ponykilr
Guest
So my new mower weighs about 1100 lbs compared to my JD265 which is around 500. It is also bigger by just enough that my 22" push mower is a very tight fit when I load it sideways at the rear of the trailer I use for mowing service.
The trailer is a 5x8 that I bought when I got the JD several years back and the 4x8 I had at the time was not wide enough.
The way it was built was with the axle much more to the rear than my 4x8 which had been pretty balanced.
I decided to turn it into a 5x10.
First step is get that useless, thin expanded steel floor out.
Added some stronger cross members where the weight of the mower (most of it on the rear tires) will be sitting.
Just a note, the axle is bowed upward in the middle so that when the trailer is loaded it straightens out. I called the company to confirm when I bought it after the Lowes employee told me about it. It works, I see it straighten out when it's loaded heavy.
Next, I cut some 24" pieces of 2" angle from the former crossmembers and simply cut the azz end off my trailer.
Abbra cadabbra simply welded it all back together, making sure it was aligned perfectly and added 4 vertical ties to the rear.
I am not done, I have a few more mods to do like triangulating the tongue and building a front box for fuel cans and tools.
There you have it. 10 from 8.
Going to do a treated wood floor and I think steel sides but may do wood for that too.
Thinking about adding 2" -1/4" wall tube down each bottom rail for extra strength but not sure on that. A 2x10 bolted down each side will add a lot of strength too.
The trailer is a 5x8 that I bought when I got the JD several years back and the 4x8 I had at the time was not wide enough.
The way it was built was with the axle much more to the rear than my 4x8 which had been pretty balanced.
I decided to turn it into a 5x10.
First step is get that useless, thin expanded steel floor out.
Added some stronger cross members where the weight of the mower (most of it on the rear tires) will be sitting.
Just a note, the axle is bowed upward in the middle so that when the trailer is loaded it straightens out. I called the company to confirm when I bought it after the Lowes employee told me about it. It works, I see it straighten out when it's loaded heavy.
Next, I cut some 24" pieces of 2" angle from the former crossmembers and simply cut the azz end off my trailer.
Abbra cadabbra simply welded it all back together, making sure it was aligned perfectly and added 4 vertical ties to the rear.
I am not done, I have a few more mods to do like triangulating the tongue and building a front box for fuel cans and tools.
There you have it. 10 from 8.
Going to do a treated wood floor and I think steel sides but may do wood for that too.
Thinking about adding 2" -1/4" wall tube down each bottom rail for extra strength but not sure on that. A 2x10 bolted down each side will add a lot of strength too.
