Tool Trailer for Handyman Service

[Ray Cecil]

I love my gravely. 1957 model. Fires up no problem. Cuts pretty good. Its sweaty work, yes, but ive been through worse. Typically I dont operate it more than 30 minutes or so.

[Ray Cecil]

A coworker's dad is in construction. Was dragging his trailer home before christmas and the outer bearing on the passenger wheel disenegrated. He works out of his trailer and decided he needed to go buy a brand new one. So I got this for $950. Two bearings, a seal, a little clean up and some grease and I had her home.

12' Vnose Patriot Homesteader. Single 3500k axle.

Needs a little work to seal the roof. I think Ill do an electric brake upgrade and wire up a 7way harness.

[Gary Lewis]

That's a steal, Ray!  But I agree the electric brake upgrade is a good idea.  That thing fully loaded would approach the weight of your truck.

Make sure you check out your hitch, drawbar, and ball to ensure all are up to the task.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Good score Ray!  

Were it me, I'd probably roll the roof with shower waterproofing like Ardex or RedCoat.

V-nose is nice for backing into tight spots...

[Ray Cecil]

Gary Lewis wrote

Make sure you check out your hitch, drawbar, and ball to ensure all are up to the task.

Yeah, its a good trailer, but lacking some heavydutyness. Ebrakes for sure. Draw bar looks a little on the light duty side. 2" ball curently.

[Ray Cecil]

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Were it me, I'd probably roll the roof with shower waterproofing like Ardex or RedCoat....

I will look into that.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I don't know what the frame is like but could you swap in a heavier axle that already has ebrakes?

Gary's saying that it's going to be as heavy as the truck.
Is that safe on a 3,500# axle?

[Gary Lewis]

I was just assuming that his Flareside is ~3500#'s.  So loaded the tail would be as big as the dog.

As for swapping a heavier axle in that has e-brakes, that would probably work but it may mean you need different tires, and maybe wheels.  The tires are usually load-rated for half of the axle capacity, and the heavier axles frequently have a different bolt pattern.  So it can become an expensive proposition if not careful.

But, are the existing tires good?  If they need replaced you can frequently order in tires mounted on new wheels for about what you can get new tires locally.  My brother has done this several times lately and has been surprised how inexpensive that is.

Not that they have good prices on tires and wheels, but etrailer has been a go-to place for me when looking for parts.  You can look there for axles, brakes, etc.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Wow
I had no idea a truck could be so light.

My truck tares ~6,300 over the scale at the dump.

[Gary Lewis]

Depends a lot on what the options are on the truck, but here's a page from the 1981 dealer facts book showing the base weights.  Then there are extensive tables showing how much each option adds to each axle.

[Ray Cecil]

I think a heavier axle would encourage overloading the frame. I can put electric brakes on the existing axle and not put too much in it. I should be able to have basic tools loaded, plus whatever I need for that day.

[Ray Cecil]

Also, I havent weighed it, but with the 4x4, a tank of gas, and me in it, it might be pushing 4000lbs....maybe.

[Ray Cecil]

So a 116" wheelbase f150 4x2 is just under 3000lbs. This truck is very basic. 4x4 is worth what? Maybe another 400lbs? Axles, diff, hubs, tcase. Yeah, there is no way its going to hit 4000lbs.

[Rembrant]

Ray Cecil wrote

So a 116" wheelbase f150 4x2 is just under 3000lbs. This truck is very basic. 4x4 is worth what? Maybe another 400lbs? Axles, diff, hubs, tcase. Yeah, there is no way its going to hit 4000lbs.

Ray,

I actually weighed my '84 Flareside, and it was just under 3400 lbs. That was with me NOT in it, and I believe I calculated it based on the fuel tank being empty. Not sure how a 302 compares to a 300 in weight though.

You'd have the add weight of the transfer case, front driveshaft, and front diff and axles, wider springs, etc. I think you'd be pretty close to your 400 lb estimate once you added it all up.

I did post about it, so I'll see if I can find the thread back when I did it.

Edit:...Here is the link to when I weighed the truck.

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/My-1984-F150-2wd-Flareside-Project-Blue-Mule-tp4515p14566.html

[Gary Lewis]

We have had a page that was intended to answer some of these questions: Documentation/Specifications/Dimensions & Weights.  Heretofore it has just had the dimensions and base curb weights, but today I've added the accessories weights.

However, as of now it doesn't include the engine and transmission options, and I've not found that information - yet.  

[Rembrant]

Well there you go Gary, that documentation confirms that when I weighed my truck it was pretty accurate (I calculated the weight without driver and without fuel to be about 3385 lbs iirc), and the specified 4X2 weight is 3424 lbs. It also confirms Ray's estimate on the weight of the 4x4 components as the same truck in 4X4 is specified at 3825 lbs curb weight (exactly 400 lbs heavier than a 4X2).

[ArdWrknTrk]

Interesting that the 460 with EEC only adds 89#.

Also, that I have a ton of stuff in my truck (including myself)

Though the D44 HD probably weighs more than the straight axle I'd imagine was contemporary to this catalog.

[Gary Lewis]

Jim - I think you may be reading it incorrectly.  I certainly did when I first looked.  I was looking at the A/C weights, which vary by the engine.  Is that what you were looking at?

[ArdWrknTrk]

I imagine I am!

[Ray Cecil]

Rembrant wrote

...... It also confirms Ray's estimate on the weight of the 4x4 components as the same truck in 4X4 is specified at 3825 lbs curb weight (exactly 400 lbs heavier than a 4X2).

Well, Im a pretty darn good guesser aint I!