Moving a single axle trailer on my Minno trailer

[jonclancy]

Hi Foks,

i’m hoping for some inspiration! I have bought an old (seventies) trailer that I need to collect. It’s a single axle with a pin drawbar. Like a small Sankey. Weight must be around 400kgs. My Skoda has a factory fitted towbar (ball), and the trailer I doubt is roadworthy (due lights brakes etc), so will need to collect it on a trailer, rather than tow.

I spoke with BJT, and they very helpfully suggested that I use some 4mm angle to brace some 15mm Buffalo Board. This would be to support the drawbar. I was also thinking about having a crossbeam fabricated that would bolt to the two wheel-ways on the trailer to allow the drawbar to rest there. It would be bolted on, I guess.

There must be an easier way! I was going to look into perhaps hiring a plant trailer with solid floor. A small recovey truck would be perfect, but where would I find one of those?

Ball to pin adapter, and tow in daylight with hand signals, and unbraked?

Any suggestions gratefully received, thanks!

 

[fizzy]

You don't need brakes if it's under 750kg. And just fit a lightboard.
You could fit a pin hitch to the car but it might be too low if the trailer is similar to a Sankey.

 

[jonclancy]

Lightboard, of course! Ta.

Is there a converter to pin hitch? Think one was linked in another old thread, but the link was dead. My ball coupling is one piece on a foldaway arm.

 

[Turbo]

What's the tyres like on the trailer? If they are old, or cracked/perished its not a good idea to tow it. Likewise if the wheel bearings are dodgy.

I would suggest hiring a car transporter or plant trailer to transport it home.

 

[Beanwood]

Hire a trailer with a winch or start calling people you know that have one “matey”.
Depends on distance but also consider a recovery firm or transport company like Shiply?

 

[Agroshield]

Turn it upside down.

 

[Beanwood]

Small recovery trucks will be all over face book as car movers.

 

[skotl]

You don't need brakes if it's under 750kg. And just fit a lightboard.
You could fit a pin hitch to the car but it might be too low if the trailer is similar to a Sankey.

I could be wrong but my understanding was that if the trailer had brakes then they needed to be functional?

(Not disagreeing that a GW of less than 750kg doesn’t need them designed in - simply a point of if it does have them…)

 

[winchman]

We have a local bloke who hires trailers out possibly you have a localnhire place as its just not worth the risk, last used one we moved we serviced it at the sellers house and fitted new tyres.
A good friend of ours was in a non fault accident whilst towing a trailer, the Police went over it with a fine tooth comb, even weighed it.

 

[OJCar]

@OP In the thread title you say "Moving a single axle trailer on my Minno trailer".

Do you mean that you have a Brian James Minno Trailer?
Like this?

If so, assuming the '70s trailer is not stupidly wide, run it up onto the Minno.
Tow hitch to the front, run the '70s trailer forward until you have a sensible nose weight on the Minno.
Lash it down around the wheels, run a strap thro the ring hitch to somewhere forward on the Minno.
If the ring hitch is going to be on the Gruffalo Board put some soft timber scotching to prevent damage to the Gruffalo Board.

Forget about Hitch Adaptors, free yourself from the problems of old/worn out tyres & bearings etc.
Give the old thing a ride home till you've overhauled it.

 

[zzr1200]

You don't need brakes if it's under 750kg. And just fit a lightboard.

The 750Kg gtw totally depends on the weight ratio of the tow car to the trailer weight and the manufacturers tow weight limit for the car.

 

[jonclancy]

Thank you for all the suggestions, everyone. Yes, it’s a Minno, like the one pictured, but with no boarding. I could fit bracing, assuming I can find the right size unequal angle galv I want. It’s not quite the correct size. It’s what I do with the hitch end which is causing me a headache - I’d have it home now if I had a load-bearing front platform (and a load of other eBay purchases, too, no doubt!!!).

I’ll give the local plant hire place a call this morning.

Please keep the suggestions coming.

 

[DanZac]

Thank you for all the suggestions, everyone. Yes, it’s a Minno, like the one pictured, but with no boarding

Im assuming that you've got a car trailer without the centre boarding then? If that's correct and the only issue is running the jockey wheel / hitch end of your new purchase up the gap, then why not just get a sheet of thick plywood and lay it across your existing trailer?

If nessecery bolt it down to the trailer bed and hey presto you've got a plant trailer?

 

[OJCar]

It’s what I do with the hitch end which is causing me a headache - I’d have it home now if I had a load-bearing front platform

Run the '70s trailer forward enough that you can lash the ring hitch to either the front cross member of the Minno or to the Draw Bar.
Soft timber scotching as needed.

 

[Beanwood]

...or screw a piece of 4x2 (Long enough to reach from one side of your minno to the other) onto the ring of the sankey trailer, and just let it rest across the current bed. Put another piece of wood on top of the ring , and bolt through the ring to stop it moving.
Lash it down. Off you go

 

[ukracer]

Turn it upside down?

 

[addjunkie]

Put trailer on, railway sleeper across under the draw bar and ratchet strap it down. Or just strap the towing eye around the front beam.

 

[jonclancy]

Great suggestions!! Thanks!

 

[bricol]

Turn the bought trailer at an angle on the Minno - so both wheels are still on the decks, but put the hitch/nosewheel of the new one on one too - strap it down tight.

In a similar situation I had to move two trailers - upended the smaller one onto the larger - problem was the larger didn't have working lights, but the smaller did . . . so plugged the smaller one in, and remember to indicate right when I wanted to go left - luckily no-one coming towards me at any time when I needed to use indicators!

 

[winchman]

We might be missing a trick here how far away is it would one of the Collection men of Faceach not collect it?