailer" ... sorry for the confusion. The 4x's are set under the rear corners of the trailer so it cannot drop ..... lesson learned after I lifted the tongue WAY tooo high.
it's a shame that common sense isn't
Wingnut (and the group), The 4x4 works and is a simple field expediency but fold down steel props are real convenient, always there, won't fall out of place unexpectedly and so forth. With fold down side braces they are nearly bullet proof.
You may have seen the post of my truck that Chevdog requested. When I have that truck hitched to the trailer it won't carry enough weight to even begin to raise the truck much. I have a 14,000 lb class V receiver on the back of the truck but still try to not get too crazy with tongue weight.
Regarding the pros and cons of small vs large and borrowing: There is no best or correct solultion. Trailers are tools. Use what works. If your primary loads are under 7500 lbs and you can easily borrow a 10-12,000 lb trailier when you need it and that is infrequent then a small trailer is fine.
Some of us frequently haul over 8,000 lbs and a 12,000 lb trailer can be used to haul a small load safer than using a small trailer to haul a heavy load. If you can only have one and have frequent need of heavy capacity, the large trailer is clearly the superior choice.
Of course there are always times when space limits trailer access and you need a smaller trailer. You might not have a large enough tow vehicle to safely handle a loaded 12,000 lb trailer so mulltiple trips with a light duty rig and trailer would be a reasonable compromise.
That is why they make different sizes of adjustable wrenches. A big one will fit a small nut and turn it if you have space to turn it but a little one won't fit a large nut. Both are good tools, just different. I don't see why one would conclude that the small wrench is superior without stating the conditions where it is superior, e.g. it is a less expensive way to turn a small nut and is doubly convenient when you don't have the strength to turn a large nut anyway. So qualified, you gain agreement of most reasonable folk.
Patrick
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
Pat:
"That is why they make different sizes of adjustable wrenches"
Those are just different weight hammers!!!!
Egon
Egon, Your comment:
"That is why they make different sizes of adjustable wrenches"
Those are just different weight hammers!!!!
This "concept" flies in the face of my expensive/extensive strategic aerospace training and experience. I was taught to start with the BIG hammer so you wouldn't have to change tools in the middle of a calibration if things got hard.
Patrick
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
Yes, and a big hammer will work well for any size of thumb! [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]
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