Suggestions on new flatbed trailer

[J DeMaio]

Hi guys:



I just purchased an old flatbed trailer from my boss for $100. It is a pintle hitch, tri-axle, 15 footer and ~ 7' wide, with budd wheels. I have no idea on who made it. I'm going to try to save it from the crusher and haul tractors on it. I will probably haul my 4020 on it to tractor pulls. The boss used to haul the 450 JD dozer on it regularly so it should be fairly stout. My questions to you folks are: How much money should I soak into it? How can you figure out the weight rating of the trailer? Where do you get parts? What is the brand of the axles? New/newer trailers are very expensive and I think that If I had $1000 in this trailer, it would be set up to do anything i'd dream of towing. Any suggestions appreciated.



Thanks,



John

 

[Diesel Nut]

I'm not sure how the highway patrol is there, but if I recall if they can't find a weight stamp on the tongue, they figure gvw by the tire ratings. I would go to a trailer supply or dealer with a service bay and they may be able to figure the axle ratings by s/n or bearing size or something like that. Could be as low as 5000# axles, or as high as 7000# axles, either way, that thing should be good for an insane amount of weight. Good luck!

 

[QRTRHRS]

Did you get the title or was that misplaced? When was it last plated? Any old registration cards might help. What does the trailer need? Break it down to a few areas.



Frame: need any welding?

Deck: Wood? Figure out what you need and price it out.

Wiring/lights: May be easier to totally rewire and replace the lighting.



Now the biggie.



Axles & related: Tires are easy to price out. Spring suspension? Check the spring hanger bushings. Brakes work? You need to pull the hubs, examine the bearings and brake components. Axles bent or not? You may be able to still get OEM parts once you ID the axles. You can buy new axles with brakes and everything but I don't know the price offhand. Plenty of sites on line to find all this out.



I have seen similar trailers go for about 800 at auctions but they needed a little TLC as well.



Do a little analysis, if it looks like a money pit, you should be able to get your buck back if not a bit more.

 

[J DeMaio]

Guys:



It's in need of a new deck. The fraem is very heavy and I don't believe that there are any cracks in it. I'll have to check on the title. The boss didn't even know that it had brakes. He used to pull it with the model R Mack. There were wires coming out of every break drum to a big 6 or 7 prong connector in the front. It's pretty stout and I think it will get the job done. I saw a spot with 2 rivets where a tag used to be but it is now gone. My main concern is the parts availibility for the axles. I saw in a parts book that Hayes and Dexter are NO problem to get parts for, but there was an axle or two produced by Fayette (?) and parts are no longer available. My luck it is this brand We'll see once I get it home and tore apart. I thought that if these axles were bad, finding three more axles of the same type with brakes or finding 2 tandem dual axles. It should be a good project, keep the advice coming.



John

 

[GSchlegel]

If you can't find replacement parts for the brakes try taking the whole assembly off the axel and see if the holes in the brake mounting bracket line up with new Dexters or Hayes. I don't think new brake assemblies are too expensive.



Gene

 

[QRTRHRS]

Unless you have a local sawmill, you probably will go with treated for the deck. Tongue and groove will be less apt to warp but may also be harder to find. Cut the old deck out with a chainsaw or sawsall, prybar etc. Torch or sawzall the old bolts. I see self tapping torx bolts with a flat tapered head used on new trailers but treated will shear them. I would go with grade 5 carriage bolts. Find a farm store that sells by weight and pick up the grade 5's much cheaper and in the quantity you need. Most deck boards are butted against the metal sides. In case the boards run into channels on each side then you would find one side deeper than the other. You drop the board in then slide it tight to the short side.



Got any wrecker yards close by? Maybe find a camper trailer that was totalled out but has good axles?

 

[J DeMaio]

Guys:



I got it home. I pulled every board off by hand. The trailer has quite a few stress cracks in it. All of the wheels turn freely so I think I can get away with re-packing the bearings. I measured a brake shoe, from one end of the pad to the other end it measured 14. 5" and it is 2" wide. There are 5 leaf springs per wheel and the wheels are 5 lug. It is in need of 2 tires. I think I'm going to cut the good metal out, take the axles and scrap the rest. I'll probably build one. BTW, on the leaf spring eyelits, it says Dexter, Elkhart Indiana. I assume that the axles are dexters. Thanks for the help. Is there any problems with this type of axle?



John

 

[Diesel Nut]

I dunno, but 5 lug probobly says they aren't very heavy axles. My guess would be 5k# max on 5 lug.