Opinions on this tilt trailer

[Rob F.]

I have the opportunity to get a "new" trailer but would like to hear what you all think about it before pulling the trigger on it. It has a 10 TON rating BUT that is at 20 MPH. Also has a solid axle - as in no suspension. Also the wheels are open center or demountable style 15". They are not mobile home wheels. It has electric brakes and weight of trailer is said to be 2910 lbs (on the title).
I would use it mostly to deliver metal fabrications to jobs, the last parts I made to be delivered added up to 9500 lbs and I had to make two trips to get them there on my car trailer. Longest I would want to tow would be 300 miles away. Trailer would be able to carry moore than I should tow with current truck- F250.
Main concern is how will the single axle welded to the frame do on the road at freeway speed?

 

[DDoug]

That looks like a "Tag" trailer.
Used for hauling a small dozer or excavator behind a large dump truck.

Being single axle, there is much smaller "sweet spot" when loading your stuff. Far enough forward for good tongue weight, and your hood
of the truck is going skywards. A little farther back, and
your into the very dangerous "tail wagging the dog" problem.

a dual axle trailer is more tolerant of not having the load just perfect.

Hauling 10k down the road behind an f-250 is do-able, I used to do it with a 300-6......

But it was with a gooseneck trailer, much more tolerant of tongue weight.

 

[Steve in SoCal]

I think it will beat the load to death, it looks heavier than a regular 10K tandem axle trailer by lots. Unless it is near free and your parts are able to take a lot of strap or chain pressure keep lookin.

Steve

 

[ewlsey]

That's probably a 20,000 lb axle. IMO, it's a trailer from a different era. That rig was designed to pull a small dozer or other compact equipment behind a large dump truck at very low speeds and for short distances.

I'd look for something better/newer.

 

[Ohio Mike]

I have to think that would tow just horrible. And its way to heavy for what you are doing OR you have way to small of a trunk.

 

[D.D.Machine]

I have been down the used trailer market a couple times ,,, by the time you fix everything your into it close to new price and its still worth what you just payed for it ... a new 7K trailers are cheap and you should not have to screw with it for like 10 years ... my 24 year old 7K I can sell for about a grand and by the time I would put new wood , tired, brakes , and paint it I would be to the price of a new one

I have 8 months to go on the licence so next string it getting sold.

FYI
you well find you have a TON of new friends as soon as they find out you have a trailer..

 

[Ohio Mike]

I have been down the used trailer market a couple times ,,, by the time you fix everything your into it close to new price and its still worth what you just payed for it ... a new 7K trailers are cheap and you should not have to screw with it for like 10 years ... my 24 year old 7K I can sell for about a grand and by the time I would put new wood , tired, brakes , and paint it I would be to the price of a new one

I have 8 months to go on the licence so next string it getting sold.

FYI
you well find you have a TON of new friends as soon as they find out you have a trailer..

Very true. I looked for trailer on and off for 2 years. Even the good stuff had real issues. Finally gave up and bought a new PJ power tilt.

 

[Rob F.]

Thanks guys, keep em coming. Does anyone see anything good about it? I thought it might be good to convert it to 5th wheel or gooseneck. I dont really need that project now though. Guy wants $2500 or so for it. It could use tires soon. I did like that it was listed to weigh 2900 lbs, seems light for what it is. Made by Hyster.

 

[DDoug]

Thanks guys, keep em coming. Does anyone see anything good about it? I thought it might be good to convert it to 5th wheel or gooseneck. I dont really need that project now though. Guy wants $2500 or so for it. It could use tires soon. I did like that it was listed to weigh 2900 lbs, seems light for what it is. Made by Hyster.

Run away.

I don't think Hyster has made any for 30 years,
Edit: and since there are no springs, suspect serious cracking
around the mounting of that axle.
And what kind of rims/size does it have ?
Some odd split rim config ?

Roll it over with a FEL onto it's back, and allot will become clear in the
light of day.

Only good thing I can see is that it's painted yellow. Easier to see
defects/cracks.

Chassis black hides cracking and bad welds the worst.

 

[ewlsey]

Run away.

I don't think Hyster has made any for 30 years, so the shackles and pin holes
are probably all egg shaped too.

It doesn't even have springs...

 

[Rob F.]

Owner thinks it is 1978.

 

[DDoug]

Owner thinks it is 1978.

What does the TITLE say ?

For $2500 it better come with a title.

That piece of paper is probably the best thing on it.

FWIW a lightweight 2 axle gooseneck will probably serve you just fine.
Brand new PJ can be had with a "9999 lbs" option. They make a nice tilt
trailer, I was just looking at them last year, they have a diamond plate
floor option (instead of wood)that might work well.

Keep it simple with no hydraulics (gravity tilt) to keep the weight
down, and maximum capacity, working within your limitations.

 

[Ox]

Boy - that dredges up old nightmares of a trailer that I inherited back on the farm.

It Shirley wasn't that nice, but no matter... While it could handle heavy shtuff, it was best left behind the 4020 and never a pick-up on the road! I wouldn't want to pull it at hwy (55) speeds even empty!

Like these guys have said - maybe 35mph behind a dump truck. (preferably full of dirt!)

About the only thing that I used it for was to hold/carry a 1000 gal water tank.

I don't remember what I did with it, and I'm sorry that you brought it up now.
I hope that I can sleep tonight!


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

 

[john.k]

Looks solid....Hyster made good trailers.....weight 2900?...Id check that....Electric brakes?.....old Warner s ,no spares?......As mentioned ,its for a 25,000lb gvw truck,not a pickup... No springs would mean no DOT here...not hard or expensive to add proper trailer springs,or airbag suspension,as you are a fabricator....We had Hyster folding gooseneck low loaders ,heavy and solid,nothing light about them.

 

[DDoug]

I drove the neighbors 4020 a few times.....everything important needed the engine running.

Steering and brakes......

Burp the clutch at the intersection (while roading it) that is a steep hill, stalling it,
and she'd roll backwards with no brakes or steering.....

Hired hand jacknifed a very nice silage wagon, and mangled up the mechanism
pretty badly driving it at that stop sign one day.

Not much of a problem in you neck of the woods though eh ?

 

[ewlsey]

Pretty sure every farm has one.

Ours was/is a sort of tilt deck. Kind of neat I guess. The whole deck is about 18" off the ground. It doesn't really have axles. Each side has a bolster with two wheels and a pivot in the middle. The tongue bends in the middle to let the back touch the ground.

We pulled it with a tractor. Used to loan it to the road commissioner who would put a small roller on it and pull it with a road grader for patching asphalt.

 

[Ox]

I've never stalled one (that I can think of) w/out a 5 bottom F-145 plow (POS!) following me slowly.

We ust'a park (the gear grinders) on top of the silage pile if the batts went dead or starter died.
Does that count for anything?


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

 

[DDoug]

I've never stalled one (that I can think of) w/out a 5 bottom F-145 plow (POS!) following me slowly.

We ust'a park (the gear grinders) on top of the silage pile if the batts went dead or starter died.
Does that count for anything?


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

That's cheating.....

My neighbor had a switchback driveway up the hill, and had a dead end
switchback for extra parking.

Kept the super a on it, for mowing, backed up into the trees.

Yup, burp started it for years this way.....

 

[Ox]

I have just used a crank on mine since I was 11.
But ... mine's not "Super".


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

 

[Ox]

I drove the neighbors 4020 a few times.....everything important needed the engine running.

Steering and brakes......

Burp the clutch at the intersection (while roading it) that is a steep hill, stalling it,
and she'd roll backwards with no brakes or steering.....

Hired hand jacknifed a very nice silage wagon, and mangled up the mechanism
pretty badly driving it at that stop sign one day.

Not much of a problem in you neck of the woods though eh ?

I s'pose if your not well acclimated to "Synchro Range" you would prolly try to start out in 6th with a heavy load?
Prolly too tall for a full chopper wagon on an incline.

How quick can a newbie git from 5th to 6th?
(wrong sides of the H and 2 ranges away for the out-of-towners)

4, then 7, then 6 or maybe 8 would prolly be the safest plan for a hill.

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Think Snow Eh!
Ox