Fixing to start building a scrap trailer...suggestions wanted.

I have a 13 foot trailer frame from a mobile home that I'm gonna build into a scrap trailer. Gonna cut it down to 12 ft to keep the measurements easier. Planning on putting 3-4 foot sides on it. Gonna have a winch on the front either hooked to a boom/crane of some sort or gonna run the cable through some pulleys to some sort of lift gate on the back. I'm leaning more towards the boom idea. Will be starting with plywood on the sides but eventually go to expanded metal. Plenty of tie off spots. A box on front for straps and chains. Also gonna put a spot to strap a trash can to the front for cords. Any other ideas and tips would be appreciated.

To start, Taterjuice has some great ideas for building trailers on his thread.

Other things to consider would include a tool box (to hold jack, battery operated ratchet for changing tires, basic tools, and magnets), spare tire mount, removable sides (allows you to swing loads into the trailer using a swivel crane/hoist), and ramp. You might consider making your tailgate out of pressed metal mounted to a hinge pipe that becomes a ramp when dropped. These are easy to make, cheap, and worth their weight in gold. Mounting your crane on the tongue in line with your winch allows a direct pull and balances the weight of the load between the trailer and tow vehicle. Stop pins on your hoist prevents movement on the lift and stills allows for swivel to move the load. I use scrap pipes, one inside the other with an end plate welded to the frame and outside pipe. Access to scrap bearings allows movement free of friction. Welding your wire can to the hoist crane will provide easy access and save room. These are just a few things to consider.

I like being able to remove my sides if needed and wireless remote on the winch comes in handy and makes you look like a magician.

If you are making this a deckover trailer, consider adding underbody toolboxes. It's nice to have tools handy, but not in the way of your loads. Make sure that whatever you build is safe and efficient for you- saving a dollar or two for a bad design will haunt you for the life of the trailer. Little things like an underbody box or D-Rings in the floor can make a trailer a lot nicer, safer, and easier to use

On two of my goosenecks, half of the floor is planks (prevents smaller items from ending up on the road) and the other half is pressed metal (allows moisture and fluids to drain from the trailer). Ice and snow are constants here for about four months a year and this saves a lot of shoveling. The trailers are loaded with prepared iron up front on the planks and unprepared on top and in the back. This also balances the weight and makes towing smoother.

House trailer axles with the welded on backing plate for the brakes and those doughnut rims are history for road use, no longer legal.

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Originally Posted by Proton

House trailer axles with the welded on backing plate for the brakes and those doughnut rims are history for road use, no longer legal.

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Some states will not license a new trailer built with them, but I do not think they are illegal. I have not been asked what type of axle any of my trailers have, but I have not licensed trailers in all fifty states. Although they were built with limited travel expected, some have traveled 100,000 miles or more. To my knowledge you cannot get a ticket for using them unless you exceed the axle, tire, or vehicle weight limits of the tow vehicle.

Thought a clarification should be added. If a trailer is not built correctly and breaks down, a person can be ticketed for an unsecured load regardless of the axles, brakes, or frame.

Thought this information would be valuable for those thinking of building a trailer out of a house trailer. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...-axles.608425/

In most Sates this would be the deal breaker, all trailers licensed over a certain GVW require a yearly safety inspection.

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[QUOTE=Proton;289501]In most Sates this would be the deal breaker, all trailers licensed over a certain GVW require a yearly safety inspection.

13 tons?

[QUOTE=Patriot76;289551]

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Originally Posted by Proton

In most Sates this would be the deal breaker, all trailers licensed over a certain GVW require a yearly safety inspection.

13 tons?

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Commercial Motor VehiclesDefinition: Commercial motor vehicle means any self-propelled or towed motor vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce to transportpassengers or property when the vehicle --

(1) Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more,whichever is greater; or

(2) Is designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation; or

(3) Is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation; or

(4) Is used in transporting material found by the Secretary of Transportation to be hazardous under 49 U.S.C. 5103 and transported in a quantity requiring placardingunder regulations prescribed by the Secretary under 49 CFR, subtitle B, chapter I, subchapter C.Vehicles with a GVWR of 10,001—26,000 lbsDOT Registration RequiredCommercial Driver License Not Required*Vehicle Markings Required—In addition to legal name and USDOT #, there are newspecial markings requirements for trucks making deliveries and parking inpublic areas in NYC — the vehicle must have the owner’s name inaddition to the lessee’sSpecial Safety Equipment and New MA Commercial VehicleInspections Inspection required in lieu of Federal Annual Inspection with copy of inspection report in vehicle

Medical Certificate & Required to be carried by driverValid Driver’s LicenseSubstance & Alcohol Testing Not Required*Financial Responsibility Required of for-hire motor carriers transporting property interstate—See 49 CFR 387*Exceptions: Vehicles carrying placardable amounts of hazardousmaterials and vehicles carrying 16 passengers (including driver)Vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 lbs or higherDOT Registration Required
Commercial Driver License Required with appropriate license class for vehicle size and weightVehice Markings Required -

In addition to legal name and USDOOT#, there are new specialmarkings requirements for trucks making deliveries and parking in publicareas in NYC -- the vehicle must have the owner’s name in addition to thelessee’sSpecial Safety Equipment and New MA Commercial VehicleInspections Inspection required in lieu of Federal Annual Inspection with copy of inspection report in vehicleMedical Certificate & Required to be carried by driver

Driver’s LicenseSubstance & Alcohol Testing Required - including scientifically based random testing plus testing for pre-employment, post-accident andother situationsFinancial Responsibility Required of for-hire motor carriers transporting property interstateSee 49 CFR 3872014 EditionHours of Service RulesPROPERTY-CARRYING DRIVER11-Hour Driving LimitMay drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.14-Hour LimitMay not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty,following 10 consecutive hours off duty.

Off-duty time does not extend the14-hour period.Rest BreaksMay drive only if 8 hours or less have passed since end of driver’s last off-dutyor sleeper berth period of at least 30 minutes. Does not apply to drivers usingeither of the short-haul exceptions in 395.1(e). [49 CFR 397.5 mandatory “inattendance” time may be included in break if no other duties performed]60/70-Hour LimitMay not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days.

A drivermay restart a 7/8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or more consecutivehours off duty.Must include two periods from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. home terminal time, and mayonly be used once per week, or 168 hours, measured from the beginning ofthe previous restart.

NOTICE: The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of2015 was enacted on December 16, 2014, suspending enforcement of requirementsfor use of the 34-hour restart.

For more information see FMCSA’sFederal Register notice: 404 Error | Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Berth ProvisionDrivers using the sleeper berth provision must take at least 8 consecutivehours in the sleeper berth, plus a separate 2 consecutive hours either in thesleeper berth, off duty, or any combination of the two.

PASSENGER-CARRYING DRIVERS10-Hour Driving LimitMay drive a maximum of 10 hours after 8 consecutive hours off duty15-Hour LimitMay not drive after having been on duty for 15 hours, following 8 consecutivehours off duty. Off-duty time is not included in the 15-hour period.60/70-Hour LimitMay not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days.

Sleeper Berth ProvisionDrivers using a sleeper berth must take at least 8 hours in the sleeper berth,and may split the sleeper berth time into two periods provided neither is lessthan 2 hours.

Thank you for the clarification. Thankfully most individuals on this forum do not have to deal with commercial regulations and do not participate in interstate commerce. The 13 tons was referring to North Dakota's guidelines since each state has their own laws regarding trailers.

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Originally Posted by Patriot76

Thank you for the clarification. Thankfully most individuals on this forum do not have to deal with commercial regulations and do not participate in interstate commerce. The 13 tons was referring to North Dakota's guidelines since each state has their own laws regarding trailers.

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No but some are trying to skate around the law, we're not legal advisers and the best we can do is point em in the right direction.

I've decided not to go with the house trailer frame. It sits way to high for my liking. Gonna keep my eyes open for something different but I am going to modify my 5x8 trailer. Going to make some removable sides to make the ones there higher and going to add a small crane to it. It will work to make me enough money to buy a larger more heavy duty one. I have acquired a mobility scooter lift/crane that I'm going to put on this trailer. I'm also gonna use this trailer for firewood so a crane will be nice.