Questions About Trailers and Loading 'em

[Anonymous]

Awhile back C9 asked for some advice on loading out his shop for his move to AZ.  I can't find it so I need to be reinformed on this stuff.  I've got an air compressor, the usual number of tool boxes, drill press and about 3-400 ponuds of power tools and at least one of every hand tool known to man.  In addition, I'm going to load some of other stuff that probably doesn't have as much weight.  Stuff like household goods wives think they need for the 3-4 monthes it might take to find a place to live before they get all their real stuff.  I know I want the heavier stuff to the front of the trailer but...

How do I secure the air compressor and other pretty heavy stuff.  My trailer is a 6X12 cargo with dual axles and 2bys for a floor wo I can use the floor for secuing the load.  It has a handy 1" square steel rail about half way up all around the inside except on the doors.  Should help in securing stuff.

The boards have shrunk and I'm putting caulk in between them since I want the trailer to be as tight as possible to keep bugs, varments, and the weather out.  My wive thinks the caulk will not flex enough.  She could be right.  I don't know.  She says I should look for a rubber mat of some kind to put down on the flooor.  Sounds logical, might keep the load from slideing around.  Got any ideas where or what to look for?  What it will cost?

Finally, I bought a '95 Suburban to tow this trailer (350 engine).  The normal running temp is 210.  I'm a cool guy (pun intended) and 210, even when GM thinks it's OK just pains me.  I can't tollorate hot engines.  Coming back from Oklahoma City with this 10-foot-in-the-air trailer behind it the Suburban ran about 220+.  That was with the trailer empty an an air temp of about 99-100.  If I remember my sixth grade science class correctly water boils more quickly at higher altitude.  When I hit the Rockies on I40, am I in trouble?  Any ideas on making it run cooler?

TIA for any help suggestions.

[SKR8PN]

First off,you want about 15% of your total weight on the tongue,so you will need to equalize your load somewhat when you are loading it. Don't just put all the heavy stuff up front. Drain the oil out of the compressor and lay it down if it is a vertical type. Rubber mat on  the floor sounds like a good idea to me. Make sure you don't overload the tires and check the air pressure,BEFORE you load the trailer! Hope you have brakes on at least ONE axle of the trailer,AND a brake controller. Might be a good idea to check the bearings also. Now,as to engine temp. Remember,Chevy takes the reading right out of the cylinder head,the hottest part of the engine. If you still have a doubt,put another guage and sender in the intake,near the thermstat, and take a reading there as well. If you are STILL in doubt,put a larger capacity radiator in it before your trip.......Just my $.02

PS...a big trans cooler is a good idea also..............

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Tongue weight is important as mentioned to avoid trailer sway.  Electric brakes are the only ones to use IMHO.

The water temp does seem a tad high. I'd keep an eye on it, mayb check over the system , radiator cap etc.

As a warning............I hooked my car trailer to my 71 Chevy truck years ago.  I loaded my 1970 FWD Chevelle on the trailer backwards so the rear of the coil spring 71 was not over loaded.  I had done it this way MANY times since the front of the Chevelle was real heavy with the FWD setup and the 6-71 blown small block. The setup towed real nice with the car on the trailer backwards.

Trouble was ....... I had lowered the 71 an additional 2 inches all around and never gave that a thought as i hooked the trailer up.

At 65 mph on the I-17 in Phx the trailer started to sway.  I punched the throttle to straighten up the trailer. The sway got REAL bad .... I punched the trailer brake " over ride button"and had smoke rolling off all 4 trailer tires. The truck and trailer straightened up immediately!

A buddy following me told me the trailer was * the rear tires of the 71 truck  off the pavement just before I hit the trailer brakes.

[Dirk35]

Hey George, did you get all retired and everything? Did ya get the house sold yet?

If you need to store some stuff, I have one of those Better Built storage sheds you can fill up with as much stuff as you can fit in it if you need a place to store some stuff for a while. I have a little junk in it, but really just dont use it. If ya want, I can even fix the door to be lockable on it.

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys for the response.  I guess I'll look into getting some brakes on the trailer.  I've never pulled one with brakes before.  Towed car trailers a lot.  The only cargo trailer experience I have was moving my Dad from Calif. to OK when we moved him in with us back in '84.  Big cargo trailer but no brakes, we made it here OK but I never went 65 either.
Any suggestions on tie-downs or other things to keep the load from shifting?  Know where I can get a rubber trailer floor mat?

Hey Dirk.  How are things going since your service to your country ended?  Where are you wprking?  Glad to be back with your wife and family I would guess.  Worst thing about service life are the separations.
Yes I retired 1 April.  Hope that's not some kind of omen being April Fool's day and all.  I think I'm going to be pretty good at this retirement thing.  As anybody who worked with me can tell you, doing nothing is what I do best.  We did sell the house-at least we have earnest money.  Guy has 90 days to sell his place in town.  Once the deal is completed we have movers coming to pick up and store most of what we are keeping.  Going to have an auction on the rest.  We are going to AZ and rent an apartment and try to find the perfect house for retirement.  Well the perfect house for our budget.  AZ folks are a lot prouder of their houses than us OKies are.  We are planning on driving my wifes car out to arrange a place to stay right after we close on he house.  We are going to look to rent some place in Lake Havasu City if possible but Kingman, Bull Head City, Fort Mohave, Laughlin and Las Vegas are all OK by us.  Tax break in Nevada would be better but we like Lake Havasu City AZ best.  We are going to leave the car in Las Vegas and fly back.  Pat's not big on doing a lot of driving so we can both travel back to AZ in the Suburban.  What isn't going in household goods and stored by the mover in transit is either going to auction or going in our trailer.  Most of trailer stuff is automotive (spare coupe parts, shop tools or some stuff the love of my life thinks she has to keep close by).

Coupe is painted with flames since you last saw it.  I'm pretty proud of it.  Runs so strong guys with "Yeah it's a hemi " stickers in their back windows pee their pants and look the other way when they see it coming.  One Dodge pickup guy got serious road rash when he stepped out of his truck while moving cause he thought it had died when I ran off and left him.  Well actually that parts a lie but it does run.

You get a chance. come see me before I leave.  You're always welcome.  And thanks for the offer of storage.  You're a good guy and a good soldier.  Thanks for your service.