# Trailer Dolly



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Does anyone use a trailer dolly and do you think moving a jetter trailer with a full 200 gallon tank around the shop? Will I need a motorized dolly?

I might have room in my shop for it but I do not have room to move it around with a vehicle.


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

I have one. They are worth it for getting your trailer into certain spots, but if your plaining on pulling it accross grass or up inclines for forget about it. YOu can get them pretty cheap at Northern Tool. That is where I got mine, it's worth having for the price.


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## Relic (Sep 30, 2012)

Full, that's over 1600 lbs just in water weight. Seems pneumatic tires might not work. What are the specs of this?


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

My grandpa had a 30' camper and parked it behind his garage in the alley and the trailer dolly was the only way to get it in and out of his drive. It took 3-4 of us to push it comfortably but it could be done. This was a flat gravel drive and alley. 
In later years he put a hitch on the front of his truck and he could put that thing anywhere that way!


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Smooth level concrete in the shop. Just moving it around inside. The basic ones are rated for 600lb tongue weight. Others are for 1,000 or more. I cannot imagine it would be heavier than that on the tongue. The tank is over the axle. The engine and hoses are on the back.


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

Good idea with the hitch.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Maybe one of these. Model AC2 is the two wheel version.

http://www.powermoverinc.net/htmls/pmaccarts.html


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

Jaws can move it easily.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

easttexasplumb said:


> Jaws can move it easily.


Jaws?


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

plbgbiz said:


> Jaws?


 
Your mini excavator


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

easttexasplumb said:


> Your mini excavator


Ahhh, Satan's Dentures. :laughing:

That would work but unfortunately, it is not located at the same shop. SD stays at my shop at the BizCompound (home) and the jetter will be the shop we work out of.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

plbgbiz said:


> Does anyone use a trailer dolly and do you think moving a jetter trailer with a full 200 gallon tank around the shop? Will I need a motorized dolly?
> 
> I might have room in my shop for it but I do not have room to move it around with a vehicle.


Pulling a 200 gallons of water around is a really bad idea IMO. It's dangerous in traffic, rough on the truck and transmission that's pulling it, and rough on the suspension of the jetter.

I always fill the jetter at the jobsite, then dump what's left before leaving...I can't imagine why anyone would do differently :blink:


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

johnlewismcleod said:


> Pulling a 200 gallons of water around is a really bad idea IMO. It's dangerous in traffic, rough on the truck and transmission that's pulling it, and rough on the suspension of the jetter.
> 
> I always fill the jetter at the jobsite, then dump what's left before leaving...I can't imagine why anyone would do differently :blink:


I agree. It is a lot of weight but no more than Satan's Dentures or my boat. Actually I would prefer a full 200 gallon tank to a half full tank. The sloshing can be a real bear. That is why larger tank trailers have baffles.

Water is not going to be readily available at the job site. So filling at the job is not an option. Also, dumping and refilling at every stop seems like a waste of time and water.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Rig up something for your mini ex


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

plbgbiz said:


> I agree. It is a lot of weight but no more than Satan's Dentures or my boat. Actually I would prefer a full 200 gallon tank to a half full tank. The sloshing can be a real bear. That is why larger tank trailers have baffles.
> 
> Water is not going to be readily available at the job site. So filling at the job is not an option. Also, dumping and refilling at every stop seems like a waste of time and water.


My spartan has a 250 gallon tank and baffles built in. We just roll around the shop on the trailer stand it has one with a wheel on it(as long as you are on concrete) . Also as for towing it, it has electric brakes which makes it real easy to tow it full or empty.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

DesertOkie said:


> Rig up something for your mini ex


For a one man shop that's a good option, but for bigger shops it's a mistake.

The last two shops I worked for both did it that way and because of the varying tractor skill levels of the plumbers and apprentices the wiring harness and trailer jack were always getting damaged and no one ever seemed to know how it happened :furious:

The damaged wiring harness frequently resulted in no brakes on the trailer, and hence my conditioned reluctance to pull a jetter with a full water tank


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

My friend has one that he uses to move his 4018 around the shop. It has a crank similar to the drop post but this crank is geared to make the wheels turn. Very easy to use. Next time I talk to him, I'll find out for you.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

gear junkie said:


> My friend has one that he uses to move his 4018 around the shop. It has a crank similar to the drop post but this crank is geared to make the wheels turn. Very easy to use. Next time I talk to him, I'll find out for you.


I came across that on the web this morning. Looked great for manuvering a large boat into a small garage.


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## AndersenPlumbing (Jan 23, 2010)

I use the same one picured to move my 6x12 enclosed trailer with my JNW Brute and all my other drain cleaning equipment in it. If I fill my aux tank which is in front of my trailer full of water (60gal) It is almost impossible for me to move alone. With the tank empty, its not bad alone. 

If your tank is over the axle, it may not be that bad. Mine is in the front of my trailer and my jetter is almost over the axle....Slightly in front.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Got this and it is rated at 600lbs. The tongue weight of the trailer is only 200lbs with a full 200gal tank.

Now if I just had the trailer. **taps fingers anxiously**


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

We move trailers with these down in Texas you ever seen one its called a truck?? Y'all Okies. Are y'all ever gonna learn!!!

Really tank if water?? For a jetter?? Why a dolly?? Moving it in to the shop??


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

plbgbiz said:


> Got this and it is rated at 600lbs. The tongue weight of the trailer is only 200lbs with a full 200gal tank.
> 
> Now if I just had the trailer. **taps fingers anxiously**


I'm not sure, but I think that just because you can lift the tongue with that wheeled jack doesn't necessarily mean you can pull or push the loaded jetter  :no:


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## Relic (Sep 30, 2012)

Awesome! How adjustable is the ball post there? I assume the post is adjustable to standard heights?


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> We move trailers with these down in Texas you ever seen one its called a truck?? Y'all Okies. Are y'all ever gonna learn!!!
> 
> Really tank if water?? For a jetter?? Why a dolly?? Moving it in to the shop??


Trukz? We don't need no stinkin trukz!


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

plbgbiz said:


> Trukz? We don't need no stinkin trukz!


Just using it to move it into a corner of the shop when not in use.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Relic said:


> Awesome! How adjustable is the ball post there? I assume the post is adjustable to standard heights?


18-1/2" to 26"


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

we used to have the manual dolly but found our selfs trying to do things it was not really made for lol. then bought an attachment for our dingo and it makes moving and tight parking easy. A front bumper ball hitch also makes life easy on tight parking of trailers.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Well here she is....


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## Relic (Sep 30, 2012)

Let us know how she performs full.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

And how your new shoulder performs as well


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

johnlewismcleod said:


> And how your new shoulder performs as well


Right now the doc and my self are having a bit of a disagreement on expected results. :boxing:


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

UPDATE....

With a full tank the trailer is a piece of cake to move around the shop. Even gimped up with a broken flipper I was able to move it almost without effort.

Stopping it? Now that is a different story. Step one, go slow.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

You could always hook up an electric brake harness and add a 12v battery, but I doubt you'll move it that much.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

ChrisConnor said:


> You could always hook up an electric brake harness and add a 12v battery, but I doubt you'll move it that much.


Funny you should mention that. It does have an on-board 12v battery for the engine and electric brakes.

More trouble than it is worth in the shop though. Just need to be careful not to run it through a wall. I would hate to come in to find a jetter sitting where my desk used to be. :laughing:


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

Back in August I was working in a townhouse community where my customers neighbors were trying to utilize the hydraulic surge brakes on a U Haul trailer as a parking brake on a slight hill. The took it off the hitch and dropped it to the ground and it slid under the bumper of their toyota truck. I saw them under the truck and went to see if I could help. The guy was pulling the emergency brake away line trying to get it to hold. They wound up chocking the wheels. U Haul doesn't put a stand on their stuff for a reason.


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## skitian (Apr 5, 2011)

Shiny



plbgbiz said:


> Well here she is....


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## victoryplbaz (May 19, 2012)

How many guys leave their jetters full of water? besides haveing it full all the time is there really any benifits to doing it. I just got one and was wondering why or why not. I feel better with it empty while towing it.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

Bringing it to the job empty is safer and doesn't cost you anything in water. Also, if you charge by the hour and come filled up, the customer may complain if you come empty next time and also wonder why they're paying for "your water".


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Trust me on this...when you discover you have no trailer brakes while trying to stop in traffic with a full tank of water on the jetter it will rock your world :yes:

And not in a good way :no:


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Depending on where you're filling up from you could take 30 minutes one hour to fill a 200 gallon tank. The trailer has electric brakes. I do not have extra time.

As far as charging by the hour is concerned, it would not make a difference anyway. The time spent preparing equipment is not free regardless of what driveway you're in while you do it.


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

plbgbiz said:


> Depending on where you're filling up from you could take 30 minutes one hour to fill a 200 gallon tank. The trailer has electric brakes. I do not have extra time.
> 
> As far as charging by the hour is concerned, it would not make a difference anyway. The time spent preparing equipment is not free regardless of what driveway you're in while you do it.


If your lucky enough to work in mostly one town talk to the city water department about renting a portable meter to fill it up at a fire hydrant with a 2" hose .


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