John61CT wrote:Building a custom deck-over with a drop-floor from the frame up, i.e. from scratch.
No idea of my final weight distribution in advance.
Could maybe put on the suspension last, but imagine I'll change the layout over time anyway.
Any pointers to a design, or suspension components that allow shifting the mount points forward and back as needed, relatively easily.
Bolted rather than welding?
What about raising the whole frame for off-road boondocking, then lowering for back to blacktop?
John61CT wrote:Nice.
I like the half-axle idea for clearance, I guess just means closer spacing of floor crossmembers right through that general area (where you might move it to) for reinforcement.
And I suppose it makes adding a tandem later as well.
I saw Timbren's version, but no vertical adjustability, just lift/regular/drop versions at purchase time.
So you end up with that much unused deck either front or back? Or have you got a light load item to park there? I'm thinking winter clothing, bedding. . .ssuuki19 wrote:
2) cabin can be moved forward 12" - 20" and re-bolted to the frame, to fine tune the tongue weight
This photo is from his build thread, not really any unused space, just room to move, lol.John61CT wrote:So you end up with that much unused deck either front or back? Or have you got a light load item to park there? I'm thinking winter clothing, bedding. . .ssuuki19 wrote:
2) cabin can be moved forward 12" - 20" and re-bolted to the frame, to fine tune the tongue weight
How are you planning to weigh your trailer?ssuuki19 wrote:This thread is a very poignant discussion for me as I will be testing out my all aluminum trailer setup with half axles, very, very soon, perhaps some of the readers will be interested in the observation/results. With that one general rule with a 9 foot box the axle should be nine inches to the rear - I think coincidentally thats about where the half axles line up as they had to be mounted right where a cross beam was (because of the wanting to twist the frame rails as mentioned). I thought 8-12% tongue weight was a general rule but I see you are mentioning 10% minimum.
The first road test of my setup will involve taking the empty car and trailer to the scales to get all the axle weights.. in my case I have two advantages in the design:
1) car has airbags installed in the rear springs so I can level the rear once the tongue weight is applied - can't recommend airbags enough, they are cheap and easy
2) cabin can be moved forward 12" - 20" and re-bolted to the frame, to fine tune the tongue weight if its way off - guessing tongue weight will be too little to start
I'm new to this setup, excited to see how it works out..after the weighing session is done I will post back the results compared to the 60/40 rule.
dancam wrote:How are you planning to weigh your trailer?
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Im not worried about where to weigh mine, just was wondering about him. I saw on his build thread he just went over a scale, but didnt say where. Said it was 720 pounds but im not so sure about the accuricy of the semi truck scales down to calling it 720 pounds rather than 700 or 800 or 600... they are meant to weigh 140,000 pound trucks and the scale being one or 2 or 300 pounds off may not concern them too much.drhill wrote:dancam - I would think that there would be a self weigh scale somewhere in Nisku. Ask the next trucker you talk to.
Doesn't help you much, but in the Calgary area there is a self weigh just West of the Petrocanada at Hwy 1 and 22 and just South of the Petrocanada on Hwy 2 near Aldersyde. There are likely some self weighs in the Edmonton area too. The other option is the scale at the landfill, but it seems to me that is way East of Edmonton.
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