New sawmill coming next month - need to sort out towing issues

[Big J]

If it was mine, personally I would tow it with the nav, make sure all lights and number plates are in good order and go for it. I have been driving trailers for 22 years and only been pulled by vosa once.... If you are worried about the brakes swap the axles for some indespension units or similar, should cost under 2k for the whole lot. My brother has a 6 wheel steering drawbar trailer that he imported from germany, it has at least 8m of load bed and another 2 in the drawbar, so it must be 10m long, he tows it with a disco4. not had any bother...

 

Fair point.

 

You are forgetting though that I will invariably be stranded roadside in the (terminally unreliable) Navara, which is going to put me in a more vulnerable position with regards to legalities!

[difflock]

Obvious!

Purchase a 461/Worker "G" Wagen.

Comfortable, Smart, professional, and utterly reliable.

A 1/4 or a 1/2 way to a Unimog too.

Or a "G" Wagen pick-up with a 5th wheel conversion.

Perfect

And very eyecatching.

[youcallthatbig]

personally I would get somthing VERY wide, to warn oncoming road users to stay away from that head rig,as it does not appear from the web sites pictures to be able to be stored inboard( ie turned thru 90* )when on the road,so in light of that ...fastrac, still able to travel at a decent speed, and a "get out of my way presence"

-on another point what stops the logs from rolling straight off the deck other than the raised clamping dog when coming off the loading arms as it appears that the turning arms/posts are the same side as the loading tines?

-but I can see why you went for it over a mizer.....

[josharb87]

Would the cost of a decent unimog not still be more than driver training, o licence, and a grab lorry? A grab lorry would then give you the option of transtorting timber too?

[Big J]

personally I would get somthing VERY wide, to warn oncoming road users to stay away from that head rig,as it does not appear from the web sites pictures to be able to be stored inboard( ie turned thru 90* )when on the road,so in light of that ...fastrac, still able to travel at a decent speed, and a "get out of my way presence"

-on another point what stops the logs from rolling straight off the deck other than the raised clamping dog when coming off the loading arms as it appears that the turning arms/posts are the same side as the loading tines?

-but I can see why you went for it over a mizer.....

 

One of the reasons for wanting something like a Unimog is that it is very wide. I would put hi-viz strips on the head rig.

 

Regarding the logs rolling off, there are lots of manual clamps in addition to the hydraulic one. Better to have it rolling into the clamp than the back stop as the log rolling into the back stops on the Woodmizer always knocks them off square.

 

Josh - I guess it's the running costs that do it. Red diesel, no MOT or Tax, no O licence or all the hassle.

[Big J]

Obvious!

Purchase a 461/Worker "G" Wagen.

Comfortable, Smart, professional, and utterly reliable.

A 1/4 or a 1/2 way to a Unimog too.

Or a "G" Wagen pick-up with a 5th wheel conversion.

Perfect

And very eyecatching.

 

As much as I'd love a G-wagen, it wouldn't be worth it as it still wouldn't be legal.

[treequip]

Can't put a fold in the bed - we did explore that option.

 

I have just had a look at the pictures in your link, did they say exactly why you cant put a fold in the bed?

 

It looks entirely doable to me.

[Big J]

It's mainly as so much has to come off the length to make it legal here - we're talking 3m. It would have meant completely redesigning the sawmill, meaning a huge increase in cost and a compromise of the mill itself. I don't have a problem with driving a larger vehicle - I wouldn't want to tow something of that size with the Navara, and the extra width of a larger tow vehicle would protect the head rig.

[Peter]

Have you got some quotes for haulage?

 

The amount of money you're thinking of spending on a tow vehicle would go a long way in paying someone else to move it, and you wont have the headache of running another vehicle.

[broonie]

how about converting the trailer to a gooseneck like this

Texas Pride 35ft Plus 5ft Dovetail Flatbed Equipment Trailer | eBay