Bought a trailer today

[56FordGuy]

Yep. I bought a trailer today, wanted to share.

It's a 16' flatbed, with a 2' dovetail. 18' overall, plus tongue. Doesn't have the side rails that most utility trailers have, so you can side load it with a forklift in front and behind the fenders. Has stake pockets to add side rails, though.

I bought it used, the floor and tires are good. The only problem is the paint, it could use some cleaning up and a repaint. It has hideaway ramps that slide under the dovetail.

The only thing I don't quite understand is the axles. The trailer has a 2 5/16" ball, brakes on both axles, and a heavy duty frame. Judging from the ball and frame, I would expect it to have 5,200 pound axles. It has dual 3,500 pound axles. Most of the 7K GVW trailers I've looked at have a 2" ball and brakes on only one axle. It's a factory built trailer, but the tag is worn and practically unreadable.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Without pictures it did not happen. Its a TBN rule.

As for the ball maybe the owner ordered it that way for a reason.

Chris

 

[whateg0]

Chain vs. weakest link...

If the trailer has (2) 3500# axles, it's 7k, regardless of hitch.

Dave

 

[Birdhunter1]

Very likely the previous owner has other trailers that are 2 5/16" couplers and didn't want to be caught again without the wrong size trailer ball.
A friend of mine in the concrete business has about 6 2 5/16" coupler trailer and had 2 2" trailers. He eventually cut the tongues off the smaller trailer and put 2 5/16th" couplers on them for uniformity. I think he had too many instances where one of his guys didn't have a 2" ball in their (company) work trucks and he finally standardized everything.

Then he got a pintle hitch, go figure!

 

[jwstewar]

Yep. I bought a trailer today, wanted to share.

It's a 16' flatbed, with a 2' dovetail. 18' overall, plus tongue. Doesn't have the side rails that most utility trailers have, so you can side load it with a forklift in front and behind the fenders. Has stake pockets to add side rails, though.

I bought it used, the floor and tires are good. The only problem is the paint, it could use some cleaning up and a repaint. It has hideaway ramps that slide under the dovetail.

The only thing I don't quite understand is the axles. The trailer has a 2 5/16" ball, brakes on both axles, and a heavy duty frame. Judging from the ball and frame, I would expect it to have 5,200 pound axles. It has dual 3,500 pound axles. Most of the 7K GVW trailers I've looked at have a 2" ball and brakes on only one axle. It's a factory built trailer, but the tag is worn and practically unreadable.

That sounds exactly like my Gatormade trailer. Mine is exactly like you described except when I bought it the sticker on said the GVWR was 14k. I got in touch with Gatormade and had them send me the correct 7k lb stickers. Mine came with LED lights and all. I've been really happy with it other than the junk Taskmaster tires that came on it. They will be coming off real soon and the trailer is an 2008 that I bought in January of 2009 new.

 

[56FordGuy]

Chain vs. weakest link...

If the trailer has (2) 3500# axles, it's 7k, regardless of hitch.

Dave

No argument there, it's a 7K trailer. Just seems unusual to me to have that size ball and two braking axles. Should be a fine trailer for my needs. The weight capacity is a little limiting, but I can't think of anything that would be short enough to fit on the trailer and too heavy for it. Some occasional scrap metal loads might fit the bill, but I can shift some of that weight to the flatbed on the truck if necessary.

I'll try to get a couple of pictures up.

 

[56FordGuy]

First picture is of the trailer. It's mostly grey, but needs to be stripped and painted. Has some surface rust in a few spots, and needs the lenses on some lights replaced.

Second picture is a closeup of how the hitch mounts to the trailer. Never seen one like that. Looks like it was designed to be swapped or adjusted for height without too much trouble. Just a note, I plan to get new hooks for the safety chains. The way my flatbed is designed requires me to use two 7/8" shackles to run the chains through, so I plan to pick up some hooks with 'keeper tabs' that aren't bent.

 

[bigtiller]

No argument there, it's a 7K trailer. Just seems unusual to me to have that size ball and two braking axles. Should be a fine trailer for my needs. The weight capacity is a little limiting, but I can't think of anything that would be short enough to fit on the trailer and too heavy for it. Some occasional scrap metal loads might fit the bill, but I can shift some of that weight to the flatbed on the truck if necessary

Your 2 inch ball will be good enough if it has an 1&1/4 thick shaft. That is rated for 8000 pounds. A 1 inch shaft is rated at 5000 pounds.

 

[Rancher Ed]

First picture is of the trailer. It's mostly grey, but needs to be stripped and painted. Has some surface rust in a few spots, and needs the lenses on some lights replaced.

Second picture is a closeup of how the hitch mounts to the trailer. Never seen one like that. Looks like it was designed to be swapped or adjusted for height without too much trouble. Just a note, I plan to get new hooks for the safety chains. The way my flatbed is designed requires me to use two 7/8" shackles to run the chains through, so I plan to pick up some hooks with 'keeper tabs' that aren't bent.

Nice trailer. Very nice truck.:thumbsup:

How hard would it be to just put new safety chains on that could have a big enough hook to hook right to the shackles instead of running through and then hooking back on the chain? That looks like a nice coupler, heavy duty and easy to adjust. Having both axels brake is nice. I prefer the 2 & 5/16" balls for any tandem axel trailer so that would be a plus for me but I don't know what size ball your other trailers use.

Ed

 

[whateg0]

Your 2 inch ball will be good enough if it has an 1&1/4 thick shaft. That is rated for 8000 pounds. A 1 inch shaft is rated at 5000 pounds.

Without replacing the coupler on the trailer, the 2" ball is not the right one to use. The coupler is 2-5/16".

Dave

 

[Skyco]

Second picture is a closeup of how the hitch mounts to the trailer. Never seen one like that. Looks like it was designed to be swapped or adjusted for height without too much trouble

The channel mount is common, but I've never seen one with 3 cross bolts, the standard is 2. Looks fabricated otherwise it is a simple matter to buy whatever size coupler you wanted...

Adjustable Couplers - Trailer Couplers - Trailer Parts On-Line Store | Nuera Transport


The frame definitely doesen't look heavy enough to be a 10k trailer, IMO.

 

[Skyco]

Your 2 inch ball will be good enough if it has an 1&1/4 thick shaft. That is rated for 8000 pounds. A 1 inch shaft is rated at 5000 pounds.

Not necessarily. There are 1" shaft ones rated to 10,000 lbs....

2" - Trailer Hitch Balls - Trailer Parts On-Line Store | Nuera Transport

 

[56FordGuy]

Nice trailer. Very nice truck.:thumbsup:

How hard would it be to just put new safety chains on that could have a big enough hook to hook right to the shackles instead of running through and then hooking back on the chain? That looks like a nice coupler, heavy duty and easy to adjust. Having both axels brake is nice. I prefer the 2 & 5/16" balls for any tandem axel trailer so that would be a plus for me but I don't know what size ball your other trailers use.

Ed

If I can find hooks that will fit the chains with a large enough opening to fit over the shackles, that's what I plan to do. The chains are attached to the trailer by a metal pin that runs through the last link of the chain and is welded to the trailer frame. Replacing the chains would require cutting them off, then reattaching with a link shackle or similar. I'd like to avoid that if I can, so I have to shop for some hooks. My only other bumper pull trailer is a home made 6x10, and who ever built it put on a 1 7/8" coupler. That trailer needs some serious work, right now I won't tow it on a public road. When I get around to repairing the trailer, I want to replace the coupler with a 2" most likely, because that seems to be what most single axle trailers use. Why do you prefer the 2 5/16 ball? Aside from weight capacity, are there any other differences in size? Just for the record, I'm towing the trailer with the correct 2 5/16 hitch ball on a solid drawbar and don't feel a need to change it.

 

[bigtiller]

Not necessarily. There are 1" shaft ones rated to 10,000 lbs....

2" - Trailer Hitch Balls - Trailer Parts On-Line Store | Nuera Transport

Thanks, I did not know that, never seen one. :thumbsup:

 

[Rancher Ed]

Why do you prefer the 2 5/16 ball? Aside from weight capacity, are there any other differences in size?

I am not really sure. It seems all 10k or larger trailers have that size and it is just nice for all the trailers to have the same size ball. I guess it is just a personal thing. I don't know of any differences other than the weight capacity.

Where you are going to have another trailer with a 2" ball, it might make sence to change this one over to a 2" coupler and just keep the 2-5/16" one on hand so if you ever want to sell it you would have both sizes.

Ed