Tool truck/trailer

[jdg364]

Question for the mechanics or guys with a decent tool truck/trailer setup. Our winter project is to rig up a new parts enclosed trailer. We’ll have some shelving for parts and a larger tool chest in it. Our land is spread out over 30 miles so it’s not like we can’t drive home for the odd thing.

Do you know of a place that sells you a “whole tool set package”? I don’t want to rob from our shop so going to buy pretty much a new set of everything. Just wondering others have done, don’t feel like recreating the wheel.

Thxs.

[ry0972]

Too bad you didnt do this last year!! tool prices are up quite a bit now.
Sunnex and neiko socket sets and gearwrench wrenches on Amazon will give you the basics.
Knipex pliers, wera and wiha screwdrivers.
Milwaukee cordless tools.

[tubs]

I bought an old ambulance years ago and seems to be all we need.We set it up with its own tools.

[WiltonRanch]

An enclosed trailer or even a refurbished stock trailer would fit the bill. Engine drive air compressor or if you feel rich a decent size welderator. Far as tool sets Amazon is as good or better than Chinese Disneyland or Cambodian Tire and cheaper, and you don’t have to go to the bloody store. Most of my land is within a stones throw so I don’t really worry about needing a long distance unit but I have a trailer for fuel and oils and the compressor. I keep pertinent parts in the backseat of the truck and all my tools are in bed boxes in the back. I find I use the truck tools year round on my mixed operation. Messing with a trailer wouldn’t work for that. Also have a welding trailer with some tools and a manual crane which can be pulled out to the field if welding is needed and is an auxiliary electric source. Anyway what I am alluding to here is it is best to sit down and figure what tools and things you need on a particular day in the field at a particular time of year. It’s nice to be prepared so you can get up and going if something needs fixing or attention. However, taking everything but the sink ends up being a pain in the arse. You’d be surprised how a well thought out not too enormous tool kit does 90% of what you need. Whether you’re packing stuff in the truck or on a trailer the weight of all those extras you think you need gets forgotten about and you find yourself with a crescent wrench and hammer doing more than what it should be doing.

[ColevilleH2S]

Most farmers probably have more forethought than I do. That's why I wouldn't ever take a tool trailer to the field (unless it was also the fuel carrier) because, who plans on breaking down?

I keep the tools, air compressor, welder, oxy/ace bottles and hardware in the truck I drive everyday. That way they're always where the breakdowns happen (not back in the yard, parked next to the shop where the other tools are)

[TASFarms]

I bought an old ambulance years ago and seems to be all we need.We set it up with its own tools.

Reminds me of a guy that bought an old Kramer service truck. Any time you drove by the field it looked like Kramer was out servicing his cat tractor. With an ambulance in the the field people would think there is an accident.

[megrizzly]

We setup a dedicated service truck several years ago and it is easily one of the best investments in the yard. Here are a few thing that I've learned from having it around.

-Avoid a trailer and stick with a crew cab truck with a service body. It gets just as much use around the yard as it does in the field. Anyone from grandpa to your wife can drive it.
-Forget the idea of carrying everything under the sun. This is a parts adjuster, parts changer, fuel, and lube truck. You can carry a few miscellaneous parts, but the idea of being able to fix anything that goes wrong in the field is laughable.
-There is more $$$ of tools in the truck than what the truck is worth. Purchase dedicated tools that will stay in the truck all the time and stick with the same brand/battery. Some will wire in an inverter in the truck, but we usually just carry about 4 batteries.
-A flat deck to work on, sturdy vise, and lots of lights (both mounted on the truck and mobile).
-Carrying a fire extinguisher and water cannon.
-Some items (such as a welder in our case) are rarely used outside the yard. We can quickly lift it into a truck along with all the correct material if needed. We use a welder out of the yard about once a year.

[Maver]

An enclosed trailer or even a refurbished stock trailer would fit the bill. Engine drive air compressor or if you feel rich a decent size welderator. Far as tool sets Amazon is as good or better than Chinese Disneyland or Cambodian Tire and cheaper, and you don’t have to go to the bloody store. Most of my land is within a stones throw so I don’t really worry about needing a long distance unit but I have a trailer for fuel and oils and the compressor. I keep pertinent parts in the backseat of the truck and all my tools are in bed boxes in the back. I find I use the truck tools year round on my mixed operation. Messing with a trailer wouldn’t work for that. Also have a welding trailer with some tools and a manual crane which can be pulled out to the field if welding is needed and is an auxiliary electric source. Anyway what I am alluding to here is it is best to sit down and figure what tools and things you need on a particular day in the field at a particular time of year. It’s nice to be prepared so you can get up and going if something needs fixing or attention. However, taking everything but the sink ends up being a pain in the arse. You’d be surprised how a well thought out not too enormous tool kit does 90% of what you need. Whether you’re packing stuff in the truck or on a trailer the weight of all those extras you think you need gets forgotten about and you find yourself with a crescent wrench and hammer doing more than what it should be doing.

"Well it's vise grips for pliers, and pliers for a wrench
A wrench for a hammer, hammers everything else" as Corb would say.

[therealnorthernf]

years ago we set up a 1 ton dually extend a cab that pulled a 22' goose neck trailer.. parts(seasonally changed) were carried behind the front seats. the trailer carries fuel(600 gallons) oil, antifreeze, welder/generator, torch, air compressor and all the tools.. The trailer made a great work bench/welding table(bolted a 3' squared 1/4 inch metal sheet to the back of the deck)

Last winter we repurposed the dually to fire truck status, installed a water tank and pump with hoses and nozzle.. and purchased a much newer 1 ton club cab flat deck truck to pull the trailer.. installed side tool boxes on the deck and. removed the back seat and made cabinets for tool storage. made a mount so the vise can be used on either the trailer or truck.. now the parts are carried in the big chest tool.box on the trailer and the truck has all the tools, so we no longer need to leave the trailer hitched to the truck, making the truck more versatile

We haven't doubled up on tools completely, there are more on the service truck then at the shop, I feel the service truck is where they are needed the most and when we are working in the shop the service truck is usually right there..

all the battery operated tools are the same brand and voltage and kept with the truck, we have a charger with them and use the generator if needed.

the only things the shop has that the truck doesn't, the press and the puller set... the pullers are used by our neighbours more then us, so if I took them they might get pissed at me..
Might need to buy another set any Really Good one out there cheap..? My snap on set has been with me for over 20 years..

Our setup probably will never pay for its self, but u can't put a price on convince and time savings, especially during harvest/seeding.. Every belt and the common size bearings for our combine are carried on the service truck/trailer at harvest. Replacement tips, openers, hydraulic hoses for the shank rams and air seeder hose during seeding. The rest of the year it really doesn't move much..



Happy New Year

[Highlander]

We just finished a new service truck build that will hopefully address all the shortcomings of of our previous truck. Biggest dilemma was how to address our fuelling needs as our current truck transports fuel as well. New Truck is already at max weight without adding the fuel storage we need so plan is to go to a fuel trailer that can be pulled behind service truck or any other.
First time having a crane available in the field as well as complete lube and recovery system. Will have ample air systems available for use on truck as we have found large volume compressed air more valuable then a pressure washer. Added mobile hydraulic hose repair as this need seems to be growing each year Tried to cover all needs in this build but it seems to be an evolution when assessing what might be required for future use.

[jdg364]

We just finished a new service truck build that will hopefully address all the shortcomings of of our previous truck. Biggest dilemma was how to address our fuelling needs as our current truck transports fuel as well. New Truck is already at max weight without adding the fuel storage we need so plan is to go to a fuel trailer that can be pulled behind service truck or any other.
First time having a crane available in the field as well as complete lube and recovery system. Will have ample air systems available for use on truck as we have found large volume compressed air more valuable then a pressure washer. Added mobile hydraulic hose repair as this need seems to be growing each year Tried to cover all needs in this build but it seems to be an evolution when assessing what might be required for future use.

Where did you buy the mobile hydraulic hose setup, what is the brand? Been thinking of adding one to our shop since the local shop only wants to work part-time and a mobile setup would be more convenient than just one in the shop. Thanks

[Highlander]

We have an Eaton portable air/hydraulic crimper on the truck and an Eaton electric/hydraulic in the shop both purchased from applied industrial through our local coop. Healthy investment but when one simple three ft hose made up for borgault drill sells for $70 I think the investment was worthwhile. The ability to repair hose any day of the week ourselves without the downtime is invaluable

[helmsdale]

-Some items (such as a welder in our case) are rarely used outside the yard. We can quickly lift it into a truck along with all the correct material if needed. We use a welder out of the yard about once a year.

As far as welders go, we bought a little Miller Inverter "for the shop", but damn, if you ever need to weld something out in the field, you literally pick it up by the handle like a suitcase and throw it in the backseat. Duty cycle? Weld till your arms get sore, or you get a cramp in your leg... All you need is the generator. On that front I do need to get a slightly more compact and portable one, as the two I have are 10KVA and 14KVA. They work great, but you have no choice but to load them with a skidsteer. Would like to try the little inverter welder on something like a 3500/4000W inverter generator.

Aside from the welder, I've had decent luck with just hauling around a toolbox that I used to carry in my peterbilt on the road. Has screwdrivers, torx sockets, wire/connectors/shrink tube, pliers, a full set of SAE and metric combinations, a couple crescents, and some various other odds and ends. Aside from that I've started carrying a little makita buzz-gun, alongside one of those socket sets that come from Mastercraft, as well as a little cordless impact and a set of metric and SAE sockets.