GeoTracker90
Adventurer
A prototype suspension mounting bracket with camber adjustment is currently being cut out on a CNC plasma cutter.
That is all.
Mike
That is all.
Mike
One Swell Trailer
- Thread starter GeoTracker90
- Start date
GeoTracker90
Adventurer
Mike, with putting the water tank amid-ships it sounds like you will need a side door at the front of the box regardless of where you put the kitchen so this will impact your side storage box layout. Time for another asymmetric layout? Could you put the water tank in the middle of the box but running lengthwise? This would leave room all the way around it which you may be able to access from the rear instead of the sides. The other question is what will you put in those side storage boxes? Long skinny things? Small things? I really like dedicated storage and like to know what exactly will be going where before it all comes together. Sorry I'm not providing answers, more challenging you to resolve what things are for as I believe your answers will come from that. And hey, it's a hell of a lot easier to ask questions than answer them!
You know, you are right though.
I think that what I'll end up doing is getting the main box constructed and the trailer where it's supporting its own weight first. Then I'll start assembling the items I intend to carry and then do some assessment of how I will pack it and locate everything based on space and weight distribution considerations. I let you know how it all goes together in the end.
Mike
GeoTracker90
Adventurer
I got my hands on the prototype bracket and camber adjusting slugs tonight. The nice thing about only doing one bracket and a few slugs is what I learned by doing this. Here's the photos:
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So some of the things learned are:
1) The CNC plasma cutter was being pushed to its limits cutting the 3/8" material
2) The travel speed was probably a little too fast
3) There's too much taper from top to bottom of the cut to be usable without hand fitting (with a grinder)
4) The camber adjusting slugs look like they will work
5) I'll probably have the parts laser cut in order to keep the tolerances that I need between the bracket and the alignment slugs
6) The inside radius I used for the the cross member cut on the bracket is bang on - no adjustments needed
7) I may taper the bottom of the bracket in instead of keeping it full width from top to bottom
I 'll need to think on this a little more and see what other considerations need to be made before pulling the trigger on having the real brackets made.
Mike
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So some of the things learned are:
1) The CNC plasma cutter was being pushed to its limits cutting the 3/8" material
2) The travel speed was probably a little too fast
3) There's too much taper from top to bottom of the cut to be usable without hand fitting (with a grinder)
4) The camber adjusting slugs look like they will work
5) I'll probably have the parts laser cut in order to keep the tolerances that I need between the bracket and the alignment slugs
6) The inside radius I used for the the cross member cut on the bracket is bang on - no adjustments needed
7) I may taper the bottom of the bracket in instead of keeping it full width from top to bottom
I 'll need to think on this a little more and see what other considerations need to be made before pulling the trigger on having the real brackets made.
Mike
awol
Observer
Your brackets are similar to what I did for mine last week. Minus the camber adjusting part.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-my-trialer-build-today?p=1776867#post1776867
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-my-trialer-build-today?p=1776867#post1776867
GeoTracker90
Adventurer
GeoTracker90
Adventurer
Your brackets are similar to what I did for mine last week. Minus the camber adjusting part.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-my-trialer-build-today?p=1776867#post1776867
awol, your build is coming along nicely. I've been following it and I like how you're doing things. I really like the shackle tabs that you have added and I have been wanting to do some tabs similar to these. (awol's picture for reference)
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I was actually looking at these tabs from Ballistic Fabrication:
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The tabs from Ballistic are 3/8" thick and if my eyeball micrometer is calibrated at all I would say that your tabs are about 3/4" thick. I still need to finalize the design for the rear of the trailer and then make a final decision on what I want back there.
I did finally buy the 3/8" plate for my suspension brackets last night and I'll be handing that off to my CNC plasma cutter tonight. I'm going to have some extra material left over after cutting out the suspension brackets, so I may just go ahead and draw up some tabs and have them cut at the same time.
Wish me luck!
Mike
highlandercj-7
Explorer
Geo, 3/8" will be plenty of beef for your trailer. I am running 3/8" tabs on my CJ. They have been on there since 1999 and still going strong.
GeoTracker90
Adventurer
Thanks for the report Highlandercj-7. I would have just gone with 1/4" thick steel for the brackets but it runs in my mind that the guys over at AT Overland had seen some troubles with their brackets which was 1/4" I believe. If I remember correctly they ended up going to the thicker 3/8" material for their brackets as well. Either way, I don't expect to have any problems with the brackets. As far as strength that is.
Mike
GeoTracker90
Adventurer
Well guys, I wasn't able to do much, but what I did get to do pretty much has me ready for the next stage.
I was able to take a little bit of time and weld up the second trailing arm for the independent suspension. In this picture the two trailing arms are spared roughly the same as they will be when installed on the trailer. I'll be happy once these are mounted under the trailer frame and it's supporting its own weight.
I couldn't help myself and I lifted the axle into position on the trailing arms. This shows how far the spindles will be outboard from the trailing arms. Once I have everything welded into place I 'll end up cutting the center section of the axle out to liberate the two independent trailing arms. With any luck I'll be doing all of that next Saturday. The steel has been delivered to the CNC plasma cutter and I hope to have the brackets in the first half of next week.
Mike
I was able to take a little bit of time and weld up the second trailing arm for the independent suspension. In this picture the two trailing arms are spared roughly the same as they will be when installed on the trailer. I'll be happy once these are mounted under the trailer frame and it's supporting its own weight.
I couldn't help myself and I lifted the axle into position on the trailing arms. This shows how far the spindles will be outboard from the trailing arms. Once I have everything welded into place I 'll end up cutting the center section of the axle out to liberate the two independent trailing arms. With any luck I'll be doing all of that next Saturday. The steel has been delivered to the CNC plasma cutter and I hope to have the brackets in the first half of next week.
Mike
indiedog
Adventurer
Looking good Mike. Keen to see how it all comes together. Got your storage worked out yet? I'm hoping you can resolve a few things before I get to mine. I achieved step 1 of our new camper this weekend which was selling the old one. Got a few other priorities to get through before it can happen though but a few small steps will be taken, enough to get us out there.
I achieved step 1 of our new camper this weekend which was selling the old one. Got a few other priorities to get through before it can happen though but a few small steps will be taken, enough to get us out there.
GeoTracker90
Adventurer
Yeah, the storage/organization is still up in the air.
If I could make a decision on what I want to order for a water tank it would help. With that decision made I could then start figuring where it would be placed and what there would be for other space to be utilized.
One option I've been kicking around is a sprayer tank set up. One of the advantages that I see with this style of set up is that they come with a 12 volt pump and the pump is mounted directly on to the tank, so you end up fitting two components into the same foot print within the trailer. If I go this route it would also leave me enough room to add a shelf above the water tank/pump assembly. The dimensions for the tank/pump assembly shown in the picture are 36 x 18.6 x 18.4 inches. I plan on having the main box 30" tall so there would be plenty of room for a shelf above this water tank.
I'm also considering ordering up some of the storage boxes from Front Runner. They seem to be good quality and come in two different sizes, the Wolf Pack and the Cub.
The Wolf Pack box has external dimensions of 20"W x 15.7"L x 9"H and internal dimensions of 17.5"W x 13.2"L x 8.1"H which seems to be a nice size. I like the design and the fact that the lid can come off completely. Additionally I like how they stack together.
The Cub has external dimensions of 17.3"W x 12.4"L x 8.3"H and internal dimensions of 15.2"W x 10.6"L x 7.3"H. If I had the budget for it I would just order up two of each and then figure out how many more I wanted/needed. I can see a stack of these on a sliding drawer with each of the boxes labeled and fairly easy to get to. I'll have to see how things go, but this is the direction I want to work towards.
Regarding the question I had earlier about side boxes, I can envision having some side boxes and building them to a size that it would hold a couple of either the Wolf Pack or the Cub boxes.
Just another idea to kick around.
Mike
If I could make a decision on what I want to order for a water tank it would help. With that decision made I could then start figuring where it would be placed and what there would be for other space to be utilized.
One option I've been kicking around is a sprayer tank set up. One of the advantages that I see with this style of set up is that they come with a 12 volt pump and the pump is mounted directly on to the tank, so you end up fitting two components into the same foot print within the trailer. If I go this route it would also leave me enough room to add a shelf above the water tank/pump assembly. The dimensions for the tank/pump assembly shown in the picture are 36 x 18.6 x 18.4 inches. I plan on having the main box 30" tall so there would be plenty of room for a shelf above this water tank.
I'm also considering ordering up some of the storage boxes from Front Runner. They seem to be good quality and come in two different sizes, the Wolf Pack and the Cub.
The Wolf Pack box has external dimensions of 20"W x 15.7"L x 9"H and internal dimensions of 17.5"W x 13.2"L x 8.1"H which seems to be a nice size. I like the design and the fact that the lid can come off completely. Additionally I like how they stack together.
The Cub has external dimensions of 17.3"W x 12.4"L x 8.3"H and internal dimensions of 15.2"W x 10.6"L x 7.3"H. If I had the budget for it I would just order up two of each and then figure out how many more I wanted/needed. I can see a stack of these on a sliding drawer with each of the boxes labeled and fairly easy to get to. I'll have to see how things go, but this is the direction I want to work towards.
Regarding the question I had earlier about side boxes, I can envision having some side boxes and building them to a size that it would hold a couple of either the Wolf Pack or the Cub boxes.
Just another idea to kick around.
Mike
GeoTracker90
Adventurer
Oops, I forgot to provide the web link to Front Runner's website. Here it is:
http://www.frontrunneroutfitters.com/
Mike
http://www.frontrunneroutfitters.com/
Mike