pole dolly build/questions

[arse_sidewards]

I have some 3-1/2” spring perches. Bought them for what I thought was a D60. Turns out I had a Ford D61. Bigger tubes. Pinion offset more. Think I got them from DIY4x4

I think the f450 and f550 2wd got a beam axle made outta super60 bits
seen them in the wild before, kinda like those 2wd jeep front ends

I've seen them too. Almost bought one once then thought better of it. You can definitely get beams in the 450. I've seen at least one F-450 like that but I'm 90% sure that one left the factory with a pickup bed if that matters. Rockauto implies both were options.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Got the axle tube yesterday. Spring seats are out for delivery. Just bought the U-bolts and plates today but no idea when they'll show up.

Anyone have any tips for painting around/under the spring seats. Just hit it with a spray can and do my best?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Weld-through primer the mating surfaces, then top coat after welding.

 

[[486]]

Weld-through primer the mating surfaces, then top coat after welding.

this

I like using asphalt roofing goop thinned a little with gasoline applied with a brush to gob on over the weld-through (and really everything)

 

[arse_sidewards]

As if 5x2x6/16 tubing wasn't more than enough by itself tonight's project was adding triangulation. Tube is 4x2x1/8.

 

[arse_sidewards]

So after partying Friday night I woke up at like 6am got it finished by mid afternoon yesterday.

I forget what the axle runout at the hub came to but it was in the "fuck it I'm marking the top of this tube and we're sending it" ballpark.

Slapped it in the back of the van with the welds still hot. Drove 2hr with my buddy to pick up a bunch of hardwood and then decided that based on what was there we'd rather max out the capacity of the van grabbing smaller stuff and then just get the big tree trunk some other day.

So we dropped the dolly off at my dad's house. You'll have to wait to see how it actually came out.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Over the weekend I had a chance to test out the dolly. We just moved a log from my aunt's house to my dad's house.

Dolly did great other than a little difficulty getting the log to sit flat and even then it still shifted (as you can see in the pictures)

The 40yo trailer tongue that I strapped under the log didn't fare so well and the coupler broke when I tried to back it into the driveway.

Honda CRV fared just fine for a 8mi trip across town. Wound up positioning the dolly 3/5s the way down the log to get decent tongue weight. 2/3 put it on the bump stops. Probably gonna use the Aerostar for this most of the time because it's basically a Ranger with less rear overhang.

I think I'm going to build V-blocks for the dolly and separate tongues for round and square objects. It took like three tries to get the tongue to sit how I wanted under the log.

The unknown age Winston Hi-Way studded tires did great and sounded great the whole time.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Also, moving around logs with straps sucks. I was avoiding just using screw eyes for my lifting points because I didn't want to inadvertently trash what could become a $40 "hand crafted salad bowl".

I think next time I'm gonna just sink lag bolts in it and lift from there.

 

[rockota]

This thread just gave me an idea.....and of course google confirms it's already a thing. I'm planning on buying or building a saw mill soon and moving logs will become a requirement. Instead of having to lift the log or beam or whatever on to the trailer, how about a straddle lift that you wheel over the log and then lift and and either chain or even insert a bar across and lower it back on to it. You could still do it like the utility pole dolly style. Add a cheap 5k winch or two and you'd be set.



Seem a lot of people make them for ATVs for moving logs around on-site.

Now I need one of these...

 

[arse_sidewards]

Granted I never planned on registering this and was planning on relying on being white and polite to keep the law enforcement induced costs down but it turns out this motherfucker doesn't even need to be registered in MA.

A trailer is defined as: "Any vehicle or object on wheels and having no motive power of its own, but which is drawn by, or used in combination with, a motor vehicle. It shall not include a pole dolly or pole dickey, so called, nor a pair of wheels commonly used as an implement for other purposes than transportation, nor a portable, collapsible or separate two-wheel tow dolly limited only to the purpose of transporting or towing a registered vehicle." It also does not include farm machinery or implements when used in connection with the operation of a farm or estate, nor any vehicle when towed behind a farm tractor and used in connection with the operation of a farm or estate.

Towing regulations - trucks, trailers & dollies

For trucks, trailers, and tow dollies, there are certain laws and regulations that must be followed to make sure you are legally towing properly.

www.mass.gov

 

[arse_sidewards]

So I made a new tongue piece, my buddy made some V-blocks and we went and got the log saturday. Hardest part was backing into the yard since there was shit all over the place that limited where you could swing the car and the traction control really didn't like trying to back a trailer.

The tongue is just some 3x.125 square tube with some 2" pipe welded on at 45s.

Next upgrades are gonna be some tabs on the dolly to keep the V-blocks from being able to slide off center and slipper springs because the shackles get bound up enough the spring won't droop properly and I don't trust them not to fold sideways. Also paint. Since every weld was bare and we towed it in the rain everything is rusty now.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Also we saw this on the drive. If we weren't doing 50 to keep sway down I would have flagged him down and offered to buy his car.

 

[[486]]

and slipper springs because the shackles get bound up enough the spring won't droop properly and I don't trust them not to fold sideways.

just ditch the springs all together
tires are suspension enough for something like that

 

[arse_sidewards]

After sitting in the back yard for a week the log is now off. The widest spot is 34" so time for a new bar

I should be getting back the dolly soon so I can add more tie downs where we need them as well as re-work the suspension. I should have just done all my own brackets from the get go. The fitment on all the trailer stuff I bought is pretty horrible.