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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Rubyvale Qld Australia
    Age
    60
    Posts
    35

    Default Positioning of a water cartage tank on a motorcycle / utility trailer

    Hi Folks, For a while now I've been building a utility type trailer to carry a couple of motorcycles and a 1000L water cartage tank and with the cooler days I've fitted the new axle and the electric drum brakes.
    The trailer was partly built by a trailer place and I bought it unfinished and cheaply because the customer changed his mind and I'm finishing it off to suit my needs.
    I've attached a picture of the trailer measurements and I'm wondering if anyone knows about positioning the tank on the trailer. I'm going to use weld-in threaded bar and mount the tank directly to the trailers steel plate floor.
    The tank has baffles inside to lessen the water movement so where would the tank best be positioned, more towards the front over equality over the axle.
    1. Motorcycle Trailer & Utility Trailer - Layout 03.05.21...jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
    Age
    71
    Posts
    5,943

    Default

    As the axle is already to the rear of the trailer, I'd mount the tank centred over the axle. Ideally about 60kg ball weight is preferable. Are you looking at taking the tank off to carry the bikes???
    I'd be inclined to use metal strap (something like 50 X 3 flat bar) over the tank to hold it in place, using 12mm bolts through the cross members. Bolting it down also gives you the option of using it as a flat top if needed, but welding the allthread on makes that difficult. You haven't stated if this is going to be road registered or paddock use only. If it's road use, the tank will need to be securely mounted as in the event of an accident there could be major problems.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Southern Flinders Ranges
    Posts
    1,536

    Default

    Assuming this is a road going unit..
    If i had 1000kg of water on a trailer, I'd be looking for quite a bit more tongue weight than that.
    I'd be looking to achieve around 8-10% of the ATM on the ball, but not exceeding the tow bar manufacturers limit for ball weight.
    DONOT!!!! weld anything to hold that tank down, use bolted connections only. Even though the tank is baffled, the water will still move enough to crack the welds.
    If you are going to bolt to the frame of the trailer, put crush tubes in the frame and use plate washers.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Rubyvale Qld Australia
    Age
    60
    Posts
    35

    Default

    Yes the trailer is road registered and I should had mentioned that the threaded crush tubes will be welded into new 45mm x 45mm x 4mm crossmembers under the trailer and not directly to the floor plate.
    Where the 8 mounting bolts don't position centrally over the current cross members I'll weld in new 45 x 45 x 4mm crossmembers and for a good 360 degrees weld on all 4 sides of the SHS I've removed the floor plate and can be easily re-stitched back on when the welding is completed.
    The mounting points for the bike are the weld-0n D rings and are mounted on the side of the trailer frame so when using it as a box trailer the sides sit flush with the floor.
    Yes the tank will be removed when using it to transport the bikes and luckily the water collection point is only 10klms down the road.
    I've positioned the tank and have filled it to the top with water from one of the rainwater tanks and when sitting evenly over the axle the towball weight allows me to lift the hitch easily and the hitch has a 2 ton rating.
    Thanks for the help guys much appreciated. I'll post a couple of pic's when the mobile certified welder has finished welding in the new crossmembers.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    168

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Specialized29er View Post
    Yes the trailer is road registered
    I've positioned the tank and have filled it to the top with water from one of the rainwater tanks and when sitting evenly over the axle the towball weight allows me to lift the hitch easily and the hitch has a 2 ton rating.
    .
    If you can easily lift the hitch with the tank full then it is too far back. As mentioned a 1000kg + load should have a ball weight of at least 100kg. To tow that with a light ball weight is asking for trouble.
    A few years back was driving on the freeway south. A Subaru with a tandem cage trailer come down on the on ramp and started to merge, next thing I knew it was spinning in circles across 3 lanes of traffic. Reason was they had loaded about a tonne of rubble onto it with the majority on or just behind the axles. Minimal ball weight.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Just in case such things might be important ,here is a link to the ADRs for Trailers.

    https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/ve.../vsb_01_b.aspx

    It would be a shame to have your trailer knocked back in inspection ( for road use) if some of the ADRs were not addressed.

    Grahame

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    168

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