Overbuilt chassis?

[StanDahl]

My custom builder wants to make my 6' x 11' ttt chassis out of 3" tubing. Is this necessary? I was thinking that 2" would be sufficient. I know that the shell will make the whole thing stronger, should I push for a 2" frame, or is this not a big deal?

Another concern, he's charging $1250, which is more than I thought it would take, and that's with spring suspension, which he can make himself. If I get torsion, he would have to order it, and it would be at least $150 more. I may be going on washboard roads now and then, so I was thinking leaf spring, nice and wide, with shocks. Any experience with custom chassis and pricing?

[bobhenry]

OUCH !

I think you could find one hell of a nice 6x10 or 6x12 factory built for that kinda bucks ready to pull lights and all.

I would be getting a second shops opinion and an estimate then if you still want this guy to fab your trailer shame him down a bit with a competive bid.

What the chassis builder doesn't take into concideration is that the body of a tiny trailer will actually add to the strength of the frame if properly constructed and firmly attached.

[Dale M.]

I used 2 x 2 x .120 wall tubing for my frame and 3 x 3 .120 wall for tongue... And all materials and axles, tires, wheels and what ever only cost me about $350 -$400 ... I did all cutting and layout and paid fellow across the road to weld it all up for me for $50...



Dale

[asianflava]

Mine is the same as Dale's 2x2x 1/8. Never felt that the tongue was strong enough, it was changed eventually. Sourced all the parts (wheels, torsion axle, coupler) and the steel. I cut the steel and fitted them together, laid it on the floor of a buddy's shop and had him weld it all up. I think it cost me ~$500 for everything, the wheels/tires were probably the most expensive part.

[eamarquardt]

Come to Simi Valley. We can knock out a trailer in a day. Maybe $600 or so. Steel is easy to buy, wheels off of Craigslist, and order axle custom to exact width. With a bit of planning you can figure out the exact cost ahead of time.

2X2 versus 2X3? 2X3 is over twice as strong as 2X2. If your steel for your trailer weighs 300 pounds in 2X2 in three by three it will weigh 375#. Not much, IMHO, for a frame over twice as strong. You can easily save 75# any number of ways if you wan't to.

Gus

[CarlLaFong]

Or come to Castaic. Bring the materials and your plans and 4 cases of Anchor Porter, which will be stashed in my shop fridge and NOT shared (greedy me) or consumed, by me, during the build.
Four inch tube, of any wall thickness, seems massively overkill for a small trailer. Two inch will do for anything less than a fully optioned 30 footer. As noted, the body will stiffen up the chassis. I've done a lot of construction using metal studs. The walls are flimsy as can be until you cover both sides with drywall. Same holds true with a trailer frame. I helped a friend strip down a large house trailer years ago to use the chassis for a car hauler. Once the body was off, the frame barely had the strength to support it's own weight

[doug hodder]

John...at that price...your probably better off to buy a ready built one and do a few modifications on it, or take Gus up on his offer. I think the issue here is it's So. Cal and everyone is so damn "sue happy"....he's trying to cover his butt on it, since he may be really unsure of exactly what you want to mount to it. 3x3 is overkill. Do you have a blueprint of exactly what you want, or does he have to do the engineering/ design on it for you? If you check the Design Resources tab at the top of the page, and go down to the design library, tongue design portion, you can get a lot of info that may help you. Doug

[StanDahl]

Okay, this is good to know. I'm getting more tempted to take Gus up on his offer! $1250 seemed pretty high. I'm not even sure wheels were included at that price. I'll think on it and maybe call him up and tell him what I think and see if he comes down any. I don't know of any other custom shops locally to compare.

I found a commercial place locally where I can get some nice wheels with moon covers for what seems to be a reasonable price - $40 each, no tire. They were 15 x 5", bigger than I thought I wanted, but what I think is a good width for my design.

[eamarquardt]

Or come to Castaic. Bring the materials and your plans and 4 cases of Anchor Porter, which will be stashed in my shop fridge and NOT shared (greedy me) or consumed, by me, during the build.
Four inch tube, of any wall thickness, seems massively overkill for a small trailer. Two inch will do for anything less than a fully optioned 30 footer. As noted, the body will stiffen up the chassis. I've done a lot of construction using metal studs. The walls are flimsy as can be until you cover both sides with drywall. Same holds true with a trailer frame. I helped a friend strip down a large house trailer years ago to use the chassis for a car hauler. Once the body was off, the frame barely had the strength to support it's own weight

Could we collaborate and split the beer. Do half the work here and half the work at your place? I like beer!

Cheers

Gus

[CarlLaFong]

Or come to Castaic. Bring the materials and your plans and 4 cases of Anchor Porter, which will be stashed in my shop fridge and NOT shared (greedy me) or consumed, by me, during the build.
Four inch tube, of any wall thickness, seems massively overkill for a small trailer. Two inch will do for anything less than a fully optioned 30 footer. As noted, the body will stiffen up the chassis. I've done a lot of construction using metal studs. The walls are flimsy as can be until you cover both sides with drywall. Same holds true with a trailer frame. I helped a friend strip down a large house trailer years ago to use the chassis for a car hauler. Once the body was off, the frame barely had the strength to support it's own weight

Could we collaborate and split the beer. Do half the work here and half the work at your place? I like beer!

Cheers

Gus

Me too, Beer and I had an agreement 30 some years ago. Now it's moderation. 4 cases would be my supply for, at least, 6-8 months. In my prime, it was a good weekend My marriage is better and I don't miss the hangovers a bit. Since I am, now, a moderate drinker, I've decided life is too short to drink crappy beer. Nothing that says "Lite" on the label

[eamarquardt]

Me too, Beer and I had an agreement 30 some years ago. Now it's moderation. 4 cases would be my supply for, at least, 6-8 months. In my prime, it was a good weekend My marriage is better and I don't miss the hangovers a bit. Since I am, now, a moderate drinker, I've decided life is too short to drink crappy beer. Nothing that says "Lite" on the label

I've never been a big drinker. A coupla beers with Mexican or Italian food is great. On a hot day a beer or two can beat the heat. A Margarita is also a nice treat as is a little Jack and lemonade or lemon lime drink. Opiates, though, are different matter. Never leave home without em!!!!!

How, do you ask, does this relate to building a trailer. Wellllllll, if one has been "well lubricated", it is not "beyond the realm of possibility" that one could start out building a 5X10 trailer frame and end up with a 10X5 with the wheels mounted front and rear versus left to right!

Cheers,

Gus

[angib]

My custom builder wants to make my 6' x 11' ttt chassis out of 3" tubing. Is this necessary? I was thinking that 2" would be sufficient.

2x2 tube sounds light to me, for a 6 x 11, which could weigh quite a bit. 3x2 sounds right while 3x3 sounds a bit much but won't do any harm.

[bdosborn]

My custom builder wants to make my 6' x 11' ttt chassis out of 3" tubing. Is this necessary? I was thinking that 2" would be sufficient.

2x2 tube sounds light to me, for a 6 x 11, which could weigh quite a bit. 3x2 sounds right while 3x3 sounds a bit much but won't do any harm.

I agree. I'm using 2x3 for my 6-1/2'X11' and the frame had way more flex than I thought it would. 2X3 isn't that much heavier than 2x2 but its way stronger.

Bruce

[Forrest747]

I spent about a thousand on mine and that included teh large off road wheels and rims.

I used 2x2 for the sides and crossmembers and 2x3 for the bumper and the "a" style tongue. i tacked it all in place and then had the guys welder i was using make all the welds look pretty and better than what I would. cost me a 100 dollars and a few beers.


Donde esta me cerveza? Oh esta ahi con with Carlafong. Adios cerveza

[StanDahl]

Well, I just got back from visiting the Perris/SoCal teardrop gathering, and met a few local and not-so-local TnTTT members there, including Noel, Canned O'Minimum, Roly, and Gary, (owner of the Milk Dud). It was Gary who did the most damage, pumping me full of ideas involving making the whole thing out of aluminum tubing. If the entire "cage" of the trailer was made of 1x1" aluminum tubing welded together, the chassis could be minimal, thus saving a huge amount of weight and making the trailer very strong and completely unlikely to loosen up over time. I could rivet my aluminum skin directly to aluminum tubing, which seems like a good idea, maybe better than screwing it into wood? It may take a while to shake this concept, unless I can't find a way to make it happen. I would have to find a place that can bend the tubing as well as weld it together. I'd include a photo of my plan, but I get a quota message...[now it's in my avatar.]