Trailer frame made of wood?

[Mike Ahern]

When I was a kid in the 40s my uncle had a 16' sail boat and the trailer that he hauled it with was made of wood and was in and out of the water many times to launch the boat for least 20 years with no problems. Also the Brush Motor Car company made the Brush Runabout from 1910 to 1913. The frame, axles and wheels were all made of oak, hickory or maple. I would think if hardwood were used it would work fine but steel I think is cheaper and stronger.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1912_ ... nabout.jpg

[asianflava]

Plus I'm trying to keep weight down as much as possible, and using a wood frame could cut 150-200lbs off.

Good luck. I figure that a wood frame would be heavier. Look at the triangular frame that len posted. The whole reason for a frame is for the attachment of the axle and coupler. An attachment point that would prevent the axle from getting ripped off when you hit a pothole.

If you make it out of wood, the wood would have to be stout enough to resist the bolts from pulling out. Will that wood be 150-200lbs lighter than the 2 pieces of angle in the picture (the red and green pieces)? No matter which material you choose, you will have a coupler and axle so those shouldn't be factored into the weight.

The "frameless design" or "wooden frame" question comes up every few months or so. The answer is, sure you can do it, but why? The original trailers were designed in a time when traffic traveled much slower. It was also a less litigious time.

[Lou Park]

The original trailers were designed in a time when traffic traveled much slower. It was also a less litigious time.

Yes, and the road where far from as smooth as today. Today you have roads with a few pot holes, back then you had pot holes with a bit or road and the trailer worked.
Lou

[dwgriff1]

I doubt the wood frame in any configuration would save you a couple hundred pounds.

Pound for pound wood is stronger than steel, at least that is what I was taught. But large hunks of wood is not the answer any more than large thick pieces of steel make the modern car.

Cars are made of many very thin pieces that assemble in a way to enhance the strength. In the process the whole vehicle is stronger and lighter.

I am baffled about this talk about being sued because your trailer is made of wood. If it fails, no matter what the material there may be problems.

If you want a really light weight frame, take a good look at Andrew's SuperLight. That design is probably as light as you are going to find, and it has been designed by a real engineer.

dave

[aggie79]

I guess, like this website, it can be done, and it can be attractive, but is the "juice worth the squeeze"?

http://www.joeharmondesign.com/

[starleen2]

Just because you CAN make a trailer out of wood - doen't mean you should. If your going for the "one off" craftsmans look - kinda like the wooden car bodies that have popped up on the internet - then go for it., but there are reasons why most trailer frames are made of wood.

[DMcCam]

I've been thinking that if you were to make a trailer utilizing wood, lamination could be the way. You could make your frame much like Glulam 'I' beams. I would guess you would need more cross members than steel and perhaps corner braces too. The frame would be very strong.

Cheers, Dave

[dwgriff1]

dave,

Take a hollow core door and sit it between two saw horses, and sit in the middle of it!

Now make the whole tear like that.

If you must steal it, go gentle!

dave

[caseydog]

Hey Snoop, what about the Morgan cars. They still do one model with a timber chassis.
Cheers
Paul

All Morgans still have wood in the chassis -- even their Aero8 models have a small bit of wood in them, just for tradition.

I think a mostly wooden trailer would be cool to do, just for the novelty.

[d_lairson]

After looking at wood strength figures online, and all of the discussion here, I'm coming to the conclusion that a wood frame would not help as much as I thought.... I'm starting to lean towards the ultralight frame in the design library as the way to go. Hey, it's a process...
Now I just have to figure out this axle business....

[Shadow Catcher]

If you really want to keep weight off use Aluminum for the frame.

[mikeschn]

I am baffled about this talk about being sued because your trailer is made of wood. If it fails, no matter what the material there may be problems.

Dave,

I was merely raising a warning flag. I wasn't pointing at a wooden chassis specifically. I was only suggesting that it might be easier to make an error if you don't have a steel chassis. Of course, if a wooden chassis with body is properly designed and built and maintained, there is no more risk than with a steel chassis.

Mike...

[Ageless]

The prototype for the first 707; the Dash 80, had wood frames. When they took it out of storage to refurbish; fasteners had come loose and they could see the wood between the skins. They reattached and flew it out. It was almost 40 years old.

[Roly Nelson]

Twgriff1 has the right idea. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but when I built my 6 ft "Stacker" teardrop, I weighed the wood body, and it came to 95 lbs! I also weighed the 4 x 8 ft HF trailer and it came in at 150 lbs. I feel the elimination of twisting and racking of a teardrop trailer is attained by a sound floor, sides and roof, NOT by a heavy, welded metal trailer frame. (I have tested this idea by jacking up just one corner of my teardrop with the tire 6" off of the ground, and have noticed no binding of the entry doors)

Therefore, thinking as an "old" woodworker, I feel that a soundly built wooden body, bolted solidly to a simple angle iron at the floor-to-wall connection is all that is needed to attach some torsion axles. No trailer frame, long axle, springs, shackles needed. A lengthy steel tongue bolted solidly, the full length of the teardrop body is all that is needed. I know that some die-hards feel differently, but having built such a cargo trailer, 55 years ago, it worked just fine hauling my worldly belongings 2500 miles down route 66, while California bound.

However, if building light is your ideal camping unit, you might consider a hollow-core door for the floor (as I did) and keep the thickness of the plywood at a minimum...... That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Roly

[Sparksalot]

The prototype for the first 707; the Dash 80, had wood frames. When they took it out of storage to refurbish; fasteners had come loose and they could see the wood between the skins. They reattached and flew it out. It was almost 40 years old.

Neat Dash 80 footage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bvhov0nxPQ