My log loader trailer build

bigblue12v · August 03, 2016, 09:40:26 AM

I posted about this back in April when I bought the crane. I finally got time to get it mounted. I made the mounting brackets, engine and pump mounting, fuel tank mount (ignore the temporary mount in first pics, see the large covered mount to the left of the engine), valve mounting, etc all in house. The stabilizers were made in house, as was the remote control for the valves. And the log bunks which pin into pockets on the trailer. They're made of 3/16" thick 2x2 box tube with 1/4" plate 12" x12" gussets, 2 per corner. They're 4' tall from deck height and spaced 8' apart lengthwise. Trailer is 16' on the flat. Crane has 12.5hp Kohler Command I swapped in place of the locked up 11hp Briggs. It is very smooth and easy to control. The first leg of the boom is 12' and the second is 8'. It works out perfect size for this trailer as with the main boom in the air and second one hanging vertically (strongest position for most lifting capacity) it still reaches to the middle of the trailer. Trailer has GVWR of 18k lbs. With much of the tare being tongue weight I expect to be able to have a cargo capacity of roughly 14k very safely. Will weigh trailer today. Going to make a cradle for the crane to sit in over the trailer tongue for transport and storage. Still ironing out some details to customize it how is best for me but it's coming along great! Trailer tongue jack is a 2 speed from a semi trailer so it has no problem. Used 7-way trailer wire and plugs for the remote control so it can be unhooked and stored in tool box.
Going to use tongs for now, later I'll probably build a rotator and grapple for it. And yes we're planning on sandblasting and painting it. It's sat over a decade since last used and other than a stuck valve and a cylinder needing new seals it's all in good shape. We fixed the valve here and my cylinder is getting fixed today. Hope to have pics and video of it in action soon! I'm really excited about this! Going to make firewood much much easier on me!

Ljohnsaw · August 03, 2016, 05:23:19 PM

Sweet. So are those 6k mobile home axles? Did you have any issues registering with those? Out here, I've been told, you cannot make a road trailer with those. They can only be used for transporting mobile homes.

bigblue12v · August 03, 2016, 10:30:01 PM

Quote from: ljohnsaw on August 03, 2016, 05:23:19 PM
Sweet. So are those 6k mobile home axles? Did you have any issues registering with those? Out here, I've been told, you cannot make a road trailer with those. They can only be used for transporting mobile homes.

Yes they are. No issues registering here perfectly legal to run. Tires are supposed to be standard trailer tires not the ones marked mobile home use. Brake backing plates are welded on to them, they can be cut off and weld standard flanges onto them then bolt on Dexter 12" brake assemblies which is what I'm gonna do here very soon. Gotta have good brakes on this thing.
Lots of trailers here with these axles. They also made identical ones that were standard service axles not for mobile homes. I have a couple of those as well under another trailer.

Video uploading to YouTube as we speak. It'll take a while so bear with me. I'll post it in a bit.

bigblue12v · August 03, 2016, 11:58:18 PM

Video of it in action.. Sorry only reasonable logs I have in my yard just lightweight pine and junk.
https://youtu.be/9NsZfE9k3uo

redprospector · August 04, 2016, 12:45:50 AM

Pretty slick! The more you use it, the smoother things will get.
Watch getting too close to the logs while you're moving them.
Get that grapple, and rotator built, and you'll be set. It looks like a stout knuckleboom.

Ljohnsaw · August 04, 2016, 12:50:16 AM

Sweet!

bigblue12v · August 04, 2016, 01:01:38 AM

Thanks! Yea, the remote has a 10' cord, I try to not be directly under the boom. Should have had my hard hat on honestly. I'm pretty good about wearing it and my chaps usually when I'm cutting. With the tongs it's a toss up you need to stay clear but sometimes you gotta guide the log manually. Smoothness can't be done by the levers because they're electric solenoid valves so it's all in the flow control valve settings. Gotta fiddle with the outer boom it's jerky. Still I'm loving it! I am going to build a cradle to put on the tongue that the crane can fold up and nest into so I can still haul equipment or vehicles on the trailer. It will clear the yellow rotator light on my headache rack that way. Won't work like that when I have a hydraulic grapple though. Guess I'll get another trailer by then lol

g_man · August 04, 2016, 08:53:36 PM

That looks pretty good to me !!!

thecfarm · August 04, 2016, 08:58:43 PM

Now that will come in handy!!!

bigblue12v · August 04, 2016, 11:47:25 PM

Thanks guys! Got a load this morning, worked great! That's a whole silver maple yard tree. Nothing to brag about but it was a blow down 3 miles away, pull up, cut and load what I wanted lol takes so much work out of it!!! My owb burns it all.

ahlkey · August 05, 2016, 07:58:12 AM

What is your Tongue weight? If you have too much tongue weight it can cause problems, including not enough weight on the front wheels of the tow vehicle. You should also be careful to follow all the log Securement rules. The placing on the bunks in stack-pockets for logs is not considered ok (with a pin) to avoid unintentional separation. What do you use to keep the stabilizers under pressure (hydraulic or electric) while lifting?

I wrote before in your previous thread about the downside of mobile axles but the most important thing you can do is have your "custom assembled trailer" evaluated by the DMV to ensure it meets all safety rules for use on the highways in your State. I encourage to get your inspection soon before being stopped or worse getting into an accident.

I do see your creative insights on this trailer but I am afraid it not ready for safe highway transportation.

Best of luck to you.

bigblue12v · August 05, 2016, 09:30:43 AM

Quote from: ahlkey on August 05, 2016, 07:58:12 AM
What is your Tongue weight? If you have too much tongue weight it can cause problems, including not enough weight on the front wheels of the tow vehicle. You should also be careful to follow all the log Securement rules. The placing on the bunks in stack-pockets for logs is not considered ok (with a pin) to avoid unintentional separation. What do you use to keep the stabilizers under pressure (hydraulic or electric) while lifting?

I wrote before in your previous thread about the downside of mobile axles but the most important thing you can do is have your "custom assembled trailer" evaluated by the DMV to ensure it meets all safety rules for use on the highways in your State. I encourage to get your inspection soon before being stopped or worse getting into an accident.

I do see your creative insights on this trailer but I am afraid it not ready for safe highway transportation.

Best of luck to you.

Tongue weight is great! even loaded in that picture it's barely sitting the truck level. Trailer empty it's not leveled out yet.
I've been towing all my life, many years of it was every day. I'm no stranger to this. How else would log bunks be secured? I've seen many log trucks around here with DOT numbers they have posts in pockets no pins or bolts. Surely between the way mine are built and the way they are pinned in has to be better than that! I'm pretty decent at engineering stuff and I see no fault or downfall with these. They can't separate until someone pulls the pin, removes the load and then it takes two guys to remove them. Pretty sure that's decent. I used 3" wide commercial ratchet straps on that load, if it was a bigger load I would have used chains and binders. I use the tongue jack to raise the trailer tongue just a little bit, then drop the stabilizers and pin them in the highest hole then lower tongue jack to put pressure on the stabilizers. Works great so far.
We don't have inspections in Indiana. This trailer is fully legal, titled and registered with the DMV. I'm putting new brakes on it this coming week, no plans to use it anymore until after that is done. I appreciate your concerns, I'm a fan of safety precautions. Other than new brakes, I don't see anything unsafe about this trailer. Most of the time the third axle is more of a backup, I don't plan to load it to 100% capacity every trip. Very uneven ground concentrates weight on one or two axles and lightens up a third one. I for one don't want to bend an axle or blow a tire or two due to this occurring under a very heavy load.

Ox · August 05, 2016, 10:12:14 AM

That trailer looks better than most I've used around here, legally, with strict inspections required by our nanny state.

bigblue12v · August 05, 2016, 12:22:18 PM

Thank you Ox! We're planning to blast and paint the crane hopefully this year. I'm putting a winch with wireless remote on it right now to pull stuff in closer as needed.

fishpharmer · August 05, 2016, 02:49:53 PM

bigblue12v, great looking rig you built yourself there!! Video was good to, nice work. I have been wanting to build something like that for years now. I gotta get past some other distractions first.

bigblue12v · August 05, 2016, 03:40:39 PM

Quote from: fishpharmer on August 05, 2016, 02:49:53 PM
bigblue12v, great looking rig you built yourself there!! Video was good to, nice work. I have been wanting to build something like that for years now. I gotta get past some other distractions first.

Thanks! I got super lucky and scored the crane for $300 three hours away. Altogether, trailer, crane, repairs and upgrades and rebuilding trailer, up fitting it for the crane and every single detail I am in the $3k range. I need to spend about $350 to put new brakes on all 3 axles and it's ready to hit the road safely.
I had a 3000# winch with wireless remote laying around here so I mounted it on the boom today. Had an extra fairlead I mounted on the outer boom in case I want to pull from the end of it extended. Short of a grapple/rotator it is the real deal. Better tongs would help a lot for now. I'll build some someday.

Dave Shepard · August 05, 2016, 04:31:29 PM

Those stakes look ok to me. I would have made the cross pieces taller to make it easier to unload with forks, but other than that, they look like all the commercially made ones I've ever seen.

bigblue12v · August 05, 2016, 09:39:07 PM

Thanks Dave, I don't have forks on anything yet, I unload with the crane. Really just for hauling firewood logs. If I get into hauling saw logs I can easily address that later.

bigblue12v · August 30, 2016, 07:58:41 AM

Bit of an update, I've been using it and all is well so far. The tongs aren't working out real well, so I use a choker chain which isn't so bad as I can get multiple logs at a time securely no worries of them coming loose. I really am getting motivated to make a hydraulic grapple.