Tubular Aluminum Trailer

[aajjrs]

I’ve been watching the forum for several weeks and just have to build a TD. My basic requirements are similar to Larry and Diane's Outback requirements. I have access to a free 4” diameter aluminum boat trailer my fathers friend built in the mid 60’s. The thing is incredible light and rigid. It has leaf springs which may need to be lightened a bit. It will also need to be shortened a few feet. I think some of the benefits would be.
1) Light weight and rigid
2) Great ground clearance
3) Able to get hubs that match the Toyota Tacoma wheels (would like matching wheels)
4) Best of all the ability to use the TD frame for water storage, after adding a coating to prevent contamination or corrosion and possibly adding baffles to prevent “sloshing”.

Other than welding the aluminum I haven’t discovered any negatives. Then again I’m proud of my thought but not to proud to ask others to poke holes in it. Think this will work given the off road requirements?

[bledsoe3]

aajjrs, Others have used a boat trailer for their trailer. Check Joanne's site here. http://www.asolidfoundation.com/
Oh... Welcome to the board and don't forget to take pictures. Madjack luv's um.

[madjack]

....didja say 4" tublar Al damn what a frame...if nothing else sell it for scap and retire I am afraid we MUST have pics for confirmation and well because we just luv 'em...oh yeah...Welcome to our litle board of insan....er builders and dreamers...and a few schemers
madjack

[aajjrs]

Yup, dad measured it and she is 4" OD Al and looks really sturdy. The frame is on my fathers property west of Boise Idaho and I'm near Ogden Utah ~ 6.5 hrs up the road. Don't have pictures yet and wont be going up there for a couple of months. This trailer has potential to be something but requires some work like new tires, checking bearings and such prior to moving. I don't have access to another trailer to haul it home so I would get it road ready and tow it home for mods. Before I spend many calories I would like some input as off road durability and more specifically the teardrop gods thoughts about using the tubing for water storage.

[madjack]

AA...unless it is VERY thin walled, it's durability should be good but with out some pics or further specs it would be hard to tell for sure...be aware that aluminum can be very suseptible to stress cracking...however this trailer is already in use and has proven itself to at least one person...on water storage, a couple of thoughts...
1) 4"id pipe will hold +- .75gal a foot...
2) unless you could steam clean it, I would be wary of using it, since you have no idea where it came from or what might it possibly may have been used for...
3) aluminum corrodes, the only experience I have is with aluminum canteens and they will corrode and you will get little bits of flaked off corosion in the water...other than stopping up a pump, I have no idea of what dangers it may pose for potability
...last but not least, it sounds like a helluva trailer and I know myself as well as others would certainly like to see/know about it...
madjack

[Big Guy with a Little Guy]

MadJack:

Using PVC for water storage. That is an awesome idea. Even if it's not inside the trailer frame, one could mount a couple of tubes the length of the trailer under the frame. Low center of gravity, and the extra weight could smooth out the trailer's ride. For traveling, though, you'd want to prevent sloshing forward and back.

This deserves some more thought...

[madjack]

... here are some tank capacity calculators...we used about 7' of 4" PVC giving about 5 gal of water capacity"folding " it like we did kept it up and out harms way with only 3/4" below the frame/axle tube...if you wanted/needed more water you could go with 6" and effectively double the capacity but would have added a good bit to the cost of fittings...we also had to buy an 1.25" tap...we already had a 3.8 tap
madjack