Moving Home

[RocketScott]

Who doesn't love wedge brakes!?

[RocketScott]

The trailer I looked at yesterday is in really bad shape. The guy said it is a '66 but the paperwork I found in a document holder said it's a '57

I leaning towards not taking it even though it's a 'free' trailer. It will need to be completely rewired, all new lights, air lines replumbed... The big kicker is the tires. It still has tube tires and split rims. It's looking like more of a project than I want to take on right now. We want to be out of here by the end of next month and I have a lot to do

[RocketScott]

Since that other trailer didn't work out I'm looking at other options

Found this one at a local seller:

1976 TRAILMOBILE ROLL DOOR STORAGE VAN DRY VAN TRAILER

Not sure why it's listed as a storage trailer. I sent them an email this morning asking what they think it would need to be back on the road

[Rawze]

why not just rent something?.

why not just use one or two of those "Pods" ow whatever they are called?.

[RocketScott]

I'd be happy to rent something. I'm not sure who would rent to me though. I still have an LLC but dropped my business license, deactivated my DOT number and never had an MC

I looked at McKinney and Ryder. Neither option was convenient. McKinney doesn't have a location back east for me to drop off. Ryder only has 53' dry vans. I could do that but a shorter trailer is all we need and would be way more convenient for loading and unloading

I don't think I mentioned before that we're going from Tacoma, WA to Lexington, KY

U-pack is just over $3500. Tried to get a quote from Pods but they make you call in and the wait time was ~15 minutes...

I just figured that buying/fixing up a trailer for a couple grand that I could sell at the other end and get some of that back would be the cheapest option. I hate to pay a trucking company to move our stuff when I'm going to be driving my truck that way anyway

Feel free to tell me that's a bad idea. I'm just trying to explore all the options

[smorgan87]

Im skipping a lot of comments but i know folks buy semi trucks frequently to pull large 5th wheel campers (a large 5th wheel and bobtail will tip the scales at 40kish lbs) and are not required to have a cdl. As far as using it to move your belonging my buddies and i haul our pickups from job to job when do pipeline work. No questions asked. As long as ur truck and trailer are properly tagged u should be good. If you are concerned you can call the local highway patrol office (they alot nicer on the phone than in the scale house)

[JimT]

smorgan87 sparked a thought, what about a smaller 5th wheel trailer that's usually seen being pulled by pickup trucks? I've seen plenty of semi's pulling them before. Might be a little cheaper to buy (?), lower to the ground for easier loading/unloading and less likely to attract unwanted DOT attention. Might even find a future use for it? Only challenge would be wiring in a new electronic brake controller for the trailer. Also, not sure how the kingpin/fifth wheel situation would work. Probably a simple enough solution though.

[RocketScott]

That's a good point. I don't know enough about that type of 5th wheel to know what it would take to make it work. I thought the pin was smaller, maybe it's just as easy as swapping to a bigger pin. Worth looking into

I have a pintle hitch too. Mostly seeing flatbed utility trailers for that though

Both those options don't seem much cheaper than a 20 something foot dry van, even with putting some work into it

I thought about getting a 20' container. There's one on craigslist for $100. Problem with that is finding a chassis to put it on. Lots of extra weight too

[JimT]

containers on intermodal chassis ride higher then a trailer (deck/floor height) and bounce like crazy when empty. unless you're planning on using it for storage after the move I would stay away...

on the flip side a gooseneck hotshot flatbed with a container strapped to the deck would be much lower, possibly with fold down ramps for easier loading. they come in many sizes and range $5-15k new (depending on size and specs), though used should be cheaper. Then when the move is over you could keep the container as storage and the gooseneck flatbed could be handy, especially if you have a pickup too.