Looking for Ideas - Pipe Staging Trailer

[Fawteen]

Contractor friend of mine has a 16' landscaping trailer that he uses to transport all his pipe staging and associated pieces-parts. He doesn't like the way it works and wants me to re-do it, adding some overhead racks for planks, side hooks for ladders and over-the-fender boxes for casters, jack-feet and cross braces.

I've got a rough sketch of "Plan A" but don't want to re-invent the wheel either.

If anyone has ideas, or even better, pictures, I'd love to see them!

 

[charlie n]

Did one several years ago. I used 2x2 square tube. Measured to the stake pockets for the uprights.Then used 3x3 angel for the sleeves in the stack pockets. When we didn't need it we just pulled it off.Good Luck

 

[jon f mn]

This type job is always a one of a kind deal. Without specifics of what he wants it would be hard to help much. Post some pics of the trailer and the drawing of your ideas and I might be able to add some pointers. Here are a couple pics of some I've done, one is a form trailer the other is a skidl9ader trailer with boxes. The skid trailer has racks over the fenders for form boards.

 

[dr sportster]

I remember doing the street lights in the city of Paterson. Each truck would get 3" rigid sticks loaded into the racks every morning . Those trucks would sag to one side pretty bad. I guess that means one rack on each side if it is heavy.

 

[Fawteen]

Top picture is the trailer as currently configured. Frames will be stacked vertically against the outside rails and secured in place. Stacked on both sides leaving an aisle in the middle.

Second picture is a side view with proposed changes in red. Basically an expanded metal box along the full length, out to the width of the fenders so overall width of the trailer is not changed. Boxes will be used to store x-braces, casters, adjustable feet, etc.

Added racks on top for planks. He has aluminum planks from 6 to 24 feet long, plus wooden planks for use on the wall braces.

Third picture is a rear view, changes in red. I think the overall height is a bit much, but that's what he wants and I don't have to load/unload it.

Thinking small gauge chain welded to the side rails (so the worker bees won't lose them) that can be dropped in slots to secure the staging frames to the side of the trailer. Also thinking a tool box on the hitch frame for connectors, locking pins and other small stuff.

 

[jon f mn]

That's going to need some careful design and fabricating to get it to hold up. There will be a fine line between strong enough and where the extra weight starts to work against you. That 6' height is going to be a real challenge to get to hold together on a trailer like that. In my experience for a job like this it's more cost effective to sell this trailer and add that money to what it would cost to adapt it and they could get a new trailer designed better for the job and set up just how they want. But many can't be convinced. What are you thinking for material for this job?

 

[Fawteen]

Steel certainly, but what size/shape hasn't been determined yet. The existing sides are heavy angle, 2x3x1/4 at a guess, I'd have to check to be sure.

I figured to gusset the corners, what else do you think is needed?

 

[jon f mn]

Tubing structure for sure. And x-brace in front if posible. If you can, some braces that go to the middle of the top cross piece and down to the uprights, as low as you can get away with. If they won't go for that use the largest gussets in the corners you can get them to agree to. A trailer rides a lot rougher that a truck and those legs are 3 times as long as a truck ladder rack so there will be a lot of stability issues.

 

[jon f mn]

Pipe will work for the structure as well if you prefer to work with that.

 

[Fawteen]

Thanks, I'll keep that all in mind as we're brainstorming this project.

 

[IaGary]

Fawteen if you are leaving it mounted permanent--

Extent the cross members under the trailer to the outside width of the fenders with square tube. Then run a tube off of that tube back at an angle to your upright tubes.

Kind of a gusset on the outside of the trailer if you get my drift. Run the angle tube about 3 foot up on the vertical.

This will do the same as X bracing if you do it on both sides.

Gary

 

[jon f mn]

Now that I've thought about this project some more I think you should really just walk away from it. Forget my advice about tube or pipe, those will create a rigid frame, and the angle framed trailer is flexible, so the two parts will be trying to tear each other apart all day causing them to fatigue crack. If you use angle it will be so flexible you will need an enormous amount of bracing to hold it up, think windmill or angle framed power line tower. This is a very difficult and expensive project that likely won't hold up.

 

[Dick L]

Just my way of thinking but I would build hangers over the fenders for heavy like planks and put the ladders on top. I would want the tool boxes higher up than drawn. I wouldn't think they would use planks more than 2"X 12" which would lift the took boxes to chest high or so it you carried them on edge. I am not sure if your meaning plastic or steel pipe or even what the pipe is used for. I would just want the weight low on a pulled trailer. A little different placing weight over a truck weighing 4000 pounds to start with than a light trailer.

 

[keh]

The common problem I see with trailers is axles with not enough capacity. Saw one today that passed me with both axles obviously bent, judging by all 4 wheels
leaning in at the top. The load he had on(empty pallets) certainly didn't cause the problem but sometime in the past somebody's eyes were bigger than their axles.
Not saying the man's landscape trailer is that way but sounds like he may be heading for an overload.

KEH