building new tandem axle utility trailer.

[Jon Jacobs]

Hi Guys, I have started to fabricate a new tandem axle utility trailer to replace my old one which was stolen. Ive tried to add some new features. One inherent issue with my old one was it always listed to the side of the jack due to its side mount to the frame. This time I machined the main tube and added in a plate to accommodate the jack. The extra holes are to route the wiring prior to the braces going on. Ive also decided to go with a pintle hook as it is less common and if I am going to worry about theft, its easy to remove entirely. Im also adding a tracer chip. H.F has some great deals on axles, wheels and tires. I keep an eye of the flyer.

 

[ibedayank]

ummm... the trailer side uses a FIXED/SOLID loop...
Are you sure you have done enough research to do this correctly/safely?
Pintle hitch is really easy to steal just use a section of chain and a paddalock
chain it to the hitch and off you go.


A bulldog hitch and the properlock for it is much harder to steal then a pintle hitch.

lock for bulldog

 

[volleyball]

There are pintle hitch locks also.

 

[readhead]

The pintle eye usualy goes on the trailer. Is this another anti-theft device?

 

[Jon Jacobs]

All good points. A zip wheel on a cordless grinder would likely cut a lock off easily. True the eye usually goes on the trailer, my logic was I could remove the assembly entirely.

 

[ironmutt]

honestly guys any trailer can be stolen with a bumper hitch and rachet straps get it down the road and then cut off what ever lock is on it later . i have had to repo a few trailers and people think just cause you got a lock on the tongue we cant take it another good tool is to make a extension with a 4 inch peice of pipe going vertical that fits in receiver then pop up the trailer set the trailer jack in the pipe and away you go .the best one is the wheel clamps that cover the lugs . all we did was chain the clamp to the frame so it didnt bang then hooked and booked tire wearing a flat spot .

 

[Steve in Louisiana]

ummm... the trailer side uses a FIXED/SOLID loop...
Are you sure you have done enough research to do this correctly/safely?
Pintle hitch is really easy to steal just use a section of chain and a paddalock
chain it to the hitch and off you go.


A bulldog hitch and the properlock for it is much harder to steal then a pintle hitch.

lock for bulldog

I have the lock shown with a bulldog hitch & have never had a problem. I live in Baton Rouge & go to New Orleans often. Between the two it is possible to have the anything stolen from your car or trailer. Also wrap your safety chains and lock them so they can not be used as a quickie tow method until they can get it some where to attempt to remove the lock.

As far as a pintle hitch, buy some ear plugs . . . towing with a pintle hitch is nerve wracking to me. . .

Steve

 

[Strouty]

As far as a pintle hitch, buy some ear plugs . . . towing with a pintle hitch is nerve wracking to me. . .

Steve

My guess is you had a little eye with a big pintle, if they are sized correctly, they do not make a lot of noise.

To the OP, they make bolt on eyes as well, I would not put the hitch on the trailer, DOT may give you ****. Looks like a nice start, the best antitheft is parking something big in front of it.

 

[koditten]

I'm subscribed.

I need to know more about harbor freight carring axles and tires. Is this new?

You do realize as soon as you put a pintle hitch on the front of the trailer, you just made the trailer capable to carry 10,000 lbs. Is the rest of the trailer built to haul this much? Some DOT officers may not like seeing this.

Regardless, I love reading threads about people building their own trailers. I got a couple trailer build threads here as well.

Later

KO

 

[Strouty]

KO, I thought you were the resident expert.

 

[Jon Jacobs]

wow, now I don't know what to do, we had an equipment float with the bulldog hitch, but it walked too. I may re-consider my approach with the hitch assy. Im not that savvy when it comes to this type of thing. I usually see ball type hitches mostly. I just assumed a pintle style configuration I could remove would be a good idea. I also assumed the tow relationship with the pintle was the same under load, perhaps its not. I can still change it out at this point. Im glad I asked : )

 

[readhead]

A coupler or a pintle eye can be bolted to the tongue.

 

[CJM8515]

Chain thru the wheel if possible to the axle. They cant drag it that far all that easy.

 

[xtremek]

I follow along waiting to steal custom Ideas. And KO is the resident trailer guru, but I love the Caddy tailights and I'm seeing if Jon has any more ideas worht theft.

 

[Jon Jacobs]

The H-F in Canada ( princess auto) sells axles, trailer tires etc.

 

[Jon Jacobs]

Heres a pic of my old one that was stolen. It was a 4x8 but very robust. I made it with a job site axle which I shortened. We still have the dog. Not stolen lol

 

[Techie1961]

Nice fabrication work. Have you thought about a removable tongue? I can't imagine stealing a trailer very easily with the tongue stored in a garage somewhere. I suppose it could be hooked up to a towtruck or put on a flatbed but other than that, I don't think it would be easy. Build a couple of supports that are attached to the underside of the front of the trailer that can be put in place and then drop the front onto them.

 

[Jon Jacobs]

Yes, you are thinking kinda the same as me. Unbolt the tongue when im not using it. I guess you could steal it if you wanted to bad enough. But by reversing the pintle it would limit theft even more. Ive had some excellent input from this site. Anything is stealable if a thief wants it badly enough.

 

[koditten]

Back to the build.

I'm curious about the tongue. Is there only going to be a single, straight toungue on this trailer? Are you going to add angle braces later and they just weren't in the pic?

The reason I ask, is when backing up a tandam trailer and making it turn sharply, there is a large amount of lateral force being exserted by the tow vehicle onto the tonge of the trailer. If you have a heavy load on the trailer and you back it up sharply, the tires are scrubbing the asphalt making the side force on the tongue much more drastic. You can easily bend a single piece tongue sideways.

If it is not to forward, what kind of prices is PA giving you for tires and axles?

Thanks

KO

 

[Dustball]

wow, now I don't know what to do, we had an equipment float with the bulldog hitch, but it walked too. I may re-consider my approach with the hitch assy. Im not that savvy when it comes to this type of thing. I usually see ball type hitches mostly. I just assumed a pintle style configuration I could remove would be a good idea. I also assumed the tow relationship with the pintle was the same under load, perhaps its not. I can still change it out at this point. Im glad I asked : )

You can buy removable lunette eye assemblies.

 

[koditten]

They make the same thing for balll couplers as well. You could even have both and change them as you feel fit.

 

[Jon Jacobs]

Hi KO, yes I am adding tandem axles. 1 set electric brake. There will be additional bracing at 30/60 degrees. Similar to my old trailer. I just looked through my old receipts. Saved $200.00 on the 2 axels combined. Visit princessauto.com

There a sale on now: 3500lb x 94". 5 bolt ( I believe ford / dodge bolt hole circle ) Rockwell American. $119.99 ( save $100.00 )

Im building a 5'x10'. so mine were a little cheaper.

 

[Jon Jacobs]

I like the lunite approach also. I was going to turn the pintle hook upside down. and use it on the trailer. Buy a loop for the hitch of my truck, im starting to wonder from an engineering standpoint if its a bad idea. I guessed the physics involved would be the same under load ?

 

[koditten]

Thanks. Will research.

 

[Strouty]

Jon,

I had to think about it for a while, but do NOT use that hitch on the trailer. When it is on the truck, the eye rides on the bottom of the hitch, if it was on the trailer, the eye rides on the top part of the hitch. I can see issues. The hitch won't fall apart, but it is not designed to be that way.

 

[Dustball]

Jon,

I had to think about it for a while, but do NOT use that hitch on the trailer. When it is on the truck, the eye rides on the bottom of the hitch, if it was on the trailer, the eye rides on the top part of the hitch. I can see issues. The hitch won't fall apart, but it is not designed to be that way.

He's right. You'll be putting the load on the wrong side of the pintle hitch coupler.

Why not use a bolt-on lunette eye to be able to use the same plate as what you've welded on?

 

[Jon Jacobs]

True but I would turn it upside down so the crescent part would be up and the latch would be down. But I guess there wouldn't be any point as I could just use the item from the drawing you provided. Now that I think of it its exactly the same. Good point guys, man im glad I joined this site. In situations like these the retailer is not much help. Thanks again.

 

[Strouty]

True but I would turn it upside down so the crescent part would be up and the latch would be down. But I guess there wouldn't be any point as I could just use the item from the drawing you provided. Now that I think of it its exactly the same. Good point guys, man im glad I joined this site. In situations like these the retailer is not much help. Thanks again.

Yeah, they should have the same bolt pattern. Turning it upside down is not a good idea, then the safety is not in the proper position.

I like pintles because most people don't have a hitch so they can't borrow it as easily.

 

[Jon Jacobs]

well, that was kina my logic, hard to borrow or steal. I guess a lock only keeps an honest thief at bay,

 

[koditten]

Those hitches use a 1/4" pin to lock down the safety, or in your case lock "up". I don't think I would rely on 1/4" pin to keep the hitch safely latched while using it in the fashion that you want. I'm not even sure it would be leagal to do it the way you are thinking.

Please rethink the hitch for this trailer.

 

[Jon Jacobs]

I agree, im going with the recommended configuration. In addition if I would hate to cause an accident. I could still remove the lunette and keep it behind the seat of my pickup when im not using it.

 

[Strouty]

I agree, im going with the recommended configuration. In addition if I would hate to cause an accident. I could still remove the lunette and keep it behind the seat of my pickup when im not using it.

That would be the best way to go about it.

One thing I would suggest is to figure on changing the bolts every so often. The bolts get stressed and can lose strength. I don't think you need to do it every time, but keep it in the back of your mind.

If you used the other style lunette eye, the one that is adjustable, it is removable and the bolts are not stressed the same way. You also get the added benefit of adjustable height. It doesn't seem like you are too far in that you couldn't change that part.

 

[Jon Jacobs]

I remember it Tool and Die school the told us cap screws are rated for one torque only, after that you should replace. Ive actually seen cap screw heads pop off on injection molding machines. I think youre right, the bolt hole configuration should be the same.

 

[koditten]

Kool!

Now from this point on you are forbidden to post anything unless pics are included. I want to see this trailer when its done.

KO

 

[Jon Jacobs]

Allright sir, Im putting my co-op student on it first thing, cheers

 

[noslin]

im thinking about getting one of these here https://www.megahitchlock.com/

i watched the videos where they tear apart all the other types of security devices.

i have ordered stuff from etrailers many times and have had great service.

here is another place for trailer parts too http://www.easternmarine.com/em_store/axles/

 

[Jon Jacobs]

Ok, Here is a pic I just took of the way I have the pintle hook. It seems like it would work as the load would be applied properly? Any thoughts would be appreciated.I know we belaboured this topic, but I didn't have an image to properly explain. I also have a jpeg of the cad file I made.

 

[Dustball]

How much load are you intending to carry with this trailer? The tongue design you have drawn up isn't very strong.

 

[Jon Jacobs]

Usually 2 cubic yards of gravel is the most I've ever moved. My old trailer is a similar configuration, and it worked well. I have the material cut and loosely mocked up.

 

[ibedayank]

with the hitch on the tounge anyone with a decent size D ring on the bumper can steal your trailer or one of these

besides if they really want to steal your trailer all they need is a rollback or another trailer with a winch... build it correctly and use a good lock. I have 6 trailers here and never had anyone get close enough to steal one in the 6 years I have been here.


I know before you get in the driveway you are here and he normally will not let you out of your car..