Trailer Build Started.....

[Degnol]

I added two crossmembers and the receiver/tongue. Later I'll add a middle crossmember to mount shocks on and triangulate the tongue support, then on to the box.

Ed

 

[REZARF]

LOOKING GOOD!

Keep it up man!

Rezarf <><

 

[grant5127]

Lookn good Ed!... nice neighborhood you got there, quite, neat and peaceful appearance... sure your not making too much noise with all that grinding, banging and fabrication work going on there.....

 

[REZARF]

Ed, you mind explaining the vehicle in the background of the third pic?

Your suspect buddy!

 

[Degnol]

Lookn good Ed!... nice neighborhood you got there, quite, neat and peaceful appearance... sure your not making too much noise with all that grinding, banging and fabrication work going on there.....

Well, last fall when I got the new motor in and fired it up with the open headers, I did get a call from my 83 year old neighbor. He's an old curmudgeon, one half a Hatfield/McCoy kinda deal amd I'm friends with the other family

Ed, you mind explaining the vehicle in the background of the third pic?

Your suspect buddy!

That is the son's Cherokee. Commuter car while he finishes up whatever he is finishing up, school-wise. Iron Duke with a 5 speed....should get 32 mpg, but he says the shift ligh is "set way too low"

Ed

 

[grant5127]

That lil' JD lawn tractor sittn' there the one the cam gear took a dump last year

 

[Degnol]

That lil' JD lawn tractor sittn' there the one the cam gear took a dump last year

Yup. now sporting the "all steel" gear. about $600

Ed

 

[Degnol]

Rubber side Down.................

Finally got it off the saw horses and right side up. I also included a couple of pics of my "lunette ring"............actally a lifting ring rated at 10K#, the swivel is a piece of 3/8" wall tubing which I tapped for a zerk. Due to the height of the SO, I will create a flat spot on the tubing and weld it to the underside of the 2x2x1/4" extendable tongue. After threading in on, I'll weld the nut to the eye. Plans for the next step are to box the front of the trailer frame and triangulate supports for the tongue and also to add shocks....it is very flexy.
Open for comments.................

Ed

 

[Degnol]

Another pic of the lunette ring with the nut, showing the ground off points

 

[alia176]

Here is the problem with cruiser springs..................... They are quite a bit offset with reference to the spring pin. Most trailer springs are centered in the spring pack. If I strictly follow the 60/40, the shackle hangers would be at the very rear of my frame...almost. I'm going to end up about 55/45 and that is pushing them back....way back.
I hate to reverse the springs because the military wrap should be on the spring hanger, not the shackle. And I'm not particularly wild about redrilling the spring pin hole, either. I think I will try it this way and if I have problems, I'll regroup, rethink, regrind and reweld.

Ed

Since I'm a coil spring kinda guy, some dumb questions:

- what is the length of these springs - eye to eye?
-how did you decide which leaf to remove from the pack?
-not sure what you meant by not centered - maybe a pic will help.
-what is your intended total weight of the trailer?

Thanks kindly.

 

[Degnol]

Since I'm a coil spring kinda guy, some dumb questions:

- what is the length of these springs - eye to eye?
-how did you decide which leaf to remove from the pack?
-not sure what you meant by not centered - maybe a pic will help.
-what is your intended total weight of the trailer?

Thanks kindly.

I think they are about 43", IIRC
Which leafs to use? I gave the shortest and the 3rd to Haystax...........so I used the remaining leafs..............very scientific
Look at the forst pic in the first post, you'll see the spring pin offset to the front

Axle is rated 3500#, but that was more a function of the 6-on-5.5" stud pattern. I won't probably carry more than 1,000# A spare tire/wheel or two, 2-4 fuel cans, water and camping gear. But I may also haul firewood, mulch, dirt and gravel.
Thanks,
Ed

 

[alia176]

I think they are about 43", IIRC
Which leafs to use? I gave the shortest and the 3rd to Haystax...........so I used the remaining leafs..............very scientific
Look at the forst pic in the first post, you'll see the spring pin offset to the front

Axle is rated 3500#, but that was more a function of the 6-on-5.5" stud pattern. I won't probably carry more than 1,000# A spare tire/wheel or two, 2-4 fuel cans, water and camping gear. But I may also haul firewood, mulch, dirt and gravel.
Thanks,
Ed

Ok, got it. Now that I know what to look for, I understand the offset thing. My trailer is about 1200#s wet so I need to figure out which leaves to pull out. Also, thanks for the link for the shackles as I'm sure I'll be needing a set as well. My trailer chassis is quite narrow so your gusseting pics are making sense to me.

Thanks again.

 

[grant5127]

But I may also haul firewood, mulch, dirt and gravel.

Better think about adding a tilt dump option.......

 

[Degnol]

Better think about adding a tilt dump option.......

I AM the tilt/dump option! But if that was the primary intended use, a good idea indeed. What brings you over here to Trailer Tech?


Ed

 

[Degnol]

A little more progress......

Slipped a section of 3" 1/4 wall tubing over the receiver-tongue to make a 3" place to weld the channel and to reinforce the tubing. Due to the welded seam inside the 3" stuff(even though I removed it) I could not slide that short piece over the 2 1'2 tube. I had to slit it, open it with a pickle fork then clamp and weld after getting it to place. I.m going to have to SawZall the extra tubing off because I did not have a clear plan as to how long to leave it.

Couple of pics...

 

[REZARF]

Looking GOOD bud, keep it up!

Drew

 

[Degnol]

Thanks. I just came in from adding the other brace and cutting off the extra tube with the SawZall......actually went very fast. Now in the process of figuring out what lengths, (short and long) I want the tongue to be.
I'll go play with it...............the trailer, that is

Ed

 

[Degnol]

Pics I forgot to add.........

 

[sseaman]

that looks nice and solid, good design

 

[Acadia]

any updates?