Hauling firewood on a landscape utility trailer

[PA452]

I have a 16' landscape utility trailer and I'm looking at building some short walls for it so I can use it to haul firewood. They need to be fairly easily removable as for most of my uses I wouldn't want them on it.

Looking at weights of a cord of wood, seems like there's no point in going too high with the walls. It's a 7000# trailer and it weighs 1740#, so theoretically I can have about 5250# of payload. It'll probably be more like 5000# max once I factor in the weight of the walls, and I'd rather not max out the trailer either.

Anyway I'm debating how I should go about this. I had at one time considered using 2x12s to make a 24" high wall all around, but not only is that a fair amount of weight, but seems like I probably don't need to go a full 24" high. So I'm thinking about using 3/4" plywood and make it 16-20" high. The uprights on the rails are about 10" high. They already have holes that I can bolt to. I'm thinking maybe for the sides, I could have two 8' lengths 16-20" high, connected by hinges to hold them together and so I can fold it up when not in use. Carriage bolts through the plywood and the uprights on the existing rail. In the front corners I could either bolt through a piece of 4x4 to lock them together or maybe some sort of latch for easier disassembly, less space and lighter weight.

I'm just throwing around ideas right now. Anyone have any thoughts about how to do this better?

Thanks

 

[Diggin It]

Consider hog or goat panels -- heavy wire mesh. Durable, easy to handle, probably lighter than lumber. I think the come in 16' lengths so you may get both sides out of one by cutting it in half.

 

[/pine]

I would use weld or bolt on stake pockets and make a light weight head and buck boards... that just lift out of the pockets...a little prudence loading and that should be all you need for non highway transport...!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

16 ft 5/4 pt deck boards bolted to 2x4s in stake pockets (assuming you have stake pockets). Mine are about 20 yrs old now.

 

[LouNY]

With green hardwood running 4000# plus per cord your only going to be putting a cord or cord and a quarter on your trailer so it's not going to take much for side boards.

 

[BoylermanCT]

Consider hog or goat panels -- heavy wire mesh. Durable, easy to handle, probably lighter than lumber. I think the come in 16' lengths so you may get both sides out of one by cutting it in half.

I would do this. You have a nice truck and trailer. Plywood always seems to look junky unless you paint it black.

Assuming your trailer is 7' wide, at 16x7, you only have to stack wood 14" high to get a cord.

 

[crazyal]

If you are going to use plywood I would use advantech instead. It'll handle rain better.

 

[bigtiller]

Is there a garage door repair shop near you? Ask them for a couple of used 16' insulated steel panels.

 

[TMGT]

16 ft 5/4 pt deck boards bolted to 2x4s in stake pockets (assuming you have stake pockets). Mine are about 20 yrs old now.View attachment 573789

Same here 5/4 deck boards, except I have mine 4 high, works great and I can take the 15ft section off by myself, but it is heavy.

 

[LD48750]

Keep in mind that some of that weight goes on the truck through the tongue of the trailer.
You can get more on there then you think & not be overloaded.