Load Trail Gooseneck Dump Time.

[NIsaacs]

What ply are your tires on the front axle?

Mine are 235/85x16, 12 ply, hers are 235/80x16 10 ply. The new ones are 235/85x16, 14 ply @ 95 psi, I have them at 75 psi all around, same as hers.

I didn't notice any difference good or bad. However, I am used to old rough riding trucks, noisy and vibrations are part of them I think she is just head shy now, lol. One of my loads was loaded both ways, two were loaded one way, total of 283 miles and 23.8 gal fuel, comes out to 11.89....not selling my '01

Nick

 

[NIsaacs]

Looking at another gooseneck dump, Lamar this time. There is a local dealer (Gallup, N.M.) that just started selling them with some aggressive pricing. Plus they are 3 days closer than Texas. I think I will call them next week and get a quote on a 83"x16' with 3' sides. Load Trail has one with 4' sides for $8400, so will see. They (Lamar) appear to be a fine trailer. One thing I don't like about them are the small bullet marker lights. The 7 gauge floor is a plus and 17.5 tire upgrade for $300 seems very reasonable.

Nick

 

[jhenderson]

You're right. The 17.5 upgrade for $300 is a no brainier. I have the same tire( Provider) on my GN. They've held up very well and are even regroovable. The spare for $225 is less than I can buy a tire alone for, never mind the wheel.

 

[NIsaacs]

Upgraded the 'ol log splitter today with one from Tractor Supply. The old one was a little light duty personal use machine, I borrowed from my son. I installed a new pump, control valve, filter kit and flushed/cleaned out the tank. Then ran it a few days and changed out the hydraulic oil/filter again, then took it back while it was all freshend up. Figured I should buy my own before I wore out his again, plus I was getting afraid of the Chinese motor, lol.

Nick

 

[NIsaacs]

It is hard for a picture to show how steep a grade is but this one is about 10% I think and one reason why my tires melt off With my '01, bumper pull dump and a cord of wood (about 15.5k, small load) in 3rd gear, 55-58 psi exhaust brake, 32 mph and 2600 rpm I made it to the bottom. This was a fresh blade job or it would require 2nd gear and brakes all the way due to the washboard road. You can't use the exhaust brake when it is rough or you lock up and go sideways:-laf

About 20 years ago I hauled my Ford dually down this hill with my '91 D-250 and all I could think of was, jeeze, I hope my trailer brake wire don't somehow loose it's connection:-laf

View attachment 99990

Nick

Went down another steep hill with a big load of cow poop (10 yards) yesterday. The worst hill (with a road) that I have ever been on, this is from a 25 year log hauler. When the customer advised me about it, I told my driver what he said and she said I needed to switch to the gooseneck, if it is that bad. I took her advise and it is a good thing I did. In 1st gear, low range 4x4, manual trailer brake handle bent over to the left, the RPM was at 2400, 2.5 miles per hour with all four pickup tires, slipping slightly. As steep as it was, I figured I had about 3 times the normal pin weight.

I wasn't sure if we could get back up the hill, but we got lost and managed to finally find our way back out on another road, with only a small hill. What the heck? Does this guy not know about it? He is a new guy from Colo. so maybe he don't. At the top of the hill, in big red letters, is a sign that says 4x4 only, It should say Cat dozer only:-laf

Nick

 

[NIsaacs]

Looking at another gooseneck dump, Lamar this time. There is a local dealer (Gallup, N.M.) that just started selling them with some aggressive pricing. Plus they are 3 days closer than Texas. I think I will call them next week and get a quote on a 83"x16' with 3' sides. Load Trail has one with 4' sides for $8400, so will see. They (Lamar) appear to be a fine trailer. One thing I don't like about them are the small bullet marker lights. The 7 gauge floor is a plus and 17.5 tire upgrade for $300 seems very reasonable.

View attachment 100547

Nick

Went ahead and ordered the Lamar and based on jhenderson's advice ordered the 8k Dexter oil bath axles/17.5 tire upgrade. I also had the front d-ring tie downs moved from the floor to the sides, on the floor they are a material catch all. The door latch hooks they use to hold the doors open were scary dangerous so I had them deleted. I am looking forward to hauling my Bobcat on a 7 gauge floor

Nick

 

[TFucili]

Hi, my name is Nick, and I am a trailerholic.

 

[NIsaacs]

Hi, my name is Nick, and I am a trailerholic.

:-laf I finally did sell one, but hated to, I get attached to all my junk:{ I sold it to my son for cheap since he bought the winch and optima batteries about 10 years ago. He just replaced the batteries with new ones so I figured I would let it go. This one:

At least I tow them with the appropriate hitch, unlike my brother, Lol. He picked up his gooseneck tilt bed and towed it home with his rollback on the wheel lift ball.

Nick

 

[JR]

What brand tilt deck did your brother buy?
I built a trailer on Lamar's website. Very customizable!
I was really close to writing a check last weekend on a new Load Trail, the had great end of year deals and offered me what I felt a fair deal on my pos, but decided to wait until spring.. I just repaired my wood boiler for the third time, I'll be doing good to get it through this winter. Once we decide what we are going to do for a replacement it'll be alot easier for me to pull the trigger on a trailer. In the mean time I just ordered up new equalizer links and wet bolts and new brake shoes. Old Betsy gonna have to hold in there a little longer.

 

[NIsaacs]

What brand tilt deck did your brother buy?
I built a trailer on Lamar's website. Very customizable!

He bought a Lamar, 102"x24' full length tilt bed. He lives in Montana but he got it just in time to haul his sled pull truck down here to Willcox with his friends '09 Ram 3500 C&C, so I got to look at it real good. It seems like a fine trailer. It is very similar to a Load Trail. He has customized it quite a bit already, extra tool box, electric motor for the jacks, winch and extra spare.

He wasn't happy with how they plumbed the hydraulic lines from the pump to the hoist, some wiring and a bunch of zerks they left out so he fixed it all. He did call them on the plumbing and complained. They mismatched the hole in the tool box with the frame rail so they just cut the hole bigger all the way into the bottom flange of the I-beam....not cool at all! He cut a piece of material the size of the hole and welded it shut, then routed the hoses under the frame with a hold down bracket. I think the dump will be fine because the tool box is in the front v/s the side.

Nick

 

[TFucili]

Sold one?! OK, you just may be a recovering trailerholic.

That tilt deck is sweet, but probably on the heavy side as far as practical capacity with my 2500.

 

[jhenderson]

No,no,no. Selling to your son for cheap isn't divesting. It's alternate parking.

 

[JR]

I had similar QC issues with my Branson trailer (now out of buisiness due to tax evasion).
The only thing thats made that one worth hanging onto is the frame was heavily built, mainframe is 8" channel, tilt frame inside the main is 6" with 4" cross members every 16". But the rest had to be more or less rebuilt/replaced to make right. I also built a proper head ache rack to mount my winch on.

 

[NIsaacs]

Went ahead and ordered the Lamar and based on jhenderson's advice ordered the 8k Dexter oil bath axles/17.5 tire upgrade. I also had the front d-ring tie downs moved from the floor to the sides, on the floor they are a material catch all. The door latch hooks they use to hold the doors open were scary dangerous so I had them deleted. I am looking forward to hauling my Bobcat on a 7 gauge floor

Nick

Update: Picked up my new dump yesterday, it was a long 11 weeks, I was quoted 6 weeks but was advised it might take longer due to the holidays. I was surprised when I talked to the young man running the new business, his dad is Kaufman Trailers, SC. He has a lot to learn about sales but he sure knows trailer building, he worked in the factory his whole life. The local brand he sells is a rebranded Kaufman. They have a good relationship with Lamar and call them their premium line. I don't like Kaufman, lol.

They have their own Hotshot truck, a 4500 Ram and a 48' step deck flatbed. It has a modified kingpin to lower it, inline with the lower profile pickup v/s a big truck. It has (3) 10k axles with 235/75x17.5 singles, it looks super heavy. He said they need a bigger truck, that the Ram sucks the fuel and won't go, Lol.

Initial observation is this is an excellent trailer, as I have time I will know more. I am getting it dirty this morning on a chipping job, so these pictures are as clean as it will get. It is an 83"x16'x3' low pro model at 16k gvw. I will be adding 2x6 side boards soon.

Nick

 

[BIGNASTY]

I think it is pine but high grade stuff, #2 & better s4s (surfaced four sides) it is like paneling or cabinet material. The 2x4's and the 2x12 across the front are pressure treated, they didn't have any treated 1x stuff. My wife said it was too nice to use so I promptly went and hauled 2 loads of stinky Alpaca poop, :-laf

View attachment 97280

Different trailer but you get the idea, lol.

Nick

NICE!!!

Been using my dump for Penny's Garden compost & picking up downed trees for firewood, driveway gravel, among other things

 

[NIsaacs]

NICE!!!

Been using my dump for Penny's Garden compost & picking up downed trees for firewood, driveway gravel, among other things

Thanks! Yes they are really handy, sometimes I might be hooked to one for a month before I need a different trailer.

Getting broke in today.

My driver likes this size load, I accused her of using 6th gear on a 5spd truck on the way back home, Lol

Nick

 

[NIsaacs]

double post.

 

[JR]

Lookin good Nick!

I'd love a dump trailer, maybe someday when this POS of a "dump" finally craps out :-laf

 

[TFucili]

Lookin good Nick!

I'd love a dump trailer, maybe someday when this POS of a "dump" finally craps out :-laf


View attachment 101596

I can't make out the badge in the grill, but for your sake I hope that says 429 not 370

 

[JR]

I can't make out the badge in the grill, but for your sake I hope that says 429 not 370

It's got the cursed "fuel pincher" as GM so affectionately called it, non turbo Detroit 8.2...the only thing that saves that truck from getting run over by it's own shadow when loaded is the 2 speed rear end but even at that it's pretty dismal. And cold blooded as all get out below about 20 degrees.
But on the bright side it makes for a good fogger in the summer to keep the bugs away