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

[Shrew_Gardens]

40 inches, that is a big ash log

I saw what you did there.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Does anyone know how tough the drive over fenders are

Depends on the trailer, but most of them should be able to support 1/3-1/2 the trailer load I would think. Seen them hold up to just about anything that will fit. They can still get ding up though.

 

[WinterDeere]

Another method involves mounting a loading arch on the back of the trailer. The arch can be made to be easily removable, if desired.

That's interesting, as I've seen others do it with the arch hinged at the middle of the trailer, such that the arch swings from tailgate to front railing, as it lifts the log. Never seen one mounted at the rear, before!

 

[John_Mc]

That's interesting, as I've seen others do it with the arch hinged at the middle of the trailer, such that the arch swings from tailgate to front railing, as it lifts the log. Never seen one mounted at the rear, before!

The advantage of a midmount is that you can often the log loaded in one "swing". The disadvantage is that it takes some extra figuring and probably a lot taller arch to get the log up over the tailgate.

If I were setting up something like this, I might consider mounting it something like 1/4 of the way up from the back, if that is possible to do without interfering with the fenders. That would allow it to extend far enough back behind the tailgate to get a good amount of lift before the front of the log hits the back lip of the trailer, yet still let you get the log a good bit of the way on with the first swing. It also leaves room in front to stow the arch by flipping it forward onto the trailer (or on top of the loaded logs.)

 

[John_Mc]

Does anyone know how tough the drive over fenders are, specifically would they be likely to hold up with a larger log rolling over them from the side when loading with a parbuckle? There is a Load Trail 12k trailer with them nearby that looks nice.

Typically, the parbuckling ramps are designed in such as manner as to not put any load on the fenders, since most trailers don;t have fenders intended to handle that sort of load.

 

[Shrew_Gardens]

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who chipped in advice. I went with a choice which is probably ideal for none of my applications but should be able to adapt to all of them: a 7x16 deck over with drop sides that will allow me to move loose materials including wall stone and gravel to complete home landscaping projects and improve access to my wood lot, move firewood, load logs over the side by parbuckle and also trailer the tractor.

Perhaps at some point I’ll identify what uses are going to be ongoing and move toward the optimal trailer for that …or smarten up and pay someone else for trucking!

Now I need to practice backing this thing up.

 

[WinterDeere]

Now I need to practice backing this thing up.

A log splitter or small utility trailer behind your CUT is a great aide in learning how to back a trailer, as the tractor offers better visibility. That's how I learned as a kid, anyway, and I can back a 20' trailer thru a slalom course at speed.

When you get good enough at regular trailers, then you can mix it up with a steerable wagon, which reverses everything, again! Jacknifing this one onto my patio every second weekend is like threading a needle.

 

[nisaacs]

I went with a 7x16 deck over with drop sides

Pictures?

That's a strange size, 7' wide deck over. Make, GVW etc.

 

[dodge man]

My personal issue when backing a trailer is going straight back. The trailer is going say a tiny bit left but I don’t identify quick enough. What kind of truck do you have? Newer F150’s have a trailer backup know, I’ve never bothered to set it up on mine. Good luck with the new trailer and post up a picture of it.

 

[WinterDeere]

That's a strange size, 7' wide deck over.

7 feet is uncommon? You mean just for deck-overs, or trailers in general?

I have owned several trailers that were 83" - 88" (~7 ft) wide. In fact, I'm pretty sure my current landscape trailer is exactly 88", and my racing boat trailer is 83 or 84 inches.

 

[nisaacs]

7 feet is uncommon? You mean just for deck-overs,

Yes, just deck over. They are usually 8' or 8.6 wide.

 

[Shrew_Gardens]

The trailer is a ‘24 Iron Bull 15k 7x16 dump with drop sides. It would be right at the max bumper pull for my f350.

The fellow I got it from had added a hydraulic jack and welded sleeves for 8” sideboards and used it only momentarily before buying a dump truck for his masonry business, so it looks pretty new except for a couple of spots where the paint is peeling (leading edge of the tarp cover for example).

I drove about 3 hours each way for it. I could have bought a ‘26 from a dealer 90 minutes away for about $1000 more but it would not have had the add ons and I felt they were valuable and worth the trade off.

Anyone know whether it’s worth using a rattle can of rust-oleum on those spots where the finish is flaking?

 

[dodge man]

I think I’d go ahead and treat those spots and rattle can it.

 

[WinterDeere]

Anyone know whether it’s worth using a rattle can of rust-oleum on those spots where the finish is flaking?

Yes. I always try to stay on any chipped or damaged paint, either with rattle can or a small can and brush. Anything beats rust!

If you can rig up some quick cardboard and masking tape to isolate an area or panel from overspray and properly prep it with a little synthetic wool scuffing, you'll thank yourself 2 years from now, when that overspray would otherwise turn matte and possibly peel. Sometimes I'll even just mask off a little 1" square around a chip, to scuff and rattle can that, knowing the paint line will be much less visible than a massive area of overspray, after a few years' weathering.

 

[Shrew_Gardens]

Thank you!

I will say that when I got back home with it I was pretty fried and struggled to get the trailer backed into the driveway, giving up after a few tries and pulling the whole rig in nose 1st. The snow banks narrowing the street weren’t helping. Fortunately I was able to get it turned around and tucked right into the right spot this morning with just one try.

 

[Quaffer]

The heaviest logs I've dragged with that winch are 7500#, with the primary limitation being anything heavier just drags my truck and trailer backwards, while the log goes nowhere. Of course I use wheel chocks, but I've dragged the whole rig backwards right over wheel chocks.

Not sure if I have followed this correctly, but if you intend to parbuckle a 7,500lb log I hope you video it for us all to see! (Maybe you are sectioning it first before loading?)

 

[Shrew_Gardens]

My personal issue when backing a trailer is going straight back. The trailer is going say a tiny bit left but I don’t identify quick enough. What kind of truck do you have? Newer F150’s have a trailer backup know, I’ve never bothered to set it up on mine. Good luck with the new trailer and post up a picture of it.

I have not figured out the similar function on my f350, assuming it exists.

 

[WinterDeere]

I remember those days. I used to live on a very busy road, when I bought the first boat I'd owned as an adult. I knew how to back a trailer, in theory, but it had been 10 years or more since I'd done it. Getting backed in quickly, amongst the cars flying by, was almost more than my nerves could take.

You'll get there. These days I can back a trailer as well as I can a car without a trailer, it's just a matter of practice, and remembering that you need to swing the nose of the trailer opposite the direction you want to ultimately push it. Like driving a forklift or pallet jack.

 

[nisaacs]

The trailer is a ‘24 Iron Bull 15k 7x16 dump with drop sides.

Pretty sure that is an 8' wide dump.

DDP14 Deckover Bumper Pull

 

[Shrew_Gardens]

A log splitter or small utility trailer behind your CUT is a great aide in learning how to back a trailer, as the tractor offers better visibility. That's how I learned as a kid, anyway, and I can back a 20' trailer thru a slalom course at speed.

When you get good enough at regular trailers, then you can mix it up with a steerable wagon, which reverses everything, again! Jacknifing this one onto my patio every second weekend is like threading a needle.

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That is a great firewood setup.

Incidentally it was dumping a small trailer full of maple sap when backing up a little Wheel Horse tractor and trailer when I was about 14 that made me shy away from trailers for the past 3+ decades.