Maggie’s Renting/Buying Semi Trailer

ZenBiker990

ZenBiker990

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Minuteman
Sep 13, 2011
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#1
Staging a move on time crunch. Would like to get a semi trailer and load as much as possible from existing house, ready to move as soon as things close.

Alternate: did just pick up a 1 ton diesel dually with gooseneck hitch. Registered at 16k lbs gross. Maybe a 20' enclosed dual axle trailer?
 
#2
All you stuff will be beat to hell an back in a semi trailer if your going far, unless you load it very heavy. Even then having it moved is going to be more bucks than you think unless you have a friend with a tractor. I'd do the 20ft G-neck depending how much you have to move and sell it when you get done, or short term lease something. Bad thing with a lease if your going far it normally has to be returned back.
 
#8
I'm not seeing you fit your house into a 20 food gooseneck. Here is a 34 that might be a good start. But you can get goosenecks up to 56 feet.
 
#9
I helped a buddy load a pair of trailers a while back to move his house and shop 1000 miles.
He got one of the LTL companies (ABF or someone like that, don't remember). They brought 'em out
we loaded, they dragged 'em to the new place and parked them there to be unloaded. They will hold them
at their yard for a period if necessary. Both places were hard to get in/out of, so the drivers had to break the trains
down for access.

Pack it in tight, and tie everything down and together, with firm padding between. Leave nothing able to move.
Use a lot of rope and packing. It takes a lot of effort, but we had no damage.

Half ass it, and you might as well take it to the dump before you move.

The dually won't haul much. And watch your state laws with weights. Some states, like TX, require a Class A
if your truck/trailer combo exceeds 26K, whether you're loaded to that weight or not. What the GVWR says is what
they go with. Probably 98% of the guys with duallies in TX are running illegally.
 
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#10
671RTO9513 said:
I helped a buddy load a pair of trailers a while back to move his house and shop 1000 miles.
He got one of the LTL companies (ABF or someone like that, don't remember). They brought 'em out
we loaded, they dragged 'em to the new place and parked them there to be unloaded. They will hold them
at their yard for a period if necessary. Both places were hard to get in/out of, so the drivers had to break the trains
down for access.

Pack it in tight, and tie everything down and together, with firm padding between. Leave nothing able to move.
Use a lot of rope and packing. It takes a lot of effort, but we had no damage.

Half ass it, and you might as well take it to the dump before you move.

The dually won't haul much. And watch your state laws with weights. Some states, like TX, require a Class A
if your truck/trailer combo exceeds 26K, whether you're loaded to that weight or not. What the GVWR says is what
they go with. Probably 98% of the guys with duallies in TX are running illegally.
Click to expand...

Definitely an option. Have to admit to a changing sense of scale. My other car is an Xterra, wife has a 4Runner. Cars that aren’t performance oriented bore me. Always thought of my X as “sizeable” until I get this longbed crewcab dually. Quite a step up, but in real world terms it has limits, and as you said, in my scenario, what it can haul “isn’t much”. I “only” registered it to 16K GVRW; was told by the diesel mechanic/CDL I bought it from that the truck alone is 6K on scales, 1400lbs more than the Dodge doorplate says. ThinkI’ll take it to the gravel pit this am and put it on their scales to find out for sure. I have a single axle 12” enclosed trailer that I have set up as a mobile shooting shop and a 7K twin axle flatbed for my tractor. Looking at machine tools and other indispensables, probably 20K lbs. Will sell household items I can repurchase at nee location.

My biggest challenge right now is time. This all has to happen before year end, and my wife has a serious health problem that requires the loon’s share of my energy. I need to prep for moving whenever a moment presents itself. PODS, Smartcube, etc. they are an option, but expensive to just sit. If I could have a good trailer that I could start to load now and move when ready would be a big help. My first wish would be to have some CDL’s idle trailer on my property so I could load it, then pay him/her to haul ot when ready. I could buy a 20’ gooseneck hauler, but my truck’s “weak link” is it’s auto tranny. The truck is pretty cherry, only has 80K mi on a 5.9 Cummins, I could bump the tune another 50 hp safely, but I hate to run my equipment up against its limitations. I don’t think I’d run it over it’s current 16K GVWR registration as it is. So....

I’ll weigh my truck to see what the scales say. Will call the CDL I bought it from and see if I can run down an idle trailer. I see them sitting as private CDLs are getting squeezed by effin’ mandated electonic log/engine immobilizers and company driving teams. If I could get one on ky property, I can start loading/staging while I tend to the other multiple titanic issues I have to set in place. Starting to think the 20”hauler is a last wost option; besides, I really would rathwr spend the money on a dump trailer. Wish me luck, prayers appreciated, here we go..
 
#11
You can sometimes buy a more or less run out van trailer for 3K-ish. As long as it is road worthy you can likely recoup your money when you are through. They seem to be in demand in some areas as secure weather tight storage. The last 53' I bought for $2500, did a roof repair and sold for $4500. The upside is you have secure storage for your plunder as long as you need it. The downside is that you are at the mercy of some cab lizzard to move it to your house and then move it to your new home. It will cost the same to move it empty or loaded as it takes the same truck and near the same amount of fuel.
If they are not running the truck they are not likely to keep up the inspections, insurance & etc.
 
#12
Just bought this 53” watertight w/passable tires and good brakes for $1800. When I’m done I’ll either sell it or use it for a storage shed/shop/barn hub. Off we go!!!
 

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#14
Far enough. It’s not just the distance; its logistics. I need to load and stage while lawyers and banks donwhatever it is they do. When they have finished, I need to be ready to be on my way. Having a trailer to load now seems the best option I can come up with. No pressure to move it by a certain date or unload by a certain date. When I get to the new place, i’ll either sell this or turn it into a shop, barn, whatever. I’ll end up paying a little more than PODs or similar, but I’ll have something to show for it in the end.
 
#15
It looks to me as though you have chosen wisely. Good luck and consider building a ramp to ease access. Stairs are ok but remember you are gonna make eleven thousand six hundred and forty eight trips in and out of that trailer and it is four feet off the ground more or less.
When you get where you are going if you decide to keep it, you can peel the axles, suspension and tires out from under it. Lowers it by the best part of three feet and there are salable components.
 
#16
cav has been, i did exactly as you said with one of three trailers i have bought for storage...
we buy them for 1300 to 1800 trailable, 75 for delivery and placement...
ill see if bogey can put up a pic for me
 
#17
cav has been said:
It looks to me as though you have chosen wisely. Good luck and consider building a ramp to ease access. Stairs are ok but remember you are gonna make eleven thousand six hundred and forty eight trips in and out of that trailer and it is four feet off the ground more or less.
When you get where you are going if you decide to keep it, you can peel the axles, suspension and tires out from under it. Lowers it by the best part of three feet and there are salable components.
Click to expand...

On board w/ ramp; loads up to 800lb will be palletized and put on w/the forklift attachment on my tractor. Was stressing over how I was going to move the dozen or so cabinets and bench/drawer units I have, now not so much. Still will have the few odd things that will need hand carrying, and don’t wanna kimp in and out what number of those eleven thousand some-odd trips require it. Last things in are the mill/lathe/etc just over the rear axles.

Did not know the axles, etc, are salable. Have just about decide to convert this to practical space, so that’ a bonus. Thanks for that info!

Local towing service parked it in my side yard yesterday. Quite the buzz in the neighborhood; )
 
#19
ZenBiker990 said:
On board w/ ramp; loads up to 800lb will be palletized and put on w/the forklift attachment on my tractor. Was stressing over how I was going to move the dozen or so cabinets and bench/drawer units I have, now not so much. Still will have the few odd things that will need hand carrying, and don’t wanna kimp in and out what number of those eleven thousand some-odd trips require it. Last things in are the mill/lathe/etc just over the rear axles.

Did not know the axles, etc, are salable. Have just about decide to convert this to practical space, so that’ a bonus. Thanks for that info!

Local towing service parked it in my side yard yesterday. Quite the buzz in the neighborhood; )
Click to expand...

I'm not sure where you're located, or where you're going or even how much you're loading into the trailer. Be sure to check your weight on a scale & slide your axles accordingly. If your frame rails are rusty & you have to break your pins loose a bottle of dish soap is cheaper & easier to find than grease in a pinch. Also, keep bridge laws in mind. Some states will hammer you.
 
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#21
WATERWALKER said:
I'm not sure where you're located, or where you're going or even how much you're loading into the trailer. Be sure to check your weight on a scale & slide your axles accordingly. If your frame rails are rusty & you have to break your pins loose a bottle of dish soap is cheaper & easier to find than grease in a pinch. Also, keep bridge laws in mind. Some states will hammer you.
Click to expand...

Have a sister who is a career CDL, will call her in for those details; thanks for the tip. Max load will be no more than 12-15K. Should have room to load and still move around as well as find stuff if I keep an accurate log.
 
#23
Even though you're only moving 15k, check with your sister on weight and balance.
Having all the heavy stuff over the rear axle of the trailer might be a serious CG issue even though it's way under the max load.
 
#25
I don't know the numbers but any time you load a trailer, the front should be around 60%. Otherwise it's tail heavy and can create a whip or jacknife situation.
On smaller trailers, an aft heavy balance causes lots of bouncing and fish tailing
 
#26
I follow. Not the first trailer/truck load I’ve managed, but definitely the largest, and there is some exponential multiplier if how fast/bad things can go sideways relative to their size. Yes, need weight on the hitch. Weighing loads as they go in; the mill/lathe may slide forward a bit in the final assessment. Off for the morning pallet scrounge.
 
#29
34k on the drive and trailer is the normal non permitted limit. Most OTR trucks with a 53' van can handle 44-50k in the box. 15k spread out any way you want won't be a problem
 
#30
^^^Agreed. You'll be allowed 34,000 lbs on the drives & the tandems. Your steer axle will be limited to 12,000 lbs. As long as your truck isn't a single screw you'll be fine. I'd load everything as close to the nose as possible. As for your lathe, load locks will be next to worthless. You should consider setting up some sort of bracing on the floor w/ 2X4s & engineering some some sort of bracing on the wall w/ 2X4s as well. Two & four inch ratchet straps w/ padding would probably work best.

 
#32
15k and your tractor will barely know it's even there. No need to worry about load balance either, unless you get stupid and load everything on the last ten feet, which I can tell you aren't going to do. No sweat with a single screw, not enough weight to matter. Watch your overpass height if you are on little back country roads. Good luck with the move. Also, many truckers don't know this, but it's mandatory to wave at all the UPS big trucks.
 
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