Soliciting observations/ thoughts on this homemade triple axle trailer

[GON]

Came across this trailer going to auction. The homemade triple axle caught my eye- thought might be a good hauler of 3/4 to one ton trucks.

One of numerous flags is the trailer is titled as a nearly new (homeade) model, yet is being sold by a undisclosed private party. Why send this trailer to auction unless something is very wrong with it, and the Seller doesn't want to disclose the issue(s).

https://www.iaai.com/VehicleDetail/36916967~US

 

[PimTac]

I don’t know much about trailers but if I were hauling a truck on one I would like to see beefier construction. Maybe it’s the pictures but that doesn’t look all that sturdy.

 

[ragtoplvr]

Triple axle trailers scrubb tires as they turn, this puts pretty good stress on the hangers and frame when loaded.

1. The steel in the frame looks a little light for the axles. I would compare with other trailers of the same weight and see what dimensions and thickness (C channel iron is available in different thicknesses).
2. Compare the reinforcements in high stress areas wit other trailers
3. The welds are critical, good looking welds are not always good quality. If you do not know, I would pass

If you have a vehicle on the trailer and a structural failure occurs it can get ugly FAST. I think I would pass

Rod

 

[edhackett]

Yeah, that thing looks less sturdy than some landscape trailers I've seen. In the third picture you can see that whatever they had on it has damaged it. Give that thing a hard pass.

Ed

 

[mrsilv04]

I'm wondering if that wasn't something like an 'ultra-lite' camper frame that they started with, and then tried to repurpose it as a car hauler.

in other words, it seems to me that the frame and axles started life as something else, and someone converted it into something that it never should have been.

 

[loneryder]

That is for hauling lawn mowers. Utility trailer angle iron.

 

[97prizm]

Came across this trailer going to auction. The homemade triple axle caught my eye- thought might be a good hauler of 3/4 to one ton trucks.

One of numerous flags is the trailer is titled as a nearly new (homeade) model, yet is being sold by a undisclosed private party. Why send this trailer to auction unless something is very wrong with it, and the Seller doesn't want to disclose the issue(s).

https://www.iaai.com/VehicleDetail/36916967~US
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If it's homemade and the original owner didn't get any type of certification you really have no Idea the tow rating.

 

[JHZR2]

Unless you’re qualified to evaluate the strength and safety margin I’d pass. That’s probably why it is at an auction too - unload it and make it someone else’s issue as-is.

The expanded metal mesh looks weak and unsupported. It may well be strong enough. Someone sure could diy a strong trailer. It’s just hard to tell that this one is it.

 

[GON]

Thanks for all the posts.. clearly this is not a match for many potential uses, including what I was looking for. The three axles threw me for a loop.

 

[RAR]

Just adding my observation… I agree that it is pretty light duty for its size.

I have a car hauler trailer made by Big Tex Trailers, and the rails, frame, etc., are all heavy duty.

I think if you had put a heavy duty truck on that it would bend or buckle those small square tube rails, and that thin metal screen. I think even a regular car might damage it.

It’s probably there because it’s a big trailer that can’t haul big stuff. The seller probably figured that out and decided to be rid of it.

It might be good for hauling a lot of lawn mowers or something.

 

[tcp71]

Other than the brace at the front, there is no triangulation bracing of the two tubes running front to back on both sides. if this had been done properly the whole vertical height between those two tubes could have acted like an I-beam's vertical component and been quite strong but they are just suspended above each other with vertical uprights. look at an engineered joist for comparison:

vs.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Maybe they used it to haul golf carts? Still looks too flimsy to load with 3 or 4 golf carts though.

 

[meep]

My 3100lb travel trailer had heavier metal leading to the tongue. It was a single axle.