2000 - Volume #24, Issue #6, Page #37

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Home-Built Tandem Axle "Tilt Trailer

Home-Built Tandem Axle "Tilt Trailer WAGONS/TRAILERS Miscellaneous 24-6-37 "We use it for a lot of different jobs," says John Aaron Rissler, New Enterprise, Pa., about his home-built 23-ft. long tandem axle "tilt trailer". The trailer's tandem axles were purchased from a commercial wagon manufacturer. A pair of 10-in. steel I-beams are used to carry the main load, with 2-in. oak planks bolted crosswise to form the floor. The I-beams are welded to the axle so the load's weight pivots on the tandem pivots. A pair of 8-in. channel irons extend forward from the tandem axles to form a V-shaped hitch. The trailer is tilted by a 4-ft. long, 4-in. dia. hydraulic cylinder attached to a steel A-frame welded at the front end of the trailer. "It makes a handy all-around trailer," says Rissler. "We originally designed it to haul round bales and also to haul the tractor used to load bales onto the trailer. We have farms spaced several miles apart so it saves a lot of time. To load the tractors we simply tilt the trailer back and drive on. Once in the field we set two bales on their ends onto the back of the trailer to keep the other bales from rolling off. Then we stack the rest of the bales onto the trailer two high. It can hold about 22 4-ft. dia. bales. Back at the barn we tip the back two bales off by hand, then tilt the trailer and pull forward to roll the rest of the bales off. "We also use it during the spring for hauling fertilizer, seed, and chemicals. The only thing that would make it better would be if it was licensed and had brakes. Our total cost was about $3,000 including labor and heavy duty tires." Rissler says he's willing to make plans for a fee, or build the trailer for anyone who's interested. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John Aaron Rissler, 3409 Brumbaugh Rd., New Enterprise, Pa. 16664 (ph 814 766-2117).