some specs on the 4 x 8 tractor supply trailer

[surveytech]

Ok this is probably more than anyone wants to know but here are some specs on the 4 x 8 no floor trailer from tractor supply.
Posted here for future reference for anyone that needs them!

An autocad drawing saved in jpg format and other photos can be viewed here
http://www.butterfoot.com/teardrop.htm


4 x 8 TRAILER SPECS
purchased from Tractor Supply
built by Carry-On Corp model: 4x8 NF
Frame dimensions
frame width=49" outside angle 48 7/8" inside angle
frame length=96 1/4"
tongue length from from cross member= 36.5"
deck height= 13.5"
cross member spacing from front cross member is:
14", 44", 74"

Coupler size is 1 7/8"
Coupler height is 12 1/2" with standard tires

G.V.W.R. = 1500 LB
Material
frame is 2 x 2 x 1/8 steel angle
tongue is 2 x 3 x 1/8 steel tube
tongue brackets are 2 x 2 x 3/16 steel angle
fender height= 23"
fender length= 24"
Dexter Axle #2K6047
hub face to hub face= 60"
spring center to spring center = 47.25"
axle placement is 59.25" from front cross member
and 37" from rear cross member
hub spacing is 5 x 4 1/2

Tires are 4.80 x 12 load range "C"
Kenda Loadstar tire
990 lb capacity at 90 psi
There is 3" clearance between tire sidewall and
frame
other models of trailers used a Duro brand tire.

couple of things about the trailer........

one of the tires was completely flat...no air at all.
but with the stiff sidewalls and no load you couldnt tell it had no air in it. check those tires before you leave the store!

The vin tag(and the rest of the paperwork) comes out with the store personnel after you pay at the register. They will attach it somewhere on the trailer and it is NOT removeable. If you try to remove the tag it will be destroyed. (at least this is what the store clerk told me.) so if you are planning to replace the tongue that may not be the place to attach this sticker.

one of the welds on the fender is broken loose on this trailer. My guess is that it vibrated loose on the trip home. It was "dancing" quite a bit behind the car without any load on it. And that was after reducing the tire pressure from 90 to 60.

And as mentioned in previous posts, there is a lot of slop in the tongue attachment to the frame. I have a bit of a gap on this trailer between the two. However the 4 trailers that were at the store were not all the same as far as gap. Some were very tight and some were not. Point here is to check that gap before you buy if they have several trailers to choose from.

hope this helps some future build down the road.
sorry for the long post.

Thanks
Walter

[ceebe]

Wow, you've really done your homework!

[angib]

Walter,

Good work - I've saved that info for future use and I'll be adding it to my tongue strength collection.

Does the trailer have a net or kerb weight figure - or a capacity/payload figure that I can deduct from the GVWR?

The support of the tongue on the first two frame cross-members is interesting - I want to do a stress analysis to see if the tongue or one of the two angles would fail first - my gut feel says the front angle. However that won't be true once you've put a body on it.

Andrew

[surveytech]

Andrew,
the title has GVWR at 1500 lb
The vin tag has GVWR at 1500 lb and GAWR at 2000lb

I forgot the mention that the shipping weight is 250 lb.
the axle is rated at 2000 lb.

And Andrew, I think I might put a Rimple on it.

Walter

[angib]

The vin tag has GVWR at 1500 lb and GAWR at 2000lb

Curious - the axle can take 2000lb but the trailer can only take 1500lb!

So deducting the 250lb shipping weight (I presume it was in cardboard, not a wood crate) from the GVWR gives a payload of 1250lb.

Andrew

[surveytech]

the "2000 lb gvwr manual and safety guide" that came with the trailer doesnt have this trailer listed but it does have the
4 x 8 with a mesh floor listed as.........

trailer net weight........320 lb
max load weight........1680 lb

frames are the same except the mesh floor jobbie has a floor of course but also a tie down rail around the perimeter.

walter

[DestinDave]

Walter...
This is really interesting: when I bought mine I posted all the measurements you did except mine differ from yours about 1/4 to 1/2 inch on overall length and width. Also on the placement of the axle from the rear cross-member. Not really enough to worry about. But my VIN sticker lists the GVWR and GAWR both as 2000lb and the shipping weight of the trailer as 360lb and that's without a mesh floor in it.

BTW, I got my wheel spacers over the weekend and installed them today. I ordered the ones I posted last week (from EZ Accessory online) and was very pleased both with the product and the service. Placed the order online Wed morning, had a reply by noon that they had been shipped and received them Friday morning. If you are going to go with regular OEM steel wheels you might want to look at them.

[surveytech]

Dave,
my trailer was built on 07/2005.
I noticed one difference between this and the other three at the store.
The fender has an extra brace in the center welded to the side frame.
maybe there is other changes, I dont know.
This one looked to be the newest one on the lot.

I have a friend that works at a tire store and he will help me get the
right wheels and tires. I really do want those OEM style wheels with the baby moons and trim rings. Just looks right.

Thanks,
Walter

[angib]

Walter's data on his Tractor Supply trailer has combined with a rainy day here when I can't work outside and the result is some heavyweight nerding on tongue strength.

I've added the results to my Tongue Strength page but the conclusion is that the front 2x2 angle cross-member will fail at only 23% of the maximum load the 3x2 tongue can support.

Walter, I doubt that there's any weakness in this trailer - Tractor Supply would know about that right quick from unhappy customers and would have fixed it by now. So I think it just goes to show how overbuilt many trailers are!

Andrew

[hammer & tongs]

I am happy with my TS trailer..
I modified tha tongue by triangulating from near the hitch back to the second cross member with 1" thickwall square tubing...more to hold the tongue box rather tyhan for any perceived weakness of the tongue.
Don't use that chintzy license plate holder...I lost my plate when it broke off about 1200 miles into my first trip (1600 miles).

The shipping weight of 250# is the true weight of the trailer...the trailers are completely assembled (welded, not bolted) at the factory and shipped bare...ready to go..
Comparable trailers at Home Depot run 150-200 dollars more.

I weighed my TD for registration ...780 lbs..

Finishing touches put on perhaps 50-60 lbs.

[surveytech]

Oh yeah....the license plate holder.
I will pitch that as soon as I take all the lights off for the paint job.
Whatcha think the ground clearance is from the road to the plate?
About an inch?

I am going to put some sort of bracket on the tongue for a box or some sort.
Not worried about the strength but would like to have a box for all my "stuff"


Walter

[DestinDave]

I didn't get a license plate bracket on mine...

But that's OK 'cause the tongue was crooked...