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Scrapping A single wide trailer

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    kcscrapper started this thread.
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    Scrapping A single wide trailer

    Scrapping a single wide trailer not sure how long it is but it the whole trailer. Me and my step dad are doing it well mainly me lol. I have a time limit it 7am to 1 but I may have to finish it on Monday.



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    Kochy's Avatar
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    Good luck!!!

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    kcscrapper started this thread.
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    Thanks. I hope I don't have any problems

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    Is it an old one with aluminum siding? If it is then most of the wire is also aluminum.

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    is 6 hours going to be enough time for one guy to scrap that whole thing out? good luck!

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    Quote Originally Posted by toula View Post
    Is it an old one with aluminum siding? If it is then most of the wire is also aluminum.
    I've scrapped 3 trailer houses all with aluminum siding and copper wiring. I don't know who started this myth bout trailer houses all having aluminum wiring but they obliviously haven't scrapped any trailers. Btw they still make trailer houses with aluminum siding and the wiring is copper as well.
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    Quote Originally Posted by taterjuice View Post
    I've scrapped 3 trailer houses all with aluminum siding and copper wiring. I don't know who started this myth bout trailer houses all having aluminum wiring but they obliviously haven't scrapped any trailers. Btw they still make trailer houses with aluminum siding and the wiring is copper as well.
    There was a few years back in the late 70's where they used alum. wire till they started catching on fire due to the alum wire coming loose inside switch panels and so the Gov't outlawed it.
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    I'm not doubting that some have copper but it really blows when you start pulling the wire out of the walls and its all that crappy tin color. Atleast from the pole to the trailer is copper and all the appliance wires. Also most all the old ones used window units so you have some copper/alum radiators in them. I hope that everyone makes money on everything they do but sometimes it's better to be prepared for what you are getting into instead of buying something and losing money.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mechanic688 View Post
    There was a few years back in the late 70's where they used alum. wire till they started catching on fire due to the alum wire coming loose inside switch panels and so the Gov't outlawed it.
    All 3 from the 1970's, a 73, 75 and 79. The only al wire I seen in all 3 was the wire running from the pole into the main breaker box.

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    kcscrapper started this thread.
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    This has copper wire. Not sure on th siding but I think it al . The trash is gonna be the problem.

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    It always is...
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    kcscrapper started this thread.
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    Got a dumpster ordered $190 for 12 foot x8 foot x 4 height. Has about 10 al windows lots of copper wire. No axles or tongue so have to cut up the ibeams. Think me and my fam bit of more than we should bite if you get my jist.

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    Got tha feeling myself, all 3 times

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    In older mobile homes, I've seen both aluminum and copper wiring used. The same with the plumbing, it might be copper or it could be plastic (e.g. Quest). Either way, a scrapper can still make money from selling the siding, steel frame, axles, etc...

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    They are a waste of time unless you charge. We charge $1000 per single wide and $1500 double. We can do one in 1 day.

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    kcscrapper started this thread.
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    Ya we are finding that out recourceful but the inside is **** near gutted next is the ceiling and roof

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    be nice to build a fire out back and toss the wood in. A guy once told me after he'd gutted it and removed the pipes, wires, and al siding, he'd go around it with a chainsaw cutting through the bottom of each stud. Then (after previously tying onto the top somewhere) he'd pull it over with his truck, and remove the roofing with it on the ground

  19. #18
    kcscrapper started this thread.
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    Ya well this one is in a trailer park so I can't do that or I would.

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    A friend and I have done many of these and travel trailers included. They are only overwhelming when you don't have a trash and wood disposal but why someone would do one when they don't is murderous. In a 3 day span over the last week just him and I completed the tear down of a 60 foot mobile home and a 30 foot camper. Here are some tips and things to keep in mind:

    1. Have a proper tear down site - campers are fantastic for the reason that you can pull them to a location without permits and with most pickup trucks. We have gotten lucky in that a good friend of ours own a large ranch and he doesn't mind us demolishing them right next to his burn pit. I am not condoning this but in certain circumstances we have pulled trailer houses down backroads to this site. The best part about this location is we are allowed to throw any and all wood into the burn pile.

    2. Salvage/recycle/reuse everything you can - Yes it's more time consuming but will make you more money down the road. Appliances that are easily tested can be resold very easily on craigslist. Find someone that has a use for old/used insulation. Luckily we know a guy that runs a trailer court and says he will take all the insulation that we can get him. I find this kind of nasty as most insulation we pull out stinks and has bugs in it. Just today I sold two mirrors that came from a trailer house for $5 each and a medicine cabinet for $10 on craigslist. My dad also will take a certain amount of 2x2 boards and paneling to cut up with his table saw and burn in his shop. I will sometimes remove the hinges and knobs from cupboards and resell those on ebay as well. On campers, keep the handles on the outside near the door. These sell well on ebay.

    3. A hatchet is an amazing tool - when you finally get to cutting up the tin roof I advise you to use this technique. If all you have to haul ferrous items is a pickup the hatchet method works great. I can cut up a 60 foot tin roof into 4 foot sections in about 15 minutes, the key is gentle steady swings. Swing it too hard and you miss the line you were working on. Obviously the hatchet can be used in more areas than just the roof

    4. Follow the order of operations - it is very tempting to start ripping off the aluminum first thing but I find that its a big mistake. The order we like to follow is removal of interior bulky items, cabinets and counters, interior paneling, fiberglass insulation, kicking off the aluminum from the inside, knocking wood frame out until roof falls on floor, hatchet destruction of the roof, flipping the floor over with a truck like previously mentioned. Another tip to follow is cutting any wire out when you see it. If you dont you end up with a huge pile of wood with wire tangled throughout the whole thing.

    5. NEVER EVER PAY FOR ONE!!!

    Something we found interesting was that the 30 foot camper had the exact same amount of aluminum as the 60 foot trailer house. This is partially why, the camper had an aluminum roof (many do) and an aluminum floor. We sold all of our aluminum as "dirty" and I can safely say we got lucky the yard took the roof with tar on it. A camper seems to have more windows and bigger ones than a mobile home too.

    Oh, and we have yet to come across a mobile home with aluminum wiring

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  22. #20
    kcscrapper started this thread.
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    I'm scrapping a house trailer. Trying to figure out how much I will make with the al siding and windows


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