Chassis Frame Weight

[Capebuild]

I'm just about finished welding up the frame. The unit feels awfully heavy to me. I stood at a point where the frame was balanced and the frame standing upright on one of it's long sides, so it was balanced. I could lift it, but not easily. Maybe I could lift 200 pounds. But was just wondering if anyone had an idea of what a chassis for a 5x10' trailer should weigh? I used 2x2" with a .125 wall thickness. This might be an unanswerable question.... but thought I'd ask (the frame does not have the axle installed yet....so just the frame).

Thanks

John

[QueticoBill]

Apples and oranges but the NT 5 x 8 steel trailer with axel, wheels, tires, and hitch is 275. Sounds like you'll be a bit over that, logical for a scratch built.

If yours is all 2 x 2 x 1/8, that's 3.05 plf so 200 pounds is about 65'. Sound right? 2 sides, 4 cross, and 3 around 8' for hitch is right there.

[Tom&Shelly]

I'm just about finished welding up the frame. The unit feels awfully heavy to me. I stood at a point where the frame was balanced and the frame standing upright on one of it's long sides, so it was balanced. I could lift it, but not easily. Maybe I could lift 200 pounds. But was just wondering if anyone had an idea of what a chassis for a 5x10' trailer should weigh? I used 2x2" with a .125 wall thickness. This might be an unanswerable question.... but thought I'd ask (the frame does not have the axle installed yet....so just the frame).

Thanks

John

I estimated ours at 143 lbs, including 5 x 10 foot frame of 2 x 3 x 1/8 inch thick square tubing and four 2 inch by 1/8 inch thick angle iron cross members. Another 40.3 lbs for the tongue. That's using someone's interwebs numbers for the weight per foot of the material.

BTW, my initial estimate for the entire tear was around 1600 lbs fully loaded, but it weighed 1800. Not sure what went wrong with my calculations, but I didn't really go back to see what changed in 3 years.

Tom

[Capebuild]

When I did the CAD I'm able to assign materials and mass weight to the material. I did assign 3.45 pounds for a lineal foot of the 2x2 tubing: which is mostly what was used.
The front tongue receiver and rear receiver have .250 walls, so they are a bit heavier, per lineal foot wise. But when I calculate it all up (what is shown in the attached image)
I get 170 lbs.. It may well be around that when I lift it. Tomorrow I'm going to get on a bathroom scale and try and lift it a little just to see if I can get a reading (subtracting my weight).

Thanks both for the follow up though. Quantico Bill, that is a good idea to add up all the lineal footage and apply the 3.05lbs per lineal foot (that is also the weight the supplier stated in their literature for the 2x2" .125 wall tubing). I hadn't thought of that method.
Not including the front and rear receivers I count up about 48 feet. That would be 146.4 lbs. So if I add in the front receiver which is 29 pounds and the rear receiver, call it 15 lbs
(I cut it and don't know the weight prior to cutting it), That brings it in at 190 pounds. I still have to add the tabs to attach the cabin, but that shouldn't add too much more weights.

Anyway, just curious about it all. When I finish the project I'll take it to the town dump where they have a scale and get it all weighed.

Thanks again.

John

[dmdc411]

Sounds like you did the math already! We use old post office scales for weighing general aviation airplanes. Those scales are harder to find. But? In this case, a bathroom scale, or scales could work here. When the project is completed, I ran to the county landfill, weighed the tow vehicle with the teardrop, then unhitched, weighed just the tow vehicle. My tear weighs 1060lbs dry. Think I could build the same thing, 150lbs lighter quite easily

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[TimC]

John, when I was weighing heavy parts I put two short 2x4s on the scale (like foot prints). Then place the object on those so I wouldn't have to lift awkwardly (and unsafely). Give it a try. Sure beats pulling a muscle trying to balance you and 170+ lbs on the scale. A helper can read the scale or steady the object.

Tim

[Capebuild]

Great idea, Tim. Thanks for that. Yes, sounds much easier than my original plan.
Once I get to it I'll report back, but that method will definitely save my back.

thanks

John

[Socal Tom]

https://www.omegasteel.com/pdf/weight-per-foot.pdf

[Capebuild]

WELL... I AM ONE HAPPY CAMPER!!!

First off, Tim, I have to thank you again for that great suggestion on weighing the frame. It worked perfectly.
The weight came in at just shy of 170 lbs. (see attached). Also, Quentico Bill's suggestion of adding up the lineal feet
and applying the material weights worked great in getting a good estimate, and my calculations in the CAD were also
fairly close. I was just hoping the frame wasn't going to come in a like 250 pounds or more, which is kind of what I first thought.
Also, it goes to show I'm probably not as strong as I thought I might be, thinking I could even lift 200#s

Thank you all again!

John

[TimC]

WELL... I AM ONE HAPPY CAMPER!!!

First off, Tim, I have to thank you again for that great suggestion on weighing the frame. It worked perfectly...

John

Glad to help. Us old farts need to help each other out and keep our healthcare costs at a minimum

It is reassuring to see the numbers, actual and calculated come out similar. It works with a very large object like you have by using two scales as well. Just span the distance between the scales and add up the results. I don't know if anybody owns two scales but there are always neighbors.

[Tom&Shelly]

WELL... I AM ONE HAPPY CAMPER!!!

First off, Tim, I have to thank you again for that great suggestion on weighing the frame. It worked perfectly...

John

Glad to help. Us old farts need to help each other out and keep our healthcare costs at a minimum

It is reassuring to see the numbers, actual and calculated come out similar. It works with a very large object like you have by using two scales as well. Just span the distance between the scales and add up the results. I don't know if anybody owns two scales but there are always neighbors.

It also works when weighing ourselves. Then subtract...oh, 10 lbs for each 2 x 4!

Tom

[TimC]

...It also works when weighing ourselves. Then subtract...oh, 10 lbs for each 2 x 4!

Tom

Just after the holiday feasts!