Got a little trailer

[J-Mech]

I've needed a little trailer for a good long while. Something to haul a Cub around on, and of coarse anything else that is easier to haul in a trailer. Dad has a small one. (It's the one I used to meet up with Lance a couple weeks ago.) And so does a good friend of mine. I pull them all the time. Well we (my wife and I) decided it was time for out boys to get their first summer jobs, so I picked up 5 yards to mow and I set them up. Deal is dad (papa to the step kids) supplies the equipment and eats the cost, and they do the work. Pretty good deal for them! I picked up a couple used push mowers and some of the yards supplies a rider and a push mower. (Deere... as it is.) Anyway, I didn't want to pull a big trailer, and the box trailer was out of the question as it has other uses. Chris (son of the guy I work for) had a homemade trailer that he was willing to part with, but it needed rebuilt. Well.... I'm kind of frugal as I don't have a lot of money to spend. His price was more than fair at $100, so I paid him and brought it home. (As if I don't have enough projects.) Today we started tearing it down to rebuild. Can't tell this isn't a produnction trailer. Built heavy and even has brakes! Chris bent the tongue and end frame accidentally with a tractor and loader putting a round bale on it, so I'm going to replace those. Change the end gate and wrap the box, so the sides are enclosed, with diamond plate. Definitely a new floor, but haven't settled on steel or wood. Waiting on a price from my welding shop (for material, I'll do the work). Of coarse, new lights, wiring and tires. Blast and paint it too. Hoping to come in at around $800, but even if I get up to new price, it will be built exactly the way I want it, and heavier than a production trailer. I need it NOW so it's priority. Actually, the kids did all the work while I fixed my buddies truck, lol. Ripped out all the wiring, floor and tore the spare tire off the rim! Ok... I helped some, and so did my buddies son, lol.

As usual, the pics....


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[Yettrbomb]

Looks like it has good bones! Plus the lessons/values you teach your kids is invaluable, especially now.

[dodge trucker]

hope you got a title, this state we live in is the WORST without one!!!!! I went thru that on my current trailer 8 years ago when "home made" trailer titling went to crap.... had I done the paperwork a few months before it would have bene a piece of cake.... but now getting a title for a "home made" trailer is worse than getting a "rebuilt" title for a car or truck.... people like us do not exist according to them... nobody has any stock piled up, old parts laying around... if you don't have a receipt they assume its stolen and no dice, they won't issue a title.... gotta take to Sec of State police for inspection and they put a VIN plate onto it...
I cant say I won't ever build/ rebuild a trailer again (Ive done a few) but even if all I get is a rusty tongue with a serial number, I wont do another that doesn't already come with a title. or unless I can afford to move outta here.

[J-Mech]

Yes, I have the title.
BUT...... I've got another trailer without one. Long story, that I don't want to go into, but sitting in the shed I have $6000 in an unfinished trailer that i didn't finish due to a title issue. I am certain I can run it through a state facility, but it's a day trip to get to one, get inspected and get home. I know all about that crap. Illinois sucks!

[dodge trucker]

Yup it does. And you see so many for sale where the seller says"oh just go get a homemade title" Major pain. Yet most in Wisconsin throw the title away because they don't even require plates on any trailer under 3k lb gvw. Only 1 state away, huge difference.

[zippy1]

That'a about the only thing WI has going for it. But just wait, this new governor we got, has big plans for "his" state. This could change next week.
Good looking project trailer Jon. Should do the trick for what your plans are. NOW, you just have to get it done...

[J-Mech]

I know.... I have the money for it, as long as I don't have something stupid come up, should get it all done. Money slows so many of my projects. Had to put the 1650 on hold cause I need this worse. Threw a deck on the 1050 for now. One thing at a time.... *sigh*

[Greenstripewideframe]

Mowing, shot we still got a snow pile at work. It will be a couple more weeks before rhe mowing starts.
Btw nice trailer Jon. I've been keeping my eyes peeled for one like yours. Something that needs work but not to much.

[J-Mech]

Snow?!?!?! Sorry guys!
Grass is getting away from us down here. Rain almost very day. Missed mowing my yard last week because we cut the money yards first, then it rained. Monday after work, tried to mow here. Got the boys on the push mowers, I trimmed then got out the 1050 to mow. Almost got it all cut before it got dark, wet and the 1050 started overheating and I had to quit. Can't image why it got hot....50" deck, 10" tall wet spring (tough) grass. Should have just chewed it up.....

But, got some prices for steel for the trailer, and plan to grab at least some before weekend. No kid weekend, and I've got a car to fix, my truck is acting up, trailer to work on and need to get some more mowing equipment fixed. Picked up (free) some non running things and dug a few out of storage to get going again to use. I've got a stupid amount of things to fix.

[zippy1]

Well that sounds like a plate full. Best start eating.
Be another couple weeks here before the mowing season. There are some people in the towns that are mowing, but there's really nothing growing yet.

[Lance Skene]

You can buy recycled plastic planks that make a great trailer floor... I had a 5' x 10' trailer with 2" x 6" plastic planks for the floor.... they even had a woodgrain so they looked like old discoloured boards but they are oil resistant and dont rot. not as slippery as wood either.

[Diesel Doc]

I agree Lance. I used the artificial deck boards (plastic) on my trailer floor. Looks good, strong, and no rot.

[bugeye]

I used "Trex" on our deck about 15 years ago. It is 5/4" thick. It was rated at the time for 17" on center. It can be felt to flex as I walk across. I'm 170 pounds. It will stain with oil and scratches easily. I do not recommend Trex for your trailer floor. Other manufacturers products can differ significantly.

[Lance Skene]

I dont what brand they were but there wasnt any noticable flex in the floor even on 24" center. Planks were the same size as a regular 2x6. It was a small dump trailer rated for 8000 lbs and the plastic planks were the original flooring installed at the manufacturer... they also sold car trailers with the same type of plank flooring.

[Rescue11]

You sound like me! Have too many non functioning items, not enough time and the one weekend you get, something else goes wrong or takes your attention and you get nothing done!

[J-Mech]

Quick update on the trailer:
Title has been transfered, got plates and insurance. This last weekend went tire shopping and bought new tires for this trailer and my box trailer, which now have the same size tires...... but different rims. Was hoping just to keep one spare for both trailers. New tires got mounted to the box trailer first. While I was working, the wheel bearings got repacked, and none too soon. I hadn't had that trailer long, and it hasn't traveled much, but one bearing was dry and already pitted. That hub got all new bearings. Always something!

Sunday night I sat down and got on etrailer.com. For those not familiar with it, it is now my go-to site for trailer parts and most all my lighting needs. *Sometimes* if you search hard you can beat their prices, but only on some items. Literally everything trailer related from hitches for the tow vehicle (like Reese hitches, 5th wheels, gooseneck) to lights, jacks, tires, straps and hold downs..... list goes on and on. Great site. Sorry for the commercial, but I really like etrailer. Anyway I ordered (and it was delivered yesterday) 3 new tire rims, all LED lights, safety chains and wiring. Still need a new hitch, but have to wait on fixing the tongue to order it. I need a measurement. Hope to buy steel this week and maybe weld on it this weekend.

[Arnie Cunningham]

Nice Jon. I too really like e etrailer.com too and they have great tutorial videos on everything trailer. I redid my new to me gooseneck and ordered lots of things for it. Very fast shipping like you said. I still need a new breakaway and figure out the chain mounts on my truck but yes, times 2 on really liking them.

PS more pics please