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What type of Trailer
- Thread starter Njhooves
- Start date
digger doug
Senior Member
Have you looked at Rogers ?
http://www.rogerstrailers.com/
http://www.rogerstrailers.com/
Junkyard
Senior Member
I would stay away from Globe or Choice. Of those Trailking would be my first choice. Talbert builds a better trailer than the other two. Also, check into XL Specialized. They build nice stuff, dealers are easy to work with. The issue with the off brand lowboy trailers is this, yes it will structurally carry 50 or 55 tons. In what concentration? 12', 14', 16'? If it's not 50 or 55 tons in no more than 14' it's not going to last. Also, what safety factor is engineered into deck, wheel area, neck pins? How much neck overlap is there? Are the flanges T-1, web 80k? Both sides of the web welded top and bottom full length of the beam? I can say without a doubt Trailking, Talbert and XL will meet the above criteria. The others I don't know. Compare empty weights, materials, crossmember spacing, flooring, swing clearance, booster or flip axle capability etc etc. If you're strictly shoping price then ignore specs. If specs are what will make up your mind then get full spec sheets on each trailer you're considering and see how they stack up. On the used market stay with the bigger names or your welder will have some job security. I know lowboys inside and out, I would be more than happy to take a look as the various trailers you're considering and even take a look at what you're hauling where to make sure you can legally scale it etc etc. Hopefully that pic shows up in my post, first pic attempt!
Junkyard
Junkyard
digsalot
Active Member
Hi junkyard,
I'm looking at felling 20 ton tag, any opinions.
Thank you!
I'm looking at felling 20 ton tag, any opinions.
Thank you!
Junkyard
Senior Member
All of the Felling trailers I've seen look pretty good. Being 20 ton I'm going to assume air brakes etc, New or used? Is there a link that I can take a look at?
digsalot
Active Member
Hi Junkyard,
The trailer has air breaks. 2018 model felling ft-45-2 . 24' deck 5' beaver tail, 5' ramps. Low profile 33" loaded deck height.
Thank you in advance for your wisdom!
The trailer has air breaks. 2018 model felling ft-45-2 . 24' deck 5' beaver tail, 5' ramps. Low profile 33" loaded deck height.
Thank you in advance for your wisdom!
digsalot
Active Member
Junkyard
Senior Member
*EDIT*. Just saw the 2018 year model so most of that isn't applicable. I will look at it and report back 
33" deck means 17.5 tires. Look closely at brand and date code of tires. Plus 17.5 brakes are finicky little bastards so make sure they're good, all the springs are on them etc. That's a good length. I had a 20+5 and it was too short. That's a good useable length but not bad to get around with. Make sure the eye isn't all wore out. Landing gear works good. Also see if it's got parking brakes on one of the axles. That age it should have. Mine didn't and once the air bled off if you weren't careful you'd chase it around the yard or push it down a hill backwards!
102" wide?
What do you plan to haul on it? Single landing gear or dual jacks? Make sure they crank easy, seldom seem to get greased and they get stiff. Worst case take the tops off and blow all the old grease out with a pressure washer and go back with good grease. Deck in good shape? Any cracks or broken welds? Should be hub pilot wheels. That's all I got at the moment....
33" deck means 17.5 tires. Look closely at brand and date code of tires. Plus 17.5 brakes are finicky little bastards so make sure they're good, all the springs are on them etc. That's a good length. I had a 20+5 and it was too short. That's a good useable length but not bad to get around with. Make sure the eye isn't all wore out. Landing gear works good. Also see if it's got parking brakes on one of the axles. That age it should have. Mine didn't and once the air bled off if you weren't careful you'd chase it around the yard or push it down a hill backwards!
102" wide?
What do you plan to haul on it? Single landing gear or dual jacks? Make sure they crank easy, seldom seem to get greased and they get stiff. Worst case take the tops off and blow all the old grease out with a pressure washer and go back with good grease. Deck in good shape? Any cracks or broken welds? Should be hub pilot wheels. That's all I got at the moment....
Junkyard
Senior Member
Ok here's what I see.....brakes on all axles-good. Fabricated main beam, pierced crossmembers-good. Plenty of D-rings good. Everything looks good. Only thing I don't see that I'd want if you have a say or can wait to have one built is a rub rail for similar for using straps to tie stuff down. You can tie under the channel side rail but if a strap gets loose you may lose it. Not a deal breaker just a preference.
Also, on trailers like that if there is an option for some key slots down the middle they are super handy. Ask if they can send a drawing with standard D-ring locations. If there aren't any on the front about frame width as well as rear frame width right around where the dovetail breaks over from the deck I'd ask. Also a couple somewhere in the dovetail would be handy or in lieu of them some key slots. Over time ramps and cleats in the dovetail get fubar'd if used as securement locations. Make sense?
Also, on trailers like that if there is an option for some key slots down the middle they are super handy. Ask if they can send a drawing with standard D-ring locations. If there aren't any on the front about frame width as well as rear frame width right around where the dovetail breaks over from the deck I'd ask. Also a couple somewhere in the dovetail would be handy or in lieu of them some key slots. Over time ramps and cleats in the dovetail get fubar'd if used as securement locations. Make sense?
digsalot
Active Member
OK thanks, what are key slots? I'm hauling cat 308 and cat 249d. Occasionally may be a 160 size hoe, I'm pulling with a tandem dump with c 13 cat and automatic transmission. I see people hauling a 160 with this set up is it to much weight? What do you think?
If you're getting it built I agree more d-rings, my 25 ton tag only has 6 I believe on each side, it's a pain. For lighter stuff like buckets you can hook on the bottom of the outside lip, but not ideal. I really like the deck height of the 17.5" tires, it makes loading so much easier. That's a nice length too, mine is 34' with deck and beavertail and it's pretty long, I wish it was 4-5' shorter. Nice for having the room, but getting around tight residential areas is more difficult.
A tandem will haul like a dream behind a tandem dump truck. I pull a 25 ton triple axle with a 210 volvo on it behind a tandem dump truck, and it's pulls nice, only complaint is truck is under powered to pull the weight.
Also depending on what you're loading, I really like having a tilt deck, beavertail and ramps. It makes loading a dream. I remember the first time I loaded it, pitch dark snowy icy deck, and muddy icy tracks. A perfect combination for a bad loading situation with many trailers, but with no break over point and such a low loading angle, it's a non issue.
A tandem will haul like a dream behind a tandem dump truck. I pull a 25 ton triple axle with a 210 volvo on it behind a tandem dump truck, and it's pulls nice, only complaint is truck is under powered to pull the weight.
Also depending on what you're loading, I really like having a tilt deck, beavertail and ramps. It makes loading a dream. I remember the first time I loaded it, pitch dark snowy icy deck, and muddy icy tracks. A perfect combination for a bad loading situation with many trailers, but with no break over point and such a low loading angle, it's a non issue.
Junkyard
Senior Member
I think you'd have good power for that size trailer and machines. Here's a pic of a keyslot on the bolster of my big XL, they're for 1/2" chain and made to go one direction. Some are cut like an X so you can pull in four directions. Super handy to have as there are no moving parts and they don't take up space.
digsalot
Active Member
OK thanks, I like the slots. My trailer will be an in stock unit. What engine is pulling your 3 axel tag and 210 exc?