OT - 74 Stuart Lowbed Opinion Wanted

Not CAT specifically, but of all the folks I know this seems like the best group to ask about an older lowbed.

I've been looking at picking up a lowbed for a bit for general use. I've got a full size truck now, but what I've been using for a trailer is a 10 ton gooseneck with a 5th wheel pin on it. It's better than nothing, but easy to overload. Wouldn't be doing much, just odds and ends moving tractors, hay and such, and will probably use it the next time I have to move in 3-4 years.

Found a trailer on CL that looks like it will work, but it's a bit of an oddball and I'd like an opinion on a few things. The trailer is a 74 Stuart non-detactable 2 axle, probably 25 ton and 46' overall.

Anyone seen one like this before? It seems like an odd trailer setup. The ramps at the front and rear of the center well can apparently be raised and locked up, but I can't really figure out why. Only thing I can think of is to give you a longer flat top deck and then a step down instead of a ramp. Also, it apparently has an air ride suspension - why would you have that on a lowbed? I've seem them on flatbeds & dry vans for ride quality, but doesn't seem like you'd need that for equipment and it wouldn't be a tough as a conventional spring setup. Only advantage I can think is you can dump the air and get it a couple inches closer to the ground for slightly easier loading.

Also, the rig has 8.25-15 18 ply tube tires. It looks like they're still available, but how hard are they to get and are these likely to go away completely in the next few years? I don't really want to get it and then 5 years down the road I can't get tires anymore... Looks like you can get a 17.5 rim that will fit the old spoke hubs but I have no idea on cost or availability.

Finally, and thoughts on reasonable price? He's asking 7k, probably take less but I'm not real sure what going rate is for a trailer like this. Seems like prices are all over the place when I looked for older lowbeds. It's got one bad tire, 2 that look decent and the rest that are probably okay for a bit but who knows how old they are. I'd probably want to put 8 news ones on, which looks like about $2500. One wheel has shot brakes, probably not a big deal to fix though. S-cam brakes, not wedge.

Thanks,
~John

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I’ve never seen or heard of that brand before. Looks like someone did a bunch of modifications to it.

I am going to sell a Miller OTG? Tilt bed if you are interested. I believe it is rated 22 tons; walking beam suspension, full air brakes. Tilt is set up electric over hydraulic. I rarely use it, as I have a flip tail on air ride that I prefer. I can post pictures tomorrow if you like. Juiceman

Stewart made car hauler truck trailer combinations

Seems like a pretty descent trailer not all beat up. Air ride suspension is good as GP says on a 8 tire lowbed..Tires are always a problem. On my 7 and 9 axles I run Continentals on on my 8 and 16 tires I run double coin . If you decide to get that trailer get 10 new tires. 8. For the trailer and 2 spares if you decide to run any distance. If you don't catch a flat on a tube tire soon enough you will suck the tube and destroy the tire maybe blow the second one as well. Road calls are getting very expensive and most do not carry or stock 825 but are still readily available.Not. A bad price though. A couple of electrical contractors have this type trailer for moving there onsite storage vehicles. If you get this trailer and planning on moving any crawlers weld square stock where you drop down on the deck it does not like that big of a drop until you break over and start sliding then it is to late.

Thanks. Good info.

Looks like he'll take $5000 for it, which sound good to me. Just what I need - more stuff. :biggrin1:

Hadn't thought about checking air lines, good point Pete. Wiring I'm well familiar with, I pretty much plan on rewiring any trailer I get now, though something like this might be a bit more expensive than the smaller trailers I'm used to.

Figured I'd probably make temp deck or something for center well - not hard to do. Don't expect to be doing anything with 3 wheel tractors which would be a bit harder to deal with than just hay/supplies due to weight and needing a smooth deck. Would need a 3rd ramp too.

I might down the road convert it to a hydraulic dovetail, have to see what everything looks like to decide how hard that would be.

Not sure what I'll do about tires. I hate to dump a couple grand into converting the 17.5's if most of the ones on there are good, but on the flip side if I don't I'm sure it'll show up at the worst possible time. I've had the fun of dealing with tube tires on my car trailer - no problems for years and then all of a sudden nothing but problems and much frustration and pain because of having old obsolete tires.