Hello I am new to this forum and writing threads in general, but I have wanted to build an off-road trailer so I decided I would do it and write a thread about it. I did read through all of REZARF’s thread and was very impressed. This is the basic trailer design minus the box which I haven’t decided to use framing and skin or bent sheet metal sides
Framing and skin is going to be a lot easier than trying to form sheet metal, unless you happen to have a very well-equipped shop and the tooling to do it. It's not just a matter of folding the metal, but also the stamping of reinforcing shapes into the metal. I'm guessing an industrial-sized press was used to do that, but maybe you have access to such a thing? Then there the matter of the tooling to utilize that.
And you may end up welding reinforcements in anyway if you want lots of strength. For instance, the overall structure of the M101 CDN bed is stamped metal, but there are extensive reinforcements welded to the stamped parts to strengthen it. This was obviously intended as an improvement over the earlier 1/4 ton trailers, such as the M100 and M415, that it was patterned after. The beds on earlier trailer are mostly non-reinforced sheet metal, but were bolted to the frame, which stiffened the bed. The M101 CDN's bed is welded to the frame, rather than bolted, so that the bed acts to stiffen what can be a relatively lighter than it would otherwise be frame.
Careful design should avoid an overly heavy trailer if you go with framing and skin. I've seen some homemade trailers that were massively overbuilt. They're unlikely to break, but are also much heavier than they need to be. Usually not too big a deal, considering most expedition trailers aren't very large, but will always cut into the payload that could otherwise be pulled if your tow vehicle doesn't have gobs of power.
If i go with sheet metal sides i would be having the parts bent at a local steel yard, I like the design of the adventure trailers horizon model but am not sure if sides would be flimsy, i would be using 14g with chanel at top and lip on the bottom and bolt together sides and bottom. if i go with skin iwould probably use 1 1/2 sqare for verticle supports 1 x 2 rail along top edges and 14 or 16g skin
OK, I can see the stamping profile in the top CAD and applied in the most recent post. Looks simple enough. Others with a similar interest may want to know if you do proceed. Tooling and set-up costs can be covered more easily over a short run, rather than a one-time job.
I could still recommend looking at the way the M101 CDN is reinforced for some ideas. They did a good job on it in keeping strength up while keeping weight basically the same as the earlier 1/4 ton trailer. The Canadians used vertically oriented stamped reinforcements, then welded in reinforcing metal horizontally.
Your stamping would use a horizontally oriented stamped reinforcement and could then use vertical welded reinforcement if you wanted to go that route versus a heavier framed or post design, for instance. I suppose there's a good engineering reason to do one or the other, but I couldn't tell you what it is, just that it seemed to be of significance in the design of the 101.
I couldn't agree more. Go light. Build light. Stop thinking about it breaking and start thinking about how light you can make it. It really makes a big difference.
Looks like a great design you have, I hope you build the trailer of your dreams mine was a lot of fun and we are enjoying it still.
Thanks Rezarf for the advise, I have read you thread multiple time to get ideas for my build . i think i am going to go with the formed design for the tub in order to keep it light. Here ar som pics of my accopmlishment for the weekend. I was able to cut out light receses with cutoff wheel and jigsaw. I also cut bumper at an angle and put in reciever hitch.
