Ideas for old trailer

[cpufixerjr]

This trailer was ledt by the previous owner on my property...the 15" osage orange tree in the center of it tells me it probably hasnt moved in a few decades.

It has a lot of damage and I am not interested in repairing it, but would rather repurpose the metal. I want to make a boom pole and carry all out of it for my tractor.

Any other ideas of how to give this old metal a new useful life on a small farm.

 

[poncho62]

Chances are, sitting out in the weather like that, the metal is pretty weak. I wouldn't use it....just sayin'

 

[cpufixerjr]

I had not considered that, thanks for the advice

 

[SIO]

It has a lot of damage and I am not interested in repairing it, but would rather repurpose the metal. I want to make a boom pole and carry all out of it for my tractor.

Cut it up into as long of pieces as is practical. You'll be able to tell while doing that if the steel is too compromised to use.

 

[PILOON]

Old trailer, very old.
It was a freeby, haul it and it's yours..
Well it had one flat, like really rotted flat.
We had a spare so out comes the crossbar, next a length of pipe as a persuasion bar but all we managed to do was snap off the stud.
Buddy gets it hauled off to a mechanic and he proceeds to also snap off a stud.

The under carriage used vintage Chrysler components that one side sported left hand threads !

 

[cpufixerjr]

I decided to fix it up for an around the farm trailer, setting it up to do fence projects. I have decided it will never leave the property or see a highway ever again.

I removed four feet off the back end where it was broken. I then filled in the center section.

I used rustoleum rusty primer then rustoleum white. It was originally white according to a friend of the previous owner.

I need to paint up a toolbox to put on it, then put an axle under it. Should be ready for a fencing project once it cools down this fall.

 

[California]

I decided to fix it up for an around the farm trailer, setting it up to do fence projects. I have decided it will never leave the property or see a highway ever again.

I removed four feet off the back end where it was broken. I then filled in the center section.

I used rustoleum rusty primer then rustoleum white. It was originally white according to a friend of the previous owner.

I need to paint up a toolbox to put on it, then put an axle under it. Should be ready for a fencing project once it cools down this fall.

That looks good now!

There's ALWAYS a use for a trailer on a farm. Even when it will never go on the road. Do you need to carry water to livestock, garden, new trees? Set an IBC Tote on it. I put a Tote on HF's tiniest trailer and use that to go water the new trees in my orchard.

Firewood? Ideal.

There's lots more uses for a simple utility trailer.

 

[aussiebushman]

Completely agree. I was given one and it dd reasonable service even on the road for several years before the sub-frame went beyond the point of being fixable, despite several additions of angle etc being welded on. However, for collecting firewood in the bush it certainly does the job and who cares if it occasionally get wrapped around a tree!

 

[California]

... for collecting firewood in the bush it certainly does the job and who cares if it occasionally get wrapped around a tree!

Exactly. You're not getting full value out of old hardware unless you run it till its unrepairable.

Several years ago I bought a Harbor Freight (cheap) tiny 40x48 inch trailer to assemble and use as a Jeep trailer for camping. I wanted something small enough to turn it around by hand if I ever got down some steep side slope and had to unload it and turn it around separately to drive back out. Empty, 140 lbs.

This cheapest version has 8 inch tires. That sounds tiny for offroad. What's isn't obvious is if the axle snags on something the trailer is light enough to just drag it over the obstacle by brute force.

In 20 years now of some camping and a lot of farm use, I don't think I've ever had that axle go aground. With a trailer only 48 inches wide the tires are so close together they both go over the same obstacle at the same time.

 

[sonny580]

I have a couple old ones myself---the old iron has better qualities than the new stuff you buy nowdays!

 

[bplayer405]

Just picked up a scrap boat trailer for material to widen the front of my 11x5 utility trailer. Want to use the 11x5 to haul 2 atvs, one loaded across the front and one loaded from the back. Had to cut it up to haul it home. Not sure if I'll repurpose the axle section into a small atv trailer or not just yet...

 

[Gary Fowler]

5 bolt wheel pattern usually indicated 3500 # spindle rating but the axle itself may not be enough. I had a boat trailer like that and overloaded it with boat and equipment which actually bent the axle which caused the tires to wear out. I eventually bought new heavier axle piece and used larger tires and it worked well. I also had to replace the fenders since the larger tires wouldnt fit.

 

[bplayer405]

Yeah, wouldn't trust it with 1/3 that weight. While the axle is sitting idle for now, the cut frame is working out pretty well for my "expansion project"...

 

[cpufixerjr]

Yeah, wouldn't trust it with 1/3 that weight. While the axle is sitting idle for now, the cut frame is working out pretty well for my "expansion project"...View attachment 1245

How are you supporting it on the underside?

 

[bplayer405]

The bost trailer metal is 3" c channel and the trailer is actually 5" c. These extension pieces are only 9". No other support outside their welds.

 

[cpufixerjr]

Ok, just curious, will most of the weight ride on the 5" frame while it is being moved?

 

[bplayer405]

Yes and we're talking just a Honda 300 Fourtrax being loaded up there across the front.

 

[cpufixerjr]

Friday, I got a new axle from my local dealer. Put on some facebook marketplace tires and it rolled for the first time in decades. Todsy, I loaded all the fencing supplies on it and parked it...

Calling the project done...for now at least

 

[cpufixerjr]

With pic..

 

[California]

Looking good!