Transmission-powered Expedition Trailer

[alan]

Yes hydraulic drive is possible, but the answer in the future may be the electric driven hubs made by Synergy Innovations. They have already made a mini that does 150 mph, powered by four electric motors on the hubs that produce 160hp each.

Thats a possibility, huge power requirments, but then again it could only engage when the tow vehicle loses traction.

 

[Martyn]

Thats a possibility, huge power requirments, but then again it could only engage when the tow vehicle loses traction.

I think it's very do-able. With traction sensors on the tow vehicle the trailer would only provide drive when needed. Power could be supplied by a battery that had a direct 4 gauge connection to the alternator of the tow vehicle.

I don't think you need motors as large as they used on the Mini, so the power requirements could be scaled down for the trailer.

Having computer controlled traction sensor would be a huge improvement over the PTO or hydraulic systems as 6 wheel drive would only be used as needed. You may even be able to use the same approach Subaru uses where power is shifted between the axles depending on the traction at each axle.

The slick thing about the electric hub motor is you can provide different amounts of power to each hub, so traction control could be individualized to each wheel

Just a dream right now.

 

[alan]

I like the idea! let's build one.

 

[alan]

The more i think about it, the possiblity grows! electric fork lifts can move tonnes!

 

[FotoValpen]

Having wheels of a different dimension is necessary at all.

For one the trailer is ONLY to be engaged when driving in low gear. This also normally done off road where the surface is loose dirt.
Two why have it engaged at all when you are driving on the road?

 

[brained]

Thats a possibility, huge power requirments, but then again it could only engage when the tow vehicle loses traction.

In wheel hub motors and traction sensors sound quite spendy and tremendous amount of setup and configuration.

How about a trailer axle that's the same/similar as the vehicle rear axle with an electric motor attached directly to the yoke on the trailer diff? It would be similar to some home-brew hybrids that have a front wheel drive vehicle with a stock gas engine driving the front and an electric motor powering a swapped in rear axle. Only now your gas engine drives the first two axles and the electric motor drives the 3rd axle.

Flip a switch when you know you'll need it and have a pot on your throttle pedal to control the amps to the electric motor. Use a box similar to what is used for trailer brakes to bias the current to the trailer depending on how heavily loaded it is. You could even give the trailer a couple of it's own batteries that are charged from the tow vehicle.

 

[alan]

Yep! another good idea.

 

[whatcharterboat]

Wow!! I love that trailer! I want one.

I have always wondered about fitting hydraulic motors to a trailer, and drive them from a pump on the tow vehicle, can anyone tell me if it's possible? I'm no hydraulics expert.

Hi Alan. Brisbane City Council have a sewer cleaning truck built buy RFW. Looks like a very big fuel tanker. All the wheels on the trailer are hydraulically driven. I believe they have done a few hydraulic driven trailers for land based drilling crews.

 

[Christian]

I love it Tedd, And it's nice to know you saved it. Actually I just talked to Molsø about you the other day, you have one of the most serious Valps out there!

 

[FotoValpen]

Thanks Christian!

It is going to be a great vehicle when I am all done. I am actually meeting up with JP (www.jpteknik.dk) on tuesday to receive a load of parts I need.

Who is Molsø?

 

[Christian]

Give my regards to JP, he has a roof with two windows that open that I'm very interested in! Molsø is Fjolle303 or Michael Molsø on terrängbil.net.
Not to highjack your thread, but I'm hoping to fire the Toyota up this week, damn I'm exited!

 

[FotoValpen]

What does that roof look like? Sounds cool! Make sure you film and post here or on YouTube.

 

[Christian]

It's just like the normal C303 roofs, only difference is that both the drivers side and the passenger side windows open. I'll post pics when i get it on terrangbil.net, or maybe I should start a build thread here soon...

 

[FotoValpen]

I think you should start a build thread here. I think everyone would really like to follow!

 

[FotoValpen]

Picture time...

Here is a diagram of how it all connects on the truck.

(#13 is a 2 ton winch)


PTO on the back bumper with cover when not in use.

Then the cover screws off revealing the splines.

Then the trailer attaches with 2 pivoting/swinging arms with the driveshaft in the middle.

To engage the trailer there are 2 steps. One is to engage the PT case so that the PTO on the back bumper turns the driveshaft going into the trailer. Then you need to flip this switch to engage the vacuum so that the PT case on the trailer turns the driveshaft to the axel on the trailer.

See how it works here:
http://gallery.me.com/teddsoost#100383/MVI_4994&bgcolor=black