fifth wheel conversion to trailer?

[kmok]

A friend gave me his old 24ft or 26ft (1979) fifth wheel travel trailer.

Do you think it is worthwhile to convert to a 20ft ball and hitch trailer so I can haul my 3500+lbs tractor? (Kubota L3130 fel and box blade)I think it would be a lot easier if I convert it to a trailer but leave it as a fifth wheel. However, I own a small 4X4 pick up and a 7 yard dump truck with ball and hitch and pintle hook.

What is the most economical way? Is it cheaper to buy new?

 

[Diamondpilot]

It may be very well cheaper to scrap this trailer and take that money and put it towards a new trailer. That being said what are you starting with? Are the tires, brakes, suspension components, ect all in good order or will they need replaced? This can get expensive. I guess we need some good pics of what you have to start with.

Chris

 

[deereguy]

I believe a travel trailer frame is set up to carry just that, a travel trailer. I think if you remove the roof and sides you will find the frame is VERY flimsy and unsafe for hauling equipment. Sounds like your friend gave you a great hunting trailer and go out and buy an equipment trailer bigger than you think your need- your be glad you did.

Good Luck!!

 

[kennyd]

Just because it was free, does not make it a good deal


I with the others here, it's probably not cost effective or even safe...

 

[Bird]

Do you think it is worthwhile to convert to a 20ft ball and hitch trailer

I agree with deereguy and very much doubt that it would be worthwhile.

 

[2manyrocks]

Generally, the goal in building travel trailers is to make them inexpensively and lightweight so they can be towed with smaller trucks.

You would have your labor in stripping off the camper area and then I suppose you'd have to dispose of the materials before you even down to dealing with the metal trailer frame, axles, etc.

Might do better to try to sell it to some one else as a fixer upper camper and then use the money elsewhere?

 

[kmok]

Thank you all very much. 5 responses and all same answer. I thought it was a lot of work to begin with anyway.

 

[Renze]

The frames under 40 ton highway hauler refrigerated box trailers are about half the strength of a 40 ton equipment trailer, because A. the pointload vs. evenly spread load on the camper trailer, and B. the sidewalls give a lot of rigidity to the construction. Taking them away, would make the camper trailer unsuitable (strength wise) for carrying around household goods.

 

[Rowdius]

I generally agree with everything above; however my brother did tear down an old fifth wheel travel trailer with pretty decent results. He kept it as a fifth wheel though. The frame was fairly beefy (though I'm not sure I'd haul _my_ tractor on it ) and he beefed it up a little more as well. Back when gas was cheap he was hauling firewood on it about 170 miles and making a profit.

Another thing to think about is how high the deck would be. My brother's trailer would take some pretty long ramps to even thing of getting a CUT up on it.

 

[Groo]

those old ones might be up to what you want.

travel trailers used to be trailers with little homes on top. new ones are MUCH lighter. your frame might be up to what you want.

you can look at the frame. measure it and calculate (the formulas are pretty simple) how strong it is compared to an equipment trailer frame.

 

[Reg]

A horse trailer would have a strong enough floor and underguts.
Shires, Belgians, Clydes, etc can weigh well over a ton and about 60% of that is on the front hooves, so figure the floors can take point loads.

 

[unioncreek]

I was given an 18 foot travel trailer that was junk and built a 16 foot flatbed out of it. The frame was 4 inch channel iron that was 1/4 inch thick. I bought 1/4 x 4 flat iron an boxed the frame, then added 3 inch channel cross members every three feet. I beefed up the original hitch with 2 x 4 tubing and put a 2x deck on it. I've hauled three ton of wood pellets on it with no problem and haul probably 8 loads of hay with it every year. After scrapping all the aluminum and items that worked out of it I only had to come up with the money for the decking. It is a cheap first trailer.

Bobg