Help with a problem.

I may be buy a 27 foot I-beam.

I only have a 12 foot trailer.

Any frugal ideas?

Thanks

b
Reply to
b
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Simple. Cut it in half.

Steve ;-)

Reply to
Steve B

You aren't giving us much information to go on.... What do you pull the trailer with? How far do you have to go? Over what kind of roads?

If you are pulling the trailer with a pickup, I would suggest you build a framework in the trailer to support the I-beam so it sticks out over the pickup box in front and simply hangs out in space in back (don't forget the red flag...). And restrain it to the trailer so it can't slide forward when you hit the brakes...

Jerry

Reply to
Jerry Foster

I'm not sure having two six-foot trailers gets him any closer to his goal.

Reply to
Dave Hinz

Cut in half lengthwise, then spliced end-to-end, gives him a 24-foot trailer.

Balancing it might be a problem, though.

Reply to
Doug Miller

Yep -- call around to various local steel dealers to make sure you're getting the best price. There can be a tremendous variation, even within the same city. Last year, I bought several pieces of structural steel, including a couple of 20-foot I-beams, and found a 4-to-1 differential between the most and least expensive.

The one who charges the least for the steel is not necessarily the best deal. I went with a dealer whose price for the steel was about 10% higher than the next lowest guy, because the delivery charge was -- I'm not making this up -- seven dollars. They piggybacked my order on with another shipment going in the same direction, and, about eight in the morning, a 40-foot flatbed truck backed up in my driveway and offloaded my steel. Right to my door, for seven bucks. That's pretty hard to beat.

Reply to
Doug Miller

Take some threaded rod and misc angles and bolt the back end of the beam down to the trailer. Fabricate a new trailer hitch from a piece of pipe and new hitch assembly and bolt it to the front end of the beam. Hook it up to your truck and haul it home. This is a similar arrangement to how the utility companies haul long power poles. I've done this with a

37' long glulam about 27" deep and it worked like a charm. Just make sure that the beam is well aligned with your trailer. And watch the sharp turns.
Reply to
Gary Brady

Get it delivered - unless you have unlimited time to stuff around with makeshift hitches that will have the potential to kill someone. And, why not order lots of steel at the same time to get it on only one delivery charge? - surely, a few lengths of 1 inch sq tubing, some bar, some rod, etc are useful things to have in the rack for any number of projects....

Andrew VK3BFA.

PS - my local supplier charges $50 per delivery - I always wait until I have a reasonable order for project(s) or just to restock the racks...

Reply to
Andrew VK3BFA

Good one Dave - wish I had thought of that line....

Andrew VK3BFA.

Reply to
Andrew VK3BFA

Got a buddy or neighbour with a longer trailer?

Reply to
RJ

"Dave Hinz" wrote: I'm not sure having two six-foot trailers gets him any closer to his goal. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I'm pretty sure you mean "two six-foot semitrailers."

As far as hauling is concerned--look at the possibility of resting the forward end on a rack on the towing vehicle, and the back on a rack (maybe improvised) on the trailer. Tie down at only two points, or you won't be able to turn corners.

Reply to
Leo Lichtman

I was about to suggest the same thing yesterday, but assuming that the truck bed is 7' and the trailer is 12' total and there is an extra foot for the hitch, that only gives you 20' of length -- whereas the I beam is 27 feet, if I am not mistaken. That's 7' sticking out in the back, may make some police unhappy, at least I would consider this issue seriously.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus15002

How heavy is the I beam? Can you hang it UNDER the truck? I've done this with light small loads of stuff. (rebar and tubing)

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

"Andrew VK3BFA" wrote

Mine delivers free on a $250+ order.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

Gary Brady wrote: > Take some threaded rod and misc angles and bolt the back end of the beam

Good idea! That was one big glulam!

Bob

Reply to
Bob Engelhardt

Great comeback, Dave. I will stop cutting.

b

Reply to
b

Great idea but this is used steel.

b

Reply to
b

Actually, Gary,

I had thought of something like your idea.

The towing vehicle would be a diesel van.

I thought of cutting a hole in one end of the beam and taking the ball off of the hitch and putting a heavy bolt through both the hitch and the beam with a jam nut. On the other end of the beam, cut another hole for a bolt to go through.

Now, on the back end of the trailer, cut a hole in the aft-most rail of the trailer and put a bolt through that end of the beam and trailer allowing the trailer to be pulled from its rear. DURING DAYLIGHT since no lights on the front of the trailer.

I thought that it may be TOO MUCH of a Rube Goldberg c>> I may be buy a 27 foot I-beam.

Reply to
b

Steve, I really don't know the weight as yet.

The dims. from top to bottom is around a foot. Judging from a picture, it looks to be around 3/8 inch. I am guessing that it is very heavy.

b
Reply to
b

the mast of my sailboat is 29' long; the boat is 19'. the mast is supported at the back and front of the trailer. the rest of it sticks out over the truck. be careful turning corners and going under gas station covers (damhikt).

regards, charlie cave creek, az

Reply to
charlie

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