Cattle trailer

Gman1987 · 22-06-2023 1:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120748698#Comment_120748698

10x5 = 50sq ft divide by three animals = 16.66 sq ft per animal.

12x6 = 72sq ft divided by five animals = 14.4 sq ft per animal

Makes sense to load the bigger cattle into the 10x5 if you are trying to get five into the 12x6

Grueller · 22-06-2023 1:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120748856#Comment_120748856

12 x 6 is 72

72 divided by 5 is 14.4

cute geoge · 22-06-2023 1:39pm

Them 12 foot boxes are mostly shy of 6 foot wide ,mostly I would say 5 foot 8 inches wide

Albert Johnson · 22-06-2023 3:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120748883#Comment_120748883

It depends on the make, Ivor Williams are 5"10, Porter, Hudson ect are almost dead on 6 foot. Some other makes aren't much with 5"6 so it depends on the trailer.

Albert Johnson · 22-06-2023 3:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120748698#Comment_120748698

Whatever works works but I can't honestly say I've ever had much bother carrying 5 fair sized cattle on my own 12x6 Porter. Some cattle aren't great to load/travel they don't stand right ect and make everything more difficult.

I put 6 500kg odd stores on my own trailer one evening (there was only supposed to be 5 but then there was 6 to be carried). Only that I had help and a good secure spot to load them it wouldn't have worked but they did fit.

straight · 22-06-2023 3:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120748698#Comment_120748698

The Rav was overloaded then not to mind overloading it by more. I thought the towing capacity of them was only 1500 kg.

zetor 4911 · 22-06-2023 7:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120749611#Comment_120749611

it is one thing fitting 6 cattle 500kg each into the trailer but you would have to be thinking of the weight you are carrying as far as I know the max weight of trailer and load should not exceed 3500Kg and if you take the weight of the trailer as 1100kg then the cattle can't exceed 2400kgs which is 4 cattle at 500Kg. It probably is not something we think about when we load the trailer but could become a major issue if involved in an accident.

Albert Johnson · 22-06-2023 7:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120750684#Comment_120750684

I'm not advocating it I'm only saying that it can be done. The legality side of it is another matter.

The whole weight limit thing is a bit of a grey area especially around the inforcement. It depends on what you're towing with, 3 cattle in a 10x5 could be illegal the same as 6 similar one's in a 12x6 depending on you're setup.

straight · 22-06-2023 8:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120750859#Comment_120750859

There is nothing grey about it when something goes wrong. Every jeep and trailer are supposed to be plated.

Albert Johnson · 22-06-2023 10:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120751102#Comment_120751102

I meant the enforcement being a grey area, as for the plating that's a given with newer kit I'd imagine. The issue of weight limits comes up regularly in these discussions, as above the legality/morality is up to everyone to make there own decisions.

straight · 22-06-2023 10:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120751649#Comment_120751649

Same thing as driving without cvrt. Not a leg to stand on if something goes wrong.

Bass Reeves · 22-06-2023 11:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120749696#Comment_120749696

The 12X6 was drawn by the tractor. I picked it up a while back it needed refurbishment. Put a new chequer plate steel floor on it. It's an old factory made box from, I thinkmits originally made by a crowd in Monoghan. Really heavy duty Hitch on it.

My RAV is rated to pull 2T it's as legal as many of the trailers pulled by a RAV.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120748883#Comment_120748883

It's 5'10'' wide in the inside. I actually got 2MX1M steel chequer plate to floor. It allowed 4'' to be folded up each side. Used a bit of angle iron at the back to seal off the timber underneath. I think it's the 119'' long as I cut the new timber for the floor at 118.5''.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120751649#Comment_120751649

I agree with you. As long as you are not dogging it and flying around loaded at 100 KPH the Gardai seem to let you alone if the trailer has good lights and tow chain or trailer break cable are in place

hopeso · 23-06-2023 1:27am

The guards may well let you alone, but RSA checkpoints are becoming very common around here anyway. Those lads won’t leave any stone unturned if they pull you in. Then there’s the worst case scenario…..an accident. That’s when the poo hits the fan!

straight · 23-06-2023 6:16am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120751981#Comment_120751981

Best of luck with that defence Bass. 😉

Bass Reeves · 23-06-2023 7:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752355#Comment_120752355

I am not using it as a defence. When the Gardai or the RSA or whoever start to put up regular checkpoints and start weighting cattle trailers we will all have to re access how we carry cattle.

Go into any mart and see the amount of 14X6 trailers there. There is no way to legally to tow them even half full

straight · 23-06-2023 7:38am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752420#Comment_120752420

Just because alot of people are not following the law doesn't mean we are all doing the bollox. We see plenty people driving home from the pub too but that doesn't make it ok.

I know two people now that were involved in accidents through no fault of their own and the vehicles were impounded for inspection.

Most people have reassessed how they carry cattle, silage bales, mini diggers at this stage.

zetor 4911 · 23-06-2023 8:15am

The 14x6 trailer is an interesting one and as far as I am aware the laden weight is still a max of 3500kgs and when you take into account the extra weight of this trailer (extra axle and extra 2 Ft length) then this trailer can carry less stock (in weight terms) that the 2 axle 12ft trailer.

emaherx · 23-06-2023 8:18am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120488982#Comment_120488982

Probably a bit late, but I hope you didn't go for this for towing a cattle trailer. It's advertised as not suitable for road use and looks very light with no weight limits mentioned. Also the 3 point hitch of a 390 falls under its own weight and certainly will raise if weight moves to the back of the trailer.

Changing the draw bar is hardly that much hassle it's only one pin.

Don't really see the appeal of pulling jeep trailers with a tractor, you'd fit a lot more cattle in a tractor cattle trailer. A new Bridgeway tractor trailer wouldn't be much more than a jeep trailer.

Albert Johnson · 23-06-2023 9:17am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752420#Comment_120752420

There's a good few 15 and 16 foot trailers starting to appear from different manufacturers in recent year's. How long before a trailer with 4 axles appears on the market?

There's bound to be a better braking system than what's utilised on trailers in this country so I don't see why there isn't scope to increase the weight limit if the initiative was there.

Bass Reeves · 23-06-2023 9:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752672#Comment_120752672

You are still limited by the weighting for the jeep. Now they could reaccess jeeps it use a mutlipier, however there is a significant difference between the structure of a truck, car or tractor. When it has not appeared by now I doubt if such a system will.

mr.stonewall · 23-06-2023 9:42am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752672#Comment_120752672

That's into the territory of air brakes and commercial spec. Expecting a jeep or van to stop that weight is unreal. Being overloaded in an accident is a no no,insurance won't stand over it. Could be the quickest way you have to sell a few acres.

The way I see it going is the cattle boxes are going to be smaller long term with the max size being a 12x6. This kinda pushes the limit with 3-4 finished cattle.

It would be interesting to have a poll here and see how many have a BE licence

Jb1989 · 23-06-2023 9:47am

How does the Americans get away regarding insurance and what not, when you see their big jeeps and goose neck trailers.

straight · 23-06-2023 10:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752783#Comment_120752783

I'd say most lads have the licence now. Alot of lads at my local mart use the tractor now to pull the box just to get around the law. You will always see the same few lads with the 14 foot and land cruiser.

Tonynewholland · 23-06-2023 10:11am

There's not a lot of new tri axel trailers being sold these days for a reason. Go near a motorway with one and your just asking to be pulled over. Likewise pulling a 3 ton excavator with a jeep it's just looking for trouble

mr.stonewall · 23-06-2023 10:12am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752803#Comment_120752803

They have electric servo in the brakes and the size of the brakes are the equivalent of a larger slurry tank. The wagon up front is closer to a lorry than a land cruiser. The goose necks must be nice to tow as the weight is above the axle

mr.stonewall · 23-06-2023 10:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752894#Comment_120752894

It would surprise you. I did the test a few years ago and very little of the locals had it. They only had it if they were over 60 or had the truck licence.

emaherx · 23-06-2023 10:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752783#Comment_120752783

No BE license here, probably should do the test at some stage, but I sold the jeep and the jeep cattle trailer so no need at the moment. Far more useful in my setup to have a larger tractor trailer. Bought a small single axle general purpose trailer that can pulled by the car for collecting bulky items, but it's actually spends more time on back of 135 for going around the fields fencing.

Albert Johnson · 23-06-2023 10:53am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752917#Comment_120752917

I'd think most of the new jeep trailers sold are tri axle tbh. A certain amount of new 12x6 trailers are specced tri axle especially Ivor Williams in recent year's. A 14 foot tri axle has become the standard new trailer around here anyway in the last decade.

It's rare to see a new 10 foot trailer tbh, a new 8x5 is more common for lads pulling it with a car or small van. If a lad has a jeep then he's more likely to go for a 12 or 14 foot as he'll have the extra capacity when it's needed.

Albert Johnson · 23-06-2023 11:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752937#Comment_120752937

I'd agree that a lot of younger lads wouldn't have it, if they do it's as likely they have an artic license as that they went and sat the BE test. The only reason the older crowd have it in a lot of cases is that they qualified by having a license before a certain date or were given the artic category at the time.

My mother had a rigid license despite the fact she never sat in a lorry never mind drove one and gets enough of it to drive a petrol hatchback. I had to sit a test and all that went with it to gain both a BE and a rigid license.

straight · 23-06-2023 11:16am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752917#Comment_120752917

Most builders aren't going over the 2.7 tonne digger now for behind jeeps.

Cattle trailer

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