??? on shipping Containers and trailers

[brushtrooper]

You are going to have to put some sort of subframe under it. Containers are designed to sit on a flat surface and to be picked up at the corners. As mentioned they are 96" wide, so your tires will have to fit underneath like a bed over wheel trailer or you will be over legal width unless you cut insets intto the container and weld in fenders. . Just because they are structurally designed to carry 55k in cargo, does not mean they are designed to have a trailer tongue welded to it along with spring hangers and mount axles to it and call it a trailer. These things flex, when setting up for barns/cabins, you have set them up on a level,hard surface. They will flex to where you cant open the doors if set up a surface that is not level. There is a guy locally that put a 20'er on wheels. I will see if its still at his shop and get pics, but he subframed it and mounted tongue/axles

[TexasHunter83]

When we went hunting in Colorado we saw several people pulling these containers to use for camping. The couple that I saw actually had tires that would jack up and down. When they got where they were going they raised the tires up and it basically ended up setting the entire container flat on the ground. Not sure how they accomplished this, but this is what one of the guys told us.

[blntrey3]

Why not just have it delivered....that is what I did.

[Bowtech32]

Why not just have it delivered....that is what I did.

how much did they charge you for delivery? Was it a 20' or 40'

[Bowtech32]

When we went hunting in Colorado we saw several people pulling these containers to use for camping. The couple that I saw actually had tires that would jack up and down. When they got where they were going they raised the tires up and it basically ended up setting the entire container flat on the ground. Not sure how they accomplished this, but this is what one of the guys told us.

This is what I would be most interested in. Something that can be moved without paying someone and not a pain in the @@.

[Bowtech32]

You are going to have to put some sort of subframe under it. Containers are designed to sit on a flat surface and to be picked up at the corners. As mentioned they are 96" wide, so your tires will have to fit underneath like a bed over wheel trailer or you will be over legal width unless you cut insets intto the container and weld in fenders. . Just because they are structurally designed to carry 55k in cargo, does not mean they are designed to have a trailer tongue welded to it along with spring hangers and mount axles to it and call it a trailer. These things flex, when setting up for barns/cabins, you have set them up on a level,hard surface. They will flex to where you cant open the doors if set up a surface that is not level. There is a guy locally that put a 20'er on wheels. I will see if its still at his shop and get pics, but he subframed it and mounted tongue/axles

Thank you, Please do if you get a chance. I was thinking the trailers that you see on the road pulling these things are not much more than a small subframe attacted at the corners

[Draco]

You can't just put the axles under it. You will need springs and spring hangers and I don't think there is any thing that substantial under it to weld these to. I've worked on several of them making cabins, installed windows and extra doors, even made a huge dust collector out of one. They aren't as substantial as you would think. If you have the wheels outside the box then it will be right at 10' wide so you will have to have the wheels under it. If you do that then you might as well just get a flat bed gooseneck trailer.

[blntrey3]

how much did they charge you for delivery? Was it a 20' or 40'

Mine was a 20 foot and they only charged $100 to deliver a hour away

[dogcatcher]

Check on Craigslist, every so often I see old mobile homes trailer frames for sale. You can weld and the frame has more of the steel than you will need, you can make it either gooseneck or bumper pull.

[Texas276]

I agree with the flatbed gooseneck. I put an 20 footer on a 27" RV frame and worked well, but if I was going to have the 8-10Klbs that at 40 footer weighs, I would go with a flat bed, or have it delivered. I wanted to be able to hitch up and move it without having to pay to have it hauled. I have moved it 3 times and what I have in the RV frame saved me about $1000 so far.

[Bowtech32]

I agree with the flatbed gooseneck. I put an 20 footer on a 27" RV frame and worked well, but if I was going to have the 8-10Klbs that at 40 footer weighs, I would go with a flat bed, or have it delivered. I wanted to be able to hitch up and move it without having to pay to have it hauled. I have moved it 3 times and what I have in the RV frame saved me about $1000 so far.

Like your setup, thank you!!!

[Freight Mover]

Here's a couple pics of the under side of a 40' container

[stickerpatch59]

I am going to need to upgrade my lease camp to bring the little ones. Has anyone just put axels and a tongue on a container? These thing support 55K pounds inside them, I could see making a Trailer like the big trucks use for them. Pretty much couple of axels (with brakes) attached to the container and a heavy duty tongue welder to the container. The 40' is a little bit over 8,000 pound so that could work as well with at least a 3/4 ton truck.

Am I missing anything which this would not work? Trailer builder let me know as well.

you are talking some serious $$$$ to put axles, brakes, (how will the brakes work, electric; air) and don't forget suspension. and a tounge. welding and more labor. just seems like as stated above that it would be cheaper to buy a good bumper pull trailer with every thing already in it.

[Bowtech32]

Here's a couple pics of the under side of a 40' container

Thank you for taking your time to do this for me! Looks like it is sitting on the beam of the trailer? I have seen some that just sits on the 4 corners (that is designed to have a ton of weight on them) I will have to take a a look at one, looks like I would have a simulator type of frame work under it. RV or a mobile home style trailer welded to it under it

[gatorgar]

Their is a trailer unber the ones you see rolling down the road. I beam frame with cross members every 4'. Landing gear and springs are attached to frame.
They may be rated for 55k, but that is just how much they can hold without busting open.