Need a good utility trailer plan

Guys:

I bought a Polaris Ranger and it won't fit my 5 X 8 trailer, so now I need a replacement. I found on the Net a nice set of 3500 lb. tandem axles with 13" wheels. The question is whether to build a 6 X 10 with the extra axle and face possible trouble with Ontario Ministry of Transport inspections, or leave it off and make a light-weight UTV-hauler.

Most of the trailer's use will be around the tree farm, as I don't anticipate towing the Ranger much. I do need a highway hauler for lumber, logs, and machinery, though. My truck is a 4 cylinder Toyota 4X4, so keeping the unit light and low is a priority.

I'd appreciate advice on

1) optimum size for the situation described;
2) suggested dimensions and pattern of steel components, i.e: channel, angle or square tube;
3) flooring -- I used 1" tongue and groove white oak bolted to the frames on my manure spreader project and it has worked well;
4) railings, ramps and hard points for fastenings: suggestions.
5) a downloadable plan, worth the money

Thanks,

Rod
The Walnut Diary

Hi Rod, I do not have any plans to send, although I usually build a couple of trailers a year to sell. The best type of iron for the frame is 3" angle x 1/4 thickness. The cross members which are spaced at 24" have a piece of 2 x 4 setting on them and that is what the floor is secured to with screws, the 2 x 4 is bolted to the angle iron with three 3/6 bolts, which is dilled before the welding begins. the floor is 5/4 (3 1/2") verandah flooring untreated and I paint it with pentox before securing to the trailer, later or the next season I tell who ever purchases the trailer to paint with used motor oil, I actually painted my trailer this afternoon with the motor oil. It is best not to use the square tubing as the inside receives no paint and rusts from the inside out. Living in the Ontario/Quebec area you probably have a Princess Auto store at your convenience, they have most of the hardware required for the project. Place your axle(s) back about 10 or 12 " from center of trailer to get maximum weight on the towing vehicle. I always have two trailers for my personal use, one single axle and one tandem axle, I believe their is not a week goes by that I don't use a trailer for some project. Will send a picture if that would help. Cheers, Murray

Murray:

Thank you for the advice on materials. I suspected that the square tubing would be a rust trap, though I have a 5X8 with a lot of 1" tube and it has held up for ten years, so far. The two by four idea would save a lot of difficult bolting.

What do you think of my building a lightweight tandem utility trailer? The reason I want one is that I used my buddy's 5 1/2 X 10 for a long lumber haul, and it towed really well empty and with about 1200 bd feet of pine in it. The builder made his own drop axles and put them on Chrysler 4 bolt hubs off minivans.

The axles I bought originally carried a 27' cruiser and are pretty solid (6 leaf springs, 13" 5 bolt wheels), but if they will line up all right I think I'd prefer to use both.

I like the idea of the 3X3X1/4 angle thickness for the outside frames. I assume you have the angle on the bottom with the wood sitting on it?
How do the cross-pieces fasten on?

How about the tongue?

Photos would be a help.

rodcros (at) webruler.com

Thanks,

Rod

Hi Rod, first question, the 3 x 3" angle iron cross pieces lay on top of the side rails , your springs are bolted under the one side of the 3" angle, the 2 x 4 would be the full width of your trailer minus the 3" on each side for the width of the angle iron, the tow bar is the same 3 angle iron, it picks up the front cross member and each side rail, the Princess Auto that I mentioned have the 2" coupler on sale this week for $14.99 it fits on the two pieces for the tow bar.I agree a tandem trailer is nice to haul. As with any trailer and when I sell a trailer I always tell the new owner that the only problem you will encounter is when you loan the trailer as others always or most of the time overload the trailer, your total load is what ever your tires are rated to haul. Cheers, Murray

That sounds like the way I'd like to build the trailer, with the side pieces forming an A for the coupler at the front. Will that be strong enough without a reinforcing tongue on a tandem?

Do you cut and butt or bend the angle to make the tongue?

BTW: I have already bought one of those couplers. I saw it on sale in the Kingston store this week.

Hi Rod, sometimes I cut the angle iron on one side only and on the other side where it is too long on the side will cut that piece part way through and then bend to follow along the side rail and then weld, the first part you would take a "V" shaped piece completely out of the material. Normally this should handle the weight of a tandem trailer, if you are concerned for the weight, you can get a piece of 2 x 2 square tubing thick side wall to go through the center and run back long enough to pick up the first two cross members. I usually have the tow bar 42" and then if you are using the 2 x 2 sq. tubing that would 66". Beware if you are purchasing thick wall 2" sq.tubing it is really expensive. The reason that I am presently using 3" angle iron is a couple of years ago it was advertised in the paper and I purchased quite a few lengths it was designed for some type of warehouse shelving and for some unknown reason was rejected by the purchaser. With the price of steel today it is really not worth making trailers to sell, I do have enough steel to make a couple of more trailers. This past summer at a couple of auctions I purchased a couple of dropped axle's at a reasonable price, will work at these over the winter months. One more tidbit of advice quite often Princess Auto have these 7" metal cutting grinders for sale they work great for cutting steel and are usually under $40.00 . I do have one of those matal cutting saws, they don't work as good as the hand held "grinder". Cheers, Murray