Scratch built expo trailer

[trost]

This may be a dumb question, but...

How do you keep the wheels from hitting the fender support when there is a lot of weight in it? Will you put a bump-stop above the axle? It looks like there is only about 3" of clearance when it is sitting empty.

There is about 6'' of vertical travel before the tires can hit anything. The trailer will squat a little fully loaded but ill keep adding leafs to my spring pack to make sure even with a hard bump that it cant bottom out. If I have to add bump stops I will but I can see the need yet.

 

[trost]

if ti where me, i would run a coupl of braces from teh corner of the trailer about half way up the tounge. maybe overkill, but i prefer overkill. just my opinion.

Oh yeah there will be an A frame connecting the tongue to the box that will also have the tongue box and two gas cans on it. I should have made it more clear that this trailer is far from done and has alot more details still to be added.

Thanks for all the ideas and comments!!!! More updates to come.

 

[indiedog]

Very nice skills and well thought out. :sombrero: I have some concerns re' the position and strength of the rear shackle support. The entire weight of the load is transmitted to the wheels through the suspension support points. Typically this is located under the side rails which are big and beefy. Your load is supported at the rear under the floor with no major structure above it. So the horizontal floor structure has to take all that load. Also by setting in the springs from the side of the box section you are making a longer cantilever on the axle from the wheel back to the spring support. The closer to the wheel the load/spring is the less bending is in your axle. It could also result in a bit of sway as the load rotates around the suspension. None of that may happen but I'd minimize the chances from the start.

I like the look of the front spring hangers. Could you modify them to be closer to the sides? And then move the rear support point to the side?

Whatever you do you are doing a great job. :wings:

Are you going to skin it on the inside and leave the frame exposed? Could be a good look.

 

[Scrapdaddy]

It looks real good sitting behind your toy. Paint to match and you could pick up chicks with it!

 

[Ray Hyland]

There is about 6'' of vertical travel before the tires can hit anything. The trailer will squat a little fully loaded but ill keep adding leafs to my spring pack to make sure even with a hard bump that it cant bottom out. If I have to add bump stops I will but I can see the need yet.

Got it, cool.

The trailer looks good so far.

Cheers

 

[Hill Bill E.]

Here are a few pictures out of the garage. Any thoughts on tongue length? The box is 6ft long and the tongue is 5ft long? Dose this look about right?

Once the old battery box is on, I think the tongue length will be good.

I experimented with my M416 tongue length (since one of the PO's had cut the lunnette ring of:snorkel

I found that a bit longer than what would have been 'factory' made backing up much easier. But I opted for the shorter 'factory' length, to reduce drag from my RTT.

If I do it over again, I'll do like some I've seen here on ExPo, and use a long piece of receiver tube for the 'spine', and use 2" box tube (like you have now) and make the tongue adjustable.

I'll see if I can find the pics, someone here did a really nice job building an adjustable tongue.:coffeedrink:

 

[Hill Bill E.]

Found one similar to what I'm thinking. 'Rezarf><>' made his adjustable like this:

You can see the pin near the frame for adjusting/removing the tongue.

The build is here: http://forum.ih8mud.com/trailer-tec...expedition-style-trailer-build-up-thread.html

Found that pic on Page 8, Post # 149

I know I saw one that used the receiver tube all the way through the frame, allowing for about 5 feet of adjustment. Just can't recall who's build?:snorkel:

 

[ex m38a1er]

Here are a few pictures out of the garage. Any thoughts on tongue length? The box is 6ft long and the tongue is 5ft long? Dose this look about right?

&#921;deally you want the distance from the pintle to the wheel hub to be equall to the tow rig's wheel base.
Deff triangulate(as you said you will) the tongue but in a way to be able to jackknife
up to 90 degrees while backing up.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Here are a few pictures out of the garage. Any thoughts on tongue length? The box is 6ft long and the tongue is 5ft long? Dose this look about right?

&#921;deally you want the distance from the pintle to the wheel hub to be equall to the tow rig's wheel base.Deff triangulate(as you said you will) the tongue but in a way to be able to jackknife
up to 90 degrees while backing up.

I have heard this measurement before can you explain the design reason behind it?

 

[ex m38a1er]

This is needed if you want the trailer's wheel print to follow tow rig's wheel print while cornering and be sure that
trailer's ride is not shimmy.

 

[trost]

Well it has been along time, the trailer is done so I figured I would post some pictures. If you guys have any questions let me know. I am terrible at posting pictures as the build goes so I'll post pictures as I find them.

 

[trost]

Got a new truck so I had to dwon size the tires. Now running some 31's...

 

[trost]

Had the trailer out in the sand. Everything worked great!

 

[Area52]

That's great work!

Jim

 

[trost]

Thanks Jim, I'll post more info and pictures as I get time. The trailer is actually up for sale. I have a very intersted buyer looking at it this weekend. I will miss it but it would be nice to see someone get more use out of it.

-Trost