'47 MobilGlide maiden voyage went great!

[doug hodder]

After a couple of e-mails with Andrew, this is what we came up with for the new design on the frame. The original had 2x2 square tube with a lifted front end. The problem here is that the 2x2 tubing was fairly new back in '47 and they decided that a rib welded on the top web was a good idea. On this trailer, it failed on 1 side and had been repaired, and was cracked on the other side. Also...dig the funky jack...not useable at all, rusted up solid. I plan on a much more sanitary front end. The rest of the frame only had the 2x2 running full length and used 3/4 square tube for the cross members. While that may have been great given the travel conditions back in '47, I don't feel it's worth repairing the existing frame, which has several repairs on it and besides, the stub torsion axles are beat, and it's got a super short tongue on it now.

My plan is to go ahead and scratch build a new frame with a Flexiride axle in it, which is already here. Nowadays, we travel at speeds much higher than the typical speed back in the day and besides, it's 67 years old. I will feel a lot more confident dragging around a trailer with a new frame rather than a patched up/ pieced one. Just me. Thank you Andrew for your "educated" eye in checking out my frame design. Hopefully I'll have some new iron to weld up this next week.

The plan is to build the frame, jack up the existing trailer and suspend the body, torch off the tie down bolts, and roll the existing frame out from under it, then roll the new one under. I'm still cooking up ideas on how to strip out the existing fir flooring as it does have some rot and replace it with ply, it is cupped and can't just lay linoelum over it. I may just do the new ply floor on it, then drop it down and then cut out the old flooring. Thing is, I have no overhead lifting device so it all has to be done with jacks. Something to think about. Doug

existing front end, note repair plate on top side.



new frame design. Yes..I'm old school, much quicker with a pencil and a T square/triangle combo than I'll ever be with a computer. thank you Mr. Rios, my high school drafting teacher. 43 years ago and it still works for me.

[prohandyman]

Looks like a great plan. I am with you...a good frame is such a peace of mind. What is the larger opening in the frame drawing behind the axle for...a dropped floor? Or is it just a illusion that it is bigger?

[aggie79]

Doug,

I echo what prohandyman says about a new frame giving peace of mind.

In an earlier post and on you drawing you show the rail being bent. Maybe you could elaborate a little more on this please. I assume the bend is in the same plane similar to the main rails for a boat trailer.

BTW, the artillery wheels look great.

Take care,
Tom

[doug hodder]

Yup Tom...just putting the 1 bend in each side to meet at the 50 degree coupler. I'm not doing the lift that they originally had on the tongue. I don't see much purpose in it other than to keep it original in appearance, and it would drive up costs and time.

Dan, I left that part open as it's just going to be under the bed. I tried to run iron down the middle as that's where most of the stress from people standing is going to be. I figured I wouldn't need any iron under that portion.
Doug

[doug hodder]

I took the last 3 weekends and really did a cleaning on the shop. All tools moved and vacuumed/blown out. Today I hauled 2 4x4x8 trailer loads to the dump, the bulk of which was just crap that was in the shop. The rest was leftover parts from trailers that I had junked and wasn't going to use. It actually echoes in the garage now! I said bye bye to a number of beater Coleman stoves and lanterns. I still need to work the bench and the shelf above it a bit. This however is about as clean as it has been since the Rocketeer (2007).

My idea was great, in theory, to get the iron bent for the frame. Unfortunately, the machine shop that assured me that they could do the bends and make them accurate was incorrect. In addition to being off by 3 degrees on one side and 2 on the other, 1 side wasn't in a straight plane. I ran them through the chop saw and removed the bends. I'll weld up the frame in pieces. Today I got a jig made up, cut some of the main pieces, checked to make sure the flanges on the axle would fit and got the trial fit up all done. Hopefully I can burn some wire tomorrow. Doug

[prohandyman]

Ran into similar probs with local shops here. Amazing that these shops make engines, airplane parts and other super technical items but cannot weld up a frame straight! The old saying ...if you want it done right...
Looking good though!

[KCStudly]

I bet it feels good to have your shop all cleaned up.

... but throwing away stoves? Ouch. I'm in need of a fuel valve assembly for a 425E, 4/67. Hope you didn't throw out any of these. (I guess technically you did say, "said goodbye to", not trashed, so I hope they went to a new home, not scrap. )

[Greg M]

Good lord, has it really been seven years since the Rocketeer?

[Ned B]

ahhh, balance has been restored to the trailerverse, Doug is building again and we're all lucky enough to follow along!

[David S]

Always amazed at your builds or as the case may be rebuild

[Juneaudave]

Say it ain't so!!! Doug Hodder temporarily out of the 2014 Worlds Messiest Workshop competition?

[angib]

Hey, before everyone says what a trailer wizard Doug is, who has noticed that he's got either the coupler or the axle on the frame upside down?

Yeah, yeah, so he was using the axle to jig the frame and will fix it on the underside when the time comes..... That's what I would say if I was Doug, too!

[KCStudly]

... or he's building a low rider.

[doug hodder]

Andrew....the axle that was sent was for the Southern Hemisphere. I'm waiting for a Northern one to be shipped out, then I'll do the install. Doug

[KCStudly]

Southern Hemisphere

A lot lower than I had imagined.