Got a load on!

[Crossroads]

Last year I bought a set of bunks to make it easier to haul logs when I need to. Yesterday, I finally got around to welding some angle iron on each side. Now I can set them on and off quickly as well as adjust them accordingly to the length of the logs. With my 14k trailer and no bunks, I could haul right at 1,000 brd ft. I should be able to get close to 2,000 with this setup. I’m going to have to leave the dodge at home though, as this load of pine was more than it wanted to play with comfortably. 

[DanMc]

I liked it, but really love it.  I need to do something similar with my 4-ton car carrier trailer.  

I don't think I could haul that many logs though.

[Crossroads]

Yeah, I’m thinking this can save me some trips. I just need to play with it and get more weight on the trailer axles. 

[Crusarius]

I was just going to suggest you move the load back some. otherwise looks good.

[rusticretreater]

Yeah, that is a ton of tongue weight.  The front tires on my truck would be off the ground.

[Digger Don]

To add to Crusarius suggestion, maybe load all of them with the small end forward. Granted it's still gonna be a lot of tongue weight, but the Ford 8000 should be able to handle it.

[mudfarmer]

If you are hauling them somewhere to sell and they are going to have to scale them, they may really appreciate it if they are all loaded with small end in one direction, too. Of course this makes for more work on your end, to sort them all, and the guys at the yard might have nice loaders with rotators! Just a little thing that can help set you a cut above.

I think I remember when you bought the bunks, looks good!

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Mudfarmer makes a good point about scaling but if they are hard wood logs they got to be graded as well unless you have  straight through price. And that means being able to eye ball them so they cant be graded while loaded.   True it dont matter with pine or hemlock through.  

F800 will handle that load but I would want more weight toward the rear of the trailer.  Better to tow em than carry em you know.

[Crossroads]

Yeah, I definitely agree with being to far forward. I was just moving them from my old sawmill site to my new site(still on my property) so I just took it slow, but the front of the dodge was pretty light   
I do have a not so fancy loader with rotating grapples, so unloading is pretty easy. I could have spun them around with the skiddy, but since I was only going a 1/4 mile, I wasn’t to worried. Next week I’ll be hauling some western red cedar and it will be moved back to reduce the tongue weight. 
I don’t get very much in the line of hardwood in north Idaho, unfortunately. Any I do come across is yard trees and if they end up on my trailer, they end up in my yard 😁. I do plan to sell some grand fir from my place this fall/winter if things slow down, but I don’t know if the timber company is going to let me haul my own logs. I’m hoping that having the bunks will open that door for me. 

[mudfarmer]

Good stuff 👍

Hope they let you haul the logs, if you have the time it is good to go for a ride, see the mill or yard and rub elbows. I like to do it, grew up with a bunch of truckers and gives me something to do during the thaws! If not, it is for sure handy to be able to haul around your property and to the mill. 

You are inspiring me to build some new bunks to replace drop-in stakes.

BCC, one of the yards I sell to is a concentration yard, they scale when they grade-- logs come off the piles with a big rubber tired tigercat loader and are laid out on stringers for what seems like a half mile   the scaler goes down the line, scales and assigns a grade to each log, turning as they go. The softwood buyer up the road gives a straight price per volume and unloads with forks so it really helps him out to align the logs all the same way but sucks for me in the landing with- you guessed it, forks 

[Crossroads]

Between the trailer with bunks and the prentice loader, I hope to be able to get logs a little easier this next year. This winter/spring I had a real struggle getting the logs to fill orders.