chassis

[lester]

Hi guys has anyone built a frame from scratch for a benroy in stead of buying the frame kit, i ask this as i need to build one as i can't find anything over here. Looked at the frame tutorial and it's straight forward enough, the only difference is i shall use indesension units instead of leafsprings. 450 kg. each is the rating so i would think that they would be man enough for the job, or would they be to much and the trailer ride will be to harse, what do you think chaps?
cheers lester

[Miriam C.]

Hi Lester
We have a trailer tutorial at:

http://www.teardroptrailers.us/Trailer.html

Enjoy

[doug hodder]

Lester, you can swap in a torsion axle set up into the frame tutorial build quite easily, just cut out the hanging the axle portion that doesn't apply to you, just make sure you get the axle ends equidistant to the hitch. I'm assuming that an indescension unit is a torsion axle, I build with springs so that one escapes me...The frame rails will also be wider for that type axle, but the steps and techniques are the same. You might want to think about the total weight of your project and not get yourself undersprung, as it's easier to make that adjustment up front. If it rides too rough, you can also adjust some air pressure to help smooth it out. Doug

[angib]

"Indespension" units are the biggest brand name in Britain for rubber torsion half-axles that are the standard suspension for Yurpeen trailers.

Lester, you need to put the Indespension units on the ends of a cross beam - a 50x50x3.2 rectangular hollow section (or 2x2x1/8 square tube as they say in Merka) would be ideal. Buy the pre-drilled mounting plates from Indespension and weld them underneath the RHS. This does mean that your trailer will ride quite high, but in Britain there's no easy way around that.

I don't recognize 450kg as a capacity of half-axle - mostly they're sold in 350kg/pair and 500kg/pair capacities and the 500kg/pair would be appropriate for a lightly-built trailer. If you're going to build a heavy trailer, you might want to get the 750kg/pair, either unbraked or braked - though at 750kg (the legal maximum for unbraked trailers) you would need to have a big tow vehicle to be happy towing an unbraked trailer, but of course adding brakes adds cost.

You can buy the 990lb folding trailer with 8" wheels from Northern Tool UK: Foldable Trailer Kit for £305 - so twice the price of exactly the same trailer in the US!

Andrew

On edit: OK, now I see the 450kg/pair is for the UK Flexiride half-axles - which are a good choice as you can set the start angle for the ride height you want. 450kg (1000lb) is a fairly low capacity, so you would need to make sure you built the trailer body lightly, so that you have some capacity left for stuff to carry in the trailer.

[Mini Renegade]

I used www.towsure.com they have ready made cross beams in 1220 width for 17.95 but be carefull to get the correct units for the predrilled mounting holes ( i got it wrong and ended up buying 750kg units £95) they do mail order and their units will take mini wheels so no end of wheel choice available, pics of my custom made chassis http://s203.photobucket.com/albums/aa286/PaulJ-L/ any probs just let me know.
I had the chassis made by a fabricator and cost me £100 inc the cross beam

[lester]

Hey Paul that chassis looks very good, i take it you built the benroy on it?
It would look like angle iron on the outer frame with the bottom flange facing out so the sides just drop into that, if i'm correct. Love the clubby, i have loads of mini's and mokes that's why i want a teardrop to put behind one for the shows. What sort of weight did you trailer come out at when finished mate? Any advice on a build would be really appreciated, if your at any of the mini show's that i attend would love to have a look at your teardrop.
cheers lester

[Tim & Lori]

I built our Benroy frame from scratch. It measures 60" wide and 9 1/2' long. There are some pictures in our album of it in the early stages. Like yourself, I went with a torsion axle setup and it was very straightforward. Just make sure you tack weld everything carefully, check for squareness constantly and cross weld your final welds to prevent frame warpage. As with everything in building a tear, TAKE YOUR TIME and try to think several steps ahead of what your doing. Hope this helps....

[Tim & Lori]

Just remembered this great site. It's what I based mine on.

http://www.users.qwest.net/~jbuchfink/

Lots of great pictures and a good drawing of the basic frame.

[Mini Renegade]

pm sent Lester, any more photos/sketches you need you know where i am mate

[lester]

that's great mate, need to get the steel ordered up!
Cheers lester

[KA]

Hi Lester,
I have a chassis for a Benroy style. Grant from Lil Bear helped me with suggestions for the chassis design along with many people on this forum. I bought a Benroy profile pattern from Grant. You can see what I did in my album. I took my plans to Six Robblees in Tacoma and ordered a Dexter torflex axle. Being a chicken, I had a certified welder put it all together once I accumulated the parts. I'm in the process of painting the chassis now (repainting actually--alas--the first paint job didn't stick).
Anyway, good luck on your chassis build.
Kris