Trailer for the truck

I needed a utility trailer after I started hauling pallets for heating. Using the truck I could only comfortably fit on 20 to 24 pallets at a time. Plus two trips a week to the place I was getting them was getting old fast. Also I couldn't get all of the pallets offered to me at two trips a week. I needed either a bigger truck or utility trailer. The following pictures are of a 7,000GVW double axle trailer with electric brakes on both axles. I got the plans and a trailer kit consisting of lights, axles, fenders, tires, electric brakes, bull dog coupler, safety chains, wire, and jack stand from Southwest Wheel Company. The steel tubing and angle iron I got from a local metal dealer. They delivered right to the driveway were I picked it up with the tractor. The steel was cut to the specified lengths on the plan using a cheap metal cutting chop saw and welded together using a mig welder. The following pictures tell the story better than words could explain.

	Once the steel was cut to the proper length and welded together on the garage floor it was time to flip the frame over to mount the axles. I used a boat trailer I had laying around to move the frame around.
	The frame hanging precariously from the tractor bucket.
	Having tipped it over and laid back on the ground I was able to find the center of gravity to pick the frame up and place it back on the trailer so I could move it back inside to mount the axles. I got it done just before a rainy downpour.
	After the axels were mounted, which I welded on instead of bolting them on, I just dragged it out of the garage to flip it on it's wheels.
	First step is to pick it up on one side.
	Get it balanced, remove the chain and run around to the other side.
	Once on the other side, attach chain and gently let down on the wheels.
	And here we have the semi finished product. All that is left is to fit the fenders, light holding brackets, paint, wire and add the wood deck.
	How do you paint the bottom of a trailer? Well, you pick it up so you can get underneath it. The Trailer is being supported by the one wheel on the tractor hood and both wheels are blocked on the ground. You can see that the chain isn't tight. Also note that the primer coat has already been applied. I'm applying the finish black coat.
	3/4 front view of the trailer fully painted, all lights mounted and the break-away-battery mounted next to the trailer jack.
	3/4 rear view. Floor is installed but not bolted down yet. I still need to wire the trailer. Was waiting for some parts to come in.
	Here's the trailer with the first load of pallets and other wood that is useful around the homestead.
	3/4 rear view. All unloaded and ready for another load. Being so low to the ground makes it easy to load pallets by hand since you don't need to pick them up as high as the truck bed.

Getting a large home built trailer such as this one registered wasn't as bad as some people I know believed it would be. The following is for New York State registration only. I had to get the trailer weighed. Without a license plate I took it to a weigh station that has a "weigh master", that's somebody that has a registered license to weigh vehicles. The trailer weighed 1,820 lbs. So being over the 1,000 lb limit I needed to fill out form MV-272.1, include a copy of all bill of materials, an original of form FS-20, it cannot be a copy, (insurance card of vehicle that will tow the trailer) and of course your complementary payment for such things, please. I received for FI-119 which allowed me to take the trailer legally to the "New York State Dept. of Motor Vehicles, Division of Field Investigations Auto Theft Unit". Make sure you take your paper work with you, especially your bill of materials. They look the trailer over and make sure that you use no stolen parts. When they are satisfied that no parts were stolen to build the trailer you get your VIN number. Next with all paper work in hand you head to the motor vehicle to the motor vehicle and get your plate, pay for the taxes not paid on items bought form out of state. After all that is done you need to get the trailer and get your plate, pay for the taxes not paid on items bought form out of state. After all that is done you need to get the trailer inspected by a certified inspection station. Believe it or not all this took less that a month to do. Would I do it again, ya probably.

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