Good source for used semi trailers?

Derick Freese wrote: If you want to chill out in small-town Florida for a week or 10, you can park that in my yard and we'll have us a good old redneck party, sans the rednecks.

One of you living in a semi trailer, the other allowing the trailer to be parked in the yard ... I do not think that party will be sans rednecks.

curtis73 wrote: I started and got this far... and then I accidentally closed without saving. But I have this much anyway

Looks like she's already bored. Put on some Luther Vandross or something, man. You're losing your touch.

jg

PHeller wrote: Curtis, you'll be towing this with a big puller?

Yeah, probably a single-axle day-cab. Something like an FL80, Ford L9000.

Even the all-steel vans I'm finding tare at less than 20k empty. Even if I put another 15k lbs in it, I'm still pretty light compared to what those rigs were designed to drag.

Something like.......

http://www.commercialtrucktrader.com/listing/1997-INTERNATIONAL-8100-110338808

FWIW, we've been shopping a second car hauler at work.

You can pick up a NASCAR style trailer that is a couple years old for under $20,000 pretty easily and it's already outfitted with a bunch of stuff that would get you going.

We haul our 35' Pace with a Sportchassis converted freightliner and it kicks ass.

It's a 4-door cab and the back seat folds into a decent sized bed.

Trans_Maro wrote: FWIW, we've been shopping a second car hauler at work. You can pick up a NASCAR style trailer that is a couple years old for under $20,000 pretty easily and it's already outfitted with a bunch of stuff that would get you going. We haul our 35' Pace with a Sportchassis converted freightliner and it kicks ass. It's a 4-door cab and the back seat folds into a decent sized bed.

Agreed, but a couple things that won't work for me in that scenario, but I appreciate the suggestion.

I'm thinking $6000 tops for trailer and self-built guts, and about $6000 for the rig. Those 53' drop vans are sexy, but if I need a campground (which I will frequently), most of them have a 40-45' limit. There is also the weight factor. I don't really have the need to use a Class 8, double-axle, Detroit 60, 17-speed gearbox making 6 mpg.... when I could be using a class 5-6 single axle puddle jumper making 10 mpg.

I'm looking for big enough blank canvas.

Curtis, Have you considered a Frito Lay Van and trailer? I looked at them a while ago for a race car hauler, but may not be as large as you want.

More inspiration for you:

http://oldschool.co.nz/2011/forum/index.php?/topic/26950-yoeddynzs-1985-hino-housetruck-now-with-a-rembrandt/

that is GREAT inspiration. Neat stuff.

Don49 wrote: Curtis, Have you considered a Frito Lay Van and trailer?

Another good point.

The owner of a place I used to work for bought used bread trucks and potato chip trucks because he figured that they spent their lives hauling product which was mostly air and as a result, the trucks were not as worn out.

Shawn

Don49 wrote: Curtis, Have you considered a Frito Lay Van and trailer? I looked at them a while ago for a race car hauler, but may not be as large as you want.

I never figured out what people meant by "the frito lay trailer." I've seen Frito Lay transported in every variant of tractor-trailer known to man.

However... I did an image search for "frito lay trailer" and came up with this roll-side:

and this conventional dry van:

and this drop-deck with wheel wells:

BUT THIS image below is exactly what I'm looking for.... the small wheels for low step-in height, max height inside, and NO WHEEL WELLS but I'm not sure I can find it in anything less than 53'.

Is there a name for this type of trailer? Is this the "frito lay" trailer? I like the deep drop and the small wheels.... how does one search for this type of trailer?

Trans_Maro wrote: The owner of a place I used to work for bought used bread trucks and potato chip trucks because he figured that they spent their lives hauling product which was mostly air and as a result, the trucks were not as worn out. Shawn

When I needed a box truck to move, I found a company that did blown-in insulation selling a 24' truck. Granted, bales of insulation are not as much air as potato chips, but they aren't heavy.

I figured I bought a truck with a 26k GVW that never saw anything more than about 15k actual weight.

Curtis,

They made a version using a modified step van with a 5th wheel drop down van. I'll see if I can find a picture.

In reply to Don49: http://jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?s=f1e85ffcaa55e1223109e1e8395d5951&attachmentid=1754762&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1349141190

I think those are too small for such an epic trip and purpose.

Ah, OK. Thanks for the photos. I actually don't think I have ever seen one until now.

But yes, a bit too small. This photo I posted above:

is perfect in almost every way: deep drop, small tires, no interior wheel wells. The only things I would change would be to make it 45-48' instead of 53' (so it fit in more campgrounds), and maybe single axle if it can handle the weight I plan.

One of my concerns is maintenance cost. 4 tires are cheaper than 8, and the same goes for bearings, brake parts, and air springs.

My other concern is no wheel wells. I'm pretty certain that the tow rig will be just big enough to be a pain for daily driving, so stashing a miata in the living room wouldn't be a bad idea.

You have a bike, that will fit nicely in any trailer.

Grtechguy wrote: You have a bike, that will fit nicely in any trailer.

Very true, and it can go right in front of the miata

This has now officially become the "have my cake and eat it too" thread.

curtis73 wrote:

Grtechguy wrote: You have a bike, that will fit nicely in any trailer.

Very true, and it can go right in front of the miata This has now officially become the "have my cake and eat it too" thread.

And where does the boat go?

pilotbraden wrote:

curtis73 wrote:

Grtechguy wrote: You have a bike, that will fit nicely in any trailer.

Very true, and it can go right in front of the miata This has now officially become the "have my cake and eat it too" thread.

And where does the boat go?

beside the helicopter.... duh.

HeavyDuty wrote:

I have one of those trucks that my father bought to be his heavy hauler and never finished I would love to sell. It's a factory cab and was a rail rider, so it has single wheels on it now, but it is a standard P30 chassis and he had a matching motor home with the dually 19.5 rims and tires. I think the chassis is rated @11k, 4500# front and 7k rear axle, which should pull a decent trailer without issue. Clearly not a semi trailer, but any toy hauler designed for a pickup.

Depending on your fab skills maybe you want to build the trailer. Take any regular 53' trailer swap on a set of low profile 20" tires and when you cut a chunk out of the middle to make it to length just "Z" the front of the frame.

oldopelguy wrote: Depending on your fab skills maybe you want to build the trailer. Take any regular 53' trailer swap on a set of low profile 20" tires and when you cut a chunk out of the middle to make it to length just "Z" the front of the frame.

I thought about this a lot. I have some good welding skills (although currently lack the welder), but it kinda hit me that with the going rate of steel combined with the availability of affordable trailers, I can't imagine that being a less-costly alternative.

... that is, unless I can't find the trailer I want as-is... alterations might be a necessity.

Truth be told, the long term dream would be to have it be towed by something like this:

Imagine that with a Detroit 60-series in place of that V8.

curtis73 wrote:

oldopelguy wrote: Depending on your fab skills maybe you want to build the trailer. Take any regular 53' trailer swap on a set of low profile 20" tires and when you cut a chunk out of the middle to make it to length just "Z" the front of the frame.

I thought about this a lot. I have some good welding skills (although currently lack the welder), but it kinda hit me that with the going rate of steel combined with the availability of affordable trailers, I can't imagine that being a less-costly alternative. ... that is, unless I can't find the trailer I want as-is... alterations might be a necessity. Truth be told, the long term dream would be to have it be towed by something like this: Imagine that with a Detroit 60-series in place of that V8.

I'm liking this plan

JoeyM wrote: I'm liking this plan

Yeah.... take a recent class 5-6 truck, rat rod it with some old sheet metal, Z the frame a couple feet, and it could double as 60k tow rig and around-town puddle jumper with mass appeal.

Sucker the ladies in with the hot rat-rod dually, then take them home to the babe lair trailer.

Brown chicken, Brown cow.

One thing about doing your own trailer frame "Z" is that you can create something perhaps better. For example, leave the back of the frame as designed but drop the front mere inches from the ground and mount the fifth wheel hitch down low like on a car transporter. Add doors to the front and loading will be easy. New lower deck height and corresponding lower roof means fuel economy and a ton more cab space since you can go to the back of the frame. Wonder how dually fenders on a suburban would look with a top kick front end?

Of course, you could get the same effect with a bumper pull camper and putting the Miata on the back of the truck. Bet a nice crew cab IH or topkick with a 14' bed would be in budget.

About those Frito-Lay trucks- I drove one of the shorter ones for many miles. Cab was a Grumman re-body of a one ton Chevy pick up. 350 Chevy gas motor. Total weight, with race car and all equipment was ~18,000 pounds. Drove OK, but short WB on tractor made for a choppy ride. All told, it worked well for our needs, and nothing screamed RACE CAR!!, so did not get much attention, except at weigh stations where they all wanted go ogle the car. IMSA GTO "Camaro".