Since everyone likes to talk about there truck setups/rigs, how about those with enclosed trailers?
I’m about to pick up a 6×12 tandem axle trailer w/ barn doors and a side door and I’m too lazy after a long days work to think about the best way to outfit the inside in order to make the best use of the space.
I feel like I’m seeing more and more trailers around so I’m hoping some of y’all can help me out. Include pictures if you can.
I also think FHB should do an article. Maybe I’ll do the article, how much do they pay?
Replies
You're going to love having a trailer. Always have everything you need right there with you is a great feeling.
I've posted these pics a million times here, so if some of you guys have already seen them... bear with me. Just trying to help out dogfish here.
Anyway, I've had this 6x12 V-nose for two years now and still love it. I'm on my second set of skins and other than a little grease now and then, it doesn't ask much of me. A lot of people told me I'd outgrow a 6x12 too fast, but I still feel like it's just the right size for us.
I built a little workbench up in the nose and made a big storage locker under it. That's where we keep bulky stuff like cases of gun spikes, chainsaw, sledge, pipe cutter.... random awkward stuff.
I just replaced the shelves on the right with heavy duty ones about a month ago. The ones in the picture were cheapo HD stuff. They made it for about a year and half before they started to rattle apart. The cabinets hold smaller stuff and misc maintenence stuff for the tools. They were about $30 each. More cheapo HD stuff, but they've held up reasonably well.
The rack for the hoses and cords is just a piece of metal shelving angle with holes. I put "S" hooks through the holes and pinched them shut at the top so that they don't bounce out of the holes. I use Bowtie cord wraps from McFeely's to keep the hoses/cords bundled and the D rings on those just hang on the other end of the S hooks. There's not much I'd change about this set-up if I were putting another one together tomorrow.
Thanks man, that's just what I had in mind.
OK Brian..Here's the important question...how long did it take you before you got used to driving that around, backing up, etc etc. I've been thinking bout' getting one of those one day but I want EASY...how long does it take to become EASY? and why'd you pick a V nose besides it being aerodynamic? and what are the prices of these things? and if you did it over what would you do different? and what is your favorite curse word? and what is the word you dislike the most......lol
a...
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Driving with it, easy in 48 hours. Backing up, in a week. You'll find a handful of curcumstances down the road where you stop, think, get out and look to be sure, but you get better all the time.
When I got mine I didn't know if I could get it in the drive. I got it there, in and out about ten times. Now its one pull forward, crank the wheel, and slide it in. I think the only thing that's thrown me lately is elevation. I went through the back of a site where there was a dip in the ground, and it was snowy. I got the thing, I cant say high centered, opposite of that. Wheels were free for a sec and back end was grading the dirt. It took some 4 wheel low lovin to square that away.
I'd like to opinionate on your other query, if I did it over. Seriously. First, I'd move. Find a place with a much bigger driveway. Then I'd peel the cap off the truck, get a 5th wheel hitch, and get at least a 24 footer. I have an 8x18 now, I ought to go out there and take a pic of the inside. I can't believe how much stuff is in there, and it's only about a third of what I wish I had with me."A bore is a man who, when you ask him how he is, tells you." -Bert Taylor
I'm so used to drivin mine around (5x10) that I screw up when I'm just backin my truck only out the driveway.Kinda funny and dumb and weird all at the same time.JT
I'm so used to drivin mine around (5x10) that I screw up when I'm just backin my truck only out the driveway.
Kinda funny and dumb and weird all at the same time.
Glad to know I'm not the only one!... I do the same thing. It's so second nature now I have to think about it when backing without.
Andy, the only advice I'll give for backing is learn to do it with mirrors...not by cranking your head around. I had to unlearn some bad habits picked up young. Was a real boondoggle first time I needed to back with no visibility.
Comfortable enough now, I kinda feel naked without the trailer on.
The real acid test is on a steep, wet boat ramp with a stick shift...fast and smooth footwork is the name of the game. Even better with an audience!
I love trailers... own three... what does that tell you? PJ
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
I'm running late, but I'll get back to you on this when I get home.View Image
Since you will be writing an earliar post anyway, somthintg that hasnt been mentioned;
I noticed that although you have a commonly known short trailer it has dual axles.
The reason I bring this up is I accompanied DW Christmas shopping and she wore me out which is easy for her to do. I dropped her off at a clothing store and drove to Lowes or Home Depot I fergit. I looked at their trailers which looked light to me. The longest they had was 14 ft and it was single axle. No doubles there.
I looked at the 14 ft model because of the back loading door which was a fold down ramp which I could only imagine how handy that would be for working alone . Most of my heavy stuff is on wheels or could be dollied . Ive got several flat bed trailers so materials would be out in this type of trailer for hauling materials other than nails . screws , etc. I cant remember if that was a 2500 or 3500 lb trailer gvw but I was guessing that a dual axle would probably be 5000 lbs.
Ive got both types of trailers and know that the single axle trailers are easier to hook up and forgiving on turf. They also cut shorter when backing and are eaiser . There are also times when I know they dont need to be loaded and I have to change trailers because of weight .
Dedicated to tools and fasteners , your trailer doesnt look like its heavy loaded but I cant see in the box in the front either . Of course the truck carries most of that weight .
Your thoughts on my post ?
Thanks ,
Tim
Hi Tim,
I agree, my trailer isn't loaded anywhere near it's capacity. Believe it or not, that trailer is rated for 7000lbs. To be honest with you, my biggest reason for getting the dual axle wasn't for the weight, it was for the insurance. I'm on the highway a fair amount and as you know trailer tires take a beating. I'd hate to experience a blow out on a single axle trailer full of my prized possesions. Maybe I'm paranoid, and it wouldn't make a difference, but that was part of my reasoning.
I'm also a "better to have and not need than need and not have" type of guy. So if I ever do try to stuff 7000lbs in that thing at least I've got a shot at it.
Why is it that you said single axle trailers are easier to hook up? I don't get that one. View Image
For me a single axel is easier because it offers less resistance when trying to move it over the ball, with the dual axels I've had to move they do not move side to side as easily.
Why is it that you said single axle trailers are easier to hook up? I don't get that one.
Ive got a lot of experience with trailers and I also pull one every day . Ive got 7 trailers right now and a couple years back I had five boats. I had a wholesale produce business several years ago and pulled a 16 ft cargo trailer over 100,000 miles. Ive got to look at a lot of different trailers .
If a single axle trailer is loaded correctly it will have no more than 250 lbs on the tounge. If the tires are fully pressured and I have mine set 10 ilbs over max, it will roll like a toy wagon. If the roller is sitting on somthing hard like plywood and the wheels are set on the same , it wil simply come to you to be hooked up as long as you are not trying to pull it up hill. On a street or driveway its just that simple . I can hook up by my self in a minute .
I can get very close but most of the time not dead center . A single axle is easily pulled sideways .
Why so picky?
I had open heart surgery 2 years ago and Im not supposed to lift over 35 lbs in any direction but I can lift 50 from the waist up . I carry a dolly to ramp loads off the ground . When I first started trying to work I almost gave up because it seemed I couldnt do anything like I used to. I told DW 100 times Im not worth a S. Then I met a one handed man building and shut my mouth. Ive been practiceing for a couple of years now and Im not too shabby if I pick my battles.
I had a 22 ft bass boat on dual axles that I sold for this reason. If it had been on single axle I would still have it . I bought a bass tracker on a single axle and I hook it up by my self every arfternoon when Im fishing which is fixing to start.
Tim
2 years.
Holy cow, has it been two years already?
Man, talk about time flying.
'Nemo me impune lacesset'No one will provoke me with impunity
I'm with you Tim and sound like you... way too many toys & tools and all with trailers... if i had to count i'm guess'n over 20 trailers from single jetski trailers to the ones i haul my bobcat on... and if i can, i always go with single axle (can't always) and yes I love my bass tracker also... just 17ft with a 50hp but when it's in use i fish not run 100miles up & down the lake... not only light but i can launch it with a 4wheeler if i want... this year is my "build the lifts into the boathouse" year i have 2 stalls below the partyroom in the boathouse that just have to be rigged with lifts and i'll be in a sweet situation...
p
if you do encounter a heavy trailer tongue and have to back up to it alone, here's a tip. back up as close as possible with your mirror. get out and estimate the inches and direction to the ball to the hitch. get back in the truck but leave your left foot on the ground. pick a blade of grass or a turd, or something to guage the distance with, and, holding your foot steady, watch as you back up that distance, not the mirror. on a good day I've done it in one try, sometimes it takes a couple or three.
Great tip Pete! Something I use too, except I can't "touch" in the Super Duty so I leave the door open and use that as my gauge instead.
If you're leaving your trailer parked in the same place every day, you can use a brick or 4x4 as a chock behind the rear wheel of the truck as a "stop block".Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
Oh... now I get it. It's easier to hook up because you can manually drag the trailer over to the ball. Well I guess you're right about that! I don't even bother trying to move my trailer by hand. I can maybe wiggle 1 1/2 to 2" left and right if I didn't back up spot on. Most of the time I just back up and nail it. Having ladder racks and the V-nose make it a lot easier to judge on center I think. That must be it, because I eyeball the middle of the racks and aim for the "V" and nail it most of the time.
Seems like when I miss it, I should just drive around the block and try again. When I'm off like 3" I have the damndest time adjusting that little bit to get it on. Instead I just pull forward about 10' and have another go at it. It's really not that hard anyway though.
Fishing. Bass fishing. Now that's a warming thought right about now. I envy you.View Image
Seems like when I miss it, I should just drive around the block and try again.
Now that right there was funny ! <G>
Fishing. Bass fishing. Now that's a warming thought right about now. I envy you.
You have to get old . <G> Never had the time when I was supporting a family. I take that 11 year old along with me every where and I dont think I could slip out doing that . He loves it and doesnt mind helpimg me work either . You gettin started on that extended family? If I knew grand kids were so much fun I would have skipped the kids. Oh wait ,...
Tim
We're working on it Tim.... and that's where the real fun is at, isn't it? :)
If I were a bettin' man I'd put my money on there being a little dieselpiglet raising he11 over here in the next year or so. If not..... my mother is gonna be raising some he11 of her own!View Image
That's the same reason I bought the TA setup, too--cheap insurance!
I tell ya though, I've put half a pallet of Timberlines in the back with all my normal eqpt. inside too w/ no problem except I had to turn the brake controller up a notch.Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
I once loaded a whole pallet of 80lb bags of concrete mix in the bed of my F-350. I don't recall exactly how many bags it was or how much it weighed, but I remember thinking it was close to 1.75 tons. That was a site to see dude.View Image
I used to have a rusty fullsize longbed 1990 1/2 ton dodge 4x4 w/ a 4 speed and a fuel injected V-6.
My boss needed 45 - 80lb. bags of Type S so I said what the hell. Went to the store loaded it up, took it back to his house and drove it up his fairly steep gravel driveway in granny. 3600 lbs(1.8 tons). -- No Sweat!
The beauty of this truck is that the rear leafs were pretty wore out(I wonder why?) and when you put about 400 lbs in it the frame would just sit down on the axle housings. I could have probably put 20 more bags in there.
Granted, I may have needed a wheelie bar just to keep the front tires on the ground.
Dang Brian, you trying to bend an axle LOL?
I get scared every time I load a pallet of Timberlines in the back of my 250.
I found out though, that 350 blocks and springs will interchange with 250's--same width, just thicker. I may try that out one day, if I don't put the lift kit on it first.Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
Skip the lift kit and put the springs in bro. The springs are just about the only difference between a 350 and a 250. That's why the difference in cost isn't much.View Image
If you guys don't mind my budding in .......
The only real difference between the 250 and 350 SRW since 99 is the lift blocks in the front and rear. The only spring that is different is the front, between the gas and diesel motors. If you have a diesel, it comes with the heaviest spring, no matter what the literature says. Go through any of the order guides and you will see in the notes for the camper and heavy duty packages that they never mention the rear springs being upgraded. They are the same for a given wheelbase / cab style.
The weakest area for the front axle 4x4 is the hub bearings. Early models had issues where the hub supplier to Dana had skipped putting grease into some of the housings, and the bearings only had the bearing supplier grease to work with. But they are problematic anyway on the 99-04's, being a little undersized, IMO.
The next weakest link is the balljoints, but when they go if they are upgraded to Moog with a greasable fitting, they should last the rest of the trucks life. Moog is the only balljoint supplier that still uses steel as their bearing surface.
The biggest issue at the wheel ends of these 99-04 trucks is the sliding pins of the Akebono calipers. These can freeze up quite easily if they do not see regular maintenance every 2 years. This leads to brake pulsation with rotor damage, but a frozen slide pin will allow the pad to drag on the rotor and you can loose a pad and rotor quite quickly.
While I'm not a contractor - just a lurker here, so you really don't know me, my job is manager of vehicle tests for Federal-Mogul's Vehicle and Safety group, specifically brakes. We are the OE supplier of the friction materials on the Ford and Dodge pickup platforms and my facility runs a fleet of these vehicles under test. We end up getting prototype parts for these vehicles and have to switch suspensions and axles occasionally to perform certain tests rather then get a new or prototype vehicle. And Moog is a F-M division.
I'll go back to lurking.
Jack
Whoa, whoa, whoa..... get back here.
That's some great insight you've got there. Thanks a lot for the information. Now why would you want to go disappear back into the shadows again? We need more voices like yours with the 'goods'. Now "butt in" some more and spill some more of your inside information, would ya?View Image
What do you want to know or need answers on?
Jack
What do you want to know or need answers on?
You bet and welcome to Breaktime .
Amoung Chev , Dodge , and Ford , are there new answers out there in the building of trucks to handle that added weight and abuse?
Sounds like I was talkin bad about products but farms abuse trucks and so I think they are the real testers..
A contractor pulling equipment on site or working material loads are meledrama actions comapred to pulling a load of cattle out of the bottoms harnessed to a 32 ft cattle hauler. If they are not doing that , they are moving hay equipment on rough ground and hauling hay and the like over cow pastures which is an endurance course in Arkansas.
I think whats mostly been said is that as long as they will make the "pulls" they keep hooking them up for it . A 1 ton diesel 4WD will make the pulls with a transfer case engaged in low range, so power is never the problem.
Therfore the problems we have mentioned.
Tim
Tim,
I understand where you are coming from as I grew up with and we still have a nursery business in the family.
All of the manufacturers run though tests with the vehicles at GVW, and depending on the test, with a trailer ...... but in some case 10% overload. Depends on the department supervisor.
Since there are no industry wide standards, they will do their own set procedures either at their test locations, or some public areas that have been good test beds. Death Valley and Townes Pass are good examples that are used for both cooling systems and brakes. Ford, D-C and GM all have good off road routes on their test tracks in Az.
So it really comes down to how vigorous the test is, and where a manufacturer sets the bar. At what point does it break and how acceptable is that in the general public vs. manufacturing costs - a corporate business decision. This is different then the occasional screw up or bad design, which may take a few years to work out of the model line. And unfortunately, the specific tests that are done look for problems in a short amount of time, so aging may not be accounted for, or the real test bed, what people do in the field.
I'll go on record that I'm a Ford person, currently with an 03 F-350 Supercab 8' bed 6.0L diesel 4x4, and the pervious truck was the same with a 7.3L. We run tests that are brake specific, but 90% of the time loaded to GVW. The vehicles will have on average 50k to 100k before we replace them. And I've been doing this for 27 years.
IMO, GM and Ford do the most to keep things bulletproof, but GM does it through engineering projection of specific tests and Ford tends to put it out on the road to see how it does. I do rate Ford the highest for trying to build the most bulletproof, and they usually do, again IMO.
But the experience of others in the field is truly the best judge of a brand, model or time frame. Everyone makes changes to be ahead of the other manufacturers in the public eye, and some parts just do not work like they thought they would, or the tests showed. Especially when you only have 2 or 3 years to go from design to production. That sounds like a lot, but it's not.
I would not go by the assumption that I could use my F-350 to haul out a load that a F-450 or 550 should be used for. But Ford and the other manufacturers have recently upped the GVW's of the full size pickup line to accommodate what is happening in the field, and the tests as well as some design changes incorporate that. An example is the upping of the brake rotor size and caliper piston diameter in the Ford SuperDuty line. And a larger increase in the calipers where the dually previously was the same as the SRW.
Jack
Edited 2/12/2006 3:24 pm ET by TooManyToys
Good answer , thanks .
I was thinking all through my own post that in my opinion a bigger truck was needed but thats not a town truck and so,..... <G>
Tim
Do you know anything specific on the 04 F150's? I purchased one when they first came out, an XLT, 5.4L with the heavy suspension package. Supposedly it spec'd out right a round a stock 250 in terms of hauling and capacity, though I've never put all that much in it.
The reason I ask, I am contemplating purchasing an extended service plan, I have never been a big fan of them in the past and with the prices what they are I have a hard time convincing myself of the value.
That said, given this was the first generation of the new F150, I'm wondering what kink's Ford may have not worked out before release. I did notice the brakes seemed to wear relatively quickly (30k Miles) though I think in my case that may have to do more with the driver then mechanicals.
HD Payload pkg at 8200 GVW. It should have the 7 lug wheels and LT tires.
That truck has a heavier frame then the standard 150, with a larger rear axle, wheels, shocks, springs, radiator and transmission cooler. We have one in our fleet.
Actually, if you compare it to an F-250 with a diesel, your truck has a higher capacity. A diesel motor in the Superduty line has a 700 lb loss in payload due to the diesel's weight. But your still a little shy by a few hundred pounds to a gas motor equipped 250, cab and bed spec'd the same. As another odd example, a gas motored F-350 will actually have a payload over 2 tons if it's a 2WD.
Not putting the F-150 HS down, it's a definite step up from the regular F-150. More like what the older F-250s were before Ford decided in 99 that it would be less expensive to just build one platform with minor changes and registration levels for the Superduty series. So you got a straight story.
If I remember correctly (and since I'm not at work I can't check), it also has upgraded brake components. The F-150 line in 2004 started using a very rotor abrasive friction material, as did the Expedition, in order to reduce warranty for pulsation during brake applications. Basically wearing the rotors true. This unfortunately had the consequence of generating a lot of wheel dust. While that plan of action works with BMW owners, it did not sit well with many people seeing their wheels black in a week or two. Later in the production a less abrasive friction material was put into production.
The only other concern I would have with your truck is to not let the spark plugs go the 100k miles they say they can, Not that they wear out, but there have been a lot of issues the the 5.4 and V10 with the spark plug threads tearing out. The current thought is that removal in less time had a better chance of keeping the threads in place. Otherwise it's a pretty good truck.
I'm not a fan of extended warranties. They are hold a strict line in your following the maintenance schedule to the letter. Usually the warranty adjusters look for any reason to not pay out.
Jack
Jack,
Thanks for the input the HS does have the item's listed below, and it certainly does produce more break dust then any other truck I've had. I don't know about an upgraded brake system, I don't recall seeing anything about it in the papers.
I don't really need a SD truck for what I do, I did want something with a heavier suspension though, I've seen to many 150's with blown out rear suspensions, this seemed to be a compromise.
All in all I'm happy with the truck, except the gas mileage....
A lot of people complain about the fuel mileage. Is yours a 4x4?
Jack
yeah mine's a 4x4
I know I did it to myself when I bought the truck, to be honest, it doesn't really bother me until the guy's I know driving chevy's tell me they're getting 15mpg.
I can get around 12 if I lay off the peddle, usually around 11, doesn't matter city or highway, unless I'm pulling a trailor and O/D is off, then I get around 9
Don't beat yourself up. Ford designed the truck with the front hubs always engaged, so when you going down the road you have additional parasitic drag due to the axle and front driveshaft being turned.
There may be a way of switching the front hubs to a manual setup, but I've never looked into it.. Web site like F150online may have people who have tried this.
Jack
thanks for the help
Outside of sex, I think gas mileage is the most lied about thing on earth:)
not by me, I don't get much of either ;(
I have owned a 67,76,79,89,91,and 96 Ford pickups- they all got 10mpg.
Then I got an 03 Chevey! It gets 10mpg.
Well now I don't feel so bad!
My boss likes to brag he gets 14 in his GMC, however it has a smaller engine.
I think he's just pissed that my truck is nicer ;)
Hey lurker! LOL
Hey, it's funny you mention the brake pulsating on 99-04 Super Duties, as mine does it badly. It's like riding a wave up and down when you press the brakes light to moderate. I have no idea what the condition of the pads/rotors is, but is there a fix to this?
And for the hub bearings, will the Warn premium manual hubs fix the hub bearing problem?Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
Jason,
At this rate I'll have to change my status soon.
The rotors would have worn unevenly, creating thick sections which then overheat and form hard spots. Tends to have on vehicles driven locally is the slide pins start to freeze up, or on over the highway vehicles due to the non-braking time. The condition is most often mis-labeled "warped rotors".
Usually when rotors get that bad, they cannot be cleaned up by resurfacing them. The pulsing just come back in 5-10k miles. So a new set that are indexed to the hubs so they have the lowest runout like the Ford service manual says is needed. I stay with Ford OE rotors, s they have the best machining tolerance, but their Motorcraft aftermarket rotors are a good value.
The pads on these trucks wear very well, but they are not very rotor abrasive. IMO, they need to be more abrasive to wear the rotors true if you one of the people who have had past issues. The best set of pads to do this is from our competitor, Performance Friction. Their Z rated pads are a good match to the vehicle, were OE on the pre Superdutys, and what I have on my vehicle right now. Hawk also makes a very good pad, maybe a little more abrasive.
One thing you notice with these pads is that they have a high coefficient of friction, so it takes less pedal effort to stop. It's out of Ford's OE pedal feel spec, but still a good match to the vehicle.
If you steering wheel has some nibble or pull to it, it's the front rotors. Rear rotors can also be effected, and when both front and rear are doing this, it does feel like a washboard.
Those are not the hubs I was talking about. These hubs are the ones that contain the wheel bearings and are mounted into the knuckles. Easy confusion.
Jack
WHat you describe is pretty accurate...I looked at my front wheels this AM and I noticed the right front wheel is much darker with brake dust tha the front left....I've also noticed that when driving, the steering wheel seems to "wander" and it's constantly pulling to the right. This is especially apparent durong moderate to hard braking. I attribted this to the fact that I switched recently from mild AT/road tires to aggresive AT tires, but maybe not so?
In any case, I'll just have the local Ford dealer replace the front rotors with the next brake job, and I'll ensure they perform any other front axle maintenance as necessary.
Thank you for the information.Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
what the hell you want a lift kit for? ;)
I've had 20 80lb bags in the back of my 150 with the heavy suspension package and it handled it fine, supension dropped about 3" and I didn't notice any real difference other then stoping took a little longer.... My truck has no acceleration to speak of with or without a load. A buddy of mine was there and we put 10 bags in back of his stock 150 and it dropped the suspension totaly
Nah, I was thinking of putting the 350 blocks/springs in the back and a leveling kit in the front...it will give me about 2" of lift, and will compensate for the trailer in the back and the ranchhand in the front.
Power, that ain't an issue with the 6.0 diesel :)Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
or you could just go buy a new truck!
Power doesn't seem to be a problem for me, acceleration is less then desirable though.
What kind of mileage are you getting?
I get 13-14 (est.) in town towing or not...probably b/c if I ain't towing I'm hauling azz.
Interstate 13-14 towing, 20-22 not towing.
Don't you have an F150? What year? There's a lot of people at the Ford Truck forum I frequent that say the 04-up F150's seem to have lackluster performance.
Regardless of brand, I think diesel's the way to go for a work truck--besides, I couldn't tow my dump trailer for long with my old Chevy Z71...that thing weighs as much unloaded as my tool trailer does full.Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
is your diesel a 6.0 or 7.3?
nevermind I just read it was a 6.0.
I had a 7.3 and heard very good things about the 6.
lackluster wouldn't be a bad word to describe it I guess. I have a 150 4x4 LB with the heavy suspension. It pulls or hauls anything I ask, and doesn't leave me feeling like it's working to hard, I don't think the gearing helps.
The gas milage blows, flat out, blows.
If I had it to do over, I'd have waited for the new 250's to come out and bought a diesel, as it was, I was to anxious to have a new truck, interior of the 04 150's was nicer and more comfortable then the 250's at the time, I haven't seen the newer ones yet either. I also liked the storage behind the seat which oddly enough was a major selling point to me, a little room behind the seat with the long bed, but not the whole extended cab
I worked out of a regular cab Chevy Z71 for five years...didn't really notice the lack of space til I got a crew and everyone had to take their own ride!
The crew cab is a luxury--bigger than the backseat of a Honda Accord or a new Explorer.
Stay tuned...Ford is looking right to put a turbodiesel in the F150 in the next few years...it'll be a 6.0 w/ 2 cylinders lopped off basically. And the 07 250's will have a twin-turbo 6.4 diesel.Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
Stay tuned...Ford is looking right to put a turbodiesel in the F150 in the next few years...
The front ends wont hold up. 3/4 tons are having their problems now .
Tim
How so? I haven't had any problems with the Dana 60 up front on mine, nor have I heard anything other than some kind of clip on early SD's that would wear quickly with big tires.Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
How old is it ?
I eat lunch with the Ford mechanics at a group table at a local resturant and somtimes they let things slip. If it werent for front ends on diesels we wouldnt get any over time. They have Dodge and Ford .
I had a 84 Ford diesel fwd and the front end fell apart on it .
You add a FWD and a deisel to a reguar pickup and somthings got to give with all the extra weight in a rural community with gravel roads and paved ones with holes in them. We are in a rocky terrain.
Anyway I hated the truck as it got stuck on wet grass literally. The front would sink and it would stick itself. I always said a deisel wth out FWD would be useless around here .
We do have a bunch of diesels . Probably more than most areas since we are Tyson farms driven. That means we have poultry houses sitting everywhere in the middle of cattle farms . Most any more are 1 tons but they dont hold up well either over time .
They are burning farm fuel.
Tim
Edited 2/12/2006 10:31 am by Mooney
I don't know if it's a trend, but I can speak from experience. Last Spring I had to put $2500 in front end work into a 3 year old F-350 with the 7.3 that only had around 50K miles on it. Didn't stop me from buying another though. They just pull/haul stuff so sweet. I think my new 6.0 is a much nicer engine than either of the 7.3's I had. I pulled a Bobcat for the first time with it yesterday. Only went about 40 miles, but it didn't bog the truck down at all. Pulled very very nice.View Image
Thats what they do here. If somthing goes wrong its normally the front end.
On the other hand they dont mind either it doesnt seem . They pull out on the interstate with them hauling trailer loads of cows . I pulled a lumber trailer with mine building poultry houses. They will do 75 mph up hil dragin 10,000 lbs pretty easily. Thats pretty cool .
Tim
It's an 03 F250 w/66K miles. Dana 60 solid front axle w/ 8 lug axles and leaf springs.Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
Cag, raise your gear ratio, and you'll raise your acceleration. You'll also raise your gas mileage as long as you don't go stomping on it all the time now that you have the better acceleration.You have a real low ratio. That means you can haul just about anything, just about anywhere. But no real acceleration, and piss-poor gas mileage.Maybe there is a compromise ratio to be found ?BTW: If you want to find out what your rear gear ratio is, and it is not in your paperwork... (Or if you just don't trust the paperwork. LOL)You put the truck in nuetral. Jack up the rear. Make a mark on the driveshaft. Make a mark on the tire. Then spin the tire/wheel. You count how many times the driveshaft spins for one turn of the wheel.Here, I cut and pasted this from a corvette forum...###########Jack up your car and pop it in neutral. then spin your rear tires for 1 complete rotation and then count how many times the driveshaft turns during that 1 turn of the wheels....To add to this description, place a piece of masking tape at the 12o'clock position on your tire, and at a visible point on your drive shaft. The tape gives a very clear counting mechanism. If you get 3 1/3 turns then you have 3.36, three turns plus a little is 3.08, etc. Takes five minutes to do once the car is jacked up.
Gary###########
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. ~~ Eric Hoffer
Luka,
The rear axle ratio of my truck is 4.10, I know I could obtain better gas milage if I changed it. Problem being the cost of the gears and either the time to do it or paying to have it done. I'm not sure the cost/pay off works all that quickly.
Too true.Might be worth crunching the numbers, though.Definately something to keep in mind when buying another.
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. ~~ Eric Hoffer
tim , we have a 7x14 dual.. my thoughts pertain to the back door..
the ramp door sounds good..i almost bought one... but the truth is... you will open and close those doors 20 times for every one time you would use a ramp
and ..
the ramp takes a lot more room that you don't often have. also , the ramp hinges have to be a lot heavier than a dual set of back doors.. if you need a ramp it's easy enough to fabricate a light set of ramps that will get anything you need in and out..
me.. i would never buy a ramp door for what we doMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
me.. i would never buy a ramp door for what we do
Ya I know . Youve got three young bucks . Were gonna need this and this over there guys and ,..,
Youre making a living off offense right now . Some day it will become defense. Thats my game with rentals. I dont like writing checks to people out of my savings. So if a tool saves labor its really a good deal for me.
Their were two reasons I didnt hook it up behind her Suburban.
One was the single axle, thinking a 14 fter is a big trailer on a single .
Two was the ramp door thing; I aso looked at the hinges and I questioned they would hold up. Then I worried about the door and decided I didnt need to be worried and drove away.
They tell me houses sell in fifteen minutes . [the initial decision]
Tim
Edited 2/9/2006 11:38 pm by Mooney
i would say that's right.. i think most are sold as they drive up to the front..
can't say why our's hasn't sold.. i'd guess the kitchen ... and ( who'd a thunk it ? ) the solar hot air heating system Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
no one ever showed me how to back up a trailer until I was in my thirties. I just avoided it. finally, someone told me the secret --
with your hand on the bottom center of the steering wheel, if you turn the wheel clockwise the trailer will turn left. it became second nature in a matter of minutes -- if I move my hand left, the trailer turns left. -- if I move my hand right, the trailer turns right.
so simple it's scary. I was very greatful to learn this tip/
So simple it's scary, is right.I just wanted to say thanks.I stuck a tow bar on a jimmy, and towed it home with a blazer today.When I got home, I had to back the jimmy into an awkward place.I remembered your advice about putting your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel, and then moving the hand in the direction you wanted the trailer to go. It worked like a charm.I've done this before. It is always difficult. And that is usually because I am just trying to think about it too much. The "simple" solution you described meant I had to think no further than to remember which direction I had started turning the wheel, once I was forced to remove my hand from the bottom. From that point on, it was just a matter of degrees.I only had to pull back forward one time. And that was only about two feet.It's going to be more difficult to get the hitch lined up again, and reattached, once I have to move it again... than it was to get it backed into that space.
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. ~~ Eric Hoffer
Hi Andy,
13 hours later and now I've got a little more time for ya.
Easy? A couple months to be honest. Maybe I'm a slow learner. It's just the backing up part that'll throw you and unless you drive in reverse, you don't get a whole lot of practice. It's really not hard though. You want hard? I used to drag around a tow behind air compressor behind a van in another life. Try backing that thing up. Good God.
Now I literally forget it's even back there. Seriously. It just becomes automatic. Same with backing up. I still take corners like I'm pulling a trailer even when the trailer is at home. It just gets routine. I look pretty silly taking big wide corners in my wife's Civic on weekends though. In fact, I look pretty silly just standing still.
I picked a V-nose for no apparent reason. They offered a little more space for not much extra cash. I also figured it'd be a little more aerodynamic on the highway and the wind wouldn't play with it so much. Wasn't really thinking about fuel economy to be honest. But I suppose it helps.
What would I do different? I'd either skip the ladder racks (which cost extra) or I'd keep the racks but buy a trailer with a walk on roof. Those things are so high up, so hard to get to, and then you have to be cat-like up while you're up there..... so I don't even use them anymore. One false step on that aluminum roof and you've got a real mess on your hands. Other than that, I don't think I'd change a thing.
I paid $5000 for mine. Rivetless walls. One piece roof. Dual axle. Brakes. Ladder racks. Extra headroom. Torsion axles. Barn doors/curb door. And the walls already had the plywood on them. Spent another grand and had an alarm put in it.
My favorite curse word is "F-you, you F'in, F."
The word I dislike the most is "Can't".View Image
My company has five or six enclosed trailers in our fleet. All are double axle, with one giant triple axle. Keep in mind that these trailers are not very secure. After getting hit by thieves a couple of times, all of our trailers got reinforced door sections where the lock hardware is mounted (1/8" alum diamond plate with blind hardware) and we went to some other type of lock that makes it impossible to get a bolt cutter on. Then inside we permanently mounted gang boxes with double inaccesible locks so all power tools go in them each night. The trailers still get broken into occasionally but since we started using the gang boxes, we haven't lost any tools. Except, of course when one dweeb forgot to close the dang lid and lock it. It may have been an inside job by a temp but we couldn't prove it.
On a side note, all four sides of the trailers have large lettering on them. Sometimes when we aren't very busy, people tell me that we must be swamped because they see our trailers "all over". It is a free billboard everywhere we go. On the downside, crooks may target us, therefore the security modifications.
GregT
One point that that I don't think has been made is that although it seems counter intuitive a shorter trailer is harder to back up than a long one (to a point - excluding 30' campers, etc.) So, backing up a 7' long log splitter or a similar sized jet ski trailer can be extremely difficult, where as a work trailer with a 15 - 20' overall length is not bad.
Another point is that somehow I got on the catalog mailing list for American Van. If you want to drop the bucks, - it is pricey - they have some really nice storage solutions for work trucks and trailers: http://www.americanvan.com/index.cfm I'm sure there are a number of other companies that sell the same type of stuff.
Edited 2/8/2006 7:54 am ET by Matt
I can attest to that. After ten years of truck driving I can put a 53' anywhere. While I dont have a work trailer yet, ive seen people have a real hard time backing a short trailer. The problem is, is that a short trailer "comes around" alot quicker than one would think. It also doesnt help when the power unit is as long as the trailer.
Another point is that somehow I got on the catalog mailing list for American Van.
Me too. They sell some nice stuff, but I always wondered how I got on their list.--------------------------
It's only satisfying if you eat it.
I think it's either JLC or Tools of The Trade.
I wish our shop was as organized as your trailor.
69353.25 in reply to 69353.2
I wish our shop was as organized as your trailor.
I know , he makes me sick. <G>
DW and I plus TJ [11 yrs old] Tackled just that last saturday. We worked hard and I was ashamed they were even helping me with mny mess . Not to worry they will call in the favor but it worries me what it will be ! Its still not done . I think Ill do what MS did and put it out at the street and let people steal it or what ever he did with the excetion of the big dumster he had brought out . I guess havin a fest would fire that kind of thing off , I dunno.
Tim
Edited 2/7/2006 7:18 pm by Mooney
Surest way to get rid of something you don't want...
Put a sign on it $25 dollars
You want to keep it, put a "Free" sign on it.
brian.. what are you doing with those plastic sawhorses ?.. mine broke their backs about a year ago
View ImageMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
We've always got two or three sets of wood saw horses floating around the site, but I like to keep one of those sets in the trailer for when we just need to make a table or something else light duty. They'd never make it framing.... we wear out or bust at least a pair of wood ones per job. But those things come in handy sometimes.View Image
a roll out awning (like on an RV) on the side would be cool on a work trailer i always thought...
if your trailer skin is screwed on ie selfdrilling/tapping screws first thing out of the box you need to vulcum from the inside every seam/joint where the skin touches the frame .... i know this sounds like overkill but I use to run a small fleet of racecar show trailers all over the country and i went for the mid-line trailers because of cost... the first one not sealed up screws were missing within months (20k miles) after that one... i sealed the rest and sold em for what i paid for them 2 years later... you prob won't put the miles on yours in a lifetime that i put on mine in 3 months... but inside the trailers in the rain you could tell a huge difference just made em feel much more sound... trailers twist & bend alot... ie alot of flex... and screws tend to work themself out and rivits will get cut in half... plus you have a galvantic reaction beteen the alum skin and steel framework.. and the screws... for $20-40 in caulk you can really make your trailer tight
enjoy your new toy/tool
pony
Vulcum?????? What the hell is that mean?
Howzabout some PL Premium? Kinda messy, huh?
View Image
http://www.tremcosealants.com/commercial/products/productlist.asp
Dang dude, you mean to tell me you met the Ramblin' Man IMERC and don't remember Vulkem?
be surprised the Taunton mods didn't kick his azz for bragging up Vulkem so much all the time
'Nemo me impune lacesset'No one will provoke me with impunity
congrats! your trailer insides are lookin like a Mike Smith jobsite
nope never heard of it ...ever, but I was close suggesting he might wanna use PL Premium being thats a poly adhesive too so I aint all that out there...
Be unwashable filty hands
a...
View Image
Hey dog, I have a 7x14 TA V-hull (looks simliar to Brian's inside and out, minus the killer graphics). Mine is 7,000# rating. One thing to shop for is the tall ceiling, like what Brian and Andysz2 have...it will allow you to stand a 6' ladder upright w/o having to squeeze it out.
The main reason I bought the V-hull other than "aerodynamics" (yeah right!) was that I can barely fit 16' lumber in it, which is the longest my local HD/Lowe's sells.Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
might be an area thing... it's a top of the line poly caulk... I use it alot for alum store fronts comes in colors to match most... bonds anything to anything and stays like cured rubber... great for about anything you don't want to ever move or leak...
p
I love my 7x12 trailer. It is a tandem axle which wheres out the tires faster and it weighs about 6000lbs. I have a generator on the front and a rack with a ladder on the side to get up to it. I picked one that i can walk on the roof of and also put solar panels up there to charge my 4 deepcycle batteries to run my inverter. I have a 200' hose reel so for bigger jobs I have a compressor that stays in there. My trailer has about 80,000 miles on it and have broke all the leaf springs one time and replaced all the shackles to. I use wire shelves also so all the dust drops right through instead of piling up.
Sam's has a variety of racks including one with about thirty bins I have been giving some serious thought to putting this into my trailer to store supplies which seems to be my biggest logistics problem.
Another add on I would like to do is make a rack system on the outside of non door side to haul my step ladders.
I am also planning on putting a receiver on the back so that I can use attachments like small carrier and a vice setup.
ANDYSZ2
I MAY DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOUR SAYING BUT I WILL DEFEND TO THE DEATH YOUR RIGHT TO SAY IT.
Remodeler/Punchout
Edited 2/7/2006 4:59 am by ANDYSZ2
Mine is a 5 x 10 w/ extra hgt to stand up in. I used closet maid shelving system in case I ever needed the trailer for anything else I could break it down in about a 1/2 hr. The shelves give you unlimited places to bungee things down. On the left side of the trailer, I screwed angle iron to the trailer ribs so I could secure my table & miter saws to then some long shelves above them for my levels and all my misc fasteners. I would also recommend doing a quick search for the same topic you started. Good luck
OOPS! I'll post the pics now on another reply.
Edited 2/7/2006 5:41 pm ET by glsstep
here are the pics of my trailer
Edited 2/7/2006 6:21 pm ET by glsstep
a couple needed to be resized...
Hey that setup is very clean!
I have a few questions though about the Closetmaid:
1) How thick are the plywood walls?
2) Did you mount the verticals to the frame or just to the plywood?
3) Do you have those horizontal plywood "runners" stapled to the wall plywood? If so, how did you get those verticals around that?Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
Hey Jason. The wall plywood was upgraded to I believe 3/8" instead of 1/4" luan. All vertical standards and angle iron is screwed to the ribs of the trailer not the plywood. The nose of the trailer is the only place I only relied on the plywood to hold the screws of the misc hooks I use to hold things such as power cords, air hoses & other odd ball things. I did remove most of the horiz. strips of luan the manuf. installed to cover the plywood seams, they almost fell off by them self.
Very nice !
Be a contender.
Tim
How do you like that miter saw stand and that table saw?I'm about to be in the market for both.(sorry about the hijack dogfish - my 6x10 has standup height, wire shelving, and ladder racks on top)a.
I'll answer for him until he responds. I have the same tablesaw and chopsaw he has and they're very nice. I guess great minds think alike. I'm especially looking forward to being able to strap that folded up tablesaw to the wall of my trailer and go.
The tablesaw is the next best thing to a contractor's saw on the market as far as I'm concerned. It's very portable and has decent power. It would be great if Ridgid would make it so you could convert it to run on 220 then it could rip through 2x's easier. But all in all a very handy saw to have on the job.
Hey asmith. I do love both stands they are well built, thought out and very easy to move around in both positions(set up and stored position) they also make the tool take up a small footprint when stored. The table saw is solid and has a nice strong fence. I think the saw/stand combo is about 250-300$ now. Good luck.
You guys better be right. I just bought a Ridgid 10" table saw with that foldy-uppy stand.Wheels....a table saw with wheels.What'll they think of next?
One thing to consider, that i didn't notice in any other post, is locking steel job boxes. It depends on the area where you live, I live in a nice area, but occaisionaly thieves do strike. I have a 7 x 14 tandem, I have one 5' box and one 4' box. Most trailers are easy to break into, so if they break into mine, they can get cords and hoses, but all our power tools are in secondary container, that is difficult to breach. the 4' box is in the front, and the 5' is on the driver side, I counter balance it with boxes of nails, which makes for a heavy trailer, I move mine about 4 or 5 times a year, so it's not a huge problem.