Trailer construction help

[MickinOz]

I've built trailers with 2"2"x11g and 2"x3"x14g and both work fine.

Like I said, I'd trust 2 x3 14 g on the pavement, if I had confidence in the welds, but I'd not take it off road.

I don't think I've ever seen a trailer frame made out of round tubing! ... and I'm not about to try one.

I've seen a few, mainly old boat trailers. Back in the day, galvanised water pipe was the most readily available material.

[saltydawg]

And Mick you need to try mig welding, it is very easy.

Setup costs mate. I'll stay with my 40 year old stick welder.....

Set up costs

new welder was 240
tank 90 co2 20
reg 50
wire 30

It is literally point and squirt, now making it look nice a different.

[MickinOz]

That .1 inch sound about perfect for most stuff on a lighter trailer. I used 11 gauge/.120 for the tongue framing.

As for the pre galvanized posts, you will need to grind of the galvanizing every where you weld or it gets nasty for fumes.

I do think 0.1" is about a perfect compromise between strength and weight.
We want 'em strong but the main point of a teardrop for me is light weight.
I don't like to go much thinner with galvanised steel. You can get a bit of hydrogen embrittlement from the pickling when they dip the steel.

I did think twice about keeping my single leaf galvanised springs, but since they are from Alko, I figured the production process would be up to scratch.
I have Alko galvanised springs on my boat trailer that haven't let me down, and it must be twenty years since I installed them.

I do know about zinc fumes, depending what I'm doing I grind it off or just set a fan up.

[MickinOz]

And Mick you need to try mig welding, it is very easy.

Setup costs mate. I'll stay with my 40 year old stick welder.....

Set up costs

new welder was 240
tank 90 co2 20
reg 50
wire 30

It is literally point and squirt, now making it look nice a different.

That's $600 Australian, I can't justify it at this point in my financial journey.
And yes, I've seen even professionals struggle to make 'em look pretty.

[MickinOz]

BTW - how do you feel about flux cored wire without gas in the MIG?

[saltydawg]

BTW - how do you feel about flux cored wire without gas in the MIG?

I have a 110 volt flux mig as well. while I could get metal to stick I now know how bad it was. My best welds with the flux are worse than my worst with the gas. The mig I have now is 110 and 220 volt, I am running it on 240. It is so much better.

I had tacked my frame together with the flux while waiting for the gas mig. The gas a tack takes one second, with the flux it takes 3 seconds to get the same strength. A lot of the tacks using the flux I could easily break, with the gas they bend.

[PCO6]

I've built trailers with 2"2"x11g and 2"x3"x14g and both work fine.

Like I said, I'd trust 2 x3 14 g on the pavement, if I had confidence in the welds, but I'd not take it off road.

I don't think the OP said what he plans to use his trailer for but if it's off road I'd generally agree with that. With a good design and proper welds though I would be OK with mixing in some thinner members in certain locations.

[twisted lines]

It is literally point and squirt, now making it look nice a different.

More importantly strong than pretty.

[twisted lines]

BTW - how do you feel about flux cored wire without gas in the MIG?

I have a 110 volt flux mig as well. while I could get metal to stick I now know how bad it was. My best welds with the flux are worse than my worst with the gas. The mig I have now is 110 and 220 volt, I am running it on 240. It is so much better.

I had tacked my frame together with the flux while waiting for the gas mig. The gas a tack takes one second, with the flux it takes 3 seconds to get the same strength. A lot of the tacks using the flux I could easily break, with the gas they bend.

Just wondering how long that cute little thing will collect dust

[twisted lines]

A little tip from me to all of you. I'll use Saltydog"s pic to illustrate, but when you build a frame, plug all open tubing ends. I can readily count ten, possibly twelve, open ends that paper wasps will attempt to build a nest in. I tend to do a 45* angle cut on the tube ends, and weld on a thin end cap, even if it's .060 sheet steel to keep the creepy crawlies from taking up residence in my frame.

I've got a boat trailer right now that I've had to spray this season, because the 2"x3" tongue is open right at the ball coupler, and the damn wasps built in the end of it.

Now, if you don't have wasps and hornets in your neck of the woods, more power too ya, but I'll bet you have other critters that you don't really want hitching a ride.

Roger

Good point more area to weld & much stronger.
I must say the back of mine is open, & I have done two different things to make up for it Structurally Bracing and adhesive bonding to another panel.
I have a lot of things in mind for these pockets.
My Dutch oven leg's are resting in one side now, wish I knew how to stand them up

[MickinOz]

I've built trailers with 2"2"x11g and 2"x3"x14g and both work fine.

Like I said, I'd trust 2 x3 14 g on the pavement, if I had confidence in the welds, but I'd not take it off road.

I don't think the OP said what he plans to use his trailer for but if it's off road I'd generally agree with that. With a good design and proper welds though I would be OK with mixing in some thinner members in certain locations.

I do hope the OP got the answes he was looking for before we wandered off to compare welding techniques.

[jamorgan3777]

OP here,
Thanks for all the words of wisdom. I forgot about adding the 14g options that is actually what I intended to put under the 2x3 rectangle tube.

I bit the bullet and got set up. A 220V Hobart MIG welder (Handler 190). Plan to use 0.035" flux core wire and will stick with the 11g 2x2 square tube. Not looking to do any serious offroading by any means, just want to be able to haul it over the occasional dirt/logging road. Great tip on researching how to weld up a trailer frame to keep it square.

Now its time to start practicing. First stop is to build a welding cart, then a welding table, then maybe start on the trailer frame. Plan to do lots of practice in between.

Thanks again!

[saltydawg]

OP here,
Plan to use 0.035" flux core wire and will stick with the 11g 2x2 square tube.

Dont both with flux core if the welder can handle gas. a 15 lb tank CO2 is 80 bucks on amazon, the reg is like 50. My welds are night and day difference using CO2. I welded basically my whole trailer on one 20 buck tank of CO2.

[tony.latham]

I don't have a problem with flux-core welds. I've never had one fail or had a problem with penetraion. But I don't attempt to weld 1/4" stock, either.

Miller says this about the issue:

Which is better, solid wire or flux-cored wire?
Neither wire is superior over the other. They simply have different properties that work better on certain applications. As far as performance is concerned, both types of wire produce sound welds with good weld bead appearances when applied correctly and used within the proper parameter settings. Solid wire provides deep penetration in the root and usually has little spatter. Flux-cored wire has a larger ball-type transfer and produces low spatter levels. In addition, flux-cored wire produces a rounder penetration profile with excellent sidewall fusion.

As far as user appeal, both solid wire and flux-cored wire are relatively easy to use and are ideal for novice and occasional welders working in automotive, farming and home hobby applications. Welder appeal on solid wire may be better on thinner applications because there is no slag to remove, it is ready to paint, and the weld beads may be more aesthetically pleasing.



Tony