Finally finished up the prototype FT-550 fire trailer. Let me know what you think!
That looks great, nice and compact.
Thanks Murf! That was one of my key points to this trailer was compact and maintaining a small footprint while keeping all the features easily accessible and usable. This thing needed to be built riggin rat tough and I believe it is. Well all accept for the shiny aluminum fenders as those will get *** up quickly I'm sure so production models will most likely have steel with expanded metal on the tops of them.
Be a little light at the hitch if its full of water - like the tank is biased to the rear axle? Are you guys required to have water/ fire equipment on all the logging sites now?
Yes fire season from April 15th to November 15th. Yes depending on what's loaded in the front box it was designed to sit completely level on the tires and not be tongue heavy or tail heavy so you just adjust the pintle and hook up and go. It's going to need some fine tuning I'm sure and the next box will be 4 in narrower front to rear so I could slide the tank farther forward.
Just a thought. On the foldable tongue use the same pin that locks it down to also hold it up and maybe secure the pin to the trailer frame with a light duty cable so it can’t be dropped and lost.
You going to have to deal with title's and vin #'s and all that? Brakes?
Water weight domed out 4,450 plus weight of trailer?
I like the heavy axles and big tires, don't know how many fire trailers I've seen with running gear that looks like it's about to come out from under it on the next chuckhole.
How about a roof of corrugated steel ? Keep the flying embers off it.
Cover it with a welding blanket.
They aren't for serious firefighting, just to have available on the job to give you a fighting chance if something starts. If the embers are flying, it's too late for one of these!
Electric brakes on both axles and yes these will be sold with an MSO
Yes sir, trailer full of water will weigh about 5500 lb ready to spray.
That was always one of my complaints, who the hell builds something for commercial use and puts it on 14-in six ply tires that look like they belong on a damn Dodge neon?
Yes sir there will be lanyards on all of that stuff riveted directly to the frame
1/4" cable?
No, lighter than that
A few (usually small) forest fires are the result of forestry equipment catching fire because someone did not clean the machinery. Might add a few other uses for the trailer - clean enough water to use through a pressure cleaner/ water blaster. Might consider a top foldout strut (at least one) for the top of the foldable towing 'A' frame that angles down like \ (45 degrees?) with 3/4 inch pins.(compression forces?) The farm folk go for the opaque color plastic tanks (to block sunlight) so the algae does not build up is reduced in the tank and block nozzles in agchem spray and fire equipment. (If the white tank is paint compatible, paint can reduce sunlight, leave a bit unpainted for liquid level) Some farm folk use these ones. Freestanding Transport Tank – Enduraplas enduraplas.com (550 US gallons, colors - teal, white and black) With the light Thai-chino-spain etc utes we have, these are used (14 inch & 7.7 inch baffle balls) Baffle Balls Large | Promax Baffle Balls Large is simple to install, and made from lightweight, durable materials to provide the most effective surge protection to your liquid while it is being transported. www.promax.co.nz Trans-tank international (one of the better Australian fire trailers, use plenty of camlocs to get pipes/ nozzles apart quickly if there are algae/ crud blocking the pipes) Only have the external level tube that could be ripped off by a tree branch or vandal etc. https://www.tti.com.au/ FirePatrol 15 Deflector spray head. (Drive down a roadside or wet the road/ landing to keep dust down) https://www.tti.com.au/product/deflector-sprayer-kit-with-ball-valve/ Wheel blocks Steel support stick with a large foot for the rear jack position (when the trailer is parked on soft dirt)
Excuses.....
Advertise in southern California---build the home owner model, with a extra drop down low hitch for a Lexus.----there are those that would buy.