How to Make (home made design) Log Bunks Up to Haul Logs & Pulp

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

I'm going to be hauling some logs on a flat bed dump truck and towing a 3 axle trailer with logs too.

I need to make up some log bunks, two for the truck and two for the trailer.

I'd like to make the support beams across the trailer from wood and steel on the ends. I'm looking for ideas or picture's of what other folks have designed and work's well for them.

I was thinking that I'd make up a 3/8  L  shaped bracket to bolt on to the cross beam ends. I'd have a (fixed) two or three foot up right that was attached to the end ( L bracket). The material would be made from pipe or square tube.  I'd stick a six foot extension down inside and be set up with 8 or 9 ft. up rights on the sides; I don't need higher because the truck is only medium sized.

Just looking for a better design that may be simpler and less involved then the one that I have outlined (above).

Avery

[jim blodgett]

I don't have any photos Avery, but I THINK I can describe the removable bunks I built for my little trailer.

So the first issue I had was that the wheel fenders are 10" above the bed of my trailer and I wanted to load logs from the side using forks on my tractor.

So I look around the place and find a couple 4x12 beams.  If I lay them on edge, across my trailer, one in front and one behind the axle(s) I have enough clearance to place logs with the forks without the forks touching the tops of the fenders.

But. 

How do I get the logs off the trailer back at the mill when my tractor is still at the log getting place, right?  (I only have one tractor, and I hauled it to the log getting place on the trailer)

So I look around the place and find 4 nice strong 2x6 about 8' long.  I position a 2x6 paralell to, and along each side of  one of the 4x12.  I  then run a single throughbolt through all three - 2x6, 4x12, 2x6 a few inches in from one end, creating a 2x6-4x12-2x6 sandwich throughbolted near one end only.

Now those two 2x6 can pivot on that throughbolt and create a ramp when down, or a bunk when up. 

If you can follow my description, I'm pretty sure you can see how the same idea might work for you.  In my case, I slide both bunk sandwiches into my truck so I can tow the tractor ON the trailer to the log getting place.  Once I unload the tractor I set my bunks in place, make as many runs as I need, then remove the bunks and retrieve the tractor.

Pretty low tech operation, but it work great and I had everything laying around.  Mother necessity provided the needed impetus for invention - good old Mom, she usually bails me out.

[snowstorm]

from wood??? the dot will like that

[Banjo picker]

 

 

I think Paul  has a set just about like those...They bolt on the side of the truck and you can move them in or out for dif. lengths....Tim

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

Banjo Picker

Them... is some mean dog bunks in strength.. for sure.  I need to go up at least 10 or 12 inches up in height from the truck or trailer deck surface to unload at the Pulp Wood mill with there big grapple.

I think steel cross beams will be real heavy at that height and expensive (steel is sky high now) to buy. I was thinking 10 or 12 inches high by 5 inches thick would work for the cross beams. I'd have steel  L  brace's bolted on the ends. My Dad's made  some bunks up in the 60's (like this) but I don't remember his end beam design (memory is shot).  He (we) used a chain to lay across on the 2nd layer of logs to rap around the up-rights for added strength. Pulp wood was a straight up deal and the No problem with strength to hold the pressure from the wood.

Avery 

[Banjo picker]

Thanks for the comp.  I had Bobby wield the top of those shut, but you could leave them open and insert a piece of white oak or such....at least that seems to be ok here, as I have seen some going down the road as such.....I can haul more on the 1700 Int. than I should and stay legal with the present height of mine.......I am now adding gussets on all four post as I had a problem the last time I dumped a load of slabs for a customer....    .....Tim

[snowstorm]

i have built a couple  over the yrs why not build stake pockets 4"square tubing 12" long weld those to the body then use wood for a riser you can take out when its not needed. always used 3/8" wall tubing 1/4" is fine for stakes. whats the truck its going on? wheeler or 6 wheel truck?

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

It's a dump truck with removal 2 ft. side kit, like a contractor's truck. The truck's GVW is 33k, single axle GMC, 70 series.  I want to move a truck load of pulp wood on the truck & trailer at the same time. I can scale about 7 ton on each one, about 14 ton per trip on 56 miles round trip. 

Avery   

[snowstorm]

i still think the stake pockets are the way to go you may have to add a crossmember to the body. have a crossmember on each side of the stake pocket. all done it should interfear with your side kit. air brakes ???i am sure you know youll need a class a cdl. how long is the wood you will haul? are 2 stakes a side enought. dont know the rules in your area. you want to pull a loaded trailer also?? truck gas or diesel?how much hp?trans? hills ?flat ground?

[Ironwood]

I have two trailers and my truck which use side pockets. I drilled/ threaded the trailers bump rails to put a carriage bolt in (rounded end protects passers by), and I use the square backside to tighten/ "capture" it to the trailer. I also just fabricated a box steel subframe for my new truck that the standards slide on from the end and have an integrated large D ring that travels in/out with the standard. The standard can be out at hte very end (8' wide load) or slid inward to a minimum of 35" apart (right up to the truck frame on each side). This sub frame is VERY low profile and is designed to be the "base" for my flatbed to be put back on as needed. The flatbed will be fastened by 4 reese recievers facing upward.

Ironwood

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

I use a heavy duty set with pull out pins Dad n My Uncles Made about 30 years ago They are Bullet proof and use a 6x4 1/4 inch wall tube as the base two sections of female 4x4' teliscopic tube 18" long for the bottom uprites that are braced on each side with 1/4 inch plate 16x16" square cut at 45 degree and  hd a curve cut into them for the uprites we use Male tube that drops into the female on each side 6' long the good thing with these id that you can fold them down without having to fight  them esp when you are on your own  ;) and you can stack a load of timber on them when they are on their sides  ;) or just chain and dog them to the trailer and just pull the pins out when running empty Im gong to drill and bolt them down with two long bolts with a nut welded to the underside of the cross member on My next semi  Here's some pics but not the best ones though Mate  ;)










Regards Chris

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

Meadows Miller

That's quite a truck and looks like it does the job 100%.

My dump bed is a little different and has fold down sides and No pockets when it's folded down, all steel bed.

Snowstorm -  I'm in FL and really flat here. The truck is a 7000 GMC, 33K GVW, 366 GM gas eng., 5 speed.  I have hauled with this size engine in the 60's and 70's and it worked, that's what we had back then. I only need to haul a few loads, perhaps 15 to 25, not sure. I'm way under (366 gas eng.) powered and I'll live with it for only 3 or 4 months.

I don't want to get into a deal with the Fed. Hvy. Use Tax and apportioned license. I've trucked before, pulled a low boy over 48 states; I want to stay small for my little part time deal. I still have my CDL (A) license and current DOT physical. 33K is Commerical Lic. in FL but not diesel powered. I can haul under 54K in a  gross veh. combo (truck & trailer) and will not need the Hvy. Highway Use deal from the Fed's. .

I went to welding shop and re-directed to a scrap yard that has all types of steel and good price's. We did a little lay out on his welding table in  white soap stone. He has built bunks before and thought my idea (above) would work just fine but did not have the steel to sell.  

Avery

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Avery She Is a nice truck to drive its out of action atm though she had motor issues :( :'( its a Inter Acco 79mod got a 345V8 on Lp Gas 5 speed eaton with an IH 2speed rear end 24' tray it tares in at about15000lbs and is legal at about 36000 gross with about a 21000lb payload even though it has been good upto 31000lbs payload more than afew times in the past as I use to get alittle keen sometimes ;)   :D Its a debate atm weather to go all out and reco the old girl and put a fresh 392 V8 in it and go over everything including rust removal and full respray and redoing the suspension and shocks at a total of about $5to 6k but it would still fetch about $12 to 14k  with all that done down here so I reckon it would be money well spent and alot better that what I would get for it from a wrecker ;)

You should be able to get the set your talking about made pretty cheaply and like you said its only for shifting your own logs about and getting rid of the pulp Mate  ;) ;D 8)

Regards Chris

[ahlkey]

Last year I built some log bunks for my trailer and flatbed truck.  I typically haul 4-5 cords of wood.  The stack pockets are custom 1/4 inch or so but actually all the weight sits on the bunks.  I used 3 X 1.5 (3/16") tubing for the uprights with 4 X 2 (1/4" tubing) as a cross beam that sits on the deck.  However, this cross beam only extends 16" in length.  The cross beams while small then connect into a large 6 X 4 Hickory wood beam where I will cut a tenon that is inserted into the 2 X 4 tubing.  I used 3 X 1.5 tubing as the angle braces and then pin the bottom of the bunk so it cannot pop out.   Everything is portable enough and the  weight is distributed in such a way as to protect the trailer when the bunks are hit.  Actually the only risk I found was hitting the bunks when no load was on the cross beams but even that was manageable.  I used waste oil on the hickory beams and they have held up great.

[brendonv]

I like the idea of stake pockets personally.  For me, with my new log trailer, I plan on doing all stake pocket sides, and adding three more per side to be able to move the stake per the length of the logs.  In residential tree work most times you just can't get them down in long lengths.  Plus the fact if you ever need to haul bulk material, you can build solid sides, mesh sides, shorter sides, taller, whatever you need.

[snowstorm]

trucks must be quite pricy down under. i had a 1970 ih 1700 all wheel drive that had a 345 in it i dont relly care for gas motors but that did run good. first log truck i bought in 79 was a 72 lt900 ford 534 gas with a 5 an a 4 it never got more than 2 mpg