So it begins. This tiny starter trailer doesn’t allow for much in the way of “options” so this is what I am thinking of doing.
Note I am doing this 2 days a week outside my normal FT job with plans to build enough work to go full time in a year or two.
PW has an electric start.
Tank is for buffer and will only leave a few gallons in the bottom in transit.
Removing that particle board and putting down a stall mat from Tractor Supply.
Using U clamps to clamp PW down unless someone has a better option.
Using eye bolts to strap buffer tank down.
Blue tub represents where the stacking reels will go.
Black tub with grey lid is my thought on where some chemicals to be carried to help even out the weight the stacking reels will add to the curb side.
Thinking I can put a pvc on the street side and slide the squeegee and pushbroom in… just need a secure way to keep them from popping out. Thought about vertical housing but seems kind of long for that gate.
Next sums of money after getting the basics filled in (150 ft hose, stacking hose reel and a WW Classic or Ultra and a supply of spare parts) is a used truck. Currently hauling with a 4 cylinder sedan and class 1 hitch so super conscious of weight on trailer. Think I am probably going to be about 550ish pounds. Yes, I know. It is an intermediary - would love to be able to just go out and layout $ for a truck now, but no can do. So used truck and then maybe a bigger trailer are next.
Questions:
See any issue with the sc handle in that location? Gas/choke is still accessible.
see any issues with the buffer tank sitting where it is? - slight offset on street side to allow room for plumbing. (again it will only transport a few gallons in transit due to class 1 hitch)
Should I put the buffer up on 2x4’s to get it off the floor to make plumbing and filters easier to manage?
Buffer tank, should the discharge for extra water come off the back or front side of the tank? I also want a Y splitter so I can run a short whip for filling buckets, washing my legs, etc…
Anyone have a good solution to hanging things on that back gate? Would love to hang the wands, boots, bag with gloves, etc up there, not crazy about bungies long term.
any issue with weight placement? kinda worried it is too much weight on the back with the stacking reels and hose and the chemicals…
I would secure SC against side rail…use pvc vertically attached (u bolts) to rear gate for hand tools, wands, etc…id personally wudnt stack the reels, just put them side by side…buy a bracket for spare tire to put on the side, or attach inside trailer against back gate… and id buy a skid for the Machine and bolt it down.
Make sure weight is set up properly… dont want too much weight on tongue… hoses will help, and so would chemicals being back there.
Others have better idea of what to do than myself, but those are my opinions.
Thanks! I cannot yet go to the skid situation. In an emergency (heaven help me) I may need to unload pw and tank to transport broken mower… got mine and my mom’s to keep running… will be so glad when I can have a pick up and larger dedicated trailer…
so why not stacking reels? I have very little real estate to work with… would love to understand the whys of one over another way to do things! Thanks
I will look at upright pvc and tire on back gate is great!
I watched a couple of trailer hauling videos and it seemed like weight on tongue and in middle with less in back… but my head is swirling with all the details of being a start up… thanks for your thoughts and suggestions, greatly appreciated
You want about 15% of weight on the tongue. So, if the trailer is 500 lbs you want 75 lbs on the tongue. If you real worried about it that’s light enough you can weigh that with your bathroom scale if you wanted too.
I agree. If the tank will be empty when traveling I would put the washer over the axle or even slightly forward if your reels will be in the back.
Does the trailer have an expanded metal floor under the plywood?
That’s the best explanation I think I’ve seen about the science of trailers.
It would have been nice if they also demonstrated what happens when more weight is shifted to the back, and then to the front. The worst stability issues arise when you have zero or negative tongue weight, as that causes traction issues on the rear (towing vehicle) axle, in addition to the inertia discussed in the video. So fishtailing is basically guaranteed when the wobbles start.
So if you’re going to err in one direction over the other, it’s better to have a little more weight in the front vs. the back. More weight at the front does mean a little more side-to-side inertia, but it tends to follow the direction of the tow vehicle, and you have traction at the rear wheels to keep the car on the road.
I have a very lightweight trailer, as well. I have the same machine, skid mounted at the front left corner of the trailer. Reels are side by side at the rear right corner. Buffer tank near the middle and always nearly empty for towing. My soaps and stuff in a box at the front right.
I’ve probably got 75-100 lbs on the tongue (never weighed), and have good towing stability with this setup.
hmm the trailer is like 325 lbs with open mesh floor — little cheapo 4 x 7 carry on from TS. kinda want to keep any sh from that metal… the rubber mat would do that nicely and help absorb some of that vibration I expect.
so I only want 50 lbs on the tongue…
ok the pw goes where the tank is, buffer tank goes where pw is as it is 30lbs and if it has 3 gallons of water in the bottom while driving then I am right at the 50 lb mark on the tongue.
Thought about throwing some wood on there for a floor but it adds too much weight. The receiver can only manage 1000lb total. I want to stay under that a good deal for safety. Figured the rubber stall mat would work nice. it is 4 x 6 so it will nearly fit perfect.
when I earn $5000 to buy a used pick up I can tweak the setup, as the trailer can do about 1600 lbs.
that is old particle board from hauling the rider mower. removing it and putting stall mat from Tractor Supply on it.
Expecting that thick mat will get me through this season as a part timer and hopefully by this time next year I will have a truck and a bigger better trailer… it is soooo small…
ditching the particle board and using horse stall mat… see post above - read somewhere that it should work pretty good for this season. just $35 and I am only going out like 2 days a week since I have a FT job.
pw is now over axle at an angle… why?
my short little arms can reach all the controls and fill the gas
the exhaust has a nice wide path with nothing in front of it to melt
allows room for the hose reel (represented by blue tub) to be cranked without busting knuckes up
not sure if this presents any problems for pluming the buffer and bypass or not.
seems to keep the weight in the middle of the trailer on both x and y axis aside from the planned stacking hose reels. (don’t see much choice to do it any other way)…
broom is representing either a Classic or Ultra whisper washer… ahd to return the rented one earlier today.
tub with grey lid is full of chemicals from Pressure Tek…gutter grenade, elemonator, f9 f18, etc so fairly heavy
sorry… ha, sometimes I find these threads hard to follow on here… not enough sleep. will be happy when I can say “remember when I was running on too little sleep trying to get started up” ha ha… one day and soon!
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