Trailer Question.....

[bg]

I'm going to wager a guess of the 'bare' frame weighing just over 400 lbs.

[Arne]

I did not use my utility trailer because it weighed 425#. I used a h/f trailer that weighed 240#.... my next trailer, a 'revised' h/f, same model will come in under 200#.

It isn't so much the trailer weight, it is what the trailer weight adds to the total. It can make a 1,000# trailer weigh 1,250#, etc.... that makes hill climbing more difficult, braking more difficult, etc.

So, you save $300.00 on the trailer (if you got it free and need no professional help changing it), but you drag around an extra 250# for the next 10 years.

You don't know how much lightness counts until you have built your first trailer and use it for a while. In your case, free won't be free down the road. I'm not trying to harp on it, but if this is your first trailer, build it anyway you want..... your second tear will be radically different/g/...

[Chip]

Gordi,, My first trailer was built on a large popup frame that I cut down,,, it still weighed a bunch, my trailer now has a minimal frame under it and rolling frame weighed 240 give or take a pound or two,,

one thing is for sure,,as ARNE said, ya 2nd one will be a lot different than ya first ,,, and I am guessing my third will be different than the first two,,,

one of the biggest miscalculations most folks do on their first build is over build everything,, this converts into weight and heavier aint always better,,, Take ya time and think about what ya got and after you get all the excess off re-evaluate at that time,,

chipper

[CSVGORDI]

Thanks for the advice....I have a habit of overbuilding everything....you should see my 75 gal fishtank stand....I think you could put a full size truck on it and it would hold.

This build is going to be a family project for me, the wife and our six year old daughter. It is going to be used for some weekend camping close to home (2 to 3 hour drive).

We have always tent camped, but the wife hates to go in the summer because of the heat, humidity and rainfall down here in Florida. Hate to admit it, but she's right.

We want to build something that we can do these short trips with that is comfortable to sleep in at night (A/C top of list) or stop along the way and use (sink, microwave, portable toilet and maybe a small fridge).

I probably sound like I am trying to justify what I know is going to be a heavy trailer (which I am)....so I will cut her down and get her weighed and decide from there.

Thanks again for all the great advice....I am getting addicted to this site.

Gordi

[asianflava]

Thanks for the advice....I have a habit of overbuilding everything....you should see my 75 gal fishtank stand....I think you could put a full size truck on it and it would hold.

I did the same thing when I built the tank stand for my 100gal. It was 2x4's braced and gusseted skinned with 3/4 melamine. Then I go to the store and check out the pre-made stands. Those were just 2x2s skinned with 1/4 ply. It's OK, the last thing I wanted was 100 gallons of saltwater all over the floor.

[CSVGORDI]

Too funny.....Mine is made entirely of 4x4's, lagged and glued with a 3/4 inch solid top and back. Definately overbuilt!

[asianflava]

Holy Cow!!! You got me beat by a mile. Mine was heavy, yours probably takes 4 people to move.

[bg]

Holy cow...

I'm using an older coffee table (heavily built) for my 55 gal tank. Tank, stand, gravel and water weigh in around 800lbs.

Can't imagine anything bigger in this house.

[sdtripper2]

CSVGORDI:

Gosh !
With your construction .... it looks like you might need a tow
vehicle with half track type power or at least a mil spec grade tow rig?



You won't have to worry about that falling down around yur ears
during a quake or a tornado but do ya have medical insurance
fur yur hernia's that will protrude if you try to roll it by hand?

[jje507]

Gordi,
I agree with Madjack. Check into selling it and go with something lighter.
I overbuilt a little (a lot) and I am definitly going lighter on my second one.
Jeff

[CSVGORDI]

Yeah, it is a "little heavy" for a fish tank stand......but it is better than having the wife say, "I told you so!".

I thought of selling the trailer, but in this area, with soo many fly by night lawn services starting up and going out of business, they are a dime a dozen.

I am going to cut it down to see what it weighs.....if it is really heavy, I might spend some money refinishing it and see what I could get for her.

Gordi

[Miriam C.]

I thought of selling the trailer, but in this area, with soo many fly by night lawn services starting up and going out of business, they are a dime a dozen.

I am going to cut it down to see what it weighs.....if it is really heavy, I might spend some money refinishing it and see what I could get for her.

Gordi

Boy Gordi, sounds like some of us need to take a trip to S. Florida. Trailers like that are not to be found here, unless they are new. Have fun with it. It was free and it doesn't sound like there is much to loose. Perhaps you could advertise out of your area.

(cheapest I could find that was over 4' wide was $400. used and I only found one.)
Miriam