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  1. #1
    Yonnee's Avatar
    Yonnee is offline Trailer Bloke & Mild Mannered Moderator
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    Default Trailer build II... the long haul.

    After following Daz's thread https://www.woodworkforums.com/f184/trailer-build-62544 with his plant trailer build as well as helping out with some tips and advice, I though I'd better get around to start building my own trailers. I have the need for two trailers, one a standard box trailer (all-be-it far from standard), and a car carrier to be able to transport my project car around should it need to be moved.

    After my Mechanic apprenticeship, my background is in the Trailer and Caravan industry, having worked for the two biggest suppliers of Trailer axles in the country. I've worked in both Sales and the Service/Repair side of the industry, so I can safely say I've seen the good, the bad, and the very ugly when it comes to quality of workmanship in some of the trailers being built.

    First up will be the box trailer.
    Not quite sure of exactly what size yet, although it will be 7' x 4'something", it'll depend on what length axle I can pickup.

    Tip: A cheaper way of getting an axle is to use ones that have been made incorrectly to the wrong length or the wrong brakes or the wrong bearing pattern. Then you can make your trailer width to suit these axles. However, if you have a particular size and/or weight you require, then you're better off ordering an axle to be built.

    Knowing that I will load the trailer up, and that as soon as you have a good trailer, people will borrow it (and load it up), this one will be built a little more robust than your average 7'x4'. The standard 39mm round axle with Holden bearings on your average 6X4 is rated to 750kg, this one will be 45mm square material with Ford bearings rated to 1450kg.
    The chassis will be made from 40mm x 40mm RHS with 2.0mm wall (over the usual 1.6mm) but will have the centre and rear cross rails done in 75mm x 50mm. The drawbar will also be 75 x 50 and be closer to 5' in length rather than the usual 4'.

    Tip: The longer the point between the centre of your coupling and the centre of your axles, the easier your trailer will be to reverse. But too long and the drawbar triangle becomes too narrow and can allow the trailer to flex too much, making it unstable. Or you can bow or bend your drawbar making it an accident looking for a place to happen.

    To be able to register the trailer over 750kg, I will be fitting Electric brakes. I have test towed hundreds of trailers with various forms of brakes and will never have over-ride brakes on any trailer I own. Yes, they have their place, and sometimes they're the only option for certain applications such as hire trailers, but for my own safety and peace of mind... Electric is my only choice.

    This trailer is also going to be a multi-function trailer. Incorporated into the design will be provision for adding various accessories such as ladder racks, cage sides, etc., so the trailer will adapt to what ever I need to use it for. Also in the design stage is a heavy duty tailgate that will double as a ramp for loading stuff by barrow. The creativity in the design will hopefully not only make it removeable, but allow it to either drop down as a normal gate does or swing out to the side if need be.

    So, hopefully I can make a start shortly and I'll be taking heaps of photos... so stay tuned.

    Yonnee.
    Too many projects, so little time, even less money!
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  3. #2
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    Sounds interesting. Look forward to it.

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    Default A big THANK YOU

    Yonee,
    Both you and Dazzler have provided the inspiration for what I am sure will be many trailers to be built by forum contributers. I have built a couple in the past ,but they have always been copied from some one else.

    In these current threads I have seen more first class trailer design and innovation presented in one offering than I have have seen at any other time.

    Both of you have inspired a lot of us to tackle a construction, now armed with more than just more than the will to build a trailer.

    Thanks to you fellas we can now undertake a trailer construction understanding the basic safety requirements ,engineering and regulations.
    You have done a big service to us all.Thanks to you both.

    You can bet all this info is being saved into into my trailer folder.I will follow further posts with much interest.

    regards
    Grahame

    Thank you both very much

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    Default Thanks Grahame

    Thanks for your comments Grahame, very much appreciated.

    When I was an apprentice mechanic my favourite job was building up bushfire trucks for the NSW Bushfire Service. Just like a big mechano set .

    Some support for those who have little or no welding experience I would say get a mig and "tack" weld the important bits (chassis/drawbar etc) and get a good welder to complete the welding on those bits and do the rest yourself.

    Have fun now!


  6. #5
    Yonnee's Avatar
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    Default Ditto...

    Thanks Gra...

    I hate seeing people making silly mistakes, and believe me, I've seen even so-called "professional" trailer manufacturers build some complete rubbish.

    It gives me pleasure to be able to give someone some advice that makes their trailer project easier and more user friendly.
    Too many projects, so little time, even less money!
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    Default Aluminium Trailer

    I have only had two trailers,one I cut,folded from gal sheeting with a welded frame that was just under the legal limit for a 6X4 box trailer.Then twenty years later an all aluminium Kit Trailer made by Alcan that was sold through the NRMA here in NSW and the ACT,it came in kit form fully drilled complete with bolts floor and wheels,all up weight was 115 kilos registered.I remember it took me two days to assemble it,the sections were such a firm fit in fact outstanding.The flooring interlocked as on the Holden Utes at that time lip one in and bolt behind it.

    As an extra I bought the aluminium frame and zip on heavy duty cover but it proved to act like a sail in reverse.

    I have forgotten the cost now since this was in the 70,s but it was around one hundred dollars more than a normal box trailer. Well I still have it it for me an old fella is light to move and use will carry a ton of gravel.One time I bought a few hundred pavers,bringing home a level trailer at a time,on one return journey as I drove along a side road above a major road one wheel came off the trailer all the studs had sheared off.It went straight ahead then veered off down a real steep,high embankment narrowly missed a full line of traffic on the one way road left then crossed a divide then into a full lane of traffic going the other way,hit the embankment on the other side went up in the air about twenty feet straight up,down on the flat and stayed there,no car touched.Almost miraculous,I was imagining how I would ever pay reparations for damages.

    However the purpose of the entry to the forum was to say there is a strong case for an aluminium trailer for all household and general use,the tray does not rust etc. I travelled 30 kms to my home with three sheets of 30mm laminated top sheets at one time 12 feet by 6 feet.It has been incredible for me,with a good length draw bar,backs really well,when empty in a crucially tight area I can slide it by hand.

    Alcan discontinued manufacture but I have often felt they may still produce the panel sections etc.Just a thought. Peter

  8. #7
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    I hear what you're saying Peter, and it sounds like a fantastic trailer for the weight saving alone. However, I feel that it would be fairly cost prohibitive these days due to the price of aluminium. The other consideration is any future repairs/modification that might be required are alot easier with steel as most home welders will do the job, whereas welding aluminium requires much more specialised equipment.

    For me, having a mate in the steel industry, an account at Melbourne Trailer & Caravan Supplies, a MIG welder, a heap of RHS and chequer plate I've collected over the years, and a work contact who will sandblast, prime & paint at cost, my own trailers will be built from steel.
    Too many projects, so little time, even less money!
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  9. #8
    Yonnee's Avatar
    Yonnee is offline Trailer Bloke & Mild Mannered Moderator
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    Default Finally... a start.

    I've been waiting for a free Saturday morning to go to Melbourne Trailer & Caravan Supplies. Occasionally there's an error where an axle is made to the wrong length, the wrong bearing pattern, or the wrong brake flanges welded to it. Rather than try and fix them, they're put aside and a new one is made. If they're a common size, it'll be held until an order comes through for that sized axle. If not, then they can be sold through the shop a fair bit cheaper than usual, or they end up getting cut down for stub axles. I've been waiting to get one of these axles which would determine the overall width of the trailer, but I've decided to take some of my own advice and make the trailer to a standard width, which will make it easier to replace the axle should anything ever go wrong... That and the fact that the floor sheets I have are 4' wide and I don't want to weld a join down the entire length of the trailer.

    So... now that I have decided on the dimensions of the trailer, I can now finalize the cutting list for the frame.

    (Pic's coming... uploading was taking forever)
    Too many projects, so little time, even less money!
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  10. #9
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    Default Pics...

    I know, I know...



    So here goes...

    After working out the cutting list and deciding on what size material to use, it was time to get cutting.

    Attachment 145551


    Once the main frame pieces were cut, all sharp edges were cleaned up, and the rails that are to be butt welded to other rails were also chamfered for better weld penetration.

    Attachment 145550

    Next was to lay the main perimeter of the chassis on the floor, measure, adjust, measure, check again, tack weld, measure, check again, tack again to hold square, measure again, re-check...
    ...I think you get the idea.

    Attachment 145552

    This is one of the most critical stages of the build. Some will say "just slap it together, near enough is good enough, no-one will know!" But I'll know!! If I build you a trailer, I'll take the same care and thought as I do for my own.



    Once the frame is square and tacked together, next is to mark the positions of the centre cross rails.

    Attachment 145547
    Attachment 145548

    And that's where I finished Monday night.


    I have been playing around with a few ideas on where and how the number plate will mount, and also a reverse light.

    Firstly with the reverse light centered and the plate offset...



    Next with the plate centered and a bit lower...

    Attachment 145549

    All the lights on this trailer will be recessed as well as the number plate, nothing will stick out past the back of the chassis rail to get damaged. I think I've decided on how the plate will go, and it's different from these two pictures.

    You'll have to wait and see.

    Also, I've decided to keep the LED reverse light for the car trailer (next on the projects list), I might look at another lamp I have in the shed for this one.

    Thanks for looking.
    Last edited by Yonnee; 24th August 2010 at 05:42 PM.
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    Looking good Yonnee, I like the ideas you are going to incoporate, it will be interesting to watch it progress.

    Steve
    The fact remains, that 97% of all statistics are made up, yet 87% of the population think they are real.

  12. #11
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    Well...

    Haven't had a chance to do alot on my own trailer lately. Been tied up modifying a mates camper trailer. He was concerned about the strength of his drawbar now that it's been converted from garden rubbish duties to Off-road camping duties. He bought the camper top really cheap on ebay, drove interstate to pick it up, and then set about making an extension to sit the camper top on. He'd also swapped the car wheels for some "off-road" wheels and tyres, moving the axle under the springs to accomodate the new 'boots'. However, the axle saddles are welded to the axle beam, and the axle is a 2-1/2" drop axle, so rather than remove the saddles, he turned the axle over when placing it under the springs. This gave him an all-up ride height increase of around 12".

    This is how it came to me...



    With a very short drawbar...




    And some rust...




    This is the way the axle was...




    After a short while, some sparks and some noise, I had made short work of the old drawbar...





    I had another axle that was exactly the right length and worked out to be perfect with the ride height he wanted. And while setting up the axle and new drawbar measurements, I found the spring hanger on one side 40mm further back than the other. So I moved this as well...






    As much as I harp about not welding accross the drawbar on any trailer, I do follow my own advice. Although this is probably an overkill for a trailer this size, this is how I strengthen this point...




    I needed to lower the coupling to sit the trailer level when hooked to the tow vehicle.
    Also, I can be a little fussy sometime with how I finish things off, but it's the little things that make a difference...
    -Capping the ends of the drawbar.
    -1/2 chain links for the safety chain when not in use.


    Last edited by Yonnee; 24th August 2010 at 05:59 PM.
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  13. #12
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    Now, with the change of ride height, the rear steadies were now too short. So they were modified...



    ...and reattached...



    The wiring will be re-done by the owner when he gets it home, as it was something he felt he could do.

    Now my mate is one Happy Camper!!

    And I can get back to my own trailer... until the next customer.

    Yonnee.
    Last edited by Yonnee; 19th April 2009 at 03:56 PM.
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  14. #13
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    Some nice work there Yonnee , don't think I would have wanted to travel to far with the drop axle up the other way
    Cheers

    DJ


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  15. #14
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    Thanks DJ.

    It would have been safe enough. Other than weight, there's not alot of stress on an axle when there's no brakes.

    But it didn't look right did it???
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  16. #15
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    Thanks, Yonnee, enjoying the read & the pics.


    The beatings will continue until morale improves.

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