Fueling mowers w/ enclosed trailer ???

[chariot]

I have considered an enclosed trailer before and have recently ran across a good deal on one. My question is: How do you guys go about filled the mowers with fuel? I know there are many ways but what have you found to be the easiet and most efficient? Do you like the enclosed as much more than the open trailer as I anticipate I would? Thanks

[HazellLawnCare]

I run a 24x8 enclosed hualmark trailer. I haul 4 5 gallon unleaded can, 1 5 gallon 2 cycle can, and 3 5 gallon diesel cans. I love my enclosed trailer, I can haul everything I need inside it plus just lock it up at night and forget about it. Not to mention its a big white moving billboard. As far as I'm concerned enclosed is the only way to go.

[AK Lawn]

my enclosed has a door that i run the fuel hose in to to fuel my WB's and have numerous gas cans that i fill outside of the trailer, also run four snowmachines in there and operat the same way in the winter it is very easy, but i mostly run my open trailers for the maintenance, but the security factor over rules all, it is much safer to run the bus. in a enclosed but find it more monueverable and am able to use smaller trucks with my 12' open trailer then my 24' enclosed w/ my 2500 Ram, if this made any sense, that is my point of view
AK Lawn

[GarPA]

i have a 14ft enclosed Southwest ....love it...I carry 3, 5 gal cans...I only fill the mower when its out of the trailer..very easy to do....the guys with enclosed can relate to this next comment....you get a real good feeling when you pull the latches closed and you 'click' the door locks closed at nite...you just never worry about security...they are pricey however...mine was $3800.....but I had no place to park an open one...now I'm glad I had to go enclosed...it was raining all day yesterday and I was rearranging my 'toys' and watching the Masters at the same time..nice and dry ...they are a little tricky to back up and they are as wide as a semi...mine is 102"....you'll learn it in a few hours of driving it however

[stahls2]

I don't have an enclosed trailer yet, however, I have thought of installing tanks inside of the trailer once I have one. Similiar to the Super Lawn Trucks. These fuel tanks are commonly mounted in pick up truck beds. This way you don't have to cart around the gas cans. A person would have to check on their state DOT regulations and OSHA laws before installation. Just a thought.

[mdb landscaping]

im not a very big operation, just have a 48 inch scag walkbehind and 60 inch lazer, so i usually just unload both of the mowers to fuel them up. The other day though, i needed gas for the walkbehind only, so i just pulled up to the pump closely and put the hose in through the side door. Brickman landscaping has like a 20 footer ive seen around here, and they have a big tank they mounted on the a-frame, so they never have to unload.

[Big G]

My understanding is there is no approved auxillary metal storage tank for gasoline. Those tanks you see on pick up trucks are for diesel fuel or kerosene only, not gasoline.

If anyone knows of an auxillary metal storage tank with pump (either electric or mechanical) that is approved for gasoline, PLEASE let me know.

I currently use the 5gal gas can set up, but the auxillary tank would be much more efficient.

[mdb landscaping]

next time i see the trailer ill try and get a look at who manufactures the the tank. They definately put gas into it though.

[Wangel]

A word of caution: Filling up a gas can should only be done on the ground. Filling a gas can in the trunk of a car, bed of a pickup, or in a trailer can cause a static electrical spark, and perhaps fire.

[MuskTurfKing]

Wangel makes a good point, I know a guy a few years back was gassing up either a go-kart or a 4wheeler in the bed of a truck and something sparked, he got burned pretty badly and had to go through lots of physical therapy. Be safe out there kiddos.

Hank

[accuratelawn]

I use an enclosed trailer....
I take all the cans to the gas station at night to fill. Time during daylight hours is money.
If you need to fill with the trailer in tow, simply pull forward and drop the gate to fill mowers and cans.
My trailer also has a side door, so filling the Walker and WB is not a problem.

[Guardian]

Kitzi-

What are the inside dimensions of your trailer? What to you have inside? What do you pull it with?

thanks

[Albemarle Lawn]

One fills the truck and mowers #1 and #2 through the side door.

Mower #3 gets filled through the rear door. (Haulmark 18x8)
This only works at 1 gas station, at others we must unload.

But I refuse to carry more than 1 five gallon can, just don't feel like driving a ticking time bomb.

K.B.

[GarPA]

Guardian...the inside dimensions are about 6.5 wide by , I think about 13.5 long...carry a Z52 with vacuum attachment(big thing), a 36" walk behind, BIG Ryan aerator, 21" walk behind, Deere 15cuft pull cart, other junk...all the handhelds are on the walls....but that was a major hassle....behind the plywood walls are metal studs about every 16 inches...and if you're not careful when drilling, you can drill right thru the outside skin. The ceiling vent has a fan and light...also has a side door....great trailer and made very well...therre are times when I want to haul some stone or bark and then the enclosed is a hassle....so whatI'm going to do is go to Lowes and buy one of those low end small trailers they sell...for the few times i need it it will work ok...normally I have the supplier deliver my mulch, stone, soil, etc. If you want more info on Southwest Trailers let me know...I'm an unpaid promoter of their product...ps this may sound obvious but the key to setting up your trailer to maximize space is to sit down and think about how you work...I took my time configuring it and so far its working well

[Guardian]

Kitzy-

thanks, I am trying to decide if I'd rather have an enclosed trailer or an box van w/ dovetail. Obviously price is a major difference, but I want to weigh out all my options.

I assume you use the Z most of the time. Do you have it set up to get the Z out without moving anything else? Could you place the Z side by side with a parking lot blower? I just don't want to move anything that I'm not using.

HOw about your truck? V8? I currently have 2 f150 straight 6's. They do well on 6x10 open trailers.

[GarPA]

GUARDIAN...well because of proper weight distribution the Z must sit over the trailer axles which puts it towards the back 1/3 of the trailer. Behind it I have the 21" mower. I doubt you'll get a pkg blower directly beside it but you could put it behind it and on the opposite side from where I have the 21". Personally I try to keep a 12" walkway on one side so I dont have to climg over stuff and bang up my ankles every hour or two.

I use a 99f150 ...small v8...pulls it easily. I'm no truck expert but I do recall a post here a few months back that said those ford v6's are better at pulling than the v8...(of course a 250 would be great but i couldn'd find one that wasn't already worn out)
Maybe if you post a question in the Truck Forum someone can give you their opinion. Oh and heres a funny one....I think the heat got to me yesterday...we Northereners are wimps until we get used to warm temps...Pulled away from stop sign yesterday and BANG BANG BANG....YEP...I forget to latch the back ramp door...dahhh...thank god nobody was behind me....lesson learned....that wont happen again..hope this helps

[PrimeGreen Lawn]

I use a 24' Wells Cargo enclosed trailer. Every night (the end of each day we unload all 3 60' Lazers at the pumps side by side. It takes too long holding that heavy 5 gallon tank up against thoes spouts. We top them off whenever we need to during the day the same way. Of coarse we also have a couple 5 gallon'ers just in case. Many stations around Ellicott City, MD are not big truck/trailer friendly so I carry a 100 gallon tank in by truck bed to feed that thirsty powerstroke diesel.

BYW, I think it was thoes inline 6'es that pulled better than the 302 ford V8's. But I could be wrong.

Scott

[cuttingedgeland]

http://www.transferflow.com/html/refueling_tanks.html

[cuttingedgeland]

http://www.transferflow.com/html/refueling_tanks.html