[pianotech] Cargo trailers

[Dean May]

I think my trailer is 6x10. I can just fit a 9 ft piano inside, but rarely
have ocassion to transport that size. My trailer has a ramp door and a 6
foot high opening, double E-track down both sides. I've also installed a
dozen or more surface mount D rings from Harbor Freight. These are
incredibly handy for all sorts of other stuff you'll be using the trailer
for besides moving pianos. 
 
Mine is a single axle. If you are custom ordering, you might consider making
it a dual axle. The single axle makes for a much rougher ride for the cargo.

 
When you get your trailer, take it to someone who knows something about
welding steel structure. Most trailers are woefully under engineered, and
adding a little steel here and there will hugely improve its load carrying
ability. Pay attention to axle mounts. Also, go ahead and weld additional
plates on the top and bottom of the tongue rails. The bottom of the ramp
frame is another place I've reinforced. It had one steel square tube across
the bottom, then vertical steel tubes butt welded to it, with very poor
welds (in fact, check all the welds you can find). I added little triangular
gussetts to overlap the joints, making it much stronger.

After 20 years and thousands of moves, mine is falling apart but we keep
welding it back together. It is used to move households, motorcycles,
vending machines, lawn mowers, and sometimes pianos. I've often thought
about getting a bigger one, but the small size is real convenient for
backing over the lawns to the front porches. 
 

Dean

Dean W May                (812) 235-5272 voice and text

PianoRebuilders.com    (888) DEAN-MAY

Terre Haute IN 47802

 


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From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Richard W. Bushey
Sent: Saturday, June 30, 2012 8:24 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] Cargo trailers


I am looking to purchase a cargo trailer to move pianos (likely one at a
time) to/from customer's home and shop mostly, and was curious what those
here on the pianotech list would suggest.  I would install e-trak for sure.
I've been looking at either 5x8, or 6x10 cargo trailers.  If I went with the
smaller, I'd have to go another route when moving a 9' grand, but I'm
thinking those times would be few and far between, however, I'd rather be
prepared. 
 
One of my main concerns is that most of the cargo trailers I've seen have
short doors, (about 4.5 - 5.5 feet) which isn't a problem as much with a
spinet or console strapped to a piano dolly, but clearance becomes a real
issue when moving tall uprights on a dolly or a grand, which would be on a
grand skid on a dolly.
 
Any suggestions as to what to purchase, work arounds that you all have found
to work with the shorter standard doors, etc.
 
Thanks!
 
 
Richard W. Bushey
Richard's Piano Service
www.RichardsPianoService.com
Rbushey at RichardsPianoService.com
573-765-9903

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