Slunnie's enclosed trailer build

Just out of interest, this is my planning sheet. I could glorify it by calling it a workshop drawing, but that would be unfair to legit workshop drawings. It's how I calculated parts, parts into metal lengths, joints etc and consolidate the trailer design. It meant that I could spend an hour on the cold cutting saw and have all of the metal for the project cut, cut exactly to size and be ready to go. Calculating and pre-cutting makes the building process so much more efficient than otherwise and it eliminates any gaps. Every part in the trailer is marked with a part number and the drawing shows its location in the project.


Attachment 168944


The trailer is flipped onto it's wheels now, thanks boys! You can see how the coupling plate has gone on with a bit more clarity now. The coupling plate is welded underneath but not on top at the moment, I'll weld the top later.
While sitting on top of the chassis I have welded up the frame that forms the top of the enclosed box and also a second matching frame to form the flip top lid. I've formed these up on top of the chassis to make sure they are a perfect match and that nothing goes out of square when the box is made up. The chassis is square to within 1mm of the diagonals, but if there is any error then this method duplicates it into the other parts so that everything stays consistent. Even though these 2 parts are not needed right now, they needed to be made now before the carcass construction starts.


Attachment 168942

About the coupling, I've taken a couple of pics of how it will look installed (brake plate isn't in place for the photos), but there should be loads of space for the towbar to not connect with the brawbar.

Attachment 168943 Attachment 168941

Don’t sweat the hitch mate
Nearly every tandem boat trailer in Qld is rated at 1995ATM even if the rig is wayyyyyy over that and they all use those hitches - will be fine

You’ll also find most boat trailers have their brake pads slipped out and left on the bench - prevents rust issues albeit hampers trailer brake effectiveness!

S

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Originally Posted by roverrescue

Don’t sweat the hitch mate
Nearly every tandem boat trailer in Qld is rated at 1995ATM even if the rig is wayyyyyy over that and they all use those hitches - will be fine

You’ll also find most boat trailers have their brake pads slipped out and left on the bench - prevents rust issues albeit hampers trailer brake effectiveness!

S

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Thats boating experience for you! :lol2: I agree, I think the hitch will be fine. I think if I was doing remote/desert etc work with it I'd design it a bit differently in the chassis and suspension - I didn't even think of it when I started doing the drawings.

The carcass has been constructed here, uprights gone in and tacked into place and the top of the box put on. Well that was an interesting experience. I construct using a builders/carpenters square and then check by measuring the diagonals. So it turns out the builders square is not actually square. Even the kids were looking at it wondering wtf. Fortunately because everything was squared up the same way, when the top went on it pulled everything back to square again. Square has gone in the bin, I'll show more sympathy from now on, 6 replacements are on their way. The carcass is just tacked up and the rear/top member will remain only tacked so it can be removed a little later on. I ummed and ahhhed about whether to run the centre upright at the front, and have decided to run this to increase strength if there is a car crash - just make it a bit stronger like a headboard from a ute tray or tabletop trailer. Pleased that ordeal is over! :lol2:

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Are you designing in some rear wheel arch storage boxes mate?
Looks like enough clearance and if it’s not an off-roader might be a good place to store the pesky little things?

Steve

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Originally Posted by roverrescue

Are you designing in some rear wheel arch storage boxes mate?
Looks like enough clearance and if it’s not an off-roader might be a good place to store the pesky little things?

Steve

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Thats a good idea, I hadn't thought about that. I need to get this done and out fairly quickly, so will probably not be able to that, but they would be good. Soap and water would be good too!

Bit more done.

The carcass has been fully welded in now, there was a bit of movement from weld contraction but it all seemed to correct itself fortunately... well, I think...

The interior is lined with rope rails so that everything can be supported and tied down into place. I think that they will also be really good to mount a shelf if I ever need to. These are just 20NBx2.6 but will be pretty strong I'd say! They're spaced at 230mm and tacked into place. I've got an even spacing using timber spacers (see bottom corner, they're still in place), starting at the top rail and then working down, shortening the spacer as I went. I'm thinking that after the floor goes in that I might add another unplanned rail between the floor and the lowest existing rail for a lower mount and to catch everything that slides around in the bottom of the trailer before it smashes the sides out.


Attachment 169011

I'll be interested to know the weight when you go over the weigh bridge
(Trying to ignore comments about flying D3s and sheared Treg pins)

I like it when there is something to show for your efforts, but there isn't much today. The rope rails were only tacked in but have now been welded. The floor has also been cut in. That was an interesting exercise as it couldn't be test fitted, it was just measure, mark, cut and hope for the best... What made it difficult to get the floor in was that it was cut around the uprights which already makes it difficult to get into place, but the rope rails wouldn't allow it to just drop into place. Some 75x50 and 50x50 over the top placed under the middle of the sheet to bend the sheet down to flex it into position and it eventually found it's place in the trailer. I can assure you that front floor panel will never be taken off the job, and if somebody does get it out, then they deserve to keep it! :lol2: The floor is just sitting there at the moment, it still needs welding. The floor is 2mm Gal.

Attachment 169040

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Originally Posted by jh972

I'll be interested to know the weight when you go over the weigh bridge
(Trying to ignore comments about flying D3s and sheared Treg pins)

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A certain sensitivity to those comments, no! :lol2::lol2::lol2::burnrubber:

I'm really not sure what weight it will come up at, I'm guessing probably about 400kg though, maybe up to 500kg. I'll fill the tyres will helium first! :lol2: It wont be a light weight though.

Have you still got your lightweight one? That one is a beauty!