Trailer build thread consolidated

[UK4X4]

Got a bit done today, but not as much as I'd planned....the design changed again...


I was looking at the weights of the main parts.....

3 gerry cans....120lbs
1 full fridge......120lbs
15 gallon water tank...120lbs

2 batteries.........80lbs

so what of these heavy items fits in the trailer

behind the wheels...........nothing....

Oops so today I've added to the cabinet frame to postion a battery behind the fender on both sides.

Only managed to finish the one side...after accidently cutting of the fender

2" short.... I cut on the bend line by mistake...

So any one see issues with having two batteries in the rear of the trailer either side of the main box....?

Other than the length of cables from the truck....


To the Q above...yes the main rear door will have a key manual release, the others can be either switched or manually accessed from inside.

Power wise if i lost power, just hook up the truck...or the exterior 12v outlet and you'l get power back to the actuators

 

[Rezarf <><]

So any one see issues with having two batteries in the rear of the trailer either side of the main box....?

Other than the length of cables from the truck....

I can't see why not. Are you going to have them inside or sitting outside in a battery box? If you use an AGM style you could perhaps stick them onto your chasis somehow?

Do you have a side shot of your trailer as it sits, that might help us help you.

:jump:

 

[UK4X4]

Drew...photo's manana.......I added to the upper frame....sealed to the outside open but covered to the inside.

Its a shame I've added this rather than built it in from the beginning as it would have made the frame stronger and with less work..welding etc

I'll take a couple of shots tommorow...its was just the weight of the fixed gear
and nothing really fitted behind the axle except the batteries.

My axle is in the same place as my first trailer so its well to the rear, the fender is 33" wide, behind that is only 12"..

 

[UK4X4]

OK piccies uploaded...I know...another bunch of pictures of boring bits of steel and aluminum..

 

[Rezarf <><]

UK-

Looks nice, what size/brand battery are you going to run? You will need some beefy wire to connect the two so you don't have power loss between them, probably 4ga or so.

I think it is a nice look and will definatly keep the wieght in the rear well.

Well done mate!

Rezarf <><

 

[Rezarf <><]

Bump... :bounce:

 

[Gregny]

I've been wondering about this build....any progress?

 

[UK4X4]

Yep there's been progress...........but I'm on holiday in the UK...hence the slow down, the rear and front box's are almost fully panelled.

but will update on my return.

cheers
for the interest............Its apreciated...as a garage dabbler the wife gets bored saying "yes that nice darling " all the time.....


and me fully knowing half of what I'm explaining gets lost in the translation

 

[Ireland]

I like it when she comes in there in a wee nighty to get me...

 

[UK4X4]

"I like it when she comes in there in a wee nighty to get me..."

I had to read that three times........:box:


Ok here's some updated trailer build p#rn.......

And now for something completely diferent.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I want the trailer mobile ASAP....so back to the suspension we go......

 

[UK4X4]

Just to speed things up, I bought a whole 3500lbs axle from Tractor depot, then cut it down after I did the arms.

The mounts will be bolted down, so that I can shim them for toe and camber, once done I'll probably weld a pin or tab to keep everything in place.

Its takes a lot of time to build this type of suspension, if I'd have gone with standard leaf spring, it would have taken 2 hrs......as it is it will probably take me 2 days complete just to do one side....measureing...tacking....measuring....beat with hammer etc etc.

Drink a cuba libre....walk the dog etc etc.......

I still have to decide on how I'll triangulate the arms as I did them parralel for ease of cutting the tube to box joins.

Made up and marked in card, then chain drilled the box sections and filed to suit........takes longer than a hole saw, but as I don't have a drill press....manual is fine with me.

I aim to have it on the road in two weeks......at least a rolling chassis, and side two will only take 1/2 as long, as it will be copy paste

 

[ntsqd]

Were it me I'd get some strap of the same width and thickness as the box tubing. Fit it to the axle out near the inner wheel bearing and bring it diagonally up to the box tube as near the arm pivot bolt as the tire would allow.
Then I'd use a short section of the box tube between the long sections up close to the pivot bolts.
Finally I'd use sheet metal of the same thickness as the box tube's wall and plate from the strap all the way across to the inner-most box tube and from the axle to the short tie-tube near the pivots. Bring the sheet to just short of the edge of the box tube so that the weld bead stays inside the 'line' at the bend of the corner in the tube. In other words, don't weld on the sharply bent corner metal.

 

[UK4X4]

So far I've added two box sections in the middle one just up from the pivots
and one 1/2 way between that and the axle.

Webs I've not got to yet, to suport on diagonals.

When you actually have the thing in front of you, the wheel has a 5" back set
so the edge of the tire to the frame / airbag is only 35mm away. then the 6 Inch air bag support. then only about 50mm more to the end of the axle.

distance between the arms is 120mm and they are 520mm long

distance from cross member to cross member-axle is only 8"

I looked at longer arms, and higher pivot points to lessen the fron to rear movement but it really made not much diference, less than a inch

All ideas and input are welcome.....

 

[jerdog53]

Good looking!

One question did you think about breaks?

 

[UK4X4]

"One question did you think about breaks?"

Yep...........Its still only a small trailer, and I don't expect to be doing vertical drop offs and the like.

Brakes to me seem to be usefull addition rather than a neccessity, later if I need them they'll get added....