Expo-Lite
- Thread starter REasley
- Start date
REasley
Adventurer
The assembly begins:
All of the frame pieces have been cut and dry fitted. The spring is mocked up to check suspension height. That big ugly thing in the center is my water tank.
This is the wall thickness of .063 2" tube.
Tomorrow night I'll tack the frame together and dry fit the boxes.
After months of planning and ordering it feels good to get started.
All of the frame pieces have been cut and dry fitted. The spring is mocked up to check suspension height. That big ugly thing in the center is my water tank.
This is the wall thickness of .063 2" tube.
Tomorrow night I'll tack the frame together and dry fit the boxes.
After months of planning and ordering it feels good to get started.
REasley
Adventurer
The basic frame is now welded together. Tomorrow I'll complete the water tank supports and start on the tongue assy.
I couldn't resist setting the boxes up on the frame to get an idea of how the finished trailer would look.
The boxes will be attached with VHB tape to the frame and to each other along with a few screws and bolts. This should make the boxes and the frame a single, very stiff structure.
I couldn't resist setting the boxes up on the frame to get an idea of how the finished trailer would look.
The boxes will be attached with VHB tape to the frame and to each other along with a few screws and bolts. This should make the boxes and the frame a single, very stiff structure.
highlandercj-7
Explorer
All that aluminum looks perdy lol. It's going to have to sit high to get the side drop box to clear the tires.
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
That's a VERY bad idea. No self-adhesive tape will hold. Forget the tape, use lots of screws, rivets, something mechancial, please.
REasley
Adventurer
VHB tape has a very high loading capacity. The tape's shear strength where my boxes will meet the frame is 46,200 lbs. It's used in the auto and heavy truck industry to bond materials that have high vibration loads where rivets and screws will pull through the material being fastened. Because I am building with a thin wall tubing and aluminum, I can not trust mechanical fasteners. I will use rivets and screws, but I will rely mostly on the strength of the tape. If it fails, the fasteners will hold until I can make repairs, but I do not expect failure.
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compactcamping
Explorer
I like the shiny brite-plate boxes, looks like they are the perfect size for a small trailer.
With the side doors, what is your plan for tires?
With the side doors, what is your plan for tires?
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
I've had the VHB tape fail on every structural appliation I've ever attempted.
REasley
Adventurer
3M makes 9 different VHB tapes in 9 thicknesses. Each tape and thickness has different loading and shear properties. I have sold and used these tapes and I have never seen a failure where the correct tape was used for the correct application, if the 3M application procedures were followed.
REasley
Adventurer
Compactcamping
Size wise I think the boxes will work. I am not sure that I like the shiny all that much. I am thinking that I might bead blast it next winter and paint it a desert sand color.
My zook runs 225x75-15, so that's what will go on the trailer. That eliminates an extra spare.
Size wise I think the boxes will work. I am not sure that I like the shiny all that much. I am thinking that I might bead blast it next winter and paint it a desert sand color.
My zook runs 225x75-15, so that's what will go on the trailer. That eliminates an extra spare.
mudbutt
Explorer
:yikes::Wow1:
Holy heck that's a lot!
I have a roll of something 3M that I got years ago. It's very thin stuff like scotch tape. It will hold a dumptruck upsidedown under a bridge!
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
I wouldn't eliminate the VHB, if for only the electrolysis protection that it will provide, but I would suggest secondary fastening between the boxes and the frame. I've worked with VHB and have been impressed with it.
From the looks of the layout I think that some tabs that span from the side of the boxes down to the side of the frame would be the easiest to install. A short piece of tube welded into a through-hole in the frame tube solves the crushing problem.
From the looks of the layout I think that some tabs that span from the side of the boxes down to the side of the frame would be the easiest to install. A short piece of tube welded into a through-hole in the frame tube solves the crushing problem.
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
I like the idea of using the aluminum boxes to make a simple trailer, but it's true that the thinwall steel frame causes some problems for fastening. It may also have a problem at the suspension mounting points. It might actually be easier to make the frame out of 1/8" wall aluminum tube and weld it all together. I realize it's too late now, but for anybody else looking at this...
indiedog
Adventurer
I've seen trailers where the suspension was mounted to a piece of steel angle and then this angle was fixed around and to the side rail of the trailer floor. Maybe that's a way of beefing things up if desired? It'd certainly give the side rails extra support where it's needed. I've used the idea of the circular tube welded through the square tube to stop crushing with bolts. Works well. Maybe a combo of both ideas and the thing will be bomb proof.
REasley
Adventurer
ntsqd
I had not thought of the issue of electrolysis. The surfaces that the tape adheres to must be clean, scuffed and paint free. I will paint the frame, taping off the mounting surface. While the tape is closed cell, I want to keep water at bay, so I will caulk both sides of the joint. I like the tab idea and will use it. It will help to guide the boxes into the correct position. With VHB you get one shot... no corrections.
R_Lefebvre
I would have loved to have done the frame in aluminum. I just couldn't convince the wife that I really did need a spool gun.
indiedog
The last trailer I built used 1 1/2" thin wall. I did as you said, I reinforced the suspension mounting points with angle iron. As you can see from the photo, the tubing was stacked to form a 1 1/2" x 3" rail. It was a 5' x 10' trailer with a 5' tongue, built to carry 2 canoes and camping gear.
I had not thought of the issue of electrolysis. The surfaces that the tape adheres to must be clean, scuffed and paint free. I will paint the frame, taping off the mounting surface. While the tape is closed cell, I want to keep water at bay, so I will caulk both sides of the joint. I like the tab idea and will use it. It will help to guide the boxes into the correct position. With VHB you get one shot... no corrections.
R_Lefebvre
I would have loved to have done the frame in aluminum. I just couldn't convince the wife that I really did need a spool gun.
indiedog
The last trailer I built used 1 1/2" thin wall. I did as you said, I reinforced the suspension mounting points with angle iron. As you can see from the photo, the tubing was stacked to form a 1 1/2" x 3" rail. It was a 5' x 10' trailer with a 5' tongue, built to carry 2 canoes and camping gear.