One Swell Trailer

GeoTracker90

Adventurer
OK guys, here are my very rough first sketches of what I'm thinking of building. The red rectangles are fuel cans. The black cylinder front and center is a 3 gallon air tank for the air bag suspension. I still need to add the 10 lb propane tank into the drawing, I envision it going in a bracket attached to one side of the trailer probably behind the tires. I'm still trying to figure out if I want side boxes or just fenders to cover the tires.

One_Swell_Trailer_001.jpg

One_Swell_Trailer_002.jpg

One_Swell_Trailer_003.jpg

One_Swell_Trailer_004.jpg

This trailer is being built specifically for a trip I'm planning to make this spring to the San Rafael Swell and Canyon Lands areas. Both the build and the trip should be fun. And it will be nice to build a trailer for myself. Last off-road trailer I built was for another family. Here's a link to that build:
The Gillz Off-Road Trailer Build!

Also the renderings show a straight tube axle, but I will be building this as an air bag trailing arm suspension. I've given this a lot of thought over the years and now I'm going for it. Here is a link to an extensive thread from 2008 discussing this style of suspension:
Home Built Independent Suspension

I'll be posting more pictures as things progress. Wish me luck!

Mike
 
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rustED

Adventurer
Thanks for the links. I'm in the middle of a trailer build and was going to do a 3 link with airbags, now halfway through I'm thinking of changing it to an independent suspension. I've been looking for some threads on the subject! Good luck with your build!
 

M35A2

Tinkerer
The air tank is infrastructure and never really needs to be touched or accessed. It's occupying prime real estate. Consider burying it somewhere and using the space on the tongue for something you need to get to.
 

rustED

Adventurer
I just got finished reading through your Gillz trailer build thread, awesome job! So many cool elements incorporated into one project! Can't wait to see how your Swell build take shape!
 

GeoTracker90

Adventurer
Thanks for the responses guys. I'm strongly thinking about having a kitchen slide out from the back of the trailet like what's shown in the video linked below. If I go with that design then having the propane tank on the side behind the axle would be ideal.

I don't mind the air tank in the location shown for a couple reasons. 1) It keeps it out of the main box. This will allow me to keep more things dry and dust free inside the box. 2) Everyone hides the infrastructure - with the tank front and center it makes a statement and keeps portions of the air system more accessible IF the need to troubleshoot a leak is needed.

Plans may still change though. I need to figure out how I'm going to do the electrical box and where it's going to be placed. Time to fire up the modeling program.

Mike
 
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GeoTracker90

Adventurer
For my build I'm considering turning the kitchen 90 degrees from how it is shown in the video. This would leave the other half of the trailer accessible from the tailgate area. I'm also planning on having a lid that is hinged at the front. This would provide some additional access as well.

Designing the kitchen should be fun, but the cutting out of the kitchen should be a lot more fun than doing the design. I've helped my buddy build a couple CNC routers, so he has offered to cut out the parts for me once I get to that point. This will be a little ways down the road yet as I need to have the trailer and main box built before I get too serious about doing the design on the kitchen.

Here's a link to my buddy's webpage and the products that he's making with the CNC routers:
The Permaculture Woodshop/

Mike
 

rustED

Adventurer
That's is an awesome kitchen, I remember seeing that before, just can't remember who's build it was, I've been looking at so many trailer builds the last few days it's a blur, lol. Your buddy's CNC router is so cool! It would be awesome to have access to equipment like that, the possibilities are endless! I'll be keeping tabs on your build, look forward to seeing more of your ideas!
 

GeoTracker90

Adventurer
Minor Updates

1) I've placed the initial order of steel with one of my buddies. This will be enough material for the trailer frame as well as the trailing arms. I need to check with my buddy in the next day or two to see when the steel order will be in, but I hope it's this week.

RECT TUBE.jpg



2) My other buddy (the one with the CNC Router) just told me about a 3D CAD program that is actually economical enough that I may actually buy it. Previously I've been working off of a free trial of the Rhino modeling program. The new program that I learned about today is Cubify Design. This program appears to have quite a bit of ability to it; now I just need to sit down and learn a little more now. Here is a link to their website: Cubify Design CAD Software

design_landing_hero_b.jpg



3) In the background I have also been working on my own version of a three-axes off-road coupler. No this will not be DOT approved. No this will not be used on-road. This will be used off-road only. For inspiration I have been using the coupler design shown over on another forum: Under $50 DIY 3-axis Coupler

TSCCoupler12.jpg



4) I plan on ordering the spindles and hubs on Friday and they should arrive during the first half of next week.

SP20484_1000.jpg



Hopefully I'll have some pictures of the coupler in the next day or two. I'm also getting anxious for the steel to arrive so I can start cutting it up and sticking it together.

Mike
 

rustED

Adventurer
Good info, I was planning to build my own 3 axis coupler when I get to that stage and was looking for ideas, can't wait to see what you come up with.
 

GeoTracker90

Adventurer
Well I started planning out the brackets for the trailing arm attachment tonight and did a couple quick sketches. This sketch is using the program Cubify Design that I just started learning last night:

SuspensionBracket_ScreenShot.jpg



And here is basically the same bracket drawn up in Rhino 2.0:

SuspensionBracket_ScreenShot_Rhino.jpg



The plan is to have the outsides of these brackets cut using a CNC plasma cutter or a CNC laser. Once the bracket "blanks" are cut out I plan on bribing one of the machinists at work to cut out the center slot and drill and tap all of the other bolt holes. These brackets are being designed to be used with the Trail-Gear Creeper Joint. This bracket specifically will mount the outboard joint for each of the trailing arms and will provide some level of camber adjustment. These brackets will be fabricated out of 3/8" thick steel.

The brackets for the inner Creeper Joint on each trailing arm mimic the brackets shown here and in combination will provide ample adjustment for Camber. For the toe adjustment I will be able to simply screw the Creeper Joints in or out.
For a detailed discussion of the alignment considerations that need to be taken into account with this style of suspension you can take a look at the following thread:
Home Built Independent Suspension

When I can think more clearly I'll come back and add some more info, but for now I had better go get some sleep. Goodnight.

Mike
P.S. - The rough outside dimensions of these brackets will be 7" wide by 9" tall.
 
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GeoTracker90

Adventurer
I almost forgot, I did have a power pass through show up today. With this I'll be able to bring shore power into the electrical center without having to open the lid. I really like the design with the integrated pigtail. I'll probably strip the end off and then hard-wire everything into a distribution block.

DSC03076.jpg


I guess it's time to start ordering more parts.

Mike
 
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GeoTracker90

Adventurer
Another night and another minor update. Tonight I was able to spend a little time working on the three-axis off-road coupler and I was able to get the tow rig side of the coupler functionally completed. I still need to round off a couple corners, but it was nice to get the machining and the adjusting of the various components completed. Here are a few pictures:

Coupler002.jpg


Coupler003.jpg


Coupler001.jpg

We'll see what the coming weekend brings. If I'm lucky I'll be able to get the rest of it completed and tested with my utility trailer.

Mike
 

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