Mobile House Trailer Frame

[ajd89]

I posting the CL thread but I thought id ask here too. I know mobile house trailers have pretty stout frames. Ive been told they will handle quite a bit of weight. But how heavy would a trailer be that was made out of one? To much to put a car on and hall with a 1/2 ton pickup? Im thinking like 20ft of it made in to a car trailer.

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[Colin]

I was told long ago that the axle/hub/wheel units
on mobile homes were never intended for long term usage.
Any truth to this?

 

[HotRodPC]

We get people giving trailer houses away around here all the time. Guys will go burn it to the ground, scoop up the left over trash and haul the frame away. Some even let the volunteer fire dept burn'em down so they get practice.

 

[Big Chip]

I borrowed my dad’s buddy’s trailer he had made from a mobile home frame and axles and it cracked the frame of my ‘86 GMC where the receiver was bolted on. It sort of split at the bend on the bottom of the frame rail from the back towards the front. It was a heavy POS. I recommend against it.

 

[Snoots]

I dunno. Maybe mount a big block with a 14FF and Dana 60 with 41's, couple of bench seats . . .

 

[MrMarty51]

My neighbor here He built a tilt top trailer from an old mobile home frame and axles. He has a one ton single RW Dodge 3500 that He pulls with. I have seen that trailer loaded and stacked with scrap iron/steel, gravel, large round bales and most any thing else imaginable, has not yet had a problem with that.
He also built another triple axle unit from mobile home frame and axles that He uses to haul his skid steer and components on. it is as tough as the other tilt unit.
I`ll try to get a pic of the trailer this morning before He takes off.

 

[MrMarty51]

Guess there is enough light to get a pic of the non tilt unit.

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[MrMarty51]

If I was building a trailer it Definetely would be of the 5th wheel nature.

 

[SDJunkMan]

I have built several car trailers over the years, but don't think I would use a mobile home frame to make one, especially if I had to buy the frame to start with. Like HotRodPC said, free ones come up quite often.

The axles usually use donut wheels which normally take a 14.5 tire. The tires are usually old and have very heavy sidewalls. Not sure what new would cost or where you would get them. The frame rails are very tall but thin and would get your deck weight up pretty high and have a lot of flex from side to side. The springs are usually single leaf and very stiff. Depending on the trailer width, the axles will probably have to be narrowed. The couplers are usually 2 5/16, which is an odd sized ball.

 

[ajd89]

Ok so ill pass on it for all the above reasons. Glad I asked. I didnt think about the tires and the frame being so tall. I have seen a few whole trailers for free but they all want you to haul them off to scrap them. Not sure what the would cost but I wouldnt guess it was that cheap.

 

[SDJunkMan]

Ok so ill pass on it for all the above reasons. Glad I asked. I didnt think about the tires and the frame being so tall. I have seen a few whole trailers for free but they all want you to haul them off to scrap them. Not sure what the would cost but I wouldnt guess it was that cheap.

Yeah, and it's LOT of work!

 

[ajd89]

https://www.usa-trailer.com/20-10k-load-trailer-trailer--0T7h|ipe.html

This or something comparable is really what I want.

 

[bucket]

I have built several car trailers over the years, but don't think I would use a mobile home frame to make one, especially if I had to buy the frame to start with. Like HotRodPC said, free ones come up quite often.

The axles usually use donut wheels which normally take a 14.5 tire. The tires are usually old and have very heavy sidewalls. Not sure what new would cost or where you would get them. The frame rails are very tall but thin and would get your deck weight up pretty high and have a lot of flex from side to side. The springs are usually single leaf and very stiff. Depending on the trailer width, the axles will probably have to be narrowed. The couplers are usually 2 5/16, which is an odd sized ball.

I wouldn't call a 2 5/16 ball uncommon at all. Any trailer designed to haul any reasonable amount of weight is going to run that size ball.

 

[MrMarty51]

https://www.usa-trailer.com/20-10k-load-trailer-trailer--0T7h|ipe.html

This or something comparable is really what I want.

That looks a lot like the PJ brand of trailer that I had but sold.
When choosing a trailer, stay away from those units that have the tilt, with a solid deck that ends about four foot from the front of the trailer, IE, the deck from that portion back tilts. Those things really suck, it is the perfect distance that when hauling a pickup truck, the rear wheels gets far enough back to cause the bed to tilt and the front wheels is still stuck on the non tilt portion at the front of the trailer. Just really sucks to have the vehicle moved that far back to only have the tilt portion lock in behind the front tires. cant go back, cant go forwards without a come along and a lot of cussing. Just ask Me how I know.
The trailer on that page would be a real nice unit.
Another pic of My neighbors trailer from this morning. He is a very busy man, self employed, takes on jobs no one else wants to do.

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[shiftpro]

I built mobile home frames for a few months, late 70's... While there is some steel there it is low quality.