Trailer Building

[Admin]

Ok, I think with all my free time i want to build a 20' trailer, The goal is as light as possible, To carry 3000 lbs... I want to build a Angle Iron trailer, With the 1' side rails for cost and weight... 6.5 x 20' So my biggest question is, the lower rail, Who has a good suggestion on material for the lower rail... I am thinking 4x4 1/4 angle, Or possibly 3" 3/16 channel, then add the rail to give it more strength... Cross members would be i think 2x2 3/16 angle, or maybe 2" channel... All the rail work would be 2x2 3/16... I think, anyone has suggestions or comment please feel free... Tounge would also be 3" 3/16 channel... Or maybe i should go like a 2x4 angle for the tounge, with the 4 down...

[artie on edge]

well, given our recent discussions, this would be a good timefor some bright spark to "DESIGN" something.... any takers?

We need stress loads. fatigue points etc... all the numbers please....

 

[Admin]

would a 4" c channel span 20' solo? "no rail" then a 4" c tounge under side, with 2" channel cross member?

[Admin]

It is to scale to    

20' x 78"
5" x 6.7 channel perimeter, 4" x 5.4 channel tongue, 2.5x2x3/16 cross members 24" OC..

Frame would weight approximate 603 lbs...

[Dunebound69]

Bug my 20 foot tilt bed is 6" c- chanel frame. It is an H&H and has a gvw of 12000lbs.  Cross members at 14" centers. I have seen a lot of angle iron trailers out of 2" at about 18' with the side rails.

[Admin]

If i went with a single c channel rail, i think it would be less expensive... What size are your cross members if you get a chance to look...

[trojan]

Hey Arite, while you're down there.... :P (for the yanks, the line continues "suck on this")

The "best" single buggy trailer I've seen was made of 1" angle.
I would use the angle for everything (makes a great base - the profile lends itself to the task rather well) and use RHS for the drawbars. and anchor the draw bars PAST the axle(s).... but that maybe just me.
Use 1" "reo" for the floor.

[artie on edge]

Hey Arite, while you're down there.... :P (for the yanks, the line continues "suck on this")

You cant afford me.... 

[fabr]

Build a real trailer.   Buy this set of plans
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200308239_200308239
use it as a guideline but 2 feet longer. If needed later it should sell well. Just a thought.

[Admin]

Build a real trailer.   Buy this set of plans
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200308239_200308239
use it as a guideline but 2 feet longer. If needed later it should sell well. Just a thought.

You got them plans?

[Admin]

Oh i should add, I got a real trailer now, 6" channel, 3" cross member... it may pull well but seems like it is gonna be heavy...

[fabr]

No I bought a set for a gooseneck.Nice set and well detailed.IMO worth the price.Much more reasonable than many plans are!

[Engineer]

Only $29 for the plans.  But it is a cadillac compared to what bug wants or needs, and would cost more to build.

What are you thinking of using for flooring bug?  Crossmember spacing and everything else depends on this.

If you go 2" lumber for floor, you can space the crossmembers way out.  if you want 1/16" treadplate then many more crossmembers are required.  What are the other choices?  Marine plywood?

IF you make it the 6.5' wide then you don't have to worry about someone deciding to load their suburban on it.

Also do you want the rails or not?  I think this needs to be a key in deciding between angle and channel.  I would go without the rails personally, then quads could be loaded from the side, and there would be more general flexibility to the trailer.  If no rails then definately go channel.

The loads on the frame of a trailer are kinda screwy.  When your driving something on the back, the load is up on the tounge and front.  Once loaded the bending load reverses from up to down and back again as you proceeded from the tounge to the tail.  The tail is cantilevered past the axles.

For this reversing kind of load I like a suitable channel.  Their are different weights of 4".  I don't have the book in front of me.

What are the laws in you new home state?  Or is it the law of the river?  Have you checked into getting a tag for it.  Here in Kansas there is no tag required for under 2,000 lbs.  I built a car trailer and got it tagged, it was no big deal.  Hi-Po came out and riveted a number plate on it.  They did want to see reciepts for the materials, and the axles specifically.  And he got kind of picky about the clearance light locations, and reflective tape for the sides.

Decide flooring and rail or no rail, and the decisions will get much easier from there. 

[Admin]

I dont care about the rail either way, I care about weight, and cost of course, I think for what i am doing I could do a 5/4 deck... Im not to Certain a angle trailer would cost me less to build than a suitable channel... I havent hauled a car on a trailer in yrs, If i need to so so, i can rent a uhaul for 50.00 Cousin has a car trailer as well that i can use... I am pulling with a 1/2 Chevy Express van, it does have a 350 in it, But its also 850 miles to home when I go, or 1000 to LS if i ever go, So my main concern is weight... Both the prowler and my drak I am gonna say i need a 3k payload, At the same time i dont want the trailer to fatigue from bouncing up and down the road, If i am thinking correctly, a 4" channel at like 5.4 lbs a ft would be suitable... With some light weight cross members...

[Admin]

To add, I am confident i can sell the trailer i have, And build the new 20' by mearly adding 200 or so bux to the sale of this one...