Trailer Build - Setup

MOTG1

MOTG1

New member
Hey guys,

I'm in the middle of a build and have a pretty good idea of what my layout will be. But I wanted to ask y'all about hose reels. I have a frame built on this trailer and can mount the reels upside-down from the top of the frame... Anyone have pros or cons to mounting high instead of on the floor. The plan was to put them on the passenger side of the trailer.
 
We have them both ways. There's just no "con" to mounting up high, you're clearing more room on the trailer, you're not bending over to reel up, and I believe it saves time...not much but every little bit adds up.

Want to take that to the next level? Mount Titan electric hose reels, you just don't know how great these are.
 
MOTG1 said:
Hey guys,

I'm in the middle of a build and have a pretty good idea of what my layout will be. But I wanted to ask y'all about hose reels. I have a frame built on this trailer and can mount the reels upside-down from the top of the frame... Anyone have pros or cons to mounting high instead of on the floor. The plan was to put them on the passenger side of the trailer.
Click to expand...


Mark Shoot a photo of the trailer, many important things to consider, fueling , floors , layout. Enclosed or open?
 
View attachment 22850

I was leaning toward a high mount. Thought I would like having less on the floor. Layout will have 525 tank over axles, skid unit in front with easy access. Leaving back of trailer open for now...plan to mount a cold water setup there.
 
Just curious....I know many of you have the 525 gallon tanks or similar size. How often do you fee like you really need a tank that big. I have a smaller business than many, but I stay pretty busy and have been in business since 2005. There has probably been less than 10 times since 2005 that I could have used a tank larger than I have which is a 275 gallon tote and most times I could probably get by with 100 gallons even with 2 machines running. I rarely have trouble with the water supply providing enough water. I run one 6gpm one 5.6gpm and sometimes I'll run all 3 machines at once.
 
If you dont need it, dont do it. I totes really dont like , but i know a lot of people use them. I would go 325.
 
I agree with Marc and Scott, I only have a 325 gallon tank on my trailer and there have been maybe a dozen times that I needed a larger tank and that was only to haul in water as their flow was like 1 or 2 gpm. I would come in with a full tank and work until I was empty and then go re-fill, otherwise I would be waiting a very long time to re-fill the tank. A 525 gallon tank would have given me another 30 minutes or so and then I would have to go and re-fill again anyway.

I have run as many as 4 hoses into the tank when running 3 machines, 5.0gpm, 5.5gpm and 8gpm for the tank to not go empty.

You can always run more hoses to the tank to keep up with demand.

If some of your jobs require you to haul in water, do the math and remember that water weighs 8.33 pounds per gallon. Add the weight of the empty trailer, tank full, machines, etc..... and try to not load the trailer more than 80% full as the potholes will bend axles when you have a full tank of water, I have bent 4 with the old trailer.

Good luck.
 
I like the 525 because it looks awesome! Or maybe you should consider the marketing value of a huge water tank? The more water a guy needs, the busier and more successful he must be, right?? :)

Seriously though... I've been doing real estate jobs where the homes are winterized. My hope is to do 2-3 in a day without having to refill. I hate waiting for that.

The weight issue is definitely important! 6k axles...so it's rated for a 9,800 lbs payload. 500X8.33=4,165 lbs. plus weight of the tank. Plus weight of skid. Plus weight of extra frame. Plus ladders. Hose reels. Hose. Chemicals. Etc......

What kind of truck pulling? What rating on your hitch?

I think I've seen a few rigs that are way beyond maxed out! I tend to go the other way. Use equipment that can handle more than I will ever ask of it.
 
We have 525's on our trailers, but we never haul over 100 gals on the road. I just like knowing that the extra capacity is there when we need it. Of course when we're running two 8 gpm machines on these trailers the extra capacity is needed. If we had just one 5.5 or 8 gpm machine I think 325 would be more than plenty.

I find that a 1200-1500 sq ft house takes about 350-400 gallons to wash & rinse...give or take.
 
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Guy is right on we run our 525 with only a 100-200 At most, any thing less 300 gallons on 8 Gpm machine will be rough
 
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1357270686.614738.jpg

Anyone have a problem with a skid unit being offset on the passenger side, front of the trailer (right now it is centered and facing forward in pic)? Thinking about weight distribution and convenience.
 
To me that's the best place for it to go. Out your water tank over the axles and reels on the back or side of trailer. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1357272779.920824.jpg
 
Keep it where it is in pic
 
<div style="width:480px;text-align:right;"><embed width="480" height="360" src="http://pic2.pbsrc.com/flash/rss_slideshow.swf" flashvars="rssFeed=http%3A%2F%2Ffeed111.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fn132%2FRonMusgraves1%2Frig%2520photos%2Ffeed.rss" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" /><a href="javascript:void(0);" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/share/icons/embed/btn_geturs.gif" style="border:none;" /></a><a href="http://s111.beta.photobucket.com/user/RonMusgraves1/library/rig%20photos" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/share/icons/embed/btn_viewall.gif" style="border:none;" alt="RonMusgraves1's rig photos album on Photobucket" /></a></div>
 
If you plan on doing 1/2 or more residential then I would turn the skid so the controls and fuel tanks are on the passenger side so when you park, you will not be out in the street to turn the machine on/off, re-fuel on the larger jobs, etc.... Here and other cities in Texas they are issuing fines if you are parked the wrong way on streets, just another moneymaker for the police dept.

If you don't have a tow package on the truck, I would have a good hitch installed, don't rely on the ball on the bumper setup, I have seen many bumpers pushed up under the bed of the truck in small accidents and requiring a lot of work to get the back end of the truck back to working condition. Have a good hitch installed utilizing the frame of the truck and have a good brand of brake controller installed and tested before you leave their facility (I had U-haul install it originally and had to go back a couple times until they got it installed right) so it is installed right and less to worry about.

I would use 3/4 ton truck for the weight and in case the trailer brakes stop working, here they last 1-1.5 years at most and then you are using the truck brakes until the trailer brakes are repaired/replaced.

Remember, even with 1/2 tank of water or less, with the basic equipment on the trailer, you are basically pulling a car behind you so your truck brakes will be wearing twice as fast when your trailer brakes are not working so the larger truck has better brakes and will last longer than the 1/2 ton truck.
 
Thanks Chris, all good information. Regarding truck size, hitch, brakes, suspension...we've got that covered. I didn't mean to make it look like I was asking for help on those subjects. So, sorry :) but it's still excellent info in the thread!

Major concern I had (before I start bolting down) was if anyone has a problem with positioning the skid on the front of the trailer...but on the right side. I could try to offset some of that weight, but it will be heavier on the right than the left.

It may not matter very much at all...but I've never set a trailer up like that. Everything I've done has been symmetrical and even distribution.
 
I have mine centered so the weight is even, but that is just me.

This way I have room for fuel cans, buckets of chemicals or just about anything that can fit between the skid and side of the trailer when needed.

Not sure if there would be issues with more weight on one side than the other, that is a good question, maybe over time the trailer frame might start to twist some because of the added weight on one side?

If you had a tank, tool box or something that would weigh a few hundred pounds all the time, that could go on the other side if you decided to keep the skid on one side.

Another thing to think about is maintenance. I would make sure that whatever could be worked on, there is access to it so you or a tech can get to it and work on it, another reason my skid is in the middle of the trailer and stuff around it can be moved easily when needed.
 
MOTG1 said:
Hey guys,

I'm in the middle of a build and have a pretty good idea of what my layout will be. But I wanted to ask y'all about hose reels. I have a frame built on this trailer and can mount the reels upside-down from the top of the frame... Anyone have pros or cons to mounting high instead of on the floor. The plan was to put them on the passenger side of the trailer.
Click to expand...

I like the reels up off of the floor. It makes them easier for access and gives you more floor space. Upright or inverted does not matter, they will work both ways.
 
Ya but if you mount them on top your hose will be upside down when you pull it out...

The skid can be off set without any issues as long as the overall balance of the traler is good. Too much weight in one area or corner can make it pull funny (depending on the trailer)
 
Don't you guys find the skids all the way up front to be a bit too much tongue weight and sag your truck down?I tried to keep everything over the axles and toward the back of the trailer. The equalizer on the leaf springs between the axles on the trailer is supposed to be level across...
 

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