Interstate narrow track build

Converting Cargo Trailers into TTTs

Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby rebar » Wed Jun 20, 2018 7:15 am

hankaye wrote:rebar, Howdy;

Remember reading that you'd had one, but we all forget at times which is why we
see black tire rubs on curbing, generally in corners. New folks aren't aware until
they jump a few curbs and a reminder for the infrequent trailer puller is all I'm trying
to provide. I spent 10 years as an Over the Road driver and try to remind myself
each time I set out with a trailer.

hank


This is true. The first tight corner I took with my old 8.5' x 24' TH leaving for its last trip, I miss judged and the right side wheels dropped into a big pot hole made by other trailers.. lol Boom! Whoops. Its all good, unless there's a light pole or something in the way.

So here's the latest, and I'm chomping at the bit..
The owner of the Kiefer Built trailer dropped his price for me to 3500 but the trailer isn't even on his property a hour south of me. The trailer is another 1 1/2 hr further south from him and he said I should go look at it. I don't feel like driving 2 1/2 hours just to look, so I offered him 3000 if I drive there to buy and pick it up, but no response..

Should I just buck up and pay 3500 ? That's not super high for a 14x7 18 year old trailer in great shape that fits most of my needs? (no ramp door) Or is it? I cant imagine someone else would pay 3500, but it sure would stink if someone did.
https://ottumwa.craigslist.org/tro/d/7x ... 58668.html
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Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby flboy » Wed Jun 20, 2018 7:34 am

$3,500 seems high for 18 years old? To get the best deal, be willing to walk away. You are looking for something special with the 7ft. Total Width, but for $3,500, I am not so sure you couldn't get brand new for about $4k if you ordered.

I usually go by if my mirrors clear, then the trailer will.. but I am more concerned about brush and tree limbs scratching up the sides.

What kind of situation do you find yourself in where the wheel width is that critical to be aligned with the TV? If it was that tight.. I'd be creeping along anyhow? Should not be an issue on the highway or improved roads?

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Don (Flboy)

YouTube Video of Finished 6x12 Trailer:
https://youtu.be/6_-8cVdWUIA
YouTube Video of 7*18 with 2ft V-nose Trailer:
https://youtu.be/MUcMM86LA2g
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Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby rebar » Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:47 am

flboy wrote:$3,500 seems high for 18 years old? To get the best deal, be willing to walk away. You are looking for something special with the 7ft. Total Width, but for $3,500, I am not so sure you couldn't get brand new for about $4k if you ordered.

I usually go by if my mirrors clear, then the trailer will.. but I am more concerned about brush and tree limbs scratching up the sides.

What kind of situation do you find yourself in where the wheel width is that critical to be aligned with the TV? If it was that tight.. I'd be creeping along anyhow? Should not be an issue on the highway or improved roads?

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He just accepted my 3k offer.. But its not done til its done..

I will use Cumberland pass in Colorado as a example.. Last time I drove up it, I met another full size truck coming down and it was a tight squeeze getting by and I immediately knew I "shouldn't" ever try to pull anything wider than my truck. If you watch a video, you will see the road just drops off the mountain side. No big ditch, and its a long deadly way down.. Even with this narrow track trailer, the wheel track is 3" wider each side than my truck. If I had a regular 7' wide cargo, the wheel track would be almost 1 foot wider each side and it would be almost stupid to drive that road.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCRmKHD1uaY
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Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby flboy » Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:03 am

I see. That is tight. No problems like that where I am at.. Glad to hear offer accepted. I hope it all works out for you.

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Don (Flboy)

YouTube Video of Finished 6x12 Trailer:
https://youtu.be/6_-8cVdWUIA
YouTube Video of 7*18 with 2ft V-nose Trailer:
https://youtu.be/MUcMM86LA2g
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Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby McDave » Wed Jun 20, 2018 1:39 pm

Fingers crossed. Those Kiefer's look like well built trailers.
Good Luck!

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Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby rebar » Thu Jun 21, 2018 8:37 am

McDave wrote:Fingers crossed. Those Kiefer's look like well built trailers.
Good Luck!

McDave


Thanks Dave!

The Kiefer even has the round one piece roof. The first lions club trailer I thought I had also had one, must be the era.

The lions trailer was a better base to start from with its price point. But what the heck you cant spend it when your gone, but it leaves less money in my budget.

I think it would have cost allot more to have someone custom build a narrow track, but you wont ever find anyone building one piece round roofs anymore.

I did find at least one company offering narrow tracks.
http://www.cargotrailernj.com/
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Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby hankaye » Thu Jun 21, 2018 9:31 am

rebar, Howdy;

Interstate still makes the 1 piece rounded roofs;
https://www.interstatecargo.com/enclosed.php
Now I can't say if they do the enclosed wheel wells
that you are wanting, but call and ask ...

hank

just a happy customer no other interest.
Striving for a less complicated life since 1949 ...
Every day I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I've stayed alive.
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Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby rebar » Thu Jun 21, 2018 10:01 am

hankaye wrote:rebar, Howdy;

Interstate still makes the 1 piece rounded roofs;
https://www.interstatecargo.com/enclosed.php
Now I can't say if they do the enclosed wheel wells
that you are wanting, but call and ask ...

hank

just a happy customer no other interest.


I think you might be mistaken. All the rounded roofs Iv seen lately have a seam above the radius like this interstate and the one behind it. But it might just depend on the factory and how they want to skin it..

http://www.needatrailer.com/interstate/ ... 675-06.JPG

This is a H&H rounded one piece, and has water shedding lap seams. None of them have a true one piece metal roof. I just feel this is the best design.
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Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby hankaye » Thu Jun 21, 2018 5:30 pm

rebar, Howdy;

That H&H is a Galvalum sectional roof, with seams every 4' and at the front, rear and along
each side of each section. Yea, the Interstate has the radius on either side, however the
longitudinal section is one piece. One seam at the front, another seam along the sides and a
seam at the rear. I dunno, :thinking: , shooters choice, flip a coin ... both work well or they
wouldn't keep on makein'em. Here's a nifty link if your curious;
http://www.cargotrailerguide.com/trailer-construction/

hank
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Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby rebar » Fri Jul 20, 2018 6:51 am

So Iv spoken with more than a few manufactures and did find two outfits who would build me a narrow track.. Featherlite at around $16k and Pace around $6k. But then I started thinking, scary, I know..
That a single axle is going to fair better on uneven terrain but wouldn't be to good at running down the highway unless it had a custom suspension on it.. But no one builds a single axle 7x16..

I'm thinking, if I would have been building my trailer all this time Iv been searching craigslist, I would of been done.. :lol: Salesman don't want to hear "I need 8x6.5" hubs and don't use silicone"... Get where I'm going with this?
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Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby hankaye » Fri Jul 20, 2018 8:54 am

rebar, Howdy;

yup, full custom, from the ground up, up, up ... to infinity and beyond! :)

hank
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Interstate narrow track build

Postby EZDog » Tue Jul 24, 2018 4:38 pm

Mine is 7' x 10' and believe me I didn't pay even 4k for it new.
Cynergy in Georgia I think and they will make anything you want I imagine?
Mine has a 1 piece roof with cool-max inside,whatever that means?

Build quality not the best and I too have a Featherlite to compare it to but well worth the money to me and worth asking them about one the way you want it for sure.

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Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby rebar » Wed Jul 25, 2018 4:15 pm

EZDog wrote:Mine is 7' x 10' and believe me I didn't pay even 4k for it new.
Cynergy in Georgia I think and they will make anything you want I imagine?
Mine has a 1 piece roof with cool-max inside,whatever that means?
Build quality not the best and I too have a Featherlite to compare it to but well worth the money to me and worth asking them about one the way you want it for sure.

Thanks EZDog.. I left Cynergy a voice message. But yours has what looks like a 4" fender.. Thats the second style of narrow track design Im staying away from because I want a narrower track and no, or small 1.5" fenders.

rebar wrote: That a single axle is going to fair better on uneven terrain but wouldn't be to good at running down the highway unless it had a custom suspension on it.. But no one builds a single axle 7x16..


Well, I spoke to soon..

Featherlite WILL make me a 7x16 single axle narrow track trailer when everyone else says 14' max if single axle.. I was mistaken on the price also. Its around $11k now with 3500# axle and rv window door, but Im asking about a 7000# with 8x6.5 lugs. Considering the quality (what stands out for me was their ramp door hinge) $12k doesn't sound to bad because I will never find a 16' single axle narrow track enclosed.. And all the narrow track dual axle trailers I almost bought were outfitted with barn doors and I must have my ramp door! What would that cost to retro fit? The only thing about aluminum is that its not easy to weld. I can weld steel but aluminum would take new equipment and practice. I guess the only time I might have to weld, like if I put longer leaf springs under it, I could hire a professional. And just have them install the windows I want from the factory..
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Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby EZDog » Thu Jul 26, 2018 6:53 am

I am not sure that I have seen the flush fenders on smaller than 8 or 8.5' trailers before unless they are Snowmobile trailers which I have seen way up in the air with tires under the body.

I am still confused about how a trailer with no inset from the fender is actually a help off road anyway?
It seems a lot more likely that one might suffer body damage vs fender damage to my tired brain and fenders are a lot easier and cheaper to get fixed I imagine too.
It also seems like yo are after a pretty large trailer but actually will not sleep in it too?

Anyway I am also really impressed with these rigs and am sure that before I would put money down on a new Featherlite I will get a quote from these folks.

https://nhtrailers.com/

They will build whatever I want and I have spoken with them a few times now and they seem easy to work with too. It also does not hurt for me that I drive up through Maine twice a year for easier pickup if the time does come.
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Re: Interstate narrow track build

Postby rebar » Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:54 am

EZDog wrote:I am not sure that I have seen the flush fenders on smaller than 8 or 8.5' trailers before unless they are Snowmobile trailers which I have seen way up in the air with tires under the body.
I am still confused about how a trailer with no inset from the fender is actually a help off road anyway?


Yes they are not flush but 1.5". Its not the fact the fenders stick out. Its the fact that now the 7' wide trailer is effectively almost 8' wide. I don't want my trailer wheel track wider than 7' because I'm trying not to go much wider than my truck wheel track. I know I'm splitting hairs here, but it will be a comfort knowing the trailer will fit through what ever the truck can. Or along a narrow mountain road without dropping the trailer wheel of the edge.

EZDog wrote:Anyway I am also really impressed with these rigs and am sure that before I would put money down on a new Featherlite I will get a quote from these folks.
https://nhtrailers.com/
They will build whatever I want and I have spoken with them a few times now and they seem easy to work with too. It also does not hurt for me that I drive up through Maine twice a year for easier pickup if the time does come.


The quick answer from proline about building a narrow track was "we dont and we wont!" lol
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