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Is my 1963 Fruehauf 48TT equipment trailer ex-military?

Gadget Guru

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I recently bought this trailer in rural Nevada, near Elko.

It's a 1963 Fruehauf
Model 48TT

It has a single fixed axle with no suspension.
It's a dually axle (two wheels / tires on each side).

Tire size is 8.25-15TR
Recommended maximum tire pressure is 105PSI

16,000 pound gross weight rating
The title says the empty weight is 3,600 pounds, but I don't know if this is accurate.

It is equipped with a Lunette ring for use with a pintle hitch.

There was a 2-1/2" to 3" thick oak deck on it when I bought it, but the wood was poor, so it was removed and disposed of.

The deck frame is 95-1/2" wide and 14', 5" long
A home-made beavertail extension was welded on by a previous owner,
making the existing deck length including the beavertail 16' , 4" long.

The tongue protrudes 4' past the front edge of the deck.
(So the trailer is a little over 20' long, overall).

The bed hand-tilts, with a hydraulic (or pneumatic?) ram that acts as a damper.
I suppose it could be retrofitted with a pump to make it a power tilt.

Air brakes (I don't know if they're in working order)
They are not the spring-type, so they didn't need to be caged to tow with my non air-brake tow vehicle.

The tongue jack is missing, but there is a retractable tongue stand installed.

All 4 tires are old and have fine cracking in the rubber, but they all hold air and have good tread.

I towed it 130 miles behind our 2016 Ford f150 to get it home.
It did very well at 60 MPH on I80 with about 600 pounds loaded on what remained of the wooden deck.

I ask if it was a military trailer because of the green paint that appears to be the original color under the later yellow.

Darron in Golconda, Nevada
 

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NDT

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Your trailer does not appear in any of the usual military equipment reference manuals.
 

Gadget Guru

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Wow that is a sweet trailer! Would be a great base for so many things. What are you thinking to do with it?
I put it up for sale at a price higher than it would likely bring (that's my guess, anyway).

If it sells, great, if not, I'll use it on rare occasions to haul very heavy things over short distances.

Might put a new wooden deck on it if I score some cheap wood (scarce out here in the high desert).

If and when we buy a tractor or other small to medium equipment, I'll have a way to get it home...

Darron in Golconda, Nevada
 

dmetalmiki

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What size are the brake drums on that trailer? Are therwe any more or similar trailers at the site?
I an really in need of 4 brake drums for my trailer. (8.25x15 wheels.)
The Robbing deceptive T..t who sold me the trailer did not report they were missing.
Big ongoing battle.
Any help from anywhere to anywhere greatly appreciated.
 

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fasttruck

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I hope you have a truck with airbrakes to pull that. As captioned in pic 7 it is rated over 3000# which means it is required to have operational brakes to operate on the highway. So unless you are going to use it on site get ready to feed the contents of you wallet to the first hungry DOT who comes along.
 

Gadget Guru

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I hope you have a truck with airbrakes to pull that. As captioned in pic 7 it is rated over 3000# which means it is required to have operational brakes to operate on the highway. So unless you are going to use it on site get ready to feed the contents of you wallet to the first hungry DOT who comes along.
Good advice, thanks.

If I keep it, it will be used around our tiny High Desert town, and not on the road.

Darron
 
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