Tilt-bed Farm wagon Idea

[davel8257]

Most farm wagon designs use 2 beams running the length of the wagon which are bolted to the upright standards at the 4 corners of the wagon gear. I was wondering how feasible it would be to reinforce the rear standards with more steel and run a 1" rod through them and the beams. This would create a pivot point. The front standards would not be permanently anchored -- but could have a pin through them.

I have a tractor with FEL. I could disconnect the tongue, drive around and lift (tilt) the trailer bed and dump the contents (Fire wood or dirt) off of the back using the loader. I could fix up a length of log chain to lift with so as to not 'slip' and drop the bed.

This trailer would be 6ftx12ft (wxl) -- easy to maneuver through the woods, with 2x12 side boards. By doing some measuring, the amount of bed that overhangs the rear (behind the pivot point) could be set up to be near the ground when up at a 45 degree angle.

Has anyone done something like this? Suggestions are welcome.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I would not want to disconnect from a trailer that I was attempting to dump. How about adding a 24" stroke hydro cylinder to it and plumb it off your rear remotes?

Chris

 

[davel8257]

feasible -- I have the remotes. I was also thinking that this would share the weight to both axles and all 4 tires. The tires are rated for 1800 lb ea. If I lifted the bed, 100% of the load would shift to the rear axle and back 2 tires. It is unlikely that I'd have more than 3,000+ lb of fire wood, but a load of gravel or dirt is something else.

 

[davel8257]

I'm really thinking that the ez-trail gear would be way overkill, but you never know the future, I might sell the wagon and someone use it and get hurt.

 

[milkman]

I tried this to see if it would work, and I was really surprised that it does work. I've hauled and unloaded chicken manure for the garden, split wood, round wood, round logs, rock and dirt. With a full load of dirt, I just put a two foot fold in the middle of the bed before loading and was able to unload surprisingly easy. It's been well worth the money and still working.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/47861-what-would-you-call.html

 

[davel8257]

I read your post last week. That would work for me -- unloading fire wood. I have a local source of extruded fiberglas -- fiberglas tube, angles and flat sheets. He builds hay wagons out of the stuff that are really tough. And slick. The sheets are 4x8x3/4". I'd have to cut 2ft off and use 3 sheets. A tarp laid out over it would slide nicely acrossed it.

I would think that an unloader would be simple to build -- maybe use 2" steel water pipe and cut (how?) a slice out of to thread the tarp. Weld on 1" solid steel stock on the ends for an axle and mount them into 2 pillow-block bearings with a crank on the end. A guy could get fancy and do a step-down chain or pulley drive to increase torque.

 

[milkman]

I read your post last week. That would work for me -- unloading fire wood. I have a local source of extruded fiberglas -- fiberglas tube, angles and flat sheets. He builds hay wagons out of the stuff that are really tough. And slick. The sheets are 4x8x3/4". I'd have to cut 2ft off and use 3 sheets. A tarp laid out over it would slide nicely acrossed it.

I would think that an unloader would be simple to build -- maybe use 2" steel water pipe and cut (how?) a slice out of to thread the tarp. Weld on 1" solid steel stock on the ends for an axle and mount them into 2 pillow-block bearings with a crank on the end. A guy could get fancy and do a step-down chain or pulley drive to increase torque.

Would probably be easy enough to build an unloader, the loadhandler sheet is fastened to the axle with, you ain't gonna believe this, duct tape. Always have to leave a couple of wraps on the axle when pulling the sheet out over the floor, original duct tape still holding.

 

[davel8257]

I have a good canvas tarp that I think I could use. I've always folded it up and kept it dry -- not sure how long it would last sitting out in the weather (either rolled up or unrolled back out to air dry).