Looking for advice: Choosing a trailer for tractor & saw logs

[Shrew_Gardens]

I’m looking for a flat deck trailer, main use will be moving my appx 2 ton CUT to and from the family wood lot and also occasionally moving some select hardwood saw logs, nothing over 16’

-Deck over vs lower deck with fenders is the biggest question. I’ve considered a deck over specifically to allow loading logs over the side using a parbuckle but I wonder if it is worth the added deck height and cost?
-if I go with lower deck is it worth getting a tilt? More to break?
-Some of the trailers I’m seeing have pull out ramps, this looks more flexible for different applications but will these be much less secure when loading a tractor?

A few points:
-I’m a noob on trailers, have just rented occasionally
-I don’t anticipate frequent use (maybe 6 times a year) and I never buy anything new
-I have a 1 ton to tow
-space at home is an issue, I want the shortest trailer that will do the job
-I will probably move to a larger tractor and/or a small skidder (like a jd440) at some point so am leaning toward 12-14k

Thanks and please feel free to point me to threads that will help.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Get a trailer a little longer and with a little more capacity than what you think you need. The extra length is a lifesaver helping to balance out loads, the extra capacity is just that, I've never heard anyone say I wish my trailer had less load capacity, but I have heard a thousand times I am at or a little over my trailer's capacity and wish I could haul more. If a tilt deck is to your liking look at the Kaufman 22' tilt deck with 2-7k axles they can be had for less than $8k picked up at one of their factory's, I bought one to haul my skidsteer on but I did upgrade to the 8k axles and more importantly 17.5 super single tires, they are a lot of trailer for the money.

 

[deezler]

^ good advice. Do NOT get the shortest possible trailer you can picture hauling your machines, it will be a total pain to get them loaded and manage your tongue weight. Whats another 4 feet in your storage area at home; truly a deal breaker?

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

I would get a 18’-20’ hydraulic dump trailer, if the possible future skidder would fit in it. I help the neighbor now and then and he can load the logs in the trailer then I can drive to his house and dump them without another tractor needed.

 

[Shrew_Gardens]

^ good advice. Do NOT get the shortest possible trailer you can picture hauling your machines, it will be a total pain to get them loaded and manage your tongue weight. Whats another 4 feet in your storage area at home; truly a deal breaker?

Now this is the kind of advice I’m grateful for. I have not ever loaded my own equipment on a trailer so wouldn’t have known that managing tongue weight would be an issue.

 

[deezler]

-I will probably move to a larger tractor and/or a small skidder (like a jd440) at some point so am leaning toward 12-14k

Whoa. I had to look up the jd440 skidder, those weigh 12k lbs themselves. Note that a trailer weight rating is typically the maximum axle load permitted including the weight of the trailer itself. So to haul a 12k lb machine, you will need a ~16k rated trailer. You are talking about some serious weight at that point, not a trivial load situation. Whats your 1-ton rated for on a bumper pull? At that weight you're almost better off with a gooseneck trailer.... above my pay grade here at the hobby farm, haha.

 

[dodge man]

Yes, it going to need to be a gooseneck at that weight.

 

[Shrew_Gardens]

I would get a 18’-20’ hydraulic dump trailer, if the possible future skidder would fit in it. I help the neighbor now and then and he can load the logs in the trailer then I can drive to his house and dump them without another tractor needed.

I would absolutely LOVE a dump trailer but I’m not sure I want to spend that much and I’m not sure it makes sense for logs, my current tractor doesn’t lift all that much and so I’d have to winch them in.

It would be amazing for my home landscaping projects and for bringing in firewood, though, and I could probably use it to help fix the road into the wood lot. It is about 3/4 mile of non maintained town road that would make a decent amusement park ride for tourists. It’s definitely not traversable with a trailer in its current state.

 

[Shrew_Gardens]

Whoa. I had to look up the jd440 skidder, those weigh 12k lbs themselves. Note that a trailer weight rating is typically the maximum axle load permitted including the weight of the trailer itself. So to haul a 12k lb machine, you will need a ~16k rated trailer. You are talking about some serious weight at that point, not a trivial load situation. Whats your 1-ton rated for on a bumper pull? At that weight you're almost better off with a gooseneck trailer.... above my pay grade here at the hobby farm, haha.

Yeah, I figured that it would be borderline. If I ever get a skidder it will probably mean paying someone to haul it. Not really a question for the short term in any case, I guess. More like a retirement project.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Yeah, I figured that it would be borderline. If I ever get a skidder it will probably mean paying someone to haul it. Not really a question for the short term in any case, I guess. More like a retirement project.

The Kaufman tilt deck with upgraded 8k axles and 17.5 tires can tote 13,600 lbs on the deck, I don't know if it's wide enough to haul the JD skidder but if the given weight of 12k is correct there wouldn't be an issue with the weight.

 

[Quaffer]

-Deck over vs lower deck with fenders is the biggest question. I’ve considered a deck over specifically to allow loading logs over the side using a parbuckle but I wonder if it is worth the added deck height and cost?

For logs, deckover is ideal and anything else will be a pain in the you know where. So it comes down to how often you might transport logs.

Q- if you had side fenders or other obstructions, how are you going to prevent those from damage with a load of logs. And, what is your plan on how to unload logs? Grapple?

 

[WinterDeere]

^ good advice. Do NOT get the shortest possible trailer you can picture hauling your machines, it will be a total pain to get them loaded and manage your tongue weight. Whats another 4 feet in your storage area at home; truly a deal breaker?

Especially if you upgrade to larger machines, after buying the tractor. DAMHIKT

I would get a 18’-20’ hydraulic dump trailer, if the possible future skidder would fit in it. I help the neighbor now and then and he can load the logs in the trailer then I can drive to his house and dump them without another tractor needed.

Most dump trailers sit awful high for loading machinery on/off. It can be done, if that's you're only option, but it's not what I'd choose to buy for this purpose.

Ideal for logging, is my closed-side utility trailer with a winch mounted high in the front:



A flatbed or open-side trailer would be better for hauling tractors, but the closed-side trailer can work if you mount heavy duty tie-down rings to the inside of the box down low. Most come with OEM rings, but they're usually so wimpy that you'll break them in the first few uses.

If I had to use one trailer for everything, I'd probably go with a flat bed with stake sides, and then fab up (or ask mfg. to fab) some drop-in stake sides out of steel or aluminum. Then trailer could be reconfigured as solid side for hauling wood and logs, or flatbed for hauling cars and tractors.

A more durable but less flexible option would be a solid side box like mine, but with large "scupper" holes in the corners, to feed straps thru to outside tie points on the frame rails.

I went with solid sides, because I haul 10x more logs than tractors or cars. But in any other case, I'd go flatbed with stake sides.

 

[dodge man]

I’ve hauled logs on mine and have side fenders that stick above the deck and you do have to be careful.

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

Especially if you upgrade to larger machines, after buying the tractor. DAMHIKT


Most dump trailers sit awful high for loading machinery on/off. It can be done, if that's you're only option, but it's not what I'd choose to buy for this purpose.

Ideal for logging, is my closed-side utility trailer with a winch mounted high in the front:

View attachment 4838121

A flatbed or open-side trailer would be better for hauling tractors, but the closed-side trailer can work if you mount heavy duty tie-down rings to the inside of the box down low. Most come with OEM rings, but they're usually so wimpy that you'll break them in the first few uses.

If I had to use one trailer for everything, I'd probably go with a flat bed with stake sides, and then fab up (or ask mfg. to fab) some drop-in stake sides out of steel or aluminum. Then trailer could be reconfigured as solid side for hauling wood and logs, or flatbed for hauling cars and tractors.

A more durable but less flexible option would be a solid side box like mine, but with large "scupper" holes in the corners, to feed straps thru to outside tie points on the frame rails.

I went with solid sides, because I haul 10x more logs than tractors or cars. But in any other case, I'd go flatbed with stake sides.

I don’t mind driving my 2032R into the neighbors dump trailer at all.

 

[WinterDeere]

I don’t mind driving my 2032R into the neighbors dump trailer at all.

The one dump trailer I've used had the bed up above waste height, maybe 40" off the pavement. I'm used to landscape and flatbed trailers, with the bed 18" off the pavement.

I'm sure it can work, if that's what you already own. "Run what you brung!" But a dump trailer wouldn't be my first choice, if buying a trailer for the primary purpose of hauling tractors or logs.

 

[nisaacs]

This would make an awesome log hauler, brush or stumps. Has Printice log loader, $12k, about the price of a trailer. Not good for hauling tractors...

 

[Shrew_Gardens]

These are super helpful points, so thank you all for sharing your experience.

If I went with a trailer with fenders or even a dump I had envisioned pulling logs in with my portable winch, albeit very painstakingly, and I’m not confident that a dump would allow that at all. I’d need a good spot to secure the winch as in Winterdeere’s photo. I wonder how big the largest of those ash logs is? I have my eye on a red oak that is dropping branches into my elderly neighbor’s field, it looks to be about 36” in diameter at chest height. I could have flooring for half my home milled from it but only if I can get it to the mill. Most of what I would otherwise be bringing to the mill is going to be sugar maple under 24”.

I assume that any logs that get loaded would be unloaded at the mill with their equipment. I could imagine bringing home log length firewood if it was a clear improvement in efficiency (we have always bucked in the woods and brought it out 1/2 cord at a time). I cannot see investing in a grapple at this time, would be better to upgrade the tractor 1st and I’d prefer to prioritize the trailer now. My wife will only tolerate so much of my foolishness at once.

right now I am leaning towards continuing to look for a deck over based on all your suggestions, and rent a dumper for the 2-3 projects where it would be useful

 

[Shrew_Gardens]

This would make an awesome log hauler, brush or stumps. Has Printice log loader, $12k, about the price of a trailer. Not good for hauling tractors...

View attachment 4844319View attachment 4844320

Wow. That would be amazing for my retirement project of logging the land myself, just hold onto it for me for about 15 years, ok?

Are you sure it can’t just pluck the tractor with the grapple and put it in the bed?!?

 

[dodge man]

You can load logs with forks. They are cheap and maybe you have some already. The bad with forks is you have to mess around with the balance point sometimes to pick them up.

 

[Shrew_Gardens]

I do have forks and they are on the tractor much more than the bucket but after their weight I’ve got a bit less than 1/2 ton of capacity, so unless I want to upgrade the tractor I need to load another way. Even with a 2500lb capacity I wouldn’t be able to load the big logs.