Red Trailers 5x10 "teardrop trailer frame"

[madjack]

That axle looks a little too far forward to me. Any thoughts?

...I have talked to the follks at RedTrailer(Paul Hetrick) and mentioned the axle placement and offered some suggestions and measurments that would take care of that...either moving the axle back or providing predrilled holes for moving it back yourself...they are taking it under advisement......
madjack

[TheDuke]

About the Red Trailer SJ-8535 (5x10 w/13" wheels)

From a previous post it sounds like there's difficulty putting the wheels where you want them. Are the spring hangers welded on at the factory, or are they bolted so that you can simply drill new holes?

Also, does it come with the triangular tongue assembly already welded on, or do you bolt it on after you get it?

Are the cross pieces 2x3 tube, like the perimeter, or are they something different?

Does anybody who already has one, have a picture of some of the construction details?

I could use any comments on the above.

Thanks

TheDuke

[TheDuke]

I think I could have read more in the forum, or email RedTrailer, so that's what I did.

The spring hangers are bolted and you can move them if you want.
The tongue assembly is bolted on.
The cross pieces are welded in place, and they are "C" sections, not rect. tube.

Thanks to the RedTrailer folks.

TheDuke

[mikeschn]

My spring hanger channel was welded on. The bolts which actually go thru the spring and the channel could be moved, but not by much...



Mike...

[TheDuke]

Hmmm. So do you think that they have changed the construction since you bought yours?

How are you going handle the problem of moving the wheels back, with that frame?

Now that I think of it, I went back and looked at the email I got from them, and I had asked if the spring hangers were welded or bolted, and they answered "yes". Looks like I interpreted it the way I wanted it to be. So they are probably welded even now.

TheDuke

[TheDuke]

I guess you could weld on an additional piece of that U channel they use, and shift the hole pattern onto that. You could drill new holes in their existing channel for one end, and the new piece could even be bolted, if you got creative.

Whadd'ya think, because I will probably use this frame?

[mikeschn]

I left the springs where they were and I will make my adjustments on the body, if any adjustments are required.

I have to get back to doing some cad work on that... this is the latest model I have, but there's not much detail in it yet.



The floor is done though...


Mike...

[Tripmaker]

I did not buy the 5x10 trailer as it was not available at the time. However I did buy the Red 5x8 trailer and ended up installing a torsion axle and 14" trailer wheels and tires. It pulls nicely with that set up. If I were to do it again I would just have a custom frame welded locally and use the torsion axle and wheels. In the end it would have been much cheaper than the Red Trailer.

[TheDuke]

I don't have your previous 3D versions handy, but it seems you have taken a little of the "droop" out of the rear roofline, as you revise things. I think it looks better with less "droop" in the rear.

I think it's going to be a "classic" shape. Just a feeling.

For what it's worth.

TheDuke

[TheDuke]

Mike:

Looking at your pics, I noticed something I need to ask.

Your footwell is right in the same area mine wants to be (and seems to be deeper, another question) but it's wider (front to back) than the RedTrailer drawing of the frame. I think they show only 16-1/2" in between the braces in that area. Did you cut and move one of them?

TheDuke

[SamR]

That's exactly the trailer I bought in April; the axel is a bit too far forward, and yes it is welded on and WAY beyond my skills to move. One of the reasons I chose this one was the powder coating, but I've noticed quite a bit of rust lately in corners, etc. Also, the plastic plugs they use in the ends of the channels pop out in transit, so I'm getting rust inside them as well. Wish I'd gone with the Red Trailer, but I'm also NOT very skilled and things have been known to fall apart strictly because I've purchased them...

[mikeschn]

Yea, I cut out the first cross member...



At the same time I cut out the notches...





Then I decided the dropped floor wasn't deep enough...

see next message

Mike...

Mike:

Looking at your pics, I noticed something I need to ask.

Your footwell is right in the same area mine wants to be (and seems to be deeper, another question) but it's wider (front to back) than the RedTrailer drawing of the frame. I think they show only 16-1/2" in between the braces in that area. Did you cut and move one of them?

TheDuke

[mikeschn]

I had some 2x2 tube laying around so I pulled the tongue off, and had the pieces of tube welded up in between. The made the area for the dropped floor 7" instead of 5". (That's 5" of steel plus 2" of floor)

[TheDuke]

You know, I said to myself "I'll bet he - - - - " and sure enough, you did.

With all that work, it's a shame you didn't move the wheels. Was there something that made it impossible, that the pics don't show? Or were you just tired of messing with it?

TheDuke

[mikeschn]

To move the wheels I'd have to grind off the 2 channels. A big task.

So I ran the tongue balance spreadsheet, and my tongue weight was acceptable. So I left it where it was.

Mike...