Trailer design

[homeroast]

I'm making a trailer drawing to be fabricated. I would love input on it.

http://wulfheir.com/pics/TRAILER-Model.pdf

[PaulC]

Looks okay to me but, then again, it all depends what you're putting on top of it.
Cheers
Paul

[homeroast]

I'm building a very simple tear based on the generic benroy plans. I plan on using my existing camp gear. So no big lp tanks and no ac inverter or the likes. The galley won't be much more than shelving. Epoxy resin and paint as a finish.

editted to add: my tow vehicle is an '02 ford focus with 1000lb capacity.

[madjack]

Roasted, it looks like you got plenty of frame there so goforit..........................

[angib]

roasty,

On my first look at your frame drawing, I noticed that you've got a fairly weak tongue compared to the strong-as-a-brick-outhouse design everywhere else. Just moving the existing tongue braces forward would improve its strength a lot:



However, then I read that you're going for a 1000lb max weight. That's loaded weight so you're looking to keep the unladen weight down to 600-700lb and for that you have to build lightweight. As it stands, you've got 153lb just of steel in the frame - add the axle, wheels and coupler and you'll have blown half your total weight already.

So how to make it lighter? Step 1 is to go to an A-frame tongue - this isn't much lighter itself, but it means you can make the internal members lighter. Now swap the 2x2x1/8 square tube of the cross members for 2x2x1/8 angle and you're down to 131lb of steel.



If you want to go to step 2, you don't need all that 2x2x1/8 square tube for the main frame (under the body) and you could swap that for 2x2x1/8 angle - that gets you down to 96lb of steel.

It's worth keeping the 2x2x1/8 square tube for the A-frame as using angle for that would reduce the strength quite a bit without saving that much weight.

Andrew

[homeroast]

Great suggestions.

How's this?

I've taken it a bit further and removed the rear cross brace, and have oriented the rear jack mounting angle to a 45. It will help triangulate, and will cut the weight down further.

As per your Step 2 request, HSS tongue, everything else angle.

[angib]

Yup, that looks good. You've got the right idea that the galley bulkhead makes a satisfactory cross-member on its own (as long as you make a decent joint to the floor). You're now down to 88lb of steel - under 60% of what you started with.

You will need to use a (industry standard) 50deg A-frame coupler instead of a straight one, though that will give you the mounting hole for a screw jack for free. You also need to deal with the slightly awkward tube-to-angle joints at the back of the tongue - one thing to consider is whether you would like to orient the perimeter angle with its vertical leg to the inside, as this makes the frame less visible. You also need to add one or two pieces of angle either side to make the seat for the axle to mount to.

Andrew

[Nitetimes]

You will need to use a (industry standard) 50deg A-frame coupler instead of a straight one, though that will give you the mounting hole for a screw jack for free. You also need to deal with the slightly awkward tube-to-angle joints at the back of the tongue - one thing to consider is whether you would like to orient the perimeter angle with its vertical leg to the inside, as this makes the frame less visible. You also need to add one or two pieces of angle either side to make the seat for the axle to mount to.

Andrew

Or you could save yourself a lot of work by building the angle frame upside down and backwards. Build your side rails with one flat side down and the other up on the inside this gives you a flat side to put your X-members between (makes it flush and easy) mount your X-members with the flat side down. Now you have all flat steel for your spring and tongue mounting. Rip 2x2's to fit inside your angle and screw them down. You just lay your floor on top and you don't loose much wall height covering the sides of the frame this way. Hope this makes sense, if not I can do a picture for ya.

[homeroast]

I actually know exactly what you mean nitetimes. I'll put a drawing together now.

[homeroast]

Any steel in the vertical appears as dark grey. And steel in the horizontal appears as light grey.


Close up of the passenger side front corner. Orienting the angles like this eliminates coping.


The yellow shows 5 seperate and unconnected wood pieces that have been ripped to 1.875"x1.875" to complete a steel/wood hybrid 2x2. It lowers the starting height of the floor & still allows plywood sides to be glued and screwed to the side. Additional cross pieces can be added beneath the floor deck to add rigidity and create cavities for insulation.

Edit: The inside of the angle iron actually has a radius, so the 1.875" lengths of wood require a router run along the length of 1 edge.

[Nitetimes]

That was exactly what I had in mind. Simple, light and easy to build.

[homeroast]

madjack, do you have a pic of you jigging up a frame? (not to be confused with gettin' jiggy wit' it)

edit: guy at work is getting me mat'l at cost and lending me his truck to get it home.

[madjack]

best I have is under my WWW button and look at "welding day"..................................................

[homeroast]

Thx, exactly what I was looking for.

[homeroast]

I've got a 14A chop saw with a 10" blade. After purchasing a steel cutting blade, will this cut 2x2x.125 HSS and angle? Or do I need something beefier.