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Thread: 3.5T Flat deck trailer build
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26th Jan 2022, 06:12 PM #46Most Valued Member
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Thanks Kryn.
Made good progress today.
Leveled the main rails up on some adjustable stands (which I made a couple of weeks back for another job - knowing I’d need them for the trailer too).
Got the center beams tacked in
Center section stringers in place and welded everything that wasn’t overhead. I’ll get those when I roll it over.
Did the verticals downwards, but it wasn’t a typical cold downhill run as I was able to sort of hold the weld pool up with the arc and seemed to be getting decent penetration. Took about the same time as what a normal flat run of that length would take and I was getting white gal wispies floating out the ends of the rails afterwards.
Possibly slightly cold nearer the top going by the gal burn area on the inside of this one.
Called it quits with the welding at that point as I was dripping wet, and pretty much out of gas.
I got all the deck support steel cut in the bandsaw before it was time for a shower.
You might notice I’ve not welded in the last beam at the rear.
I’m not quite sure how everything is going to sit. The beam needs to be vertical, the stringers need to sit on top of it at the height of the main rails (like in the flat deck area) and I need to have something for ramps to attach to.
I tacked in a temporary support for the stringers to keep them in place for now.
Steve
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27th Jan 2022, 09:39 PM #47Most Valued Member
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Interested in your thoughts on this weld. Full of holes, but not you get if you forget to turn the gas on or it gets blown away by a draught.
It was one of the vertical welds I did yesterday. And seemed to be fine while welding but must have been forming the holes behind me.
The other dozen or so welds done in the same session were fine, and no issue on the horizontal fillets or flat welds.
Steve
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27th Jan 2022, 09:55 PM #48Most Valued Member
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Kryn, I've just been reading back over previous posts in case I've forgotten things.
I hadn't clicked at the time on what you were saying about the clearance lights. Was musing last night when I ordered the lights that they were going to be very exposed on the outside of the side rail, then re-read your post tonight.
Mounting them between the side rail and the tie down rail on a recessed piece of flat is a perfect solution! Thanks
With the 50x8 for the tie-down rail supports, do you weld that down the back of the side rail, or just butt it up on the bottom and weld around?
Steve
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28th Jan 2022, 12:51 AM #49Most Valued Member
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You're welcome Steve, anything to help make something easier.
Your welds are a common problem welding Duragal, if you were to go over it again with weld, there's a good possibility it'll disappear. I believe CO2 is better, but unsure of that?
Re the tie rails, the 50X8 is welded so that it sits approx halfway to the back of the pipe looking a bit like a "d". You'll need to check the size of your lights, so that they don't protrude past the outside of the combing rail or the tie rails.
We have 50mm clearance between the pipe and combing rail, with the lights being fastened to 75X5 mm galv flat bar.
Run your 2 core cable for the side lights through the combing rail, with the 11mm diameter holes down low, so that it's easier to find the cable. I use an old MIG liner with a bit of brickies line tied to the start and a bit of mig wire to tie/tape to the cable and put the string end in first, as it's easier to find a bit of string on the bottom, with a bit of MIG wire bent into a hook to fish out the string.
The 11mm holes allow you to find the wire and then fit the small (7mm ID) convoluted tubing to protect the wiring.
Don't be tempted to run the cable in the tie rails, if they get damaged, it's easy to replace/reweld them if you're not having to frig around with wire inside.
HTH
KrynTo grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.
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28th Jan 2022, 11:07 AM #50Most Valued Member
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Thanks Kryn - I suspected it was a gal related issue as the holes all have telltale white gal dust on the inside.
I ground out most of the pitted area and re-welded with no issue.
I ordered the suspension from Huntsman yesterday - hopefully be able to pick it up next week. The guy I dealt with was great - understood axle lengths etc and suggested a few other parts I may have overlooked.
I was just going to pay the freight save the 4hrs doing it myself, but odds are it would turn up when I'm not home.
Thanks for the tips on the rails and wiring. Its all helpful info.
Steve
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30th Jan 2022, 01:14 PM #51Most Valued Member
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Main chassis assembled and mostly welded. Will flip it over on its back again to do the underside of the floor beams.
Took me all morning to sort out the rear end. I had a length of 150x65 C section left over from a shed build so used that - Saved having to get something bent up to take the lights etc
Quite happy with how it worked out.
Will get some chain tie down plates laser cut this week assuming the laser place isn’t too busy. If the are I’ll just get some 8mm flat and make them.
Plan is to weld them into the corners where the floor beams meet the side rails. Then cut a hole in the checkerplate for access to them and also weld the checker plate to the chain plates.
They will suit 8mm chain.
I mocked one up to check slot sizes. Slots need to be about 5mm longer and they will be different orientation.
Steve
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30th Jan 2022, 01:44 PM #52Most Valued Member
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Nice work Steve, progressing very nicely.
Just a thought, while you have it at this stage, I'd work out where the lights will go and then make a rail that goes across the back light channel, to act as a support for ramps that you may want to fit later. It will also serve as extra tie down points for rope or straps, should they be needed. It's easier to do now before it's painted. DAMHIKT.
KrynTo grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.
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30th Jan 2022, 11:10 PM #53Most Valued Member
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Thanks Kryn.
I was planning to make the style of ramps that have a flat extension on the front and have a single pin to retain them.
I had overlooked the tiedown aspect at the rear for straps/ropes though.
Some more thought required around that (same for the front).
Steve
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31st Jan 2022, 12:34 AM #54Most Valued Member
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A suggestion would be using a bit of 75X38 channel for the top section of the ramp, it will give you a nice lip support to go over the pipe, and will be able to go anywhere along the rear. To save a bit of weight, aluminium channel could be used for the ramp, 100x50 with 5 bar on top, would be ample for a Landy.
Have seen where the pin on a ramp has broken off, rendering the ramp useless, unless some way of tying it to the trailer was done.
If you used some 6 or 8mm flat on its edge to support the pipe, and if the cut out between the pipe and channel was made about 40mm deep, it will be very strong when placed in the channel. Something similar to a q i, with the cut out being the height between the q and i of 40mm+ forming a "U" shape, and the circular part of the q being the pipe. The i side would be in the channel.
If unsure of what I mean, let me know and I'll do a sketch?
KrynTo grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.
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31st Jan 2022, 08:12 AM #55Most Valued Member
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Good point about the pin - I was thinking of just having a hole in the ramp and a drop in pin which would obviously be set up for a Landy, but anything with a different wheel track then needs more holes etc.
And it still doesn’t solve the tie down issue anyway.
You lost me with your design - a sketch would be awesome
Steve
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31st Jan 2022, 10:11 PM #56Most Valued Member
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Laser cutting place is flat out, so I made some chain plates myself on the mill.
They will sit like this and be welded to the structure before the checkerplate goes on, the CP will have a hole for access and be lap welded to the chain plate.
Steve
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5th Feb 2022, 09:54 PM #57Most Valued Member
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Some more progress.
Got the chain plates welded in place, and the checkerplate on.
Time to do the rotisserie thing and do the welds on the bottom.
It’s likely about 500kg now so having the gantry with the 2 chain blocks was great.
Spent another hour welding after that, and probably have another hour to do.
After that I can do the suspension and tie down rails. Hopefully get that all done tomorrow.
Steve
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6th Feb 2022, 07:45 PM #58Most Valued Member
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Hi Steve, sorry about the delay, I left my camera somewhere else.
I hope this sketch will suffice to help you with the rail supports.
Ramp Rail bracket.jpg
Regards,
KrynTo grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.
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6th Feb 2022, 10:26 PM #59Most Valued Member
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Thanks Kryn - makes perfect sense now
I grossly underestimated the amount of work left in welding the underside and its taken me the best part of the day today to do it all.
There was a fair bit of faffing around moving the trestles underneath to support the checkerplate as it wanted to sag away from the floor beams.
In hindsight I should have tacked them in place while it was right way up and their own weight was holding them against the beams.
Not sure if its the checkerplate, the duragal, welding under the SHS radius or a combination of all 3, but what a horrible spattery job welding the plate to the beams. Plan says 25mm long welds every 300mm, so a quick calc says thats about 180 of the buggers!
I'd have loved to anti-spatter spray the whole thing, but knew I'd never get it clean enough for painting once the spray got under the SHS.
I'll give it a quick going over to remove what I can but the rest will get painted over. Will put a bit more effort into the top side where its visible.
I've set myself a deadline to have it finished and registered by the end of the month. I think its achievable, but I'll be busy...
Steve
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6th Feb 2022, 11:18 PM #60Most Valued Member
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We usually have the trailer up the right way and put the plate on top, usually having someone stand on it or add some weights across the bearers. Trouble is that you have to weld overhead.
When you go to wire the trailer, run some 20mm square tube along under the chassis on one side and the back, away from possibility of getting crushed, leaving a gap about 100-150mm above the axles, also run it behind the axles about 100mm in from each side, where the U bolts sit, the cable is well protected there. Only needs about 3 short welds, about 25mm long each, I put them approximately 100mm in from the ends and the centre.
Some people run it both sides of the chassis, but I find it takes more cable etc.
The reason for the gaps, is so that the cable for the electric brakes can be wired into the main loom, any lesser gap and it's very awkward trying to play with 7 core cable. DAMHIKT!!!! I zip tie the 2 core cable, for the brakes, once it's covered with the convoluted protective tubing to a U bolt, so that the odd branch/twig on the road, doesn't pull the wiring out. Don't have it too tight or too loose, I generally have them so that it drops and then goes into the axle tube.
You may also want to fit a small tool box to sit the brake controller in, protects it from the elements, or a larger one for brake controller and straps etc.
Have you worked out how the brake controller is wired in?? There should be a diagram included in the box, make sure that the breakaway has the plastic thing installed, to stop getting power to the brakes while you're working on it.
Had a couple of new blokes at work WORRIED, when they were getting sparks, and it wasn't connected to any power, they forgot there's a battery in the controller.
It's now easy to see where the cost of a trailer comes from, the Labour, when working on $100+per hour, which is what most places charge.
Painting and clean up properly, will add about another six hours, then you've probably got another five hours wiring it all.
If it helps at all, a kitchen spray oil will help keep the spatter at bay, cleans up with brake cleaner too.
Glad to have been able to offer help with your project.
KrynTo grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.
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