Homemade utility wagons

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Subject Author Date
Homemade utility wagons Ignoramus22807 08-05-2008
Posted by Ignoramus22807 on August 5, 2008, 12:38 am
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I have decided to upgrade my home generator and bought a 20 kW
Onan generator.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160266535744

I have looked at it prior to bidding and found it to be in a tip top
shape.

As an aside, it has a very familiar to me Cummins L423 engine. To find
out more about that engine, type "L423D" in google.com and the first
approximately 10 entries are related to me and the specific ones that
I fixed up 2 years ago, with your assistance.

My L423D running, is shown here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVxHrMRQyvw

Anyway. The thing comes with a separate dual walled 120 gallon fuel
tank. The whole package, as in the generator, the tank, and the
enclosure to be built, will weigh approximately 2200 lbs.

I have two obvious options for installing it:

1) Install it on a stationary pad.

2) Install it on some sort of a "wagon" so that later it is easier to
move it, sell it etc. This will also, in my mind, make it a "portable
generator on wheels" and will simplify a lot of legal bullshit.

So. Has anyone built any such offroad wagons that could be pulled by a
bobcat, or a few men fueled by meat and beer.

I have some experience building trailers, e.g. if you search
http://images.google.com/, and type "homemade trailer", the first
entry would be mine. The "wagon" is considerably easier to build,
I think, due to its offroad nature.

So. Has anyone built such things?
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Posted by Bob La Londe on August 5, 2008, 1:28 am
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> Anyway. The thing comes with a separate dual walled 120 gallon fuel
> tank. The whole package, as in the generator, the tank, and the
> enclosure to be built, will weigh approximately 2200 lbs.
>
> I have two obvious options for installing it:
>
> 1) Install it on a stationary pad.

Nothing wrong with that. If its got a lifting ring, even if its set on a
pad its still a portable generator.

> 2) Install it on some sort of a "wagon" so that later it is easier to
> move it, sell it etc. This will also, in my mind, make it a "portable
> generator on wheels" and will simplify a lot of legal bullshit.

Well, yeah, but it also adds some legal bullshit like licensing the trailer.

> So. Has anyone built any such offroad wagons that could be pulled by a
> bobcat, or a few men fueled by meat and beer.

Off road? You mean serious off road or turf? If turf, then any pneumatic
tire trailer should work.

> I have some experience building trailers, e.g. if you search
> http://images.google.com/, and type "homemade trailer", the first
> entry would be mine. The "wagon" is considerably easier to build,
> I think, due to its offroad nature.

The first one I saw was a canoe being pulled by a bicycle.

> So. Has anyone built such things?

Why a wagon?

I have repaired and rebuilt a number of trailers. Its all doable. Simply
placing it on a small utility trailer purchased for it might be simplest,
but the cheaper ones I see are not rated for much over 2000 pounds. You can
always track down a trailer, and just put a heavier axle and springs on it.
Pretty simple stuff if you are handy and can cut and weld a bit. I
realize you might think a wagon would be more stable sitting still, but a
trailer with a tongue jack is plenty stable enough. If that's not stable
enough for you then add stabilizer jacks at the rear. A trailer can be
setup with wider tries if traveling over soft ground, or with hard tires if
pulled over rocks. Also, a utility trailer would probably be easier to
license for over the road use, and therefore easier to sell as well.

Bob La Londe
www.YumaBassMan.com



Posted by Ignoramus830 on August 5, 2008, 7:29 am
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Bob, it does not need to be licensed if it does not show up on the
road. You do not license your wheelbarrow either. The example that is
similar to what I want, but not strong enough, is here:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36331

By "offroad use", I do not mean "adventure offroading", I mean moving
it around my yard slowly.

i

Posted by Jim Wilkins on August 5, 2008, 10:39 am
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wrote:

> By "offroad use", I do not mean "adventure offroading", I mean moving
> it around my yard slowly.
>
> i

I've rigged up a hydraulic table that needs to rest very solidly on
the ground in use and move occasionally by adding a trailer hitch on
one end and inverted hooks that catch on a wheeled axle on the other.

I made a trailer dolly similar to this
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=45238
but with the ball lower for better leverage and stability, and a
hinged hook hanging below the ball to lift the hitch off the ground so
I can kick blocks under it. The two-step lift gives it more weight
capacity. In this case the hitch and hooks could only be attached
slightly above ground level. If you can put them higher the ball might
be enough.

The ball is slightly ahead of the dolly's axle when the handle is on
the ground. Otherwise it would drop the load. The dolly's axle should
be fairly long so it doesn't tip sideways if one of the load's wheels
hits an obstruction.

I pick up the hitch end and slide blocks under the balance point,
remove the dolly, tilt the hook end up and insert the axle. Then I
raise the hitch end and move the thing.

The axle can live under a utility trailer the rest of the time if you
make the trailer light enough to roll over so you can easily unbolt
it. Mine's manageable at ~200 Kg and also stable resting on its side,
which is how I grease the bearings.

Jim Wilkins

Posted by Jon on August 5, 2008, 11:33 am
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> Bob, it does not need to be licensed if it does not show up on the
> road. You do not license your wheelbarrow either. The example that is
> similar to what I want, but not strong enough, is here:
>
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36331
>
> By "offroad use", I do not mean "adventure offroading", I mean moving
> it around my yard slowly.
>
> i

Also, I don't know your local laws, but in Pennsylvania, if a piece of
equipment has wheels, but no cargo carrying capacity, then it does not need
a license to use on the road.

for example: Concrete mixers, wood chippers, log splitters



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