Semi Trailer tear down

Some pictures of an old Fruehauf House hold goods trailer as It got torn down. All I have are some hand tools and Toyota Tacoma's at the moment. No heavy equipment needed. Although I wish I never woulda got rid of my Kubota.

Ive got some more but it won't let me upload them.

I'm not seeing any pics. I use photobucket to upload all of mine.

Originally Posted by Patriot76

No pictures here either. You are more man than I am. Without my torches, trailer, and skidsteer this would be a major challenge. Please provide more details about this under taking using only hand tools and a pickup. How long did it take you?

Did three aluminum ones in less than a week with just an air chisel to remove the heads of the thousands of rivets. There's a few iron braces that need torching.

Once the heads of the rivets have been sheared off secure a chain to one corner with the other end onto your truck and give the trailer a few shakes. It soon falls to the ground.

Not sure why the pictures aren't coming up. But any way it was a steel ~30' freuhauf made in about the 50's parked with the (copper) brake lines cut on someones property back in the 80's. It was back about a 1/4 mile through some mud and it rained and snowed a bit making the field pretty muddy. I woulda been screwed without 4X4 low. I started by emptying the thing out (made about $70 in scrap that was stored in it) came in with a 12v impact driver and took out the screws holding the wood on. Then beat the skin off with a sledge hammer. Used oxy-propane torch to cut each and every side support at the base. 4 were filled with wood so the sawzall was used for them. Then hooked up a chain to the taco and drug the top half off. Cut out all the supports so the roof could be sawzalled. Then the wood flooring. Some just picked right up others needed to be pryed up, and others needed the screws toched off. Made it into 3 sizeable pieces. The landing gear, the king pin plate and the axle assembly. I was able to load all but the axle assembly fairly easily. The axle had to be cut at the shackles seperating it from the frame, then "creative leverage" had to be used to load it on my trailer. All in all that thing was about 8-10k lbs. Of steel and tire.

Tools used- oxy-propane torch, sawzall, grinder, generator, lights, chain, hammer, sledge hammer, pry bar, and impact driver.

2.7L tacoma and 5x10 scrapman industries special were all that was used for transport.

Took about a week working on it alone after work during winter hours. I don't know who said aluminum ones are harder but you sir are a liar, or just haven't learned the right method. Give me a torch and some pry bars and I'll have aluminum dry vans chopped up in a day. Give me a tractor and a heavy duty trailer and I'll have it loaded up as well.

It sucks that the pictures dont upload, but it sucks even more that I had to part with my 50hp kubota before undertaking this project.

Ive torn down several of the aluminum reefer trailers. Just a sawzall and a pack of blades. I cut the back door frame off, the front of the trailer where the kingpin/pulling plate are, and make a cut right in the middle, and then saw down the sides a couple feet up. I have the luxury of a large tractor to then smash and fold things. I pull a 24 foot trailer so I only have to cut the trailer in two pieces (except for the front and back as mentioned before, I cut those loose to make the smashing easier).

Never messed with a steel trailer though. I'd be inclined to call a friend with a road tractor to just pull it to the yard for me and be done with it.

Originally Posted by Patriot76

My previous post was based on scrapping a tractor trailer, which I have only partially done. Every trailer I have access to is rebuilt to be used for a specific use. Pickups are modified to trailers and the cab is scrapped. Two horse trailers are used to make equipment ($ 500), snowmobile ($ 500), four wheeler ($500), or fencing trailers (adding half a water heater and tool box will sell for $ 700). Stock trailers are modified to haul steel or hay (value of $ 2,000 to $4,000). I just modified a tractor trailer to use for hauling steel and/or equipment ($10,000 value - vs- cost $ 4,500). Previous rebuilds focused on hauling local loads of hay (value of $ 6,000). If I had access to an AU trailer, I could get between $ 7,000 and $ 10,000.

The point that I am trying to make: You can scrap a trailer or you can reuse a trailer for a profit. Many on this forum talk about selling ewaste for more than scrap value. There strategy is selling via the internet. After reading their strategies I applied them to my situation. My advantage is meeting individuals face to face and the only advertising is word of mouth. Word of mouth has provided more welding jobs and requests for building trailers from their scrap and provides more scrap collecting. Another angle.

i see what your saying now. Yeah I try and repurpose things as much as possible. I really hate getting rid of pick up trucks so when I get any with a good back half it becomes a trailer. Sometimes I take things apart and build junkyard machines out of stuff. Like im currently building a can crusher out of some junk air compressor and square stock I found. I dont have property of my own though so all the bigger projects just turn to scrap. And if the pictures would upload the trailer that started this post was so far gone you woulda needed to replace literally everything to even think about just hooking up to the thing. So in the scrap pile it went.

Originally Posted by alloy2

I must admit I have on occasion lied to save my skin, but I refuse to get into a pissing contest on how to dismantle an aluminum highway trailer and have no need to learn the techniques you used.

I have nothing of value to contribute to this forum and will not be posting of visiting here anytime soon in the near future, I've been retired from the scrap industry for a number of years now and have to desire to return.

My garlic crop is beginning to show, the Satoh engine transplant is on schedule, were looking to purchase a small boat with a 9.9 four stroke to do some sport fishing this year. Have to do something to keep ourselves busy while waiting for those weeds in the garden to grow.

Life is grand when you reach the point in your life having your pension direct deposited into your bank account, your home is mortgage free with another for rental income.

You sir are a bum and don't have a pot to piss in looking for a hand out, I on the other hand have no need to anyone to give me a handout.

Sorry Alloy2 but you are not allowed to leave this forum. That's right, you must stay and continue to post pics of your projects and your garlic crop. I always look forward to your posts and pics.

Originally Posted by Patriot76

No pictures here either. You are more man than I am. Without my torches, trailer, and skidsteer this would be a major challenge. Please provide more details about this under taking using only hand tools and a pickup. How long did it take you?

took me about 24 hrs to do a 40ft tractor trailer by myself in roughly 4 loads

I used a 6 inch angle grinder to cut it up in pieces n about 10 cutoff wheels matabo for the win