FEF caboose project

[HanksB3B]

Caint wait to see it! Are you going to go crazy on it with a pneumatic wire brush first?

Good project for a rainy weekend.

Enjoy,

Hank

[ggdad1951]

actually when thru 2+ wire wheels already..."old" areas are pretty much ready for the POR15...that LIKES rust.

[TheMoose]

Looking good!

I'm going to build a trailer from the bed of my parts truck.

I haven't decided but I think I'm going to build a custom frame, I just can't bring myself to cut up the frame on the 51 parts truck.

[HanksB3B]

Looking good!

I'm going to build a trailer from the bed of my parts truck.

I haven't decided but I think I'm going to build a custom frame, I just can't bring myself to cut up the frame on the 51 parts truck.

I'd hate to do that if I had a spare 51 frame. What I'd want to do with it is to take my sweet old time and modify it to have independent front suspension like with a Dakota Front Clip, get a good Dana Differential with Disc Brakes box the frame in and do a super good paint job.

It's on my Christmas list, but Santa told me I'm SOL. It seems his Sled broke down and because of the the economy, he's planning to put some runners on the bottom of his 51 frame and Import some Clydesdales that we originally sold to China. (It seems the Reindeer formed some sort of Union and are bitchin about their Pension benefits or something like that).

Aw shucks, I know it's early, but Merry Christmas!

Hank

Edited December 1, 2012 by HanksB3B

[pflaming]

The raindeer pic must have been drawn for the UK drivers.

[ggdad1951]

tell you what, even in one of the best neighborhoods in the Twin Cities CRIME happens.  We had a pretty good dumpage of snow this last day or so.  Last night I shoveled my driveway and buttoned up the house.  This morning I ran the shovel down the driveway behind my tires so as to not pack the snow down and headed to work.  I did notice some odd large tread makes on some packed down snow on the tar.  Didn't think much of it.  I get home after work today and clear off things when I notice that the trailer frame has been moved!  Turned over 90° from where I had it, the tarp all pulled off the wheels and off the hitch.  Luckily I had a lock thru the hitch or it would have been gone....with all that hard work and time.  Now I have to figure out how to "boot" it tonight because I have a feeling they will be back tonight with tools....pretty ballsy, Or, I'll just have to squeeze it back in the garage while I figure out a plan.  I will be talking to an officer when he returns my call. 

[48Dodger]

I hate that feeling of violation. sorry to hear it Mark.

 

I'd put sign on it: "Go ahead, I dare you. We're all watching you"

 

 

48D

[48Dodger]

Actually....now that I think about it....

 

Take the wheels off....block it up....and chain it to the nearest tree or whatever works.

 

48D 

[Jeff Balazs]

Mark;

That sucks. You need a good watch dog. I used to have the best one........nothing and nobody got past her. I had to have her put down this summer but I will definitely get another before I bring my truck home. Nothing beats a loyal mutt for protecting the household.

Jeff

[Desotodav]

Sorry to hear that Mark. There's not much lower than a common thief in my eyes! Maybe a couple of signs near the offence area?...

 

Desotodav

[pflaming]

A few years back, when county living, my neighbor's trash trailer kept being raided. He put an electric cattle fence charger on it. The raiding stopped. It must have been even more effective in the dead of night.

[Merle Coggins]

I hate that feeling of violation. sorry to hear it Mark.

 

I'd put sign on it: "Go ahead, I dare you. We're all watching you"

 

 

48D

 

Reminds me of the watermelon farmer. Every morning he would go out and count his melons, but he began to notice a few less every morning. He tried several countermeasures with no positive results. Finally he posted a sign in the middle of the watermelon patch that read, "ONE OF THESE WATERMELONS ARE POISONED". The next morning he went out and counted his melons and discovered that the sign was working. He had the same count as the day before. then he noticed the sign, which now read, "TWO ONE OF THESE WATERMELONS ARE POISONED".

[ggdad1951]

Sorry to hear that Mark. There's not much lower than a common thief in my eyes! Maybe a couple of signs near the offence area?...

 

Desotodav

wow and from an officer! 

[48Dodger]

Not like you don't have enough to do......

 

 

With the extra space available at the new digs.....will the caboose find itself higher on the "to do" list ???

 

48D

[ggdad1951]

the caboose is waiting for me to have money to buy the stake pockets (shh I heard they are back in stock).  Once the house sell and buy is complete I can order them, right now I spend no money!

[ggdad1951]

Stake pockets showed up yesterday!

[ggdad1951]

To button up this thread:  

 

I have decided to end the project where it stands and get the parts to those in need vs. a trailer I'll (now) never use.  FB Marketplace for the frame and the rest here one way or another.

[Los_Control]

5 hours ago, ggdad1951 said:

I have decided to end the project where it stands and get the parts to those in need vs. a trailer I'll (now) never use.  FB Marketplace for the frame and the rest here one way or another.

When I bought mine I thought it would be cool to have a matching trailer to pull behind the pilothouse.

I still have a wild dream as a retired remodel carpenter I might setup a construction trailer with a canopy that opens from the sides with shelf's for tools & material, air compressor  nail guns saws all the tools inside, ladders on top .... all locked up & dry. I need to do a small job, just hook up the trailer & go. .... A matching trailer would be cool.

 

Let me start with, I have a good amount of experience pulling trailers. I'm no expert but I do ok.

For almost 2 years a buddy & I were transforming a small walmart into a walmart super center.

All we needed was to show up with a tool belt everyday.  We carpooled in his little toyoyta.

My 1 ton work van loaded with tools had the boat connected to it. So we got a box of beer on the way home, jumped out of his car into my van. A 1/2 mile up the road was the boat launch to the Columbia river. We would go fishing 3 or 4 nights a week after work ... every chance we got .... weekends I took the wife out fishing.

Working construction I have pulled many different trailers.

 

With all that said, be clear I'm not even good at pulling trailers ... I just get by at a average level.

Backing up that little 8' trailer was the most miserable job I ever did. When I bought it & drug it home.

I need to drive down the alley behind my house and navigate it through the gate into my back yard.

The trailer is so short I can not see it out of my mirrors. By the time I can see it, is already jack knifed.

I had a spot picked out I wanted to park it in .... I tried for almost 1 hour & never could park it where I wanted.

I settled for where I could get it.

 

I'm only suggesting these pilothouse beds are terrible candidates for trailers. IMHO.

Something with a 8' bed would be better .... A 9' box would be ideal 

These issues can be fixed so you can actually see it when backing up. .... Really makes no difference.

I have a garden tractor with a trailer about 5' long .... It really sucks backing it up & I can see it.

 

Life is too short for short trailers.

I feel like you are doing yourself a great favor by not finishing this project.

I have no hard feelings at all about not wanting to finish mine.

 

 

[Dave72dt]

If you put a longer tongue on it, it'll be easier to back up.  My pickup bed will probably never see cargo and if I were to build a matching trailer, it probably would be too nice to haul cargo also.   It'd look cool but not very practical.  I've got a 5 x 10 trailer for practical and a beater truck w 8" box for  cargo. 

 

 

[52b3b Joe]

I use mine a few times a year for landscape around my house. It's licensed and I run it down the road within 20-30 miles. I did put new radial tires on it and put a new pinion seal in the axle to keep oil in it. I used it this past weekend when I re-roofed one of my sheds. I parked it on each side of the roof as I tore the old off and just let it fall in the bed, then I took it 10 miles to empty out the garbage when I was done. When I haul mulch with it, it's level to the top of the side boards. The springs are definitely overloaded when I do that lol. I get a lot of positive comments with the trailer, especially when I pull it with the 52. Most of the time it seems pointless to license and keep it, but I have storage for it and try to have a little fun when I can....even if its just getting mulch with the 52 and trailer. 

[ggdad1951]

Final PIN in this is the trailer frame sold and Brad bought the bed sides for his project and I couldn't be happier they are going back on a truck project!