Elbe Trail Use Trailer Build

I see there is a use for a trail trailer at elbe.

I have a trailer to donate to the trails up there to use for moving rock or at work parties for anything.

First I will describe what I have.

Its an old trailer that is a single axle built on a mobile home axle with the funny 5 bolt wheels.

Its deck looks to be and old trucks flatbed about 6x8 or so. It looks to be all channel iron frame and very beefy.

The deck is long rotted away so I figured a nice steel or aluminum deck would be nice.

Its going to need a lunette ring for a pintle hitch.


I can do all the work and building, but need some materials if anyone has them.


Any ideas form the guys that have been hauling things for years at work parties as to what is going to be usefull?

Im thinking steel or alum on bottom and angle iron sides that accept 2x8 planks or sumthing?

Gonna need any extra mobile home style wheels/tires if ya got them.

Holders for rods/bars shovels and hooks for chains, lots of hooks.

I am very crafty at making junk work, all I ask is for a little help getting parts together.

Parts?

Ideas?

A dump trailer would be great. We need one that can haul lots of 100 lb rocks and be easy to unload. A provision to use a Hi-lift jack for the lift mechanism would be simple and cheap.

:awesomework:

Make it out of steel and let it get rusty so tweekers wont steal it.

Here is my favorite trail trailer picture, the load is about 12' high

Crazy Daze said:

A dump trailer would be great. We need one that can haul lots of 100 lb rocks and be easy to unload. A provision to use a Hi-lift jack for the lift mechanism would be simple and cheap.

:awesomework:

Make it out of steel and let it get rusty so tweekers wont steal it.

Click to expand...

I think a dump would be easy with a hilift or a handcrank winch even. Maybe a chain binder welded to it to latch it down.

Im thinking slightly angled out sides like an old mining car. Not much just a little.

Crazy Daze said:

Here is my favorite trail trailer picture, the load is about 12' high

Click to expand...

Have you guys killed allot of tires so far?

Gotta be a relatively short tongue, to successfully follow in the rigs tracks around corners.
Bad part of a short tongue, is it'll jacknife easily when backing up.

Make the front and rear of the trailer BOTH drop down tailgates (or removeable), so that long boards (bridge decking) can be loaded.

TreeClimber said:

Make the front and rear of the trailer BOTH drop down tailgates (or removeable), so that long boards (bridge decking) can be loaded.

Click to expand...

Yep the ends and sides need to be able to slide out. I have a bunch of 3x3 .25wall angle that I can use for the sides. Ill run them vertically and with a chunk of flatbar welded on the side of the angle so it will let a plank slide right in.

So,
Bridge planks
Rocks
Gravel
Dirt
Wood debris stumps

What else needs to be hauled around at work parties?

The military trailers have hand parking brakes on them (one for each wheel) and the m116a2 I have piviots right about where the front spring eyes are once the 1/2"x4' bolts at the very front of the deck area are taken out and replaced with pins that can be removed.

Then once the trailer is "converted" to tilt you just use the hand brake to tilt it up or down by setting the brake and backing up until it's tilted to your desire. Then when you want to tilt it back down you just drive forward, but the pins back in and release the brakes. It's as simple as that. I think that wouls be a very easy way to convert any trailer to tilt deck (provided you can control the braking (I wouldn't reccomend just using an electric trailer brake controller to apply the brakes, because the trailer can roll back at ramdom once the brakes are released (like once you get a load winched up towards the front of the trailer deck)) :hi:

Like SO.

CHOP SHOP said:

What else needs to be hauled around at work parties?

Click to expand...

Might want to put a engine hoist, lifting mechanism to help load crap. This could be used to help clean up garbage that abandoned in the nearby areas. (Think of an abandoned car that's been torched) We could cut it up and haul it out piece by piece, but lifting an engine block is a PITA.

Just an idea.

joshwho? said:

The military trailers have hand parking brakes on them (one for each wheel) and the m116a2 I have piviots right about where the front spring eyes are once the 1/2"x4' bolts at the very front of the deck area are taken out and replaced with pins that can be removed.

Then once the trailer is "converted" to tilt you just use the hand brake to tilt it up or down by setting the brake and backing up until it's tilted to your desire. Then when you want to tilt it back down you just drive forward, but the pins back in and release the brakes. It's as simple as that. I think that wouls be a very easy way to convert any trailer to tilt deck (provided you can control the braking (I wouldn't reccomend just using an electric trailer brake controller to apply the brakes, because the trailer can roll back at ramdom once the brakes are released (like once you get a load winched up towards the front of the trailer deck)) :hi:

Click to expand...

I have the same trailer converted the same way. It works good, but the bolts are not on the same pane as the tongue so it will eat thru the bolts unless you cut the tabs off under neath and square them up to the swing on the tongue.

Those trailers are way to flimsy for rocks too. Plus we need something with a mechanical lifting mechanism. Sometimes backing up on tight and slick areas to dump it is not going to be practical.

Good idea tho and an old trick on the army dump conversion.

I like where you're going with this Brad.:rockon:

Money Mark said:

I like where you're going with this Brad.:rockon:

Click to expand...

SO are you going to get a bolt on pintle hitch for the back of your buggy?

Unbolt winch bolt on hitch?

The rear winch would be great for loading the trailer.

Eric said:

SO are you going to get a bolt on pintle hitch for the back of your buggy?

Unbolt winch bolt on hitch?

The rear winch would be great for loading the trailer.

Click to expand...

I'm not doing anything......this is Brads deal. But if my rig was needed for Elbe workparty use, I'm more than receptive. :awesomework:

CHOP SHOP said:

Those trailers are way to flimsy for rocks too.

Click to expand...

Well you could convert the bigger M105a2 that I have for sale! :redneck: I went over to where it is and took a look at and I think it would work pretty well!

My little M116a2 is definetly too small for moving anything real hearty, but the dump idea from it could be transfered pretty to a bigger unit easily and at that point it's not fabbing a whole trailer.

joshwho? said:

Well you could convert the bigger M105a2 that I have for sale! :redneck: I went over to where it is and took a look at and I think it would work pretty well!

Click to expand...

Are you looking to donate it?

joshwho? said:

My little M116a2 is definetly too small for moving anything real hearty, but the dump idea from it could be transfered pretty to a bigger unit easily and at that point it's not fabbing a whole trailer.

Click to expand...

I understand your point. But both of those are sheetmetal trailers.

I have no problem fabbing a whole trailer instead of using a remodeled one that just kinda works.

This would be awesome...

We've been talking about a few options for trail trailers up there...

It would really help out with all the different projects going on...

What about a sign on eather side thats says(HARD HAT AREA) :haha:

great idea brad...removeable lights would be great for whoever hauls it on the highway..or very protected lights.i think taller tires the better,as they will roll over stuff alot easier than short tires..whatever parts are needed please post a list,and mabye when /if there is a work party for the trailer im glad to help..

I have an old trailer axle here with a little brake damage.
We dont need trailer brakes on the trail trailer so the damage is not important.

The damaged axle I have is a 6lug one. I think it is a better choice than the 5 lug mobile home axles/tires.

There are tons of 6 lug spare tires available at any given work party. Much larger choice of tires for free too.

I dont think its going to be road friendly. No plates or title. I dont want to worry about towing it or lights or bearings getting greased, etc. Or liability of other folks towing an unlicensed trailer on the road.

I can hide it in ashford or tow it up on my trailer when needed if it cant live in the DNR holding lot.