Water Trailer Build

[easygo]

Coreshot,
That is one strong trailer you are building. It looks like it could withstand a LOT more the #1000 load. If I were you I would but some really rugged springs under it and then you can haul as much rocks and dirt as you can pile onto it. I'm speaking from experience.

A few years ago I built a trailer with about #1000 load in mind and sized all parts for that. Then I tried to haul some dirt and rock in it and really wished that I built the trailer stronger. Now I have to build another one.

 

[mjncad]

mjncad,I'm looking forward to seeing pics of it. I just have a baby tractor, so I need the tank to be on wheels. Otherwise, I like you way of doing it.

My plans for this one in the future after I get my well in is to put a battery operated sprinkler timer on it to meter flow to some trees while I'm not there. Just need to keep it full and place the trailer where it will do the most good, then I can start planting some trees.

I don't know what your 3PH can lift; but I'll bet a 55-gallon tank is doable. My 3PH has ~1,700-pound capacity 24" behind the lift pins, and I figure I'm within 200-pounds with a full tank. So far, the 3PH lifts it fine, it rides OK; but I'm not hot-rodding it.

My tank looks similar to your tank, and I find a 1" ball valve and 10' of 1" hose can dump about 30-gallons in about 5-minutes. It takes way longer to fill the tank than it does to empty it.

In any case, you're choice of trailer was the right thing to do based on your equipment's abilities.

 

[coreshot]

A couple pics of the finished rails...

 

[Iplayfarmer]

It looks to me like maybe you've done this sort of stuff before. It looks really good.

 

[coreshot]

It looks to me like maybe you've done this sort of stuff before. It looks really good.

Not really as far as trailers go, mostly off road trucks.

 

[mjncad]

That's darn good looking fabrication to me CoreShot!

 

[jayste]

Cory, very nice fab job! I like the rails and how you angled the back ot accomodate the valve. Good job!:thumbsup:

 

[coreshot]

Cory, very nice fab job! I like the rails and how you angled the back ot accomodate the valve. Good job!:thumbsup:

That was my boy's idea. I was going to have it go straight across with a caged in area to protect the valve. He pretty smart...for a kid.:thumbsup:

 

[coreshot]

Finally got a little time to work on the trailer today. I focused my time on preparing the axle for paint. The axle sat on a farm for the last 40 or so years waiting to be built into a trailer, but the owner lost interest, so he said I could have it. The first pic is the monstrosity that was welded to it that I cut off to get to the good part. Second pic shows that the axle is 1.75 inch solid steel. Way hefty. I sleeved it to the correct length with 2X2X.120. It slid right in with just a touch of grinding.

 

[coreshot]

Was just looking at this old thread and realized that I never included finished pictures. So here we are, 5 years later, with the trailer in use. Luckily, the trailer was at home for maintenance back in 2012 when a wildfire burned through our property, so it was one of the few things that survived. Pics...

 

[weldingisfun]

Just curious, but the axle is a 4" drop. The way you have it mounted to the springs it raises the trailer. If you reversed the axle, it would lower the trailer height considerably making it much less top heavy. Or, at least that is how it looks to me. But, you have been using it now for five years, had any problems with stability?

 

[coreshot]

Just curious, but the axle is a 4" drop. The way you have it mounted to the springs it raises the trailer. If you reversed the axle, it would lower the trailer height considerably making it much less top heavy. Or, at least that is how it looks to me. But, you have been using it now for five years, had any problems with stability?

The width I went with on the axle forced me to mount it spring over with the axle configured this way. if it was mounted the other way, the deck of the trailer would rub on the inside of the tires. I could've kept the axle a bit wider, but you know about hindsight...I haven't had any issues with stability though, it tows great. I have had it on a few sidehills that got my attention, but all went well. One things I do need to do though is move the spring hangers back an inch or two the increase the tongue weight a hair. That, or add a tool box to the front to keep hoses and what not in. Overall, the trailer works well for the purpose it was built for.

 

[edkemper]

I just traded a free partially sporterized foreign rifle I got for a flatbed trailer built out of an old dual axle travel trailer.

I'm going with dual axles so I don't have to lift the tongue every time I need to hook it up. An old man friendly trailer.

Cutting the rear cross channel off the rails.

Cutting the tongue off the front with the cross channel.

Cut off the back half of the trailer behind the axle/springs.

Cut off the front half of the trailer in front of the axle/springs.

Re-install the rear cross channel.

Re-install the front cross channel and tongue.

Should end up with about a 6ft length and more than enough room between the fenders with a flat bed. Should be able to install any size tank I want. If I eventually want to add a pump, plenty of room.

Should only cost me the price of the cutting torch gas and the welding rods.