# Self Unloading Trailer.......



## Winterized (Mar 3, 2007)

Any practical experience would be greatly appreciated........

Want to put a slipsheat on a my open, 14 foot wood floor tandem axle trailer. Basically a window shade that pulls to the rear. Would be about 5.5 feet wide on a 7 foot wide floor. 

If you have built such, or could share a website that could help, that would be great. Right now, would like suggestions for the slipsheat itself. Would be used for unloading snow... mulch... and if possible..... black dirt.... sand.... base coarse.

Have Googled all I could think of for help, but no luck. Any suggestions for right angle gear drives or such would be great too. Thanks !!!


----------



## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

I think there is a company called ez dumper ( or something like that ) that makes exactly what your talking about for pickup trucks. They attach to the tailgate, and have a tarp that lays up in the bed of your truck. When you want to unload it, you just crank a handle and it pulls everything to the back of the tailgate.


----------



## Snowzilla (Oct 24, 2009)

Rc2505;1211128 said:


> I think there is a company called ez dumper ( or something like that ) that makes exactly what your talking about for pickup trucks. They attach to the tailgate, and have a tarp that lays up in the bed of your truck. When you want to unload it, you just crank a handle and it pulls everything to the back of the tailgate.


Seen these in Northern Tool magazine & Harbor Freight. Probably would be cheaper to buy one of these instead of make it yourself. You can see images

Many pics & video:
http://www.realtruck.com/load-handler-truck-bed-unloader/R1449P1C1T.html
You can download pdf manual:
http://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lb-capacity-pickup-unloader-91859.html
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...=mode+matchallpartial&Dx=mode+matchallpartial


----------



## Winterized (Mar 3, 2007)

Exactly....... Only on a bigger scale.

Have checked them out.... and that is what leads me to believe a guy could scale it up so to speak. Making progress slowly.


----------



## Carpenter98 (Dec 24, 2010)

I have a 6'x16' landscape trailer with 2' high steel sides. I use it in my construction business for hauling equipment, materials and trash. 

I made 4 carts, 3'w x 8'l x 2'h with casters set up like a lumber cart. I can drop a cart or two at a jobsite & roll the cart up on the trailer when full. I can fit 4 carts on the trailer, take it to the transfer station & dump the carts on the floor. Not really what you are looking for, but could spark an idea.

For bulk stuff, like shingles, mulch, debris, ect - I have a 6x6 that lays across the front of the trailer. I have 3 pieces of 5/4x6 on edge above that so it is 2' tall. There are heavy chains attached by heavy u-bolts to the 6x6. The chains extend 5' past the rear of the trailer. 

When I load up bulk stuff, I set the 'pull board' at the front of the trailer & lay the chains to the back. I lay a lumber tarp from the local lumber yard on top of the chains. Toss on the trash, mulch, whatever. When I go the the landfill, they pull a dozer up behind me, I attach the chains, and they pull the whole pile off. I attach a chain to the backside of the pull board & to the back of the trailer, then pull my chains back out from under the trash.

I've unloaded dirt & mulch much the same way, but attached the chains to a tree or other large object and pulled the trailer out from underneath. Just have to have good traction.

I've been trying to figure out how to do something you are describing. Problem I am running into is a 16' drag tarp rolled around a piece of pipe is gonna be about 8" across. That is kind of big to be hanging off the back of the trailer, especially backing it into tight places & going up and down steep drives where it could drag and get damaged. Plus you'd have to have a good gearing to be able to crank off that amount of resistance.

Ideally I'd use a setup similar to my 6x6 & chains that is attached to a winch so I can unload without having to attach to anything. Still working on that one...


----------



## STIHL GUY (Sep 22, 2009)

i have a load handler which is what your looking to build but mine is for an 8ft pickup bed...maybe you can check out their website and get some ideas


----------



## Burkartsplow (Nov 1, 2007)

STIHL GUY;1212208 said:


> i have a load handler which is what your looking to build but mine is for an 8ft pickup bed...maybe you can check out their website and get some ideas


I have one of those also. They work well for a couple of yards of mulch and are straining pretty bad with 1.5 yds of soil. For small jobs and leaves they work great also.


----------



## Winterized (Mar 3, 2007)

CARPENTER98 said.....
_Ideally I'd use a setup similar to my 6x6 & chains that is attached to a winch so I can unload without having to attach to anything. Still working on that one..._

OK.... just tossing this out there. Instead of chains, use cable as lighter, and run it under your tailer back to the front using and electric winch mounted on tongue of trailer.

The cable would run over a pulley or roller mounted on back of trailer. Depending on construction of trailer should be enough clearance to go over top of axles. Could even have it going through a guide or two keeping it from sagging when loose, and enable you to let it free-spool to pull back when unloaded. Thinking cable could be secured under slight tension to be left there till next time.

Thought of this for my purpose, but I'm building the ...window shade.... instead as being simpler for my limited use.


----------



## Carpenter98 (Dec 24, 2010)

Winterized;1212906 said:


> OK.... just tossing this out there. Instead of chains, use cable as lighter, and run it under your tailer back to the front using and electric winch mounted on tongue of trailer.
> 
> The cable would run over a pulley or roller mounted on back of trailer. Depending on construction of trailer should be enough clearance to go over top of axles. Could even have it going through a guide or two keeping it from sagging when loose, and enable you to let it free-spool to pull back when unloaded. Thinking cable could be secured under slight tension to be left there till next time


That is where I am at now. The design issues are: clearance between axles and frame; mounting of a winch; positioning of pulleys & guides.

Probably will end up just being a pipe dream but if I can get the engineering figured out it may work nicely.

Or I'll just get a dump trailer.....


----------

