Mower trailer pics

jon f mn

Well-known Member
I just built this trailer and am selling it. I listed it in foto classifieds under misc. I can still costomize it a bit to meet your needs if you like.
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The workmanship looks to be excellent. Congratulations on a fine job.

However, I don't understand why you did not install a tongue jack by now. Also, if this is supposed to be for hauling around a lawn or garden tractor, why are there no tie-down rings recessed into the floor. If it is also supposed to be a general purpose trailer, then why is there no outside rail for tie downs to grab onto, all the way around the trailer because no matter what you put in that bed, it must secured.

It would also be a good idea to state the length and width of the actual floor of the trailer along with how high the floor is off the ground when the trailer is hooked to a vehicle and is level.
 
In addition, what is the axle rated to carry and do the tires match that rating?

This looks like an all-aluminum trailer. Is it?

How thick is the wood deck and what species of wood did you use?

Whats the weight of the trailer as it sits now?
 
I didn't put in the tiedowns yet so I could install them to suit whoever buys it. The axle is 3500# and the tires are used, if whoever wants them I'll get new rated tires but it will be more$ The floor is 3/4 tounge and groove. No jack so it can be cheaper but I have several in the garage so whoever buys it can have the one they want. I never weighed one finnished but without the wheels and floor I can carry it out of the garrage myself. It is all aluminum cept coupler, axle, floor screws and gate pins.
 
I'm sorry the add is not under misc. it's under "tractor related" in the pic classifieds.
 
OK... now we know that it's a 5 x 10 with a TorFlex 3500 LB axle and that it's all aluminum construction.

It's also sitting in Minnesota which is an important detail to someone living in Florida, Texas or southern Cal.

Did you use a really heavy gauge of aluminum expanded metal on the tailgate/ramp? And is the ramp spring-counter-balanced?

What did you use for lighting? LED or incandescent?

You did not state what species of wood was used for the decking.
Trailer
 
The ramp expanded is 3/16" with 1" cut, floor is pine, and the ramp weighs less than 15# total and is hinged so if you can bend over to grab it you can lift it, no springs needed. Lighting is sealed beam but not LED.
 
Holy crap Tom you ask a lot of odd questions. Are you interested in buying it or doing a documentary on it? Look at the trailer! You'd be hard pressed to find a better built trailer anywhere. It's aluminum, what do need springs on the tailgate for or even a jack. Considering how well it's built, I don't think it would be much of a deal to have tie downs or other accessories added to it. I'm pretty sure the add would have contact info as well.
 
Tell me Stick. Do you have X-Ray Vision? How do you know for a certainty that it is built as well as you believe it to be? I agree that it looks good in the photos but looking good is only part of the battle. As someone who has been associated with the construction business that involves heavy equipment, heavy trucks and heavy trailers, I am well aware of the problems that arise constantly when aluminum is used for dump boxes. Stress cracking, broken welds and corrosion thanks to blind areas show up the weaknesses in design and execution.

I don't buy a trailer so that it looks pretty. I buy it because I want it to haul stuff safely. Therefore, having many points available to easily secure the load is a very high priority for me and for most people with trailering experience.

Show me a trailer manufacturer that does not put a tongue jack on every unit he builds. Using torsion springs to counter-balance tailgate/ramps is pretty much standard these days. The questions I asked are the very questions that any savvy trailer buyer should ask because this trailer is not professionally built. As such, some newbie to the world of trailering could find himself permanently parked at an inspection station because of the wrong tires on his trailer for the load being carried. And then.. there's the fines that go along with any infractions that the local constabulary decides to impose.

In most areas of the country, an ID plate is mandatory to show what the GVWR and Tare weights are for the trailer. Also, trailer brakes are often required on any trailer that is capable of weighing more than 2000 LBS when loaded. I see no mention of brakes either.

So... what might SEEM to be a bargain on the surface could well turn into a nightmare if you don't ask the right questions beforehand. A trailer is something that gets towed at highway speeds and if things go wrong with that trailer, it can become a deadly missile to others sharing the road with you.
 
It looks like a really nice job to me. The people that are critical of your work are probably a bit jealous of it. In my eyes, this looks to be a trailer that any normal person would love to have for weekend projects. We don't all need a trailer capable of hauling a tractor. Some of us only want a trailer capable of a run to the dump or Home Depot with our light duty SUV on the weekend.
 
I'm pretty sure I qualify as a professional. But i've learned over many years as a welder and custom trailer builder that you never do some things on a trailer. People don't treat me as they do walmart. They come to buy a trailer they most always say the same thing, "wow thats nice, but can you add or change this?" So I leave off the things most often changed and let them choose what they want.
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Hard to believe that placing an ad to sell a trailer would cause such a ruckus. Anyway, it sure looks like you know what you are doing. If I didn't live on the other side of the country, I'd be seeing you. Nice job!
 
True enough, johnpop but the builder states in the subject line that this is a MOWER TRAILER.

I took him at his word.
 
OK.... so if you built all of those trailers and that is your shop in one of the photos, then I would agree that you are a professional trailer builder IF you make your living doing so and have a registered business.

And if you are in the business of making and selling trailers, then why are you on this site advertising that trailer as if you built it in your backyard?

As far as I know, businesses are not allowed to advertise their wares on this site.
 
Well, guess I should have qualified that by saying I'm an ex-professional. These last pics are all 10 years old and were taken the last year I was in business. The shop and business went away with my divorce. The trailer I posted is made from leftover materials from when I closed up shop. I never intended for this to be an add, I just wanted to draw attention to the add because I thought some on here might be interested.
 
I quess i"m wondering why this is in the forum area and not in an ad section. We have an ad section here for this kind of thing. Seems like half or more of the people come here just to find out what they should sell something for, not to discuss any real tractor or attachment related items. I agree with most of what Tom says.
 
look awfully nice but from being a lawnmowr dealer and repair shop the tailgate looks like the majority out ther the load angle will catch most mower decks out ther because of to steep angle. the gates that are expanded mesh when empty really catch the air and make then suck for pulling long distance for fuel mileage. i modified mine so at least when empty it lays down into the bed. it really makes difference in fuel usage. for lawn mowertrailers drop axles are the way to go far as what we have seen here.
 
This is supposed to be a discussion forum about lawn and garden tractors. Discussing is what we do here so you should expect that your post might be discussed.

You came here in the hopes of finding a buyer for this trailer you built. That makes your post an ad.

If anything, my posts have raised the profile of your post on this site so if you were looking for interest, you certainly found some. Whether any of it will result in the sale..... wait and see.
 
First of all you don't have to have a fancy shop and a registered business to be able to build a trailer every bit as good and usually better than a factory built one. Jon was showing pictures of what he built, like many others on here do. His project just happens to be for sale. For more info you had to go to the ad.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist or someone with X-Ray vision to see that it was built by someone with impeccable workmanship that knows what they're doing! You're in the construction business, I'm in the welding business. You can't just pick up a couple pieces of aluminum and slap a trailer together. A TIG welder alone to do aluminum will set you back at least 2 grand. A really good one will be over 5 grand. A good spool gun and the machine for it is another couple grand.

Lots of smaller trailers don't have a jack and if a person can't lift a tailgate that weighs less than 20 pounds, they mostly likely wouldn't be using a trailer anyways. You've got all these concerns about Jons utility trailer and then start talking about problems associated with dump boxes that are made in trailer factories? Did you pepper these companies with all your concerns too? Any savvy buyer will check out what they're buying before putting their money down. Until Jon told you, you ASSUMED his trailer was not professionally built. When you found out it was all of a sudden you're saying it shouldn't be on the forum. You could have avoided putting your foot in your mouth by simply asking if Jon had ever built trailers before because this one looks really good.
 
It has a torsion axle. Most torsion axles are adjustable for how much drop you want. I guess no one should ever buy a closed in trailer because it would use so much fuel. I just don't understand why people are so bent on finding fault with Jons trailer??? 99% of the people on this forum couldn't even dream of bulding a trailer as nice as Jons.
 
I did not put either of my feet in my mouth. My assumption was understandable because Jon never declared that he used to be a Pro. And yes... TIG welders with spool guns are expensive. I know, because I own a 250 amp Miller set up.

The quality of welding is always questionable and even more so when aluminum is involved.

Not everyone on forums are "savvy buyers" and my questions gave those people something to think about. And don't bother pointing me to Jon's ad because it states very little about the trailer.

It does IMPLY that it will carry 3500 LBS but ..... we now know that the tires are inadequate. We also don't know if the trailer has brakes or not. We do know that it has a tongue and groove PINE floor which is a poor choice in my opinion. Pine is not considered to be a structural species of wood nor is it an OUTDOOR wood unless it is pressure treated.. Even then, it is used mostly for decks, fences and siding... not trailer floors.

You seem to forget that this is a discussion forum and that's exactly what I have been doing all along....discussing. I never once said that Jon's trailer was bad looking. In fact, I praised the appearance in my first post. However, I proceeded to ask questions about how it was constructed and that's fair game when someone comes on a forum for the express purpose of selling something.
 
You are sort of right here. The pic doesn't show the true angle on the ramp cuz the front of the trailer is a bit low and the drive has a fair crown right there that you can't really see in the pic. If I had made it specifically for lawn tractors I would have used a 2000# axle with a lower drop and 13" tires which lowers the deck about 5" and makes it nice. When I built it it was more intended for 4-wheelers and utility type. It wasn't til it was done that I thought to list it here. On flat ground you can load mowers fine, but it is marginal, you have to watch not to have the wheels on a hump or the ramp in a hole or you can have trouble. As far as the ramp goes I never thought of the fuel thing. When I last built these for sale gas was $1.25/gal. lol.
 
Tom your not discussing. Your just being a jerk. That looks like a really nice trailer,Jon. I really like the fact that it is aluminum.
 
You "assumed" and that was when you put your foot in your mouth. Anybody with half way decent vision in one eye could see from the outset that it is an extremely well built trailer and it makes no difference if it was built by a "pro" or not. All that matters is the quality of construction and that's pretty obvious. You didn't ask questions but rather questioned the construction and when called on it, tried to back track.

How do you know the tires are inadequate? If it had been welded by someone with little experience on aluminum, it would stick out like a sore thumb. Now you're the expert on deck material? It is a small utility trailer not a tri-axle low boy built to carry 50 or 60 tons. Most people buying a trailer can see quality when it's right in front of them.
 
If I don't respond to your post, then it looks like I have backed down... which is exactly what you accuse me of doing. Therefore, I am obliged to counter your accusations with the following.


I haven't backtracked one iota. I accepted new information as it was made known to me and reacted accordingly. No one has vision that can discern how well made this trailer is. One would have to look underneath it to see how many cross braces were used, the dimensions of the those braces and the spacing of them.

Unlike you, I don't ASSUME that this trailer meets highway code to the point of being certifiable by the authorities. Instead, I ask questions to try and determine how it has been constructed. No one can determine whether round, square or rectangular tubing has a 1/16" wall thickness or a 3/8" wall thickness just by observing the side of the tubing. The same goes for checker plate or angle. Unless you see the end profile, you are merely ASSUMING.

I know that the tires are inadequate because Jon said so in one of his replies in this thread. Perhaps you should try reading everything first.

As for the deck material, I am not an expert but as someone who has been around to the premises of several trailer manufacturers, I know that not a single one of them would use pine. I have seen 2 x 6 spruce being used but only rarely and mostly as a centre filler between the steel deck area where wheels and tracks are supported. When it has been used for a complete deck surface, then there are cross braces on 12 inch centers to provide the necessary support.

Oak is the preferred species of choice for even small tag-alongs all the way up to 53 foot dry van body trailers. If pine was a good choice, then you would find it in common use.

Very few people can see quality because few people know the difference between junk and quality. And even when they do have an idea about quality, price will often sway them to buy cheap and regret later on when things go wrong.
 
In honor of T Arnold, what kind of compuer are you using? Is it rated to list information about trailers?
Your printer appears to be made of mostly plastic, is it?
What type of paper do you run in your printer? Do you use OEM print cartridges or aftermarket? Have you figured your direct cost savings versus quality comparison on the print cartridges?
How long have you been using a computer?
(That should be enough until the next tsunami of rediculous questions)
 
I use an I- Mac 27.

It is rated to list information about any subject I choose.

Yes. my printer is made mostly of plastic.

I run standard photocopy paper.

I use aftermarket cartridges

No... I haven't bothered running a comparison because I don't print all that much per year.

I've been using a computer all the way back to the days of the Commodore 16, Commodore 64 and the Commodore PET before I bought an IBM XT.

Happy now?
 
Back tracking not backing down. Perhaps you need to read a little more carefully and/or get a stronger prescription? EVERYONE ELSE can tell from the pictures it's a well built trailer. You can see the end profile of the square tube on the tailgate and other parts. He just said the tires were used not inadequate. Used could mean they went around the block.

No you are not an expert so unless you're buying the trailer, let people see it and check it out for themselfs. You're acting like you have some kind of personal vendetta against Jon. Give it a rest already!
 
Tom, I was happy before you showed us all that you will have the last word or else! LOL
So, you likely cannot build a computer, but why don't you go build your own trailer with your fancy welder and leave this nice guy and the rest of us normal people alone?
Build a really big one that will keep you busy and off of the computer and this site until you learn to respect that not everyone likes and dislikes what you do. In other words, the world is NOT your oyster, regardless of what your silly ego may tell you.
Thanks for the laughs!
 
If my posts made you laugh, then you got something out of them. If other readers actually learned what to look for when assessing a trailer, then I am rewarded even further.
 
Tom, I laughed because you appear to be one of those people that don't know that you don't know.
We got tips on how to make a guy feel bad about selling a homemade trailer.
In your mind, you are likely rewarded for simply being the awesome YOU.
LMAO
 
What's funny about your retorts is that they provide nothing to the discussion.

Try reviewing my posts and then pointing out which question/s I asked about this trailer was/were not valid?

I wasn't trying to make Jon feel bad about his trailer but I've been around forums long enough to know that there are always people like you that read things into posts that are not really there.
 
Yes I have and it is an excellent deck material, especially the Brazilian variety. Many people say that Apitong is as close to a life-time material as you can get.
 
Tom,

It is very clear that none of the mirrors at your place are in working order.
Thanks for the edumacasion on traylurs.
 
Nice trailer and well built too as I'm an expert in long distance trailer judging(LOL).You shouldn't have any problem selling them to Reasonable Buyers looking for a trailer.
 
I can tell you have a quality judgement, but how do I know that you are a professional judger and not just passing judgements from your garage? Have you registered your judgement? If so why are you passing judgement on here? I don't think they allow professional judger's on here.
 
Anyone else out there have a trailer that they built and need to sell so that our resident expert Tom can pick it apart like chicken at a picnic?
 

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