Just got off the phone with my cousin who lives about 70 miles away. He heard through the family grapevine that I'm looking for a trailer. Here's the story -
My uncle was a welder by trade. Back in the late 30's/early 40's, he built a trailer using the frame and front axle from a Model "A" Ford. My Dad and my uncle used this trailer to haul farm equipment between groves in Central Florida during the 40's and 50's and early 60's, then it got parked in my uncles grove where it became a farm trailer. My cousin still has this trailer which he says is in good shape. According to him, it needs new wheels as it has sat so long, the wheels are totally rotten. But the frame and axle is still good. He says if I want it, I can have it for FREE.
The bolt pattern is the old 5 and 1/2 inch Ford pattern so wheels and tires would not be hard to find, (in other words, I wouldn't have to stay with the old Model "A" type wheels but could pick up wheels at any junk yard). It doesn't have a ball hook up, but instead uses a pin, (like most old time farm equipment - this system works well and I've pull many a trailer, pump motor or water wagon down the road on this kind of system).
I think the trailer would work for me, (it's 5 x 10), and it's not that heavy. I would have to rig up trailer lights, safety chains and a new deck, (I think I would go with 5/4 decking. The old deck was 2 x 6 lumber laid across the frame with each board bolted through the frame with four bolts).
My main concern is the bearings and axle in this trailer. We're talking a trailer that is close to 80 years old. Obviously, at minimum I would clean and repack the old bearings, or even replace with new ones, but is there a chance that the axle itself would suffer from metal fatigue?
The trailer is well made as my uncle was an excellent welder and made a lot of his own farm equipment, (in addition to being a welder, he had a small orange grove as well).
What say you guys? So far, the used trailers I've looked at are junk. I would be out the cost of lumber, bolts, a lighting system and the chains, wheels, tires and bearings, but I'd have one heck of a trailer when finished with kind of a cool family history behind it.
Thoughts, opinions, ideas, advice? Thanks.
My uncle was a welder by trade. Back in the late 30's/early 40's, he built a trailer using the frame and front axle from a Model "A" Ford. My Dad and my uncle used this trailer to haul farm equipment between groves in Central Florida during the 40's and 50's and early 60's, then it got parked in my uncles grove where it became a farm trailer. My cousin still has this trailer which he says is in good shape. According to him, it needs new wheels as it has sat so long, the wheels are totally rotten. But the frame and axle is still good. He says if I want it, I can have it for FREE.
The bolt pattern is the old 5 and 1/2 inch Ford pattern so wheels and tires would not be hard to find, (in other words, I wouldn't have to stay with the old Model "A" type wheels but could pick up wheels at any junk yard). It doesn't have a ball hook up, but instead uses a pin, (like most old time farm equipment - this system works well and I've pull many a trailer, pump motor or water wagon down the road on this kind of system).
I think the trailer would work for me, (it's 5 x 10), and it's not that heavy. I would have to rig up trailer lights, safety chains and a new deck, (I think I would go with 5/4 decking. The old deck was 2 x 6 lumber laid across the frame with each board bolted through the frame with four bolts).
My main concern is the bearings and axle in this trailer. We're talking a trailer that is close to 80 years old. Obviously, at minimum I would clean and repack the old bearings, or even replace with new ones, but is there a chance that the axle itself would suffer from metal fatigue?
The trailer is well made as my uncle was an excellent welder and made a lot of his own farm equipment, (in addition to being a welder, he had a small orange grove as well).
What say you guys? So far, the used trailers I've looked at are junk. I would be out the cost of lumber, bolts, a lighting system and the chains, wheels, tires and bearings, but I'd have one heck of a trailer when finished with kind of a cool family history behind it.
Thoughts, opinions, ideas, advice? Thanks.
