Big Tex trailer

[Daferris]

Are you attending a tractor drag racing meet in that photo?

GingerMan is a 2 mile 11 turn road course. I am the Timing & Scoring chief. That photo was from the Motor state challenge last July. Took the tractor because I have a daughter not far from the track and needed a driveway put in...

 

[mcmxi]

GingerMan is a 2 mile 11 turn road course. I am the Timing & Scoring chief. That photo was from the Motor state challenge last July. Took the tractor because I have a daughter not far from the track and needed a driveway put in...

That's awesome!

 

[BigG]

I have a Big Tex 14000 gooseneck. It has 350,000 plus miles on it. The flex has been a problem. I have had to replace the springs several times. The equalizers wear unevenly. Bearings do not last very long. And I am on my second set of axles.

I will not buy another one. But it is paid for.

I run commercially and get DOTed often. I do not run it overweigh.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

@BigG
that's an impressive number of miles on a trailer !

'flex'.. any preset arch in the trailer ,like 'big rig' trailers have ?
when you replaced springs ,did you do all four sets of them or just 1 or 2 ?
Do you use those nylon bushings and bolts or replaced them with greasable pins?
sigh..bearings.. it'd be nice to get true 'made in USA' quality bearings.

 

[BigG]

@BigG
that's an impressive number of miles on a trailer !

'flex'.. any preset arch in the trailer ,like 'big rig' trailers have ?
when you replaced springs ,did you do all four sets of them or just 1 or 2 ?
Do you use those nylon bushings and bolts or replaced them with greasable pins?
sigh..bearings.. it'd be nice to get true 'made in USA' quality bearings.

There is no arch to the trailer. Brand new it was flat. I took it to a welding shop to get a winch mount built on it. When the welder stepped up on the trailer, he started laughing. He said he’s never seen a trailer flex so badly.

I was loaded and hit a pothole that broke one spring And bent the axle. The next time I was just running down the interstate and the axle gave away. So those got replaced as individuals. Then the trailer started to pull off to one side. We found where the eyelet had broken up inside equalizer and allowed the rear axle to drop back about a half an inch. That got two new springs.

I wish I could find brass or bronze bushings for the springs. The plastic ones don’t hold up. I was in the factory in plant city Florida, where they manufacture the axles and inquired about metal bushings. they don’t make bushings for the 7000 pound axles in bronze or brass.

The quality of the bearings is so poor. They just don’t last.

And as the other guy said the Chinese tires were junk when the trailer was new. They were underrated for what the trailer was rated for. So big tex sent me four new tires and wheels.

 

[GrizBota]

350k miles is probably pretty good for any trailer. Camber is the word for prefabbed arch in the deck.

I suspect that a machine shop could make you a set of bushings. I think there is a “self lubercating” bronze of some type used for this purpose.

Lubed bronze bushings

Silly about the tires. I guess they hope people don’t check. Seems like they would have an issue keeping any sort of DOT cert (presuming they even need one as a manufacturer of trailers) with those type of shenanigans.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

RWS... can you place RC up front, then drive tractor on, so loader is above the RC ?? I know, one of those 'gotta be there' deals......

Hmmm... Jay, I'll have to kick that around.

Off the top of my head I don't think it will work, but I might give it a whirl and see.....

 

[fried1765]

I have no idea about PJ quality, but I sure wish I had bought a 20 footer. (bought trailer Pre-Kubota)

There is no way I can get my tractor, loader and rotary cutter on board my 16'.

Since my TLB weighs in at 5k, I would opt for a 10k just so I wasn't maxing it out all the time.

I would also not get rails again.

12k or 14K is even better/stronger.
( I have a 20' - 14K ).
You can register for one pound under 10K, if you need that to stay under CDL limits.
If not used commercially, registration can be for full trailer capacity.

 

[John D 2]

I purchased a 14 foot car hauler to haul my side by side on, as well as my motorcycles or anything else I needed a trailer for. I ran Z-Trac railing from the front to the back on each side of the trailer, as well as down the middle.
I ran the bolts through the lumber and into the frame itself. Lots of places to tie off too now.

I don't know how much it helped but my trailer has no flex with loads.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

https://www.amazon.ca/Durability-Trailer-Spring-Shackle-Locknut/dp/B0BTT6QX3V/ref=d_pd_sbs_sccl_3_2/140-1803601-4573751?pd_rd_w=bTzb6&content-id=amzn1.sym.c1849561-aea0-48eb-b576-ba648ed69471&pf_rd_p=c1849561-aea0-48eb-b576-ba648ed69471&pf_rd_r=9E773YNF9ZX1HFGEE1PF&pd_rd_wg=l1tIZ&pd_rd_r=bc229e64-5051-4243-9412-8c9d568c7580&pd_rd_i=B0BTT6QX3V&psc=1

is ONE 'hit' ,sad thing is the other hit had ONE bolt for $38 cdn !!!
another says 10 pcs for $54 USD..
I googled 'greasable trailer pins'..... BTW...