Newbie Class - Basic Trailer Materials

[jmorganix]

Another Newbie question...

I am a pretty good Mig Welder and fabricator. I am planning on building my own 5x10 trailer or at the very least doing a thorough estimate of the materials cost for said trailer to compare to the kits out there.

I believe that I want to do the outer perimeter with 2.5 Inch square tube, and the same material for 2 crossmembers forward (spaced for good under floor storage space), one more at the cabin galley line with 2 more perpendicular to that line to the rear of the trailer.

The tongue would be 4'6" beyond the frame, A-Frame with center beam, and one each that intersect with the first crossmember, gusseted and ALL out of 2x3 tube.

QUESTION: Is 2.5 tube (.125 wall) for the frame and crosses adequate? Can I get away with 2" all around to save weight?

I need Help: Axles are making me crazy. . . Where does one get custom width axles? The Northern Tools choices and HF crap just don't cut it... I WANT 13" Wheels MINIMUM, electric brakes and I have no idea if I want under or overslung springs... How does one decide this?

BTW, I am making drawings, they're just on hold until I get some answers here..

-Jenn

[citylights]

I would be fine with 2x2 tube everywhere except the trailer tongue. That should be 2x3.

Over or under springs is a choice based on how high you want the teardrop to be. Many... Maybe most are axel over springs to keep the teardrop lower. This looks good for towing with low cars and makes for easy entry into the teardrop.

Towing with a truck or doing an offroad teardrop, it would be axel under springs.

There are a couple trailer repair and supply places locally where I would get an axel, are you near Las Vegas? Other than that... I have seen dexter axels on amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Dexter-Axle-3500-lb-Brake/dp/B006UH6JS4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1394456340&sr=8-4&keywords=dexter+trailer+axle

[angib]

Yeah, 2.5" tube for the main frame is overkill - though not as much overkill as a triple tongue ("A-Frame with center beam") out of 2x3. Are you secretly building a car trailer not a teardrop?

An A-frame is good, but skip the centre beam which is pretty pointless with an A-frame - the A-frame connects to the side rails and sidewall where the load is, while the centre beam just connects to the springy cross-members so won't carry much load.

[citylights]

Yeah, 2.5" tube for the main frame is overkill - though not as much overkill as a triple tongue ("A-Frame with center beam") out of 2x3. Are you secretly building a car trailer not a teardrop?

An A-frame is good, but skip the centre beam which is pretty pointless with an A-frame - the A-frame connects to the side rails and sidewall where the load is, while the centre beam just connects to the springy cross-members so won't carry much load.

You are right. I was thinking of my single tube 2x3 tongue. (Even though the picture doesn't show it, I reinforced the cross member where the single tube hits. That is the weakest point that gets the most stress.) An A frame tongue could be much lighter. And my trailer frame is 3" angle iron. 2x2 would be stronger than the angle.

[jss06]

I built my frame out of 2" 3/16 wall for the main rails and 2" .120 wall for the cross memebers and frame extensions. Even this is overbuilt for the teardrop. But, I was planning on taking it off-road and wanted to make sure it would hold up. There is a link to my thread in my signature.

The body of the teardrop is a torsion box and does not need a lot of support.

[gdpipkorn]

You can get a custom axle by the inch from Southwest Wheel.
On the torsion axle you can adjust some height on the spindle arm because it is attached with a spline.

[skinnedknuckles]

I built my frame from 2 x 2 x 3/16" for the outer pieces (making a rectangle) and 2 x 2 x 1/8" for the crossmembers . Then I used 2 x 3 x 3/16" for the tongue with 2 x 2 x 1/8" A frame material going from the hitch mount back to the front spring hangers. I'm making the tongue stronger than usual since I will have a box mounted on it and a place to carry a mini bike, there is also a receiver hitch mounted out back for a bike rack or another mini bike. I ordered the axle from I-90 trailer in Edgerton, Wis. made to my specifications (loose spring saddles and 3500 lb.- I like the large bearing size over a 2000 lb. axle) and picked that up last Friday. I bought the steel from Pal Lumber and Steel in Palmyra ,Wis.

Paul
Having fun building things in Janesville, Wis.

[KCStudly]

64 in x 9ft - 8in perimeter; 2x2 x 1/8 square tube side rails and rear xmbr; 2x2 x 3/16 A-frame and front xmbr; 1-1/2 x 1/8 angle intermediate xmbrs; big axle with electric brakes, Jeep leaf springs, shocks and polyurethane bump stops; custom swivel hitch coupler.

Extensive details in my build thread, The Poet Creek Express (link below).

Remember, the cabin box structure provides all of the stiffness and strength that you will need. The trailer is just the hard points for suspension and tongue (I went with the exposed full perimeter frame and a little stout for off road conditions). Tie the tongue well back into the side rails like angib said.

[luscombe]

I used a pair of torsion axles found on E-bay and that way the width of the axles is anything you want. I welded captured nuts to the HF trailer frame and used the angle iron that comes with the HF trailer as mounting for the axles. They have six holes in each axle to take the bolts. This worked out great but you have to set the axle location before any construction starts. I like a 100 pound tongue weight as I am pulling with a 2.2 liter Honda Accord.

[ctstaas]

Hi Jenn,
I've been welding and fabricating for over 27 years and one would think I would be pretty good/better at it by now, and I am. I have my son do all the heavy stuff. My frame is easy and strong.
I made a Tee out of 3"X 3/16" square tube. With another piece of 3x tube I made a cross. I welded in a standard hitch receiver in the back end of the tube. 1/4" plates are welded to the ends of the cross piece for axle mounts. I capped the cross tube with 1/4 plate. The perimeter is 1 1/2" x 0.063" square tubing and bolts to the cabin floor in ten places. Besides the tongue, minimalism Is a good concept when properly applied. How light can you make it bulletproof? My 4 x 8 weighs 1000# loaded ready to use.
I screwed up. The frame is dead on square, but the plywood for the floor wasn't and reared it's ugly head near completion of the build. I had to make one special part to fix, and if I don't tell, no one would know. That you can weld is super cool. I made a lot of very nice little parts because I can weld. My hatch frame is 1" square tubing rolled. and the support is made from 1/2" cold rolled round stock.
Enjoy making it your own. Chris