Got a 6×12 closed in trailer to haul around my tools a couple weeks ago. Finally got a ladder rack, so I can get around to installing shelves on the inside, and other organizers.
I have ideas, but I’d like to hear from others who’ve been they and wished they had done this that way or that this way, or have a scheme they’ve been thrilled with.
Photos would be exceptional.
Efficiency, solar power, and a sensitive kitchen for an 1830s house in New York.
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Have an 8x18, so a little more room, but you can take what you want. Front wall is all big hooks. All the cords, air hoses, vac hoses hang there. I have a door on the side about 3ft from the front, so I have a cabinet on either side of the door about 5' tall that I use to hold that "stuff" that you're just always grabbing or throwing in the truck seat otherwise. Dustpan, the odd box of screws, whatever. It's the intentional overflow area. Behind the back of the cab and the front wall, there's just enough room to stand up (and bungee) poles - paint poles, DW sanders, zipwall. All down the left side I have gorilla rack. I have 16" but REALLY wish I'd gone 24 instead. Some boxes stick out. Life would have been easier with more shelf depth. The top shelves are almost to the ceiling and have just enough room for boxes of nails. The rest hold everything else. At the very end, just enough room for a couple of hooks sticking out from the wall. I don't really hang stuff on them as much as use them to keep ladders in place, and a bronco, and the stand for the saw.
The right side at the top is 12' of 16" tall upper cabinets, with hooks on the doors to keep them closed bumping down the road. Nails, screws, all the Hilti pins, lags, bolts, etc. Those work good. I made a cabinet of cubbies that sits on the wall to hold all the corded and air stuff that didn't come with a case. The bottom of each cubbie is lined with that hard foam carpet underlayment. I like the idea. If I did it again, I'd angle the whole mess with the shelves pointing down towards the wall at about a 15 degree pitch. Those do want to flop around some. I've got a rope tether jerry rigging the face of that, but it's an imperfect solution. On the floor at the front I have room for a big compressor and a planer. Down the right side I can fit the table saw and the SCMS, and I have another "cubby" on the floor to hold some of the intermediate sided narrow things upright - metal sawhorses, tripod, cardboard shims, rosin paper etc.
In the "wish I'd bought it" category is the E track. It's all of about a buck a foot, anchors are where they get you, but you can tie anything any which way you want. I intend to get some and put a couple of strips on the floor and a handful of pieces on the walls.
Teks (sp?) screws - 5/16 bolt head, self drilling, galvanized - good for screwing just about anything to the ribs. Like cabinets. Anyway, clear plastic box with a green label. Most box stores.
Now that you gotta get DOT'd, don't forget the fire extinguisher, reflectors, etc. I'd grab a good set of chocks (those $3 ones break- get the big black rubber ones) and either a wheel lock if you've got a tandem or a hitch lock. All you need is some idiot backing up and taking your life savings down the road with him. Hmm. After today, spare tire seems really prudent. And a 4 way and a jack. That'll ruin your day in a hurry too when you get the trailer stuck somewhere and can't move it, it's five so the tire stores are closed, and you have no spare. Better yet, just go get a Mil cordless impact driver and a set of 1/2 drive impact sockets. When the trailer flats on you, instant tire change. And the rest of the time you can drive deck lags all day long.
If I had room, I'd put a generator in it. Toying with the idea of adding more lights than it came with, but then you're just admitting you actually work that late. Friend found out flourescent bulbs don't take going down the road too good. Uhhh. Oops.
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
Thanks for such a detailed reply. I've never heard of E Track. What is it?
Been thinking about a cordless impact driver for awhile. Have 18v DW drill and saw and hate to change to different brand due to batteries. But, I'm starting to think the DW quality has started going to crap, and I like my Bosch skil saws and jigsaws. So, I might try them.
Metal track. You see it in delivery vehicles pretty frequently. You simply put it where you want it, on the wall or the floor, and screw it down. It has elongated slots at regular intervals where you can clip in connectors, which are rated for something like 6000lbs each. They just snap in and snap out. What it lets you do is take strapping and these clips and have thousands of options when it comes to anchor points, and the depth of the track is minimal - like 1/2 or 5/8", so it consumes very little space wise.
So I guess the point is whether its a compressor or an 8' sliding door, you can tie it down securely. "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
I was at a show this week in Mn and saw the Bosch people and talked to them about their Impact driver and they swear it will be out in 6 week or so. He promised it would be worth the wait.
I personally have more Blue than any other make so I have little douht it will be worth it. Once you get through the learning curve with Impact drivers they are the cats meow. I borrowed a GC one day when I was putting in cabinets and I was sold ---So now the wait starts till It comes out. Goodluck Mike
MikeVB,
Don't go with a single axle trailer. They wander all over the road bad enough going forward over about 50 mph (think u-hual) you've probably seen them when people rent them to move and overload that one axles so lopside. Then try to back one up, they are RESPONSIVE to say the least going backwards. A single axle trailer will jackknife real quick when trying to back up. If it is a cargo trailer, then your sight line is pretty much reduced to your side mirrors, and one quarter turn of the steering wheel equals about 60 degrees of trailer movement.
A tandem axle with a 7000# axle rating is perfect for this application, they inherently have electric brakes, and are much easier to back up. Plus the added capacity which you may think you will never need, but trust me someday you will, and be glad you have it. You can still pull this trailer with a half ton pickup or van, granted it may not like it much if overloaded but it should pull it.
I don't have an enclosed trailer yet, but will soon. I do have two tandem axle flatbed trailers with brakes and ramps, and a 30' 20,000# tandem axle gooseneck that is by far my favorite trailer to tow. I swear I could parallel park that thing in Downtown Denver if I had to. The gooseneck allows so much more freedom, although it takes some getting used to.
I wasn't sure I need a 10 ton trailer to haul my bobcat and attachments, and I don't, but Friday I was able to save about $400 on sod for my yard (finally) by hauling it myself. The sod alone was about 15,000# and the trailer really came in handy. My best advice is, if you think you will EVER need the extra capacity, buy the tandem, you will be glad you did.
ColeCole Dean
Dean Contracting
You got it, Cole. Tandem w/brakes would be my choice too. The only hard time backing one up is if you gotta crank it tight by hand, otherwise truck easily overcomes sideways skating of tires. Longer tongues also put the pivot point back further from hitch....slows reaction of steering inputs...a good thing. PJ
Whatever you can do or dream you can,
Begin it
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Goethe
Well, unfortunately I bought the trailer about 3 days before I discovered and joined this forum.
I now know why the trailer sat there for a year unpurchased - single axle! I love bluegrass, jazz, acoustic music, but when I'ma going down the road in my V-8 Ford I'm Rockin' and Rollin', Baby. It's bugging the hell out of me.
Called the factory today to see if it might be possible to convert it to a tandem axle. They'll be getting back to me on that.
Anybody prefer a certain type or brand of hitch lock for a 2" ball-type hitch?
BTW, excellant job on that trailer and the pictures.
MikeVB
I've seen the Gorilla lock at Lowe's, it looks bulletproof.
Jon Blakemore
I would be interested in hearing what the factory says about adding another axle. I have a Lowes 5x8 single axle, and I'm pretty sure it's overweight.
I have the yellow hitch lock, also from Lowes, and it works well. Seems to be real sturdy, and easy to use.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Check out http://www.americanvan.com/
They have every kind of rack, shelf, etc you can imagine.
Question: I was looking at a 6x10 trailer the other day at blows for $2800. Looked like enough room for me and my tools (dog will have to sleep outside) ;-) and it was a full standup with a side door, but it was a single axle. Would 1 axle be adequate or would 2 really be advisable? It would carry a pretty large array of portable carpentry tools, but not a lot of duplicates: Saws, nailers, cords, hoses, etc, etc. Probably about 40 cubic feet of tools is what I have now in my pick-up. I know that's kind of vague - don't know how else to put it. Probably won't be getting a lot more tools. Only light material hauling, as I have most delivered.
FWIW, and no I am not the resident trailer expert, keep in mind with a trailer you need room to get in it, unlike a truck bed where you can pretty much reach everything if the cap has opening sides. So you need to maintain an aisle down the center to be able to get anything. Axles are rated by the load they can carry, as is the trailer. A single is probably a 3500lb; if you need more weight, most move to a tandem, and from there, up the axle weight. I doubt, however, that Lowes is catering to that market.
The advantage of a single axle is the turn. Much tighter. It depends some on the tow vehicle as well, but with a tandem it doesn't necessarily "follow" the towed vehicle as much as one might expect. You get into the world of waiting longer for traffic before making a right hand turn so you can consume the opposite lane of traffic for a moment. Or risk buying street poles on a regular basis. But a tandem rides a little nicer and doesn't give you the rocking horse effect going over bumps as much as a single.
A 6 is nice and narrow. Your risk factor for snagging things I'd think would be real low. A 7 is good, and you probably don't need telescoping mirrors to see behind it if you're in a full size. An 8 wide the tires are under the body, and you need stretchy mirrors. But you maximise storage capacity for length.
Don't forget all the other things that go with - hitch, drop, ball, brake controller, DOT #s if your state requires it, (and a host of other things that go with that - fire extinguisher, flares, inspections. . .) and some $ spent on locks for the doors, the wheels, and the tongue. Making sure you have a 4 way and a jack that will lift the trailer isn't a bad idea. The don't sell them wearing BFG's. I don't know why, trailer tires are like magnets for drywall screws and other FOD."If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
thanks guys...
Only thing I didn't quite understand was the "4 way".
I have an open trailer now, and have had several boats in the past - all are/were tandem axile, so I'm very used to the cornering thing. I've never had electric brakes though - just surge brakes. Matt
The 4-way is a 4 sided lug wrench. Each side has a different size hex wrench to fit different size lug nuts.Most auto part stores sell them. Make sure you get one that fits since they come in different sizes.
Oh ok - thanks - I carry one of thoes in my truck...
Matt
I've been dragging around a Lowes 5x8 single axle for about a year. Sure wish i had gone for the next bigger size, not so much for more storage space, but so the center aisle would be a foot bigger. Or so i could build shelves on both sides. Mine does not have the side door, and I don't think I would want one ... it takes up storage space.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Have a 12 foot hiway cargo..extra tall is REALLY great, as for axle, I too have hauled many a trailer, and am a firm believer in dual axle....I have never had the "turning" problem mentioned, (with the exception of the F250 crewcab w/8' bed...now that has a bit of a turning problem!) With the duals, how you load the trailer isn't as much of an issue, the ride is much nicer, and if you experience a tire problem....you have 3 more that can get you out of harm's way. Also, trailer brakes I think are important....not real necessary all the time, but once in awhile the load size gets a bit big, or the mountain I'm driving on does....More importantly....I LOVE MY TRAILER!!!! Bet you will too!! BeckRe-Home Solutions Inc.
Heh heh. Yup. Well, that's probably the issue, since the truck I'm basing my experiences on is a 350 crew long bed.
Oh, give me 40 acres and I'll turn this rig around,
its the easiest way that I've found . . ."If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
Here are som pics of one I built.
Les,
Nice pics and setup. I only have one question. Does it get a little chilly when you wear your purple jeans ( pic sscn0292)? And do you get whistled at or hollered at???:-)
-m2akita
So that's what that sound was when I stepped out of my truck at the high school car wash!Les Barrett Quality Construction
My server is cutting me off, so here are some more pics.
Hopefully the last batch. I built it on a 6X10 bed, with a curved roof, and top and sides of front beveled back at 45 deg. Steel door in back so I do not have to duck. Waist-high shelvels allw flexibility on floor for gen, SCSM, nails, table saw, wall jacks, 8 ft ladders etc. Benches are tool storage too w/sliding shelves for small items. Have power throughout and bank of chargers.
Final pic