Good find it looks pretty good from the pics.
I would look for a Towing outfit that has a "Roll Back" truck that should handle your needs for 12 miles.
I would also remove the tanks and anything inside that is not bolted down. No extra stress needed for the frame.
The tires look like they are up so they should be able to hook on to the axles with a hook and pull it up that way.
Good luck.
I forgot one thing.
This trailer is going to be like moving a Grand Piano, it has three legs with wheels but it's not ment to be moved with them.
The Tung Jack post needs to be placed on a floor jack.
If you pull on the Tung Jack {Jack} at the same rate that the trailer is being pulled onto the Roll Back you should have no problems.
Slowly is the word of the day. It wouldn't hurt to have a bunch of strong buddies around either.
Originally posted by Janet's Husband The tires look like they are up so they should be able to hook on to the axles with a hook and pull it up that way.
Good luck.
Visually inspect the shackles and U-bolts. If they look OK, you should be able to hang the thing upside down by the axle. Very heavy duty.
What!? You bought that piece of junk!? We were just kidding! We wouldn't have paid 5 cents for it!
Oh I'm joking of course. Congrats on your new/old TT and good luck with the restoration. I hope you keep us posted along the way.
As for getting it home, I would hire someone with a picker truck (they supply slings for this) to lift it onto a flatbed truck. I once had a trailer (SOB) transported to my acreage this way and it was effortless, but the person who sold me the trailer paid for the picker (and it was a big one!) so I'm not sure of the expense. Getting it OFF the flatbed was, well lets just say, another story.
are we talking about surface rust here on the frame? Or total rust out where you can drive a screw driver through it? Surface rust is common.. those frame rails are pretty stout.
thanks guys -
the yolk has rust through, you can see the jagged edges of the yolk frame in that one pic that includes the propane tank init.
the piano analogy is a good one-
i dont think a floor jack under the tung jack will work (good thought though) because i am afraid its agonna break with any sort of movement .
might try it or use it along with additional support though.
i think i will need something (wheel/support) closer back towards the front of the trailer. (closer to the trailer relative to the ball reciever that is).
the rear frame rails(where the bumber was attached) are rust pulverized. it crumbles in your fingers. i dont know how far it goes into the trailer yet though.
the axle/shackles/U bolts and frame around this area look relatively good. just some nasty surface rust. the springs look a little worse because of all the close edges of the layers of springs.
but not too bad.
it is parked on natural sand/dirt.
first i think the thing todo is jack up the axle to check out the wheels. see if they will turn.
then go from there.
if the axle looks like it will fly then i need to figure out a dolly system (for the front end) appropriate for the job.
if the axle looks like it will fly then i need to figure out a dolly system (for the front end) appropriate for the job.
You have to pull the banana wrap and belly skin anyway, do the front now. Make a dolly large enough to support a sizeable area of the front that can be attached to the a frame and frame. Remember a roll off will probably have a diamond plate deck and will be rough for small wheels, use something fairly good sized, preferably pneumatic to roll smoothly.
I really think that Janet's Husband had the right idea, find a roll back truck, and set them worry about getting it on the bed. Even if the tires were flat a good winch truck (and most of them are) could get it up the inclined ramp. As far as the front dolly, if it were me, I would let the winch operator just drag it up the incline.
Moving the LPG bottles to the rear interior of the unit would help take weight off of the tongue for the move.
Find a reputable car mover, they will probably give you an estimate to move it. They may charge you for the estimate, but negotiate to apply the estimate to the moving charge.
It would be surprised if they charge more than 50 bucks for the move. Remember, they winch 5 and 6 thousand pound wrecks with no tires and front ends destroyed every day. An Airstream haul should be a walk in the park for them.
I would hesitate to attempt to sling the unit. Without a properly attached set of spreader bars I would think there would be a strong likelyhood of collateral damage should the slings contact the skin of the trailer.
Good luck!
Keep the Forum posted with pics of the move.
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Dennis
"Suck it up, spend the bucks, do it right the first time."
We had our 1949 22' Liner moved from TX to MO on a flat-bed trailer, and it posed many of the same problems you have. The pipe frame was shot, and the frame had broken near the front of the trailer and in the vicinity of the door. It had no windows, the door was hanging precariously, and it still has its original tires!
For both loading and unloading, the driver used a winch on the front of the pipe frame with a safety strap around the axle. He also had someone continue to place heavy rubber wedges behind the wheels just in case it broke free. Make sure the door and any and all windows are closed securely to minimize body flexing and damage.
After our experience with a trailer shorter than yours, I might encourage you to consider two things related to the length of your Overlander:
1. Most traditional rollbacks will not want to handle that much length hanging off the back of their trucks, and you might be better off using a trailer.
2. There is a great deal of overhang behind the axle, which presents a serious problem during loading and unloading. The best way to counteract that is through the use of long ramp extensions. We used oak planks for our trailer, and it still drug just a tiny bit.
Best of luck, and good for you - I think you'll end up with a great trailer someday and should be commended for "rescuing" it.
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Ben & Molly (but Ben never types, so it's always Molly )
The only thing slavagable is the body and maybe a few interior peices. Don't risk damaging them by having that rotten frame buckle underneath it and destroying it. Right now that body is the only thing holding that mess together. Everything from the rub rail down is scrap.
Two guys with cordless drills, a saw-z-all and spare battieries could strip that thing down to the point you could get the body off in a1.5 days or less. You have to do it any way when you restore it do it where it sits. My wife and I took a 22ft appart without any addition help. I'm not a strong guy and neither is my wife. She tips the scales at 90lb. It was all in the planning. Most weight I lifted durring the whole process was 60lb. That was the jack I used to lift the rest.
Four people can easily handle moving the body. Depending on how far you pull it down it would be around 250lb 300 max. It could be loaded onto a car trailer and moved. Then come back for the rest and if it folds it's no big deal and you haven't risked the part of real value.
This thing is going to fall appart if you try to move it in one shot.
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1959 22' Caravanner
1988 R20 454 Suburban.
Atlanta, GA
hmmmmm...
good ideas. and possible ways to go and to anticipate.
really.... thanks for the input and encouragement.
this isnt going to happen overnight of course . because of work and a full time life....
what i am thinking is a choice between a flat bed car hauler and a trailer with a winch. the addvantage with atrailer with awinch is that it ought to be much lower to the ground . haveing the transport platform low will reduce stress to the unit during the pull and release of transfer.
i really would prefer to have the convienience of doing most of the work on the project at home. not at its current site.
however if things quickly panout to indicate it wont transport ...
.... then other plans will be made.
untill i start getting into it -there will be some unknowns.
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