What size steel for a small standie (slouchie) chassis?

[Cliffmeister2000]

I'm beginning the research / drawing phase of building #2. #2 will be a slouchie with a raisable roof. Preliminary guesstimates are it will be 80" wide, 12' long plus 3' of tongue, and 6'6" tall from the ground to the highest point. After raising the top, it will be approximately 18" taller. I'm guesstimating 1,500 - 1,600 lbs.
Is 2" x 3" tubing overkill? What would you use and why?

Edit. I will be using a torsion axle. I want this to be low, to increase headroom and still be able to park in the garage (HOA Nazis, you know).

[Cliffmeister2000]

Preliminary design. Feel free to editorialize!

[mikeschn]

Cliff,

I'm curious about both your floor plan, and your raise-able roof. Why, because I am in the same boat as you.

I've been planning an OWW, but the prototype had a leak problem at the hinge.

As for the chassis, you're still building a torsion box, so 2x2x1/8" square tubing is plenty. The tongue should be heavier though, 2x2x 3/16 or 2x3x3/16.

Andrew will probably chip in here...

Mike...

[mikeschn]

Are you thinking something like this? Lots of nice pictures on Andrews page here: http://www.angib.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/t ... tear48.htm



Mike...

[Cliffmeister2000]

I like the looks of the Trolley builds I have seen, so I want the roof to go up flat, have 3 port-hole windows on each side, and a respectable overhang all around.

This is sort of where I'm headed.

I am tentatively going to call it the "Trolley Pop".

[Wanna Be]

Cliffmister2000,

Here are some #s for the weights of tubing that you mentioned;

2X2X1/8 = 3.05 # per foot

2X3X3/16 + 3.9 # per foot

You need to specifiy Grade A513 for maximum strength.

Hope this helps !!

Wanna Be,

Lynn

[angib]

Anything 3/16 is bad news as I see it - the thickness adds weight but not much strength.

2x3x1/8 is waay better than 2x2x3/16 if you need to go stronger than 2x2x1/8.

2X2X1/8 = 3.05 # per foot

2X3X3/16 + 3.9 # per foot

The first one is right but the second one is the weight for 2x3x1/8. 2x3x3/16 is 5.6 lb/ft.

[Wanna Be]

angib,

Thankyou for pointing out my error !!


Wanna Be .



Lynn

[terryjones1]

My standie build is < 84" high.
It fits is my garage.
The interior height (at the drop floor) is around 70".
The drop floor is 7".
I do not, (and did not want) a roof that raised and lowered.
The trailer deminsions are similar to yours.

The mainframe is 2" x 3" x 1/8" steel.
The outside frame is 1" x 3" x 3/32" steel.

More details are included in my build thread.

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=40591

[Cliffmeister2000]

Thank you, Lynn, Andrew, and Terry.

Andrew, do I need 2x3, or should I stay with 2x2? A friend built his with 1-1/2 x 3. I want light and strong.

Also, I am specing angle iron instead of tubing for the inner cross pieces. Do you agree with this strategy?

[doug hodder]

Cliff....that's what I did, used 2x2 1/8" wall on the perimeter of the frame and the tongue. 2x2 angle for the cross members on the Nomad. I had sent this over to Andrew and he gave it thumbs up. Finished weight on that trailer was 1400#. Doug

[Cliffmeister2000]

That's pretty much what I'm thinking, Doug! Drop floor might be an option too, if I can't get the chassis low enough and still keep ground clearance.

[angib]

do I need 2x3, or should I stay with 2x2? A friend built his with 1-1/2 x 3. I want light and strong.

Your body (nothing personal - I mean your trailer body) is pretty big, so I could see the 1500lb target as being easy to miss. So I would be inclined to go with 2x3 for the A-frame, just to be on the safe side. It's nearly twice as strong as the 2x2 but only a third heavier.

Everything else could be 2x2, either square tube or angle, as it's only the A-frame that is at risk of failing.

The A-frame doesn't need to go to the outer frame - indeed I suggest you drop the outer longitudinals and just use cross-members like Doug did.

[Cliffmeister2000]

do I need 2x3, or should I stay with 2x2? A friend built his with 1-1/2 x 3. I want light and strong.

Your body (nothing personal - I mean your trailer body) is pretty big, so I could see the 1500lb target as being easy to miss. So I would be inclined to go with 2x3 for the A-frame, just to be on the safe side. It's nearly twice as strong as the 2x2 but only a third heavier.

Everything else could be 2x2, either square tube or angle, as it's only the A-frame that is at risk of failing.

The A-frame doesn't need to go to the outer frame - indeed I suggest you drop the outer longitudinals and just use cross-members like Doug did.

Thanks, Andrew!

Looks like this now...

[gdpipkorn]

Did you calculate tongue weight yet? I have a hunch your axle is too far back. I agree with Andrew that target weight could be easy to miss. Ours was 1400# and ended up at 1980#.