Newbie bought a frame and I got some questions.

[Ken B.]

I just picked up a frame from Tractor Supply today. Its a 4x8 with 12 inch rims and no floor. I couldn't pass it up at 200 bucks! Someone stole the fenders off it so they knocked 100 bucks off. I wasn't planning on using them anyway! Lol!

Most plans I've seen call for the Red Trailer or Harbor Freight trailer. Does anyone have experience with the Tractor Supply frame? I plan to beef of the tonge by welding in some diagonal braces. I do like the profile of the Schwep or the Kit. I'd like to order a set of plans that includes the pattern. I'm having such a hard time deciding on a prfile. Any suggestions? Thanks so much for any info. This site is spectacular! Ken

[Mike C.]

You might check out Steve Tripp's index at the top of the page.

He discusses the Tractor Supply Trailer here:

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=11178

About a third of the way down the page.

Just about anything you want to know about building a trailer can be found in this index.

[sdtripper2]

Ken:

Welcome to the forum ~

About plans for Teardrops:
You might look to free plans here (@ top of forum)
and from Andrews website.

Bracing your trailer frame:
Also if you ask here about beefing uP diagonal braces
you will find many knowledgeable people with ideas.
There are many that have already walked this walk.

Steve

Note: Axle placement may be an issue for you,
for door placement and tongue weight?
Look at Andrew's formulafor a heads uP.

[tinksdad]

I just picked up a frame from Tractor Supply today. Its a 4x8 with 12 inch rims and no floor. I couldn't pass it up at 200 bucks! Someone stole the fenders off it so they knocked 100 bucks off. I wasn't planning on using them anyway! Lol!

Most plans I've seen call for the Red Trailer or Harbor Freight trailer. Does anyone have experience with the Tractor Supply frame? I plan to beef of the tonge by welding in some diagonal braces. I do like the profile of the Schwep or the Kit. I'd like to order a set of plans that includes the pattern. I'm having such a hard time deciding on a prfile. Any suggestions? Thanks so much for any info. This site is spectacular! Ken

Somebody really had to be desperate for fenders!! The ones I looked at at TSC, the fenders were welded on. Somebody elses desperation saved you some big bucks..... go for it.

Reading some of the other threads concerning the TSC trailer.... make sure the bed is truly square before you start building on it. It might need some tweaking and/or pushing and pulling here and there to get it square.

Measure the diagonals to make sure they are the same and then check to make sure the sides don't run in and out on measurements.

[starleen2]

I've posted this elsewhere on the forum but it never hurts for a reminder

Tip: the trailer tongue mounts to the trailer at only two points with hardened bolts. When I built my camper using this trailer, it became oblivious that these two bolts were the only things holding the tongue bar to the trailer assembly. I guess this was a design feature to allow for a tilt bed feature. Upon the completion of the camper and the first trial run, I noticed that there was considerable movement between the two bolts and pivoting within the joint. The 2X2 angle iron on the frame was also flexing. Every movement of the camper made the two joints jump and pivot like a see-saw. To remedy this, I welded the points were the bolts passed through the tongue and angle iron connections. BE SURE TO REMOVER THE TRAILER WIRING HARNESS FROM THE TUBING BEFORE WELDING! Also you may want to put a few bolts from the floor to the second cross piece where the end of the square tow tube is welded. At first I did not, thinking that it wasn’t a big deal until it cracked and had to be repaired on the road. The welder mentioned that IF I had put two bolts in to the second cross member, that it would have prevented any oscillation. This eliminated the problem.

[Ken B.]

Thanks for the info guys. I have a few other questions. My frame measures 49 inches wide. Is that an issue? My frame is exactly 8ft long. My axle is exactly 37 inces from the rear of the frame. Do you guys think that it will be fine in that location? I've read in some posts that the axle can be swapped to the top of the leafs. Mine is already in that location. Cool beans? Thanks for any help! Ken in CT.

[starleen2]

Thanks for the info guys. I have a few other questions. My frame measures 49 inches wide. Is that an issue? My frame is exactly 8ft long. My axle is exactly 37 inces from the rear of the frame. Do you guys think that it will be fine in that location? I've read in some posts that the axle can be swapped to the top of the leafs. Mine is already in that location. Cool beans? Thanks for any help! Ken in CT.

Shouldn't be an issue with any of those concerns - the axle is placed within forty percent of the trailer lenght. I went over the wheels on my build to a total width of 74 inches. BTW, the axle has a bend in center s0 it cant be flipped to go under the springs - the bend is therer for stablity and tracking - now show us your plans and get building!

[angib]

My frame measures 49 inches wide. Is that an issue?

Because, I believe, your frame side members are angles with a leg pointing up, it does raise the problem of creating a water trap that can encourage the wood/plywood to rot quickly. To get round this, there are two things in this cross-section to consider:



- The red pieces are 1/8-1/4"packers, preferably of some inert material like plastic, that support the body clear of the frame except around the holding-down bolts. This aims to allow any water running down the gap to drain away.

- The orange piece is a deflector that aims to send any water that's running down the sides outside the frame, rather than into the body-to-frame gap.

Both of these are probably excessive if the trailer will always be stored indoors, but I would fit the red packers even so.

Trying to fill the frame-to-body gap with some filler like silicone is, I think, destined to fail in the long run and, when water gets in, the filler will hold it there, creating the perfect conditions for some really good rot....

My frame is exactly 8ft long. My axle is exactly 37 inces from the rear of the frame. Do you guys think that it will be fine in that location?

I agree with Starleen that with the axle positioned less than 40% (37"/96") of the body from the back, you'll get a nice tongue weight.

Andrew

[dmckruit]

Look at the "Tiger Tamer Chronicles - The Build" and "Red Dragons - The Build" Threads under the the "General Discussion" section. You can learn from mine and Rchltechie's ideas/problems/mistakes/solutions and triumphs as we work on our builds.