dccarpenter
Member
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2019
- Messages
- 39
- Reaction score
- 22
- Points
- 8
- Location
- Owings, MD
- Vehicle Year
- 2000
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Type
- 2.5 (4 Cylinder)
- Transmission
- Manual
- 2WD / 4WD
- 2WD
Hello all, everyone here has helped me with my Rangers over the years so I thought there might be some wisdom for me on this project.
I've got a 8' wide by 28' long standard office trailer (t1-111 siding, relatively flat roof). It is empty at the moment, in great shape, rolling rear door, office area at the front with singe desk. Wired with breaker panel and plugs.
Going to be building a house in Kentucky and wanted to use it as jobsite trailer and camper and then convert it to a guest house with the same log siding, pine floors/paneling , etc.. as the house. Will pull off the roof and stick frame a gable onto it at that point. It isn't super heavy as is, don't know the weight but I towed it 5 miles to here on country roads with a '95 F250 with a 351 and it wasn't killing it or sagging the rear ridiculously.
Googling around seems to indicate 5000-6000 pounds perhaps but can't seem to find a weight, called the company that rents them around here and they weren't sure the weight.
The existing axle hasn't been serviced for years, if ever, and is likely a mobile home axle meant for not super long trips. It probably regularly got towed to jobsites around this area about 50 miles at most. I was thinking of just buying a new 96" axle in the heaviest capacity I can find with new leaf springs, etc.. and electric brakes. I'd rather not throw 2 axles under it since it will never move again once it gets to Kentucky but is a brand new single axle with brand new tires suitable for the 600 mile run? If anyone has seen these axles serviced successfully to handle a trip of that distance I'd definitely consider keeping the existing and just replacing the tires. It's not a rust bucket.
As for tow vehicles, I have access to a mid-2000's f350 regular cab with the 5.4 ...not sure that motor would get it through the mountains of Western MD and WVa on 68 and 79. They aren't anything compared to out west but my 351 windsor f250 (albeit the motor was pretty worn out) didn't love towing a 3000lb boat on the same trip so I can't imagine the rolling brick of an office trailer at double that weight would be so smooth. Also got a shipping quote of $2,750 to have someone haul it there for me but prefer doing things myself when I can. Willing to send it out there mostly empty to make the trip easy on the axle/tow vehicle. I'm content to drive slow and in the middle of the night for no traffic if the 5.4 can handle it, with all the necessary prep like trans cooler, weight distribution hitch, fresh tires, etc..
I've got a 8' wide by 28' long standard office trailer (t1-111 siding, relatively flat roof). It is empty at the moment, in great shape, rolling rear door, office area at the front with singe desk. Wired with breaker panel and plugs.
Going to be building a house in Kentucky and wanted to use it as jobsite trailer and camper and then convert it to a guest house with the same log siding, pine floors/paneling , etc.. as the house. Will pull off the roof and stick frame a gable onto it at that point. It isn't super heavy as is, don't know the weight but I towed it 5 miles to here on country roads with a '95 F250 with a 351 and it wasn't killing it or sagging the rear ridiculously.
Googling around seems to indicate 5000-6000 pounds perhaps but can't seem to find a weight, called the company that rents them around here and they weren't sure the weight.
The existing axle hasn't been serviced for years, if ever, and is likely a mobile home axle meant for not super long trips. It probably regularly got towed to jobsites around this area about 50 miles at most. I was thinking of just buying a new 96" axle in the heaviest capacity I can find with new leaf springs, etc.. and electric brakes. I'd rather not throw 2 axles under it since it will never move again once it gets to Kentucky but is a brand new single axle with brand new tires suitable for the 600 mile run? If anyone has seen these axles serviced successfully to handle a trip of that distance I'd definitely consider keeping the existing and just replacing the tires. It's not a rust bucket.
As for tow vehicles, I have access to a mid-2000's f350 regular cab with the 5.4 ...not sure that motor would get it through the mountains of Western MD and WVa on 68 and 79. They aren't anything compared to out west but my 351 windsor f250 (albeit the motor was pretty worn out) didn't love towing a 3000lb boat on the same trip so I can't imagine the rolling brick of an office trailer at double that weight would be so smooth. Also got a shipping quote of $2,750 to have someone haul it there for me but prefer doing things myself when I can. Willing to send it out there mostly empty to make the trip easy on the axle/tow vehicle. I'm content to drive slow and in the middle of the night for no traffic if the 5.4 can handle it, with all the necessary prep like trans cooler, weight distribution hitch, fresh tires, etc..