Gravitar Trailer/Life Update, A lot has changed. Thank you SMF

Howdy everyone, I haven't been here in a while. A lot has changed since I last posted, and I need to first of all say thank you to this forum. I've learned so much, and the community here is so supportive. I wanted to give an update on everything I've been up to lately, and tell y'all my plans for the future.

Please read the previous thread on my trailer for context, but heres some of the things I've added/Changed: (Previous thread: https://www.scrapmetalforum.com/day-...tml?highlight=


- New hubs (Changed to 5x4.5, cant remember specifics but total cost was around $300 for new hubs, backing plates and brake shoes w/ assembly (not installed, the original backing plates are welded to the axles and the new ones are bolt on so I would need a whole new axle. The new drums fit perfectly though, so the wheels fit fine.) This was a major upgrade, and I feel a lot safer about it since I can easily take the wheels off for service on the road if I need to. The old wheel bolts were different sizes, heads stripped, and cross threaded.
- Welded D Rings. I decided to keep the trailer as a flatbed. For the time being, its been a lot more versatile for my job and for scrapping.
- New serviceable taillights. I broke so many sets of walmart taillights, I was ready to upgrade. I bought a set of oval light mounting brackets and welded them onto the fender tabs. very good upgrade.
- I also installed a toolbox on the tongue, very useful for extra straps and extra parts and tools for when I'm on the road

Now onto the more fun photos and stories. Overall, I've probably broken even on this purchase. Between the tires, wheel conversions, D rings, and other expenses, I've not made much money with it overall. But what it has given me is the ability and knowledge of what I can do with owning a trailer. Since I've owned it, I've been able to help people and prove myself as a valuable asset to my current job in ways I couldnt have before.

Since April of 2019, over the summer I was hired by the company I currently work for as a Project Manager managing FF&E (Fixures, Furniture, and Equipment) installation jobs in Texas. I worked 18 hour days for 3.5 months straight proving my work ethic, management skills, and ability to adapt to sudden changes. Even though I worked my a$$ off, I loved every minute of it. I started working in Birmingham, AL for 6 weeks at their corporate office doing residential, commercial, and school moves. Then I moved to Denton, TX for two months managing a student housing furniture installation at a townhouse complex. It was honestly the hardest thing I've ever done. After installing furniture in over 700 bedrooms and 200+ individual apartments, I moved back to my college town of College Station, TX to manage an install of 200 more bedrooms in 10 days and I brought my trailer along. My company was originally going to rent Uhaul trailers and pay me to use my truck to pull them. I told them I have a trailer, and they paid me for each day I used it. Needless to say, I paid off the original cost of the trailer in that one run, and the company saved money on the job. A win win. I then drove to my hometown of Austin, TX to do one final job for the summer and the trailer came with me, having to navigate the congested and tight spaces of Downtown. I personally think owning the trailer helped prove to the owners of the company that I'm capable and smart enough to be able to find efficient, smart, and cost effective solutions to problems. I am currently working for this company full time, and I'm extremely proud of how I worked from the bottom two years ago as a contract laborer to a full time, salaried employee training to be an Operations Manager.

I cannot think scrapping enough. It taught me how to hustle, build business connections, be frugal, and be able to adapt to sudden changes (I started scrapping when steel was worth .09-.11 cents a lb, the glory days.) The amount of knowledge on this site in insane for anyone looking to learn how to operate a small business, and learn life lessons. Scrapping helped me pay for my college degree, which I recently received from Texas A&M University in December. I personally believe my background in scrapping has allowed me to be grateful for everything in life, and be able to be accepting of people in all aspects of life. From the poorest of the poor, to rich. I've met them all through scrapping, and i'ts extremely humbling. I need to stop this thread somewhere, but thank you Scrap Metal Forum.

Now onto the photos, here's some pictures of scrap loads, and other misc. photos.

Sincerely, Grant AKA Gravitar. I'm still here!

Another scrap pickup, had a good hookup with an apartment complex maintenance dept.




One of the many scrap loads I hauled with it.




Angle #2, that vending machine weighed around 400lbs. Was a pain to move by myself.



Working late distributing furniture for an apartment furniture install in College Station, TX. Not sketchy at all. Who needs straps anyways.



More furniture



Offloading shipping containers of furniture. Driving box trucks is fun.



We used the penskes as a main offload truck, and my truck and trailer to distribute smaller lighter stuff.

Figured out I can haul around 25-30 queen mattresses at once. Not having sides came in handy, but I broke 2 sets of taillights. Unloaded straight off the semi for maximum efficiency.



More mattresses.



On another install job in Denton, TX. Used my truck to haul trash from all the units. If you drive slow enough, you can stack trash as high as you want




Before it’s last road trip, hauled a riding mower, 4 wheeler, barstool racer, multiple small engines, and more.



Another angle, took the drive fine.



Trailer with its last load until further notice since I’ve moved to Alabama




Final storage place for the trailer. I’ll see you soon my good friend.

Thanks for the pics. Im glad to see someone making their equipment work for them.

In my area, The red and blue would have me over in a split second with no fenders on that trailer tho.

Originally Posted by Faceball

Thanks for the pics. Im glad to see someone making their equipment work for them.

In my area, The red and blue would have me over in a split second with no fenders on that trailer tho.

I was eventually going to weld up some fenders but never got around to it. Thankfully you don't have to have fenders in Texas, and the police never batted an eye at me, including the State Troopers.

Originally Posted by blackgold12

It's good to see another repurposed RV trailer being put back to use.

Here's my latest, replaced the rotted flooring with plywood, home made fenders. Total cost less than $200.00

I think that's the best thing about it. Complete square tube frame with American steel from the 70's. The thing is pretty much indestructible compared to trailers you can buy off the lot today. I got rear ended while I was towing it and there wasn't any damage at all.

Originally Posted by blackgold12

I see your trailer has leaf springs, this most recent one I've acquired has torsion axles with a drop spindle. original plan was to use it to haul my Alis Chalmers 720 around.

But instead it looks like I'll need another boat.

Possibly sail around the world?

Originally Posted by blackgold12

What a bizarre law, no fenders. I'm curious to see how many rock chips the back of your truck has and how it looks after a heavy rain.

I did find that in Texas a utility trailer with dual axles is legally required to have mud flaps.

Years ago had an old Corvair, chopped the roof and fenders off, driving through the muddy corn field the car would at least shoot a rooster tail of mud forty feet up and overhead to the front.

It was hard to find information about it so I very well could be wrong. All I can say is that the police never pulled me over for it. Truck has a lot of paint damage from tarps and scrapping so I'm not sure about rocks. When I get back to Texas to start using it again eventually, I will be putting fenders on it immediately. Not having them was concerning with so much sidewall exposed, and I felt bad about driving on the road with it.