Last summer I picked up a 1972 Load King lowboy for use around my farm, and little jobs for neighbors and friends. Like every other time I start a project, I think its going to be a week or two project, that turns into a over budget, multiple months, never ending money pit. Well this was another one...Here is what it looked like when I pulled it home. I actually had a good friend of mine follow me the 2hr drive home because the lights would only work occasionally...I should have known then what I was getting myself into.:tong
I had to cut out a hand full of broken cross members, cut off the top deck over the axles, and grind for what seemed like days. As you can see in the pictures the rust in some places was terrible. I ended up having to have the cylinders turned down, rechromed and resealed. That was a little spendy. (Nothing is cheap anymore really.) Of course, I put all new hoses, and a control valve in it too. I figured, If I'm going to do it, might as well do it right.
Good to see old iron getting a new lease of life. Top job.
I ended up replacing the 11r20 split rims with some bud style axles I picked for free. While the suspension wouldn't work, the axles where a major upgrade in my opinion. I was given some 11r24.5s rims for free, so that's what I used. While i was playing with the axles, i replaced all the air cans, valves, air lines, and glad hands. I didn't replace the shoes or drums as they still had some life left in them. As you can see in the pictures, i made a little compartment out of where the pony motor use to be located. A place where i could store all my chains and binders. I thought it turned out pretty nice.
Instead of having a solid wood deck, I put 1/4" plate down the center. Something i wont have to replace when the deck needs replacing. The decking in the first pictures is what i ended up using. While not the best option, its what i had laying around. I updated the lighting from the old school non sealed lights, to LEDs. Also all the old wiring went into the garbage can. I hate dealing with someone elses patch work. Also in a couple locations, I put those clear junction boxes that makes tracking down problems a cinch! I ended up paying a local shop to sand blast it and paint it. Well worth every penny, imop. Overall I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Its not perfect, but it is a 1972! Cant wait to put it to work. CJ
Looks great! I have pondered the idea of doing the same as new or newer lowboys are very expensive. That one should serve you for years taken care of.
Nice work! Never guess that it was 1972! Without pouring salt in an old wound....mind saying how the dollars worked out? ie what you bought it for and how much u spent to get it looking like brand new!!
Is that a folding neck trailer? I have never actually seen one used. Wouldn't the king pin get covered in dirt and mud or what if you had to load something on pavement or rock. Does anyone have any pics of how the neck folds and such Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
Looks good! I'd love to find an older trailer like that. Anything up here that starts to get a little "long in the tooth" seems to get re-built and sold into either the Edmonton-Fort Mac tarsands area or MB-SK-ND-MT Bakkan field area..... Andrew
Ask and ye shall receive..... I know, I know - the OP's trailer is a 1972 Load King and this one is a 1974 Load King, but it's as close as I could find! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdNUIQbGgcg Edit: Here's another - 1975 Load King: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M2u2n9Pll8 Andrew
I paid $4500 for the trailer, and put another $6500 or so into it. Thats everything from tires, to hydraulics. Hydraulics where by far and away the most expensive thing, followed by sand blasting and paint. 1466IH, yeah it is a folding neck. The king pin is actually removable upwards. Andrew beat me to the video.
Never mind I just did a YouTube search but om still not sure how it works on pavement Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
I will say that my hydraulics move alot faster! I'm using the pto off of the truck. kinda over kill, but i didn't want to deal with a pony, battery, and all the maintenance of it all.
Lol you guys posted before I was done watching and I didn't refresh the page before I reposted? My next question is what are the advantages of this over a detach Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
I don't know if there is any advantages, other than the cost. A disadvantage is loading on black top, or anything soft with a heavy load. I've heard stories of punching holes in the ground.
How do you run it off the truck if it is unhooked? Do you have to put the truck along side to hookup the lines and fold/unfold?
I've seen guys throw an old mud flap or plywood under the pin. Nice work on the ole trailer! Looks good. I've got an old '75 Hyster that needs a little love. Next ....:notworthy
I have hoses that can reach from a unhooked tractor to the lowboy neck, when its full extended.
Scratch that idea of using the pto. Its just to awkward. Time to start fabing up a pony setup. :cussing
I would tee into the existing lines on the truck and run a set of outlets to the back bumper of the truck. All you would need is a set of pioneer fittings. It wouldn't have to be the big screw on fittings Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk