Thread: New trailer build

Hey guys
I'm building a 10x6 fairly basic enclosed trailer as a ''home build'' , below are the specs and prices , i'll post pics as i go (won't be for a few weeks until i start ) , will take approx 10-12 weeks to finish , trailer is my design (triangle drawbar and SHS frame) and specified to comply with VSB1.R6 ;

* Main Frame 50x50x2.5
* Enclosed frame 50x50x2 , 50x20x2 , 25x25x2
* Draw bar 75x50x3
* Single axle Mechanical braked
* GVM 1490KG


Budget Estimate$4500 ;
* $1300 trailer related items i.e wheels , coupling , cables , braked axle , reflectors , wiring , light ect
* Steel $1500.
* 4L Paint $65
* Alupanel 3mm cladding and 3mm floor sheets $900.
* Interior 3mm Mesh $150
* Sikoflex 221 $150
* Welding consumables , 1 E bottle of Gas , 2x rolls 4.5kg wire $220.
* Est on welding electricity $450.
* Consumables i.e paint brushes , pop rivets , grinding discs , bolts , fuel to pickup materials ect $150
* Inspection & blue slip , registration fees incl plate , VIN stamp & weigh bridge $500.

Time frame Estimate
* Start Early Oct - Finish Dec
* Approx 350 hours work involved.

Notes ;
* I may put the frame on a rotiserary as its gets heavy as you go. I've got a mini forklift and mobile gantry but it still a bitch to lift over and over .
* I may go DuraGal and fluxcore weld it , but i'm not sure yet . Fluxcore welding is faster but welds are not as nice looking. Dura gal saves a lot of time painting and lasts longer but costs more than painted steel.
* Aluminium floor costs more but is less welding and weight.
* I may brace the draw bar and spring mounts for extra strength, just because i like welding.
* Rear door maybe lift up or drop down ramp , not sure yet.
* I'm not sure if i do wheel inside or wheel outside. Looks better inside but takes longer.
* Hopefully it won't fall apart going down the road

First off well planned, laidout. Ive always just done this in my head ruff.

6x10 with load capacity of approx 1500kg 1.5t is no small trailer load with potential of as we do overload! I'd be using twin axle shares the load and stabilizes it and tghe towing vehicle far better, also greater braking efficiency. The A frame draw bar should be strengthened using a centre tube.

Springs ? 1.5t saggy problems lay ahead.

Don't loolk at this as towing on a flat surface easy pull. Look at it in worst situations, fully loaded, tow vehicle traction/pull power. In dirt, sand, mud.

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I've seen the odd single axle braked trailer, and they seem to be a good solution for certain applications. They'd be a bit lighter than a dual axle setup, and less rolling resistance. There's one a local winemaker has that's custom built to carry two half-tonne grape bins - ATM would probably be about 1.4 tonnes.

Originally Posted by RustyArc

I've seen the odd single axle braked trailer, and they seem to be a good solution for certain applications. They'd be a bit lighter than a dual axle setup, and less rolling resistance. There's one a local winemaker has that's custom built to carry two half-tonne grape bins - ATM would probably be about 1.4 tonnes.

How far how? How fast does he go?

Less rolling resistance with a single axle, means less stability under braking. Dual axle shares the load and braking power. Depending which state regulations you are being guided by also.

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Originally Posted by wheelinround

How far how? How fast does he go?

Less rolling resistance with a single axle, means less stability under braking. Dual axle shares the load and braking power. Depending which state regulations you are being guided by also.

Don't know how fast, but given we're on a highway, 100km/h at a guess. He tows it with a Hilux ute - would be surprised if the braking dynamics would be anything special. As for braking on dual axle trailers, my 12x6 2t tandem axle trailer only has brakes on one axle, seems to behave just fine fully laden at 100km/h.

Materials and steel arrived today . Just under budget on major items . Will start next on it next week. The wheels look good and trailer components seems like good quality. Re dual axle , yes it has advantages but not needed as its only a 1450kg 10ft foot long trailer plus i have an enclosed dual axle trailer 8x5 , in reality i find the dual axle just cost more money for tyres and bearings and a pain in the to push around the yard, single axle much easier to manoeuvre. Re towing i only go 90km/h when loaded, happy to just chug along. I went with 3mm aluminium floor rather than steel , simply because its much easier for me to move the aluminium around.

I'm gonna value the trailer at 6k when finished for insurance , similar trailers retail for between 7-10k from what i can see . I just pickup a new welder to weld it out - a BOC 200 inverter advanced. See photo . My CIG works fine but i'm just not a 100% happy with it . I decided to use gasless fluxcore as i want stronger welds, but they won't look as nice as the gas welds.

Because the frame is bigger than my table i had a bit of trouble so i started from the inside and worked outwards but stuffed it up by using the table as straight guide, once i finished i measured it and was 40mm out corner to corner so i had to cut all the tacks and start again. I tried to bring it back with chains but only managed 25mm. The rails were parallel and was almost gonna leave it as is but thought nah... Fluxcore a few welds and they look terrible but i can live with it.

Keep up the pics. I looked into building an 8 x6 box trailer,but figured better off buying one with the rego issues and the amount of time to build. If you can let us know how you go with the rego.

I lost a bit of motivation plus we had a week of rain delays so its dragged on and on , but i did spent a few hours a day on it so keep it moving so the frame , walls , roof , drawbar , spring hangers and rear door done , just gotta assemble and clad. I fluxcore welded it which sounds different to gas welding , sounds similar to burning a big match and smoking a cigarette , smoke goes everywhere to the point i couldnt see what i welding half the time. Also a lot more time cleaning up. Some welds looked ok , others not so good. Since that photo i've painted the whole frame , welds look acceptable painted. I would definitely go gas next time for a better bead appearance.

I made the walls separate and then attached to frame, however the front end of the trailer was 35mm lower than the back end , i initially thought i cut the posts too short but looking at it on ground level the front sagged down , so it attached 6 ratchet straps and ratched it back up level. I reakon the steel they sell today is half as strong as it was in the 70's

The biggest problem ive had is lifting the frame up and down and around, was a challenge at times plus trying to hold stuff and weld at the same time i.e side walls and roof rails ect . It would be a lot easier with 2 people. I don't have a lot of room so it compounded the problem.

Should be finished in a few weeks. I ended buying 4 more lengths of 30x30 plus one 50x25 as i miss calculated somehow so steel costed a bit more.

You have come a long way with it. I always find the 3rd dimension hard to get 100 % correct i.e out of square. I save the fluxcore stuff for when I run out out of gas. It’s ok but some fellas just use it all the time - guess saves mucking around with bottles.

Progress has slowed again but mowing forward. Aluminium floor installed , it was tricky notching it around the sidewall posts and squeezing the sheets in to fit solo. Next time i would go 5mm floor as 3mm has a bit of flex. The plasma cutter broke down so had to cut all the floor sheets with a cordless grinder, took ages. Pickup Alupanel cladding today , cost $750 including adhesive . Got a good deal as they were a non popular colour so they were happy to get rid of them at a discounted price.

Nice work - looks great!

Steve

Update , i've lost a bit of interest in finishing it , but re motivated again now after a break and will i try and get it finished. Since the last post cladded the rear wall and done the inner wheel arches with 3mm aluminium chequer panels. Unfortunately i don't have a ACDC welder so that rules out welding them up nicely and having nice looking seams . Anyway they will look acceptable when done as i will dress the top up with trim. I'm undecided whether i put 7mm ply cladding on the outside and then attach the Alu panel , giving it 10mm walls or the other option is just clad it with the alu panel on the outside and then ply the inside walls with 3mm ply. Both do the same thing i guess.

I've had to buy rivets and drill bits $40. I will still need another 2 sheets of aluminium 2400x1200 for the stone guard trim that goes all around the bottom walls. I still moulding angle for corners, locks and more sealant, more $$$ , lol.

I also realised i've mucked up the rear door as i forgot to subtract 3.5 mm off for the floor as i made it a tight fit. So i will cut the door in half and notch 5mm of it off the frame and re weld back together. Its a lift up door not a ramp so no strength issues cutting it half.

The other thing i'm going to do that i wasnt is brace the draw bar up with 5mm RHS , its not needed as its only 1450kg GVM but .....

Another update , the walls and roof installed , all the seams are sealed on the inside with adhesive around the frame and floor. Ended using 30 tubes of adhesive $500 .....ouch !
plus i purchased a 65:1 ratio manual cork dispenser gun @ $100 as a normal one is too hard to squeeze with the adhesive, its like thick cement paste.

Only a few things to finish it now - Moulding trim bits , stone guard panels , lights wiring and plug , brake cables , spare wheel holder , rear door and strut install ,rear door locks , interior plywood panels , reflectors , internal tie down anchors.

It's nearly done , probably 2 solid days work to get it completed . All the spending is now done except for rego. Yesterday was another $130 on Aluminium angle for trim , i forgot about the rear door panel so bought another 3000x1500 sheet of Alu panel yesterday to clad it @ $145. I'm not sure i like the look of the rear door + it's a tight fit so i might make another one later.

I've mocked up the trim so you get an idea of how it will look when completed. Looking back i probably should have bought trailer build plans but i decided to design it and make it up on the run , this has cost more money because of the odd sizes involved , i.e side wall size needed 2 sheets , where as if i had made it 1500h i would have only needed 1 sheet . And without plans i was short a few times on under ordering materials which resulted in delays. A good example was the sealant i will end up using 24 tubes of it, but i only estimated half that or less originally. Another thing is space , i didnt have a lot of room to make it , because you also gotta factor in storing the materials and for most of the time you have materials laying around plus the trailer and it takes up valuable room. Constantly tripping over stuff, lol .

It's not Rolls Royce quality but its honest enough and i'm happy with it. Has approx 7 cubic metres of space which is plenty for domestic use , i can almost stand up inside it (1.76m high). It's surprising light and easy to move around the yard. I've seen a similar sized trailer around for 12k , so it's been worth it as i think its cost me approx 5k so far. Over and out !!