Finally!    got the  'green light'  from the  Manufacturer...  THE  PAINT  WAS  DRY!!!

 

Ordered  a   16'  bumper pull  livestock trailer  for my  FiL,   and   a  new  flatbed for  the  '00  Ram...   Both are  Circle D,  made in  Hillsboro Kansas.   They've been  back ordered  since  June..

 

Lets  just say,  this  was NOT  the  most aerodynamically  way  to haul!     This was  a   140 mile  trip one way,  and   used  10 gallons  to get there, and    20 to get home.

 

notice the  sliver of  Toyota pickup  on left border... ha ha.  and  the  Wally world  2 stroke jug  on ground..

Edited September 3, 201410 yr by rancherman

Nice!!!

Successful trip.  What more is there to say? 

Why did you go bumper hitch on the trailer versus gooseneck?

Why did you go bumper hitch on the trailer versus gooseneck?

 

LOL...   'what  FiL  wants..... FiL  gets"

His   truck is  a  2012  Chev   1500...        speaking of  which,   I actually   drove  that thing  the other day...    

He likes  keeping it   topped off  with  E85,   when  it's   available.   yah,  it's  a  flex fuel..

The  one  thing  I find   totally  awkward on that  truck is  the  automatic  door locks..    I feel like a trapped rat..     I gotta admit,  that thing will get up and boogie...

(when  traction  control is  turned off)

 

So,   soon as  I  sign over the  title to the  bumper pull to  FIL,   he'll   sign over the  title to the  '00  Ram...    I  am now  the   'owner'  of  the  truck in my sig..

 

I  paid   $5800  for the  trailer.   $1850   for the  flatbed

Edited September 3, 201410 yr by rancherman

OK..    :CALLING ALL  FLATBED  OWNERS!!!!

 needing  some pics  of   various  ways of  mounting!....  

 

For sale..   lol,   fairly decent   drw    'tubs'..  

Edited September 3, 201410 yr by rancherman

This was  a   140 mile  trip one way,  and   used  10 gallons  to get there, and    20 to get home.

 

7 mpg on the way home seems wrong.  The only time I get 7mpg is when I'm towing 30k lbs. 

7 mpg on the way home seems wrong.  The only time I get 7mpg is when I'm towing 30k lbs. 

    I know!!

Now that  she's mine.....   time to  start  figuring out  whats  going on.

I was running  in  5th,   about  2200  rpm      (just under  60 mph)     I was  also running  into the  wind  with that  backwards  mounted   'parachute'..

That  particular trailer  has NEVER  pulled  'easy'...   I'm  wondering about   checking the alignment on the  axles????      tire wear  isn't the best!

Any idea what the truck makes for mileage without that trailer behind it? Could definitely be the trailer axles out of alignment or even the bushings and stuff worn out.

 

Great buy on the trailer and flatbed though! They appear to be very decently built products.

 

As for mounting, it seems like I have seen a lot of flatbeds mounted down to the frame with wooden beams in between. I don't know if that is an old way of doing it or the normal way. Use the pressure treated wood to get the bed set to whatever height you want and it also keeps it isolated from the frame of the truck.

well,   the  truck   empty, unhooked,  and  driven  'normally'      @  60mph  will knock out   about  17 mpg.     Hand calculated.    I've  seen  better,  and  next tank could be a little worse.   17's  pretty  good average.    Just  hooking the trailer up  will  knock it down   3-7   mpg..  EMPTY.    Believe it or not,  just taking the  ramps off the back  saves  at least 1 mpg!   hard to believe those  'flow through'  ramps  catch that much  wind.   That trailer is  tandem dual... lots  of   rubber  on the ground

Trailer is  about  6 yo,    maybe  10,000 miles.   Bought it new.

 

drw,  4X4...  all  adds up,   I do have  3.54 gears  to my favor though.

Edited September 3, 201410 yr by rancherman

Believe it or not,  just taking the  ramps off the back  saves  at least 1 mpg!   hard to believe those  'flow through'  ramps  catch that much  wind.

 

Yes I do... My BigTex (1,800 pounds empty) with that 4 foot tall flow through drag down the same amount as 31' Jayco. If I ditch the back gate I can gain a bunch back.

i know that tandem duel is HEAVY!!!

Some progress last couple days! 

 

So,  typical  abused  farm truck.   Box is  rattled to  pieces

Rear bumper is  smashed (was rear ended  whilst pulling  my  gooseneck trailer.  I was lucky the  post didn't hit the cab)

 

 

 

 

Next came  the  bumper removal,  receiver hitch removal,    cut the  wiring  free,  disconnected the  filler neck from rubber hoses,  then finally  the  8  bolts  holding her  down.

Box is now  dangling  from  a   rope hoist/block tackle  in the  shed.    Even with the  wet crap  in the box,  I'd  say it weighs  450?    eazy peazy.  

 

Scary part!  PO  who   rigged this  truck with their rendition of  a   hitch..    look close, yep!   right side  is  torn off the frame.  Only thing  holding it from  tearing the other side is  the   hole in the floor of the bed, where the ball sticks up through.   This  is  5X2X 3/16ths  channel,  with  a  stiffener welded  underneath..  ummm,  fail!  

 

here she is,    nekkid  and  almost ready for  measuring!

 

 

i know that tandem duel is HEAVY!!!

Yep, I have pulled several trailers almost identical the main difference being tandem axle with dual wheels generally 10-12K axles versus the trailer I have with triple 7K axles the triple axle trailers pull like a dream compared to tandem duals extremely noticeable even when empty. One has to watch the short corners with triple axles as it is easy to bend spindles and axles and raise heck with the tires and rims on the front axle as they drag sideways around tight turning radiuses.

Can't wait to see it finished but, i would recomened if you haven't considered this(May have done it already lol) To clean and scrub the whole back frame, rear end, etc. really good degrease it and hand sand it, primer, and Bedliner it or as i did spray paint it flat black and/or Gloss black. I know when i took my bed off i washed, degreased, sanded, Primer x2 coat's, Flat black x2 coats, Gloss Black x2 coats everywhere and a nice coat Bedliner on the rails to top it off. 2 years later not a speck of rust to be found. I would also replace the Fuel sending unit ie. Fuel gauge while your down there i didn't on mine week later gauge went bad gonna have to take it back off to fix just haven't done it. But if you've thought of this already or have done it never hurt's to throw it out there