Wet kit, Pony motor(suppliers)

[Construct'O]

I got a detachable lowboy trailer,so need some info.Mainly for supplier of pony motor hyraulic units.I know it would be a Honda electric start leaning toward 13HP.I'm working on getting the spec for the cylinders on the trailer.It is a 2000 Fontaine TH55.

As for what i have to haul now will be a 55k lb trencher,dozers are lighter(never know tho).Just want to make sure get a unit big enough.GPM and pressure?I'm thinking the pump will be the thing that needs to right?Do they make a varible flow pump?

I found one on Ebay and have been looking at Foster units,anyone have others?Tried searching not very good luck there.Need help!

As for the wet kit my lowboy truck isn't that new and hate to spend cash for the wet kit.Really need another truck ,but not right now.Need to get back to work because of the long winter.Just had to update trailer to haul the trencher,because of height reason on my old trailer deckover.

Throw out the whys and why not between the two if you would,but mainly looking for info on the pony motor unit.Thanks:usa

 

[Kgmz]

When we had our Trail King lowboys we had a wet kit on the truck. Have never operated one with a pony motor.

The one advantage with the wet kit on the truck is I could raise the trailer from inside the truck while driving for ground clearance in off road situations.

 

[imbzcul8r]

I have 3 lowboys (lowbeds up here in Canada) with Honda power packs. We use ours every day, heavy hauling is our business, so they get used a lot. What I have found works the best is a 13 hp Honda with a two stage hydraulic pump directly coupled. I use Barnes (I think) pumps, 16 gpm on high, 4 gpm on low, 3000 psi continuous, 3600 rpm. These pumps are used on some log splitters & will work with as little as 8hp. You can use a larger pump than this with the 13 hp, a 21 gpm high/ 6 gpm low, it won't lift anymore but will be a little faster, but I find the smaller pump is fast enough & doesn't even make the Honda hardly work. The pumps are about $200, the aluminum adapter that mounts the pump to the motor $50, & a lovejoy coupler maybe $40. The only other thing you will need is a reservoir & return oil filter assuming the valving is already on the trailer. If cost is a factor, you might check out the Honda copycats. The last Honda I bought up here in Canada, for a 13 hp electric start high output alternator was $1300, probably five years ago. I bought a Chinese copycat, 13 hp elec start for $400, have used it for two years, no problems, so I now keep a spare motor/pump combo on the shelf. I have bought all of these items at Princess Auto, a farm/ industrial supply up here in the great white north. We can lift a 70 ton machine with the gooseneck stretched out for a tandem jeep with this pump/motor combo so it will work for you. The main thing is, go for a two stage pump, it is so much faster when raising the empty trailer & still has power to spare lifting the load.

 

[Chaz Murray]

We use Kohler engines on our trailers for pony motors. The motors we order have a female spline in the crank that the pump slides into so it would eliminate the need for an adapter and love joy adapter so if you are cramped for space my help a little. I don't keep any on the shelf but I could order one for you if you would be interested in going this route. I do have the Hydraulic tanks and the pumps on the shelf but engines are ordered as needed for production. I don't have access to all the spec's at the moment since I am at home but let me know if you are interested and I can get you the info tomorrow.

 

[Construct'O]

imbzcul8r Does all your units use electric start,i'm guessing so?Sounds like it works for you anyway.Looked at a old truck with wet kit today.What a sales pitch i got.Looked like more of a headache then it was worth.

I might send you a pm if i have anymore questions,if okay!

How does the two stage pump work back and forth from low to high.Is it automatic or have a diverter? Trailer has the valve and a place to mount the battery.

Chaz Sorry not a Kohler guy here,just had the best luck with the Honda's over the years here for me.Have you ever used the Foster systems???

Thanks for the help,anyone care too post would like to hear!

 

[Construct'O]

Another question what size hydraulic tanks are you using 10 to 12gal or more?I notice the trucks has big hoses so i guess they flow more oil so work faster i'm guessing?

There was a lowboy trailer there at the guys place that had the pony motor on it, that he said he pulled the trailer with the truck i was looking at.So if the wet kit was working on the truck why the pony motor unit on the lowboy trailer????

The pony motor hydraulic unit had the motor,adapter,and pump bolted all togather.His tank looked small not hardly 5 gallons if lucky.Plus no filter? I want filter for sure.

Couldn't ask him about why the pony motor system on the lowboy he uses all the time,since we stopped and looked at the lowboy on the way out? Guess he could have just wanted it both ways,just incase one wasn't working?

 

[Construct'O]

Sorry forgot! Imagine that (old)

Are you guys using plastic or metal tanks see some of the newer unit are using plastic? Also want are you using for oil 10w30,hydraulic oil,or something else?

Here's a pic of one i got off the internet,looks like the Foster system i asked about?:usa

 

[j&d]

Hey Construct'O. we might be interested in your old trailer if you still have it and want to sell it.

 

[imbzcul8r]

imbzcul8r Does all your units use electric start,i'm guessing so?Sounds like it works for you anyway.Looked at a old truck with wet kit today.What a sales pitch i got.Looked like more of a headache then it was worth.

I might send you a pm if i have anymore questions,if okay!

How does the two stage pump work back and forth from low to high.Is it automatic or have a diverter? Trailer has the valve and a place to mount the battery.

Chaz Sorry not a Kohler guy here,just had the best luck with the Honda's over the years here for me.Have you ever used the Foster systems???

Thanks for the help,anyone care too post would like to hear!

Yes, all of mine are electric start & I wouldn't buy one without it. The two stage pumps have a built in unloader and are factory set to automatically kick down to low volume high pressure at 650 psi, you can adjust that to 900 psi if you want, I leave mine at factory setting. So if you are lifting an empty trailer it will stay on low pressure/high volume, might take 5 secs to raise from on the ground to ride height. With a load it will automatically shift to high pressure/low volume & might take 20 seconds to raise. As for hyd tank size, you don't need much reservoir, mine might be 10 gallons. If you have huge cylinders it might need more, one of mine has 2 - 10" cylinders with about 12" stroke & works fine with a 10 gal tank. Also if you can mount the motor/pump so you can get at the choke & ignition switch easily. One problem I have had with our Hondas is the carb will fill the base of the engine with gas over a couple of weeks time. We tried shutting the fuel off every time we used it, big pain in the butt, so every couple of weeks we drop the oil out. I wouldn't be afraid of a new Koehler like Chaz suggested & direct coupled would be a bonus. Feel free to pm if you have any questions.

 

[Construct'O]

Hey Construct'O. we might be interested in your old trailer if you still have it and want to sell it.

The trailer is for sale,for more details pm me on here.:usa

 

[2stickbill]

Some trailers have the pony motor on them new Dealer will remove if customer does not want it.And dealers then sell these units.Leaving the unit on the trailer lets you use any truck to use it.If something happens to the wet kit you still have the pony unit.
I know a man that has a stick with a wire or nail fixed that will turn on the gas choke and start the unit from the ground.

 

[Construct'O]

Some trailers have the pony motor on them new Dealer will remove if customer does not want it.And dealers then sell these units.Leaving the unit on the trailer lets you use any truck to use it.If something happens to the wet kit you still have the pony unit.
I know a man that has a stick with a wire or nail fixed that will turn on the gas choke and start the unit from the ground.

Now we know why they call you 2stick!!!!!!

 

[2stickbill]

Now we know why they call you 2stick!!!!!!

Yep and we old people don't like climbing all the time.

 

[Will Musser]

I use the foster system on my TH55. It pics up a D9L just like it pics up a D6D. No problem. Mine has the cheapest hydraulic oil they had at my fuel jobber. lol

 

[2stickbill]

Dealers that take new units off trailers might sell them at a reasonable price if you dicker with them.

 

[fhansen]

We made our own pony motor unit so we could use a variety of trucks with the trailer. Ours is on a hydraulic tail Trail King. We tucked the unit inside the gooseneck so it would be out of the way, using a 15.5 HP Briggs vertical shaft drive electric start engine-these are very reliable now-coupled to a .677 CI Prince pump, which ends up putting out around 10 or so GPM. Some want more output in order to run a winch at a faster speed but this works well for us.We extended the controls-start switch, choke/throttle-to the side of the trailer frame for easy access.