Trailer rebuild/repair thread

[doublewide]

I do like my regroover tool, give it a 20 minute head start and warm the tire up with a salamander heater while its on the axle, roll it around to warm it up and start cutting, I like the six knife head for cutting sipes on plowing tires.

I'd like to see a thread on that...

With lots of pictures!

 

[1693TA]

Regrooving tools were popular for many years. I've never cut sipes but mine has three different knives and a selection of different styles for grooving. Pretty easy if the tire and iron are hot but can be a real pain in the backside with cold tires if the rubber is hard.

 

[fast_st]

Well not too many pictures, but the tires were cold so set up the salamander heater, blowing from about 3' away, let the rubber warm and then start cutting sipes. It improved the break away torque on the slippery stuff about 200%

 

[RZucker]

Well, got some pics of progress today, got another project or 2 started yesterday too. The Hyster is getting a new 13HP Honda and a major hydraulic system cleanout. The brakes and wiring are pretty sketchy too.

 

[DMiller]

Nice work first unit
Second having hydraulic issue?
See the tank out

Had to rebuild build up rocker spring wear pads on a suspension as that one has
78 Trailking folding nose tri axle.
Converted it from oiled to packed wheel bearings as had too many issues leaking.
Always hard crowding the trailer in the dirt sideways on job sites, stressed the crap out of bearings.

 

[RZucker]

Nice work first unit
Second having hydraulic issue?
See the tank out

Had to rebuild build up rocker spring wear pads on a suspension as that one has
78 Trailking folding nose tri axle.
Converted it from oiled to packed wheel bearings as had too many issues leaking.
Always hard crowding the trailer in the dirt sideways on job sites, stressed the crap out of bearings.

Yep, the tank is out because all the mounts rusted off the frame, the old Honda is junk, so far no signs of hub seals leaking, but we will get deeper in that after the other fixes.

 

[DMiller]

Short wides on 15” brakes were really hard on seals and bearings, spun too fast on interstate and side loaded too severe off road brakes held heat way too long.
Had those six lug three wedge dayton hubs

 

[DMiller]

Found my notes, LOAD King not trailking. Folding neck POS was always dealing with that end as well. Pivots, Cylinder seals so on. Until grease packed the hubs with a purple color I am thinking was Organic Grease(Stank like rotted Turnips) spent many evening splitting cooked on races OFF to file dress axle stubs. Still cannot remember where we got that lube grease but was a Godsend, do not believe was the current Royal Purple, only came in 5Gal buckets.

Similar to this monster but for Schuman Paving.

 

[1693TA]

I used to have a three axle Load King folder, but it was mechanical neck. Never really had problems with the trailer but it sure was hard on tires..... It had those three flange "Webb" wheels also. My old drop deck does too.....

Business end of the pulling unit which I still have:

 

[DMiller]

Schuman hauled Slip Form pavers on theirs, would side ramp dirt to the trailer then have to drag it away from the ramp sideways to get away from it. Always hard twisting the suspension. Ate tires, ate brakes, ate hub seals. Theirs also had a slight beavertail to it so could either rear dirt ramp load or run off the nose with loaders or other machines as the Water Trucks, final grade tractors. Had a 5HP Briggs Hor. Shaft Electric Start running the hydraulics between the axles, always buried, always loaded up with mud or gravel or both, PITA to keep running or to service, most common times would not start was with a machine sitting ON It in East Geesus well away from anybody to work on it.

 

[1693TA]

I always straight loaded and did not have a beavertail. I did weld eyes for flip up ramps but never built the ramps to load over the rear.

My trailer came from Baxmeyer in Waterloo, IL. The truck in this photo is also my RL-755LST when it was their "poster child".

 

[Mother Deuce]

Well, got some pics of progress today, got another project or 2 started yesterday too. The Hyster is getting a new 13HP Honda and a major hydraulic system cleanout. The brakes and wiring are pretty sketchy too. View attachment 205043 View attachment 205044

Geez I got to hate those folding Hysters. If kept “in their lane” as it were and used them on highway... they were OK till they started wearing. I had them that would advance one side a few inches then the other. It seemed that no matter how grease you slathered it with it was eventually going to bind up. I had a early one that had landing gear “feet” behind the hinge. Wasn’t a problem till you landed on soft real estate and the feet disappeared into the mud. Then you were blocking the rail 4 inches at a time till you could get a block under the feet. They were absolute “clubs” out in the woods. If you were going any where that required leaving road less developed than Weyerhaeuser mainline it was going to be an adventure. If you high centered the only way to buy a couple extra inches out of it was to fire it up, lower it like you were to drop the truck out and remove the goose neck transport pins run the neck down till the link opened up enough to lay the pins between the deck and the pin boss. You would raise the trailer back up to limit of the cylinder travel. That would buy you a few inches. Then of course, perversely it seemed every time you had something on the trailer that made accessing the pony motor cover nearly impossible, unless you were a side show contortionist. It would run out of gas, foul a plug or the battery would be DOA on some landing 17 miles off highway in God knows where. I really hated those trailers...

 

[1693TA]

I seen the guys with the power folding necks and some of the problems; especially in the winter using onboard hydraulics and older trailers. Didn't want any of that so stayed with the mechanical neck as had the winch readily available and if the truck would start, the trailer was going to work.

If I ever high centered I don't remember it. Did drag a few times, (who doesn't) but never got stuck. At times kinda wish I'd kept it around but wasn't doing that type of work any longer so really didn't have need.

Here is a video of a mechanical folding neck trailer:

 

[DMiller]

MD, TA, those were the days weren't they!! Memories of fighting these trailers are hard set. When the walking beams would wear the ride going down two lane road was always a bit hairy as well, line crossing shoulder grabbing dart and weave and that on straight stretches with a good deal of Crown! As noted Schuman's old trailer had to have those beams rebuilt on the slide saddles to stop some of that, bushings helped some too but never got it all out. The neck, had that little swing valve to direct oil to one or the other cylinder, nearly always froze in center so good luck getting a level or even lift/lower. Carried cribbing for when the driver got to soft stuff, would crib under the sand shoes and try to keep it where would at least TRY to lift for a reconnect. Preferred the drop neck lowboys as they became a thing, even those were problematic. Oldest drop deck equipment trailer I ever worked was Glosier Construction, 1950s Phelan 35' tandem axle rear dovetail no ramps with those same three lands 15" Webb Hub lowbed axles Full front Fenders. I am betting that old iron monster is still working somewhere.

 

[RZucker]

This one is just about out the door now, some paint and a new deck and it will be hauling hay again.

 

[Truck Shop]

Geez I got to hate those folding Hysters. If kept “in their lane” as it were and used them on highway... they were OK till they started wearing. I had them that would advance one side a few inches then the other. It seemed that no matter how grease you slathered it with it was eventually going to bind up. I had a early one that had landing gear “feet” behind the hinge. Wasn’t a problem till you landed on soft real estate and the feet disappeared into the mud. Then you were blocking the rail 4 inches at a time till you could get a block under the feet. They were absolute “clubs” out in the woods. If you were going any where that required leaving road less developed than Weyerhaeuser mainline it was going to be an adventure. If you high centered the only way to buy a couple extra inches out of it was to fire it up, lower it like you were to drop the truck out and remove the goose neck transport pins run the neck down till the link opened up enough to lay the pins between the deck and the pin boss. You would raise the trailer back up to limit of the cylinder travel. That would buy you a few inches. Then of course, perversely it seemed every time you had something on the trailer that made accessing the pony motor cover nearly impossible, unless you were a side show contortionist. It would run out of gas, foul a plug or the battery would be DOA on some landing 17 miles off highway in God knows where. I really hated those trailers...

You and me both-I use to pull a folding three axle with booster, ok I guess loading unloading on asphalt/concrete. But anywhere else was no fun. Plus you had to throw a mat down to keep the dirt/gravel
from sticking to king pin/bolster plate. If the trailer was not on real level ground the neck would bind up. The only people I know that really liked them were paving companies/easy to load a paver on.

 

[RZucker]

You and me both-I use to pull a folding three axle with booster, ok I guess loading unloading on asphalt/concrete. But anywhere else was no fun. Plus you had to throw a mat down to keep the dirt/gravel
from sticking to king pin/bolster plate. If the trailer was not on real level ground the neck would bind up. The only people I know that really liked them were paving companies/easy to load a paver on.

I pulled one in the mid 80's, the neck was so worn out that on my truck with a 48" fifth wheel it would show sparks at night when the truck bounced. I hated that thing.

 

[farmerlund]

I would open a truck/ trailer shop in my area if I could get RZ, Truck Shop and Fast to move here and help me out. Its nice watching the pros take pride in there work. always interesting.

 

[DMiller]

Thirty five years ago was second shift Working foreman, had two mechanics and most days overwhelmed with jobs. Shop had but six drive thru bays so was difficult with long duration work taking holes to get daily stuff thru without working outside. Boss/owner decided I needed MORE help to clear the building for the next day shifts load and hired a guy was recommended by a 'Friend'. First day shows up all his tools fit in a tote box, not a road box, not a work box but a tote box, asks where the company tools were kept and was disappointed when told we all had our own. Explained was a better electrician than mechanic so first job a regular customer's 900 flap fendered Dodge tandem with a 38' frame style dump behind it, trailer side marker lights out. Check on him in a hour and has cab wiring all opened up, ask if checked the seven way for power, Nope, so had him reassemble the first mess, show him how to use a test light and check the cord, all is good, even had Tail and rear markers just not side markers, tell him to check for broken wires. Back still in half hour this time, has all the trailer wiring from back end to front cut out laying on ground, said thought he found it, one half twist single wrap of electrical tape junction, and from what I could see at the spot he started removal. Had him stop, load his tool tote and go home, FIRED. took a little over an hour for me to reconnect everything and get lights working, double checked cab re-install had to redo that mess.

Long story longer and more boring come in next day truck is back, DOT snagged for a Broken light that afternoon(High lift tagged it) low and behold newbie is BACK, charmed his way BACK into the bosses eye, and was working day shift. Finished job, customer was waiting and left with it to return a short time later marker lights quit again, boss sent Newbie out to check, broken wire, just happened to be on the light he just installed, so he repaired and boss had me go look, reason it broke was HE wired UNDER the trailer frame as was easier than fishing it back thru the tube it had been run thru Then I raised the dump tore the wire in half with him standing there. He looked perplexed, said did not know that was how that bed worked. Boss was right behind him and fired him on the spot. I got to fix it AGAIN, the guy was only charged parts, when I rang up ticket night before only charged a flat hour, could not justify more.

Short ending, In today's market with all the high tech stuff I would HATE to try to open or even buy out a existing shop and keep it running efficiently.

 

[RZucker]

By the same token, it is really nice to have 4-5 guys that know their stuff and work well together. I worked in a shop like that in the late 80's as the lead guy and we actually had fun at work... Drove the management nuts due to the lack of complaints.
I ran into one of the guys a year or so ago and he said that bunch appreciated the fact I wouldn't ask them to do something I wouldn't do myself, and would usually go after the nasty stuff before asking them.