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Redlandsguy
26-07-2011, 05:57 PM
I know there have been a few threads on trailers, but I didn't want to revive an old one, so started this thread.

Currently I use an older Hi-lux wagon as my work truck and it stores all my hand equipment, whippers, blowers, poisons, sprayer etc etc. Changing it to a Ute or something else at the moment is not an option due to cost and it does the job and provides some security for equipment.

My dilemma is that I have decided to go the whole hog and get a rider, probably a walker, and probably second hand. I have a few problems that I need to deal with because of this and wanted peoples ideas and their thoughts on some of mine. Living in Brisbane we have a fairly high expectation from clients that we will remove grass, in itself with a catcher not a problem. What does become a problem is the volume of grass and how to handle it. I use bags at the moment, a mix of wool bales and silver poly tarp bags approx 700 in diameter that Bunning’s used to stock. My current trailer is an 8x5 but basically a box with a ramp and a small mower tray on the front. With the small mower on the tray, the 22"Rover on the back I currently get up to 5 bags from a days run and can't fit any more one without making it a real pain in the butt to do the next job or to unload. I’d prefer not to start stacking them as they can cause problems with weight and be dangerous and unbalanced unless I use a lot more tie downs then I currently need.

I am buying the rider because I expect to continue building my run and consequently would expect a lot more grass each day. This causes 2 problems, first where do you put the grass and secondly the damage that grass does to a trailer from the moisture and gunk that comes out of grass. These are the questions and ideas that this raises:

1. Do I go to a dump bin for the clippings and how do you load it?
2. What size does it need to be to cope with the amount of clippings that could be generated in a day?
3. With a bin how do I empty it, tipper with winch or air bag or just rake it out?
4. Or do you keep using bags and dedicate an area to store them?
5. Again, how many loads of grass would you generate in a day using a Walker type mower?
6. To get around the rust/rot problem is it possible to use a wooden floor in a trailer or is this just too hard and expensive?
7. Is it better to get part/all of the trailer sprayed with Ute liner?

These are only the start of my worries, of course I need to think of storage racks for whippers and blowers etc but these are the core problems that I think I need to get sorted to start with. My preference is a single axle trailer; 2000kg is probably what I am thinking of as capacity. The reason for this is that I prefer to back the trailer into my yard at the end of the day and the single axle is a lot easier to manoeuvre and a lot easy to bump around the yard if I have too move it.

The other thing that then comes up is where do I load the rider, via the back and or on the front, either across or more probably with an angled ramp from the footpath and then straightened north south on the trailer. I am thinking here about optimum loading. The grass also will cause a problem here as I am thinking that it could be around 300kgs fully loaded, balancing that is a problem or do I just cop that and accept that it will build up during the day only?

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

mowhawk
26-07-2011, 06:47 PM
If you want to haul around a walker mower an be able to dump your grass you will have to go for a tandem trailer.There are a few good examples of these type of trailers getting around these days. I have a tandem wiht a hydraulic tipper and the toolbox is on the side of the trailer but is seperate from the tipperbox.It also depends on how much you want to spend,I made my own as I can weld,but before I made it I got qoutes between $10000 -$15000 to knock one up. A single axle will be overlimit very quickly if you have alot of grass and wouldnt be legal anyway.Unfortunatley a tandem is the only way to go from what I understand you need.I have plans for my trailer if you would like to see them.

Neil&family
26-07-2011, 07:02 PM
I want to do the same. I have an 8X5 with a mower box on the front.Hand tools go in the lockable canopy on my hilux.At the moment i have a cub cadet 1042 and i can squeeze 1 wool bag and around 10 chaff bags no probs. Not sure how long a walker is with the deck up, But i'm hopeing its not much longer than the Cub with catcher.

I would stick with the bags as you will carry more grass with them. As the grass goes in the bag and gets stacked it compacts as its being constricted by the bag on all sides if that makes sence. Some times i tip the grass out and think F__k, thats alot of grass.When at dump i drive the mower out and throw all the bags out,Empty them Blow out trailer,Load mower and away. Only takes about 10 mins and your done.

P.S Don't rake the grass out....Thats painfull.

Redlandsguy
18-08-2011, 02:56 PM
Think I might have finally had a win. My normal welding guy has been able to get his hands on a stack of aluminium sheet for half price and has come up with a sensational quote for an all alloy trailer. It is better then a quote I recieved from that guy in Victoria who has been mentioned on here before for a steel trailer. I was happy with his price but can't see me not taking an allooy option, won't stop all corrosion and rust but will certainly put it on hold. Will be strong as well with 3 mm floor, tool boxes, mower box and ride on ramp plus one other little trick of an on board fuel tank instead of jerry cans.

watlebird mowing
18-08-2011, 04:15 PM
Fuel tank is a ripper idea mate, can't wait to see the trailer sounds great.

Neil&family
18-08-2011, 05:29 PM
would you mount the tank high or have it underneath.High would be a good idea as it would siphon easy. On an organized trail ride once a guy had a 44Gal drum and a little air compresor rigged on top to pump air in and fuel out.Thought that was a ripper of an idea.

PaulG
18-08-2011, 06:28 PM
One of these would be handy if you could buy the hose and handpiece separately and fit it to the opening on your tank.

http://www.flo-n-go.com/

Redlandsguy
19-08-2011, 08:42 AM
The tank will probably go under the storage box in the top drivers side of the front mower box. The space that gets wasted basically above the moer engine and deck. Won't be huge, probably about 40-50 L but easier then mucking round with jerry cans.