My New Trailer

[vogue]

Hi all.
Just bought myself a off road trailer:D
After looking at making one or getting one made i found this one on eBay and scored in for $1250. It's brand new. The guy had built it for someone who then couldn't pay and he just wanted to recover some costs.
It's a 6x4 with very high sides (800mm), has eye to eye suspension, heavy duty chassis etc and landcruiser rims.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l219/xhaxh/IMAGE_00108-1.jpg
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l219/xhaxh/IMAGE_00106-1.jpg

A few questions???
1. It has no mounting place for the spare. Where do you suggest? I thought i'd mount it verticaly on the draw bar with some bolts throught into the tool box.

2. The springs are really hard (it was built to have a camper etc on) and i won't be putting much weight in it. How can i soften it? Is it just a case of removing a spring or 2 from the leaves? And if so which ones? It has 5 leaves 60mm wide.

[Blknight.aus]

I like to sit them horizontally on the draw bar because

a, its not a bad seat
b, if you put it dish up you can put concealed storage under it.
c, it defects stones from the center.
d. its easier to get a rim with a shattrered carcase onto befor bolting it up.

[vogue]

thanks, i've tried that, but it wont fit becuase the tool box is too big and it's not a really long draw bar. I also thought of ontop of the guard except it will stick up high above the sides.:mad:

[LeighW]

Dave, great trailer BTW, but what about a bracket that allows the spare wheel to stand at 90 degrees to the A frame centreline and say 100mm in front of the toolbox (to allow for the lid to be easily opened)?

This position will give protection of sorts to the toolbox and the front of the trailer and is similar to your suggestion to through bolt it to the toolbox.

Can't comment on the springs as I have no experience with leaf type.

HTH, Leigh

[Blknight.aus]

Id be carefull with that esp with corrigations shaking the wheel, thats a mighty hefty lump of inertia the wheel will exert down to the welds.

how about standing the wheel vertically onto the cross memebers then welding a vertical to support it there with a back brace added to the top of the memeber?

[Michael2]

I reckon vertically, up against the tool box,
or
get a winch from a ute and sling it under the floor

you could probably bolt some ammo boxes on top of the wheel arches for storage of tie downs etc that you don't want getting tangled or lost in the big tool box.

[vogue]

Thanks, i think vertical is the way to go.

What about the suspension? Is there a way i can soften the ride?

[harro]

What about changing the hubs to suit your vehicle spare.

I don't know what this entails but in the end it maybe the simpler solution.

Why carry the 'extra spare?'.
:twobeers:

[vogue]

What about changing the hubs to suit your vehicle spare.

I don't know what this entails but in the end it maybe the simpler solution.

Why carry the 'extra spare?'.
:twobeers:


I would like to do that, but that will have to wait until i have more funds.

[numpty]

What about the suspension? Is there a way i can soften the ride?

I took a leaf out of mine to make it more tractable. You may have to change the U bolts.

[vogue]

I took a leaf out of mine to make it more tractable. You may have to change the U bolts.

Which leaf do i remove? Top or bottom? And how much difference will it make?

[Bigbjorn]

It has five leaves. you need the second leaf to support the main leaf. Remove the third leaf. If still too firm, remove the fifth leaf. If you need to lower the beast, remove the second leaf and re-install it upside down.