log trailer advice please

[j_d]

Gentlemen,
     I am a small, part time operation starting out with a woodmizer lt35 and not much else.  I spoke to a man today who I want to get logs from.  I need to haul the logs about 100 miles and do this about once a month.  The roads are good an not a problem.  I have an older (2000) Ford with a 7.3 power stroke that I believe would be suitable to pull with. 

I think I can get what I need on a good size equipment trailer.  The logs will be 20' or less and the seller will load for me.  For unloading I have a cant hook and gravity.  I want to avoid any commercial drivers licenses if it can be helped.  Cost is also a big factor at this point.  I am thinking I can use a heavy deck over equipment trailer and weld brackets for removable upright braces to help contain the logs. 

Any suggestions/advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Josh     

[Oliver05262]

  Most all state regulations are based on Federal requirements. What applies "here" in Vermont is probably different from Ohio's regs, but here goes:
  If the combined gross vehicle weight rating of the rig--pickup and trailer-- exceeds 26,001 lbs, a CDL is required. This is the figure that is on your vehicle's door sticker and on the sticker on the tongue of the trailer---NOT the weight you have registered it for.
  If the weight rating of the TRAILER exceeds 10,000 lbs, a Class A CDL is required.
  As I say each state's regs may vary, so check with your own state authorities.

Having said all that, non-commercial vehicles are not checked as often as the big rigs, but if anything happens, failure to comply can and will bite you.

[luvmexfood]

A hundred miles is a long way to haul a load of logs behind a pickup. Biggest question that comes to my mind is how many logs do you intend to haul at a time?

Just to give you an approximate I have a 16' tandem trailer that I pull behind my p/u. 450 bf of logs is a big load on it and I only travel 8 miles on back roads then about a mile on a four-lane. No way would I start out even at that short a distance with that much if it was all oak. Pulling it is ok. Stopping it and not having it push you all over the road is another.

[j_d]

Thanks for the advice.  I want to keep it legal.  It sounds like as long as i limit the trailer to 10k gvwr or less it won't be an issue? The gvwr of my truck combined with a 10k lb rated trailer would be under the 26,001 lbs.

As far as size of load goes I would like to bring home as much as is safe and legal.  I have hauled some equipment and tractors before and found if the trailer brakes are set right it would actually slow down my truck and not push it at all.  Am I missing something?  Also, it is farther than I would like to haul but the price is right on the logs.   
Josh

[sandsawmill14]

100 miles is a long way IMO if logs were free the trucking would still be more than the logs are worth unless they are high value logs (walnut cherry ...) 1000 bd ft will be absolute max i would try to haul weight wise if its all oak or something 750 bd ft.  this is with a 20k tandem axle trailer. anything less for a trailer and it would be MUCH less. 100 miles is a long way to try to be overloaded.

[azmtnman]

TIRES!!!!! Nothing less than 10 ply. You can get by with a junky trailer but you need to keep good tires on it. (and good brakes on both axles)
  Unless you will use it for something else, a log hauler can be a bare frame. That saves on weight.
  Just my $.02

[Puffergas]

Hmmmmmm,




10K trailer with 2 Dextor 7k electric axles. Never seemed to have enough brakes for those split second stops. Longest hall was about 50 miles to deliver blocking. Also moved logs. Almost always over loaded and never will I go back to trucking. Boy can you get into a world of trouble. They don't care if your noncommercial because fresh meat is fresh meat. Never got in trouble but was close a few times.

Give me any kind of saw and I'll leave the trucking to the brave.. 😊


On the other hand this is my new log rig... 😉

[starmac]

I have only hauled one load of logs on my bumper pull trailer, and it was a fairly small load. If I was going out to buy a trailer to haul logs or even sawn lumber it would not be a standard lowbed type trailer with fenders, and here's why. The top logs were easy enough to unload, but the ones on the floor were a pain, the tires and fenders were right where the forklift needed to be to pick the logs up, so I had to lift one end and block them, messing around 3 times as long as it would have been with a flatbed trailer, but it is what I had, I didn't buy it too haul logs on.

As far as hauling them 100 miles, closer would be great, but I would much rather haul a load 100 miles than piddle around a day or two getting a free yard tree and dealing with the cleanup. Each to his own in that respect.

[Polish Hammer]

I use my 16 foot long by 7.5 foot wide dump tailer to move my fire wood, it has 2 7000 pound axles both with brakes. I can carry about 3.5 bush cords of birch. The trailer handles it fine and when I get to location I  just dump the wood out. I DIDNT raise the sides to haul more wood and I always cover the wood with the tarp. I have had 18500 pound of gravel in the trailer and it was heavy so I know the limits on what the trailer can safely handle. I pull it with my 2011 f350.

When I load the trailer with wood I just grabbed a log with the processor walked to the trailer and cut 16 inch logs directly into the trailer. 8)  the wood I get is always 6-8 inches in diameter so i never have to split it. less work more productivity.   

[OH logger]

where exactly are you at in ohio? reason I ask is I may know someone with a knuckleboom truck that can haul them and unload them for you that might be easier??? I haul logs behind my pickup all the time and 100 miles is getting out there but not impossible. mine is a bumper pull but my next one will no doubt be  a gooseneck.

[Rick Alger]

I have done what you're planning on mostly for  short hauls on jobs where it was a hassle to get a truck in. In snow, I've run into  plenty of grief. In good weather things went well, but I was tying up too much time on the road for too small a payload - in my case about 600 feet a load. It also took a big  toll on my truck and trailer.

[j_d]

You guys are great.  I think I have learned something from every post you have added.  I have pretty much decided I don't want to get a class A / commercial license.  I had been looking at some trailers that I would have had to in order to keep it legal.  So... if i do go this trailer route it will be with a 10k gvwr trailer, good brakes and crazy strong tires.  I'm sure it won't haul as much as I want but I'm trying not to go outlaw.  (Wish I could say the same for my coon dog but that's another story.) 

I will probably have a conversation with a local small scale trucking guy.  It might make more sense to pay him to pick up a giant load with a semi.  Not sure how the numbers would work though.  Another consideration is that I also have a local source for occasional free logs, some are decent and some can be really nice.  Having my own trailer with a decent winch would also allow me to snag those. 
Thanks,
Josh

[Jhenderson]

I don't want to pick a fight but some info needs correcting. 26,001 and up, truck and trailer does require a class A CDL. 26,001 straight truck requires a B. Straight truck 26,001 + 10,001 lb trailer requires an A. Same truck with trailer under  10,001 gets by with a B. Straight truck under 26,001 gvw towing any GVW trailer, no CDL as long as combined wt is less than 26,001lbs. The 10,000 gvw trailer confusion comes in with a class B truck. Without this rule tree company drivers would need a class A to tow a chipper behind their bucket trucks, which isn't the case unless the chipper weighs more than 10,000lbs.

[j_d]

No fights, just lots of good info.  Am I correct in understanding that the heaviest trailer I can legally pull with my pickup truck is 10k gvwr without jumping through commercial hoops?

Also if you gents would continue to humor me I believe I have found some available pole trailers like a utility company would use that are well with in my price range and rated at 10k.  Can anyone think why these could not be used to drag some logs home?  The only downside with this is that it is not useful to haul other stuff but keep in mind the price is great.

Thanks,
Josh
ETA:  A possible additional positive with a pole trailer is that I don't think you have to plate them.  I will have to check into this.

[starmac]

By utility pole trailer, are you talking the ones that has the axles at each end and the front one steers with the tongue. If so the downside is they do not put any weight on your pickup and are typically pulled with a heavier truck that is already loaded, so has driver weight. Personally I wouldn't want one of these for highway use with a light truck.

[beenthere]

I'd think "trailer" as in one set of wheels.. nothing steerable as in a wagon. ;)

link
http://www.felling.com/trailers/public-utility-2/utility-pole-trailers-public-utility/

[Jhenderson]

That depends on the GVW of your pickup. Example, 9k pickup + 16k trailer = 25,000 Gross Combined WT. no CDL required. The 10k trailer rule comes into effect when the tow vehicle weighs over 26k. You may operate a truck that requires a class B lic while towing a trailer up to 10k on a class B. Towing a trailer over 10k with a tow vehicle over 26k requires a class A CDL. I know, clear as mud. Try Googling CDL requirements. I. Remember seeing a tree type chart somewhere that was easier to follow.

[4x4American]

 





I highly recommend a gooseneck.  This trailer has 3- 10k lbs Dexter oil bath axles.  If I were to do it again I wouldn't get another tri-axle I'd get a trailer setting on tandem axles with dual wheels.  Only reason I got a tri-axle in the first place is because the price was right.


Around here at least, the log landings are tight, and with a gooseneck you get much more maneuverability.  Also, the ride is alot smoother, and it doesn't push you around as much.


The guy who had this trailer before me showed me a picture of it with 2500 feet of hemlock.  He also hauled a 540 john deere with it and moved 440 deere's frequently. 


She needs some TLC but she's good for what I need her for.


Keep the brakes adjusted, your brake controller set right and drive as if you have no brakes. 

[buzywoodliff]

Just my two cents..... I'm a small part time farmer who thought it would be a good business move to buy our own semi.   The only advantage so far is that it is always there when I need it.  If I actually sat down and ran the numbers, I'd probably be better off hiring the hauling done, especially if you're going 100 miles.

License, insurance, inspections, fuel, maintenance, and seat time that could be spent in the combine.

Probably breaking even, but in my case, the convenience of having it at my disposal keeps it here.

Oh, and that sick feeling when the DOT is behind you, that's pretty awesome.  :)

Good luck

[Ford_man]

I have a F350 with a 7.3 and 24 ft equip trailer that I haul my backhoe & dozer on, I also have a set of bunks that I use for hauling firewood logs, they are 4ft tall ,I haul 3-4 cord to a load. I have hauled as far as 30 miles, all on back roads and about 30-40 mph. 7 loads was very stressful. I now use my semi. Even if it is only 5 miles.