Trailer design

steeo · Mar 12, 2009

I personally dont trust the pressed ones but thats down to me, I have used them a few times on trailers and keep looking in the rearview mirror waiting on the trailer to detatch and pass me out.

Robotstar5 · Mar 12, 2009

steeo said:
I personally dont trust the pressed ones but thats down to me, I have used them a few times on trailers and keep looking in the rearview mirror waiting on the trailer to detatch and pass me out.

Should have a break-away chain/wire fitted :whistle:

steeo · Mar 12, 2009

Robotstar5 said:
Should have a break-away chain/wire fitted

Never a truer word spoken :ashamed:

BMAK · Mar 12, 2009

Yeah was looking at the pressed ones and they dont look like they would take much abuse, prob go with a cast one, much sturdier.

Very true about the break away cable gonna get one along with the hitch, good idea and they only cost a couple of quid!!

BMAK · Jul 27, 2009

About time

Ok I have been on and off here for a while and just havn't got round to putting some pics up of the finished trailer, got it finished around start of april, so thought i better get some pictures up before august!!! Anyway got myself a new camera today and was trying it out, So here is the finished trailer, have been using it a good bit already has come in really handy, tows really well and holds a lot of stuff!!

ghound · Jul 28, 2009

looks good mate, glad to see you used leaf springs instead of the inferior rubber axles lol

I picked this 2600kg trailer up a few weeks ago for £400, which is probably a bit steep, but i don't think it will cost too much to put a few sides on it.

pedrobedro · Jul 28, 2009

Watch out for the weight if you load it up as 750kg is the maximum you should pull without brakes but you should not tow more than half the tow vehicle's kerb weight. There was a nasty accident near here at Heage where a trailer detached from the car and killed a young child in a pushchair so fit a check cable. Leaf springs are not as efficient as rubber as the rubber springs are self damping whereas leaf springs should also have shock absorbers fitted.

BMAK · Jul 29, 2009

ghound - cheers, yeah just seemed easier and cheaper as i got a good deal on the hubs and wheels and made my own axel, got a pretty good price for the springs and mountings bits as well!! that looks like a sturdy trailer alright, not bad for 400, you using it for plant? I see plenty of bargains coming up on gumtree now and again!!

pedro - yeah wont be going over 750 with it, and have a cable fitted as well. I have never seen shock absorbers fitted to leaf springs?? Is this a new thing or where have you seen it done? Leaf springs by nature are normally self damping due the friction caused between the leaves was my understanding?

ghound · Jul 29, 2009

These guys must be one of the cheapest about for parts if you live in england.

http://www.wilmond.co.uk/acatalog/Unbraked.html

BMAK · Jul 29, 2009

yeah they are really cheap!! pitty about the surcharge on delivery for us though!! I used trailertek for most of my parts, and i used a place in ballymena that specialises in trailers for the springs and jockey wheel.

pedrobedro · Jul 29, 2009

BMAK said:
pedro - yeah wont be going over 750 with it, and have a cable fitted as well. I have never seen shock absorbers fitted to leaf springs?? Is this a new thing or where have you seen it done? Leaf springs by nature are normally self damping due the friction caused between the leaves was my understanding?

Look under any car with leaf spring rear axles, they all have dampers and bump stops fitted. 750kg is only the maximum, if your car weighs less than 1500kg it should be 50% of vehicle kerb weight. I've never seen trailers pulled and checked if they look decent but it's always a possibility.

chunkytfg · Jul 29, 2009

Edit:It seems I was talking a load of tosh

:whistle:

chunkytfg · Jul 29, 2009

BMAK said:
Ok I have been on and off here for a while and just havn't got round to putting some pics up of the finished trailer, got it finished around start of april, so thought i better get some pictures up before august!!! Anyway got myself a new camera today and was trying it out, So here is the finished trailer, have been using it a good bit already has come in really handy, tows really well and holds a lot of stuff!!

Looks like a nice sturdy trailer. Dont forget though you need the red triangle reflectors on it to be 100% legal

pedrobedro · Jul 29, 2009

Incorrect if you leave out the "unbraked" bit

Maximum trailer sizes
Type 01: unbraked trailers - max. 750kg gross trailer weight or half the towing vehicle's kerb weight - whichever is less.

1982 regulations require that all trailers, including unbraked ones, must be clearly marked with their maximum gross weight in kg. This may be checked at any time by the police at a weighbridge. Since 1 January 1997, all unbraked trailer plates must show the year of manufacture.

chunkytfg · Jul 29, 2009

pedrobedro said:
Incorrect if you leave out the "unbraked" bit

Maximum trailer sizes
Type 01: unbraked trailers - max. 750kg gross trailer weight or half the towing vehicle's kerb weight - whichever is less.

1982 regulations require that all trailers, including unbraked ones, must be clearly marked with their maximum gross weight in kg. This may be checked at any time by the police at a weighbridge. Since 1 January 1997, all unbraked trailer plates must show the year of manufacture.

I stand corrected. I apologise profusely :whistle:

pedrobedro · Jul 29, 2009

S'alright, I found out about it checking for the weight of our trailer tent but we have a braked unit now so no problems. Speed limits are lower when towing and you are not allowed in the third lane on motorways either. There's a whole new world of motoring offences waiting for me out there. Some modern cars have manufacturers towing limits which overrule the recommended limits to muddy the water even further :C

chunkytfg · Jul 30, 2009

pedrobedro said:
S'alright, I found out about it checking for the weight of our trailer tent but we have a braked unit now so no problems. Speed limits are lower when towing and you are not allowed in the third lane on motorways either. There's a whole new world of motoring offences waiting for me out there. Some modern cars have manufacturers towing limits which overrule the recommended limits to muddy the water even further :C

i think whats worse is i have even done the B+E driving test so should know it really!

BMAK · Jul 30, 2009

pedrobedro said:
Look under any car with leaf spring rear axles, they all have dampers and bump stops fitted. 750kg is only the maximum, if your car weighs less than 1500kg it should be 50% of vehicle kerb weight. I've never seen trailers pulled and checked if they look decent but it's always a possibility.

OK, just have never seen it on any trailers I suppose. Yeah i reckon as long as you have the load well secured with the trailer in good nick you should be safe enough, to be honest dont really take any heavy loads mostly has been a couple of sheets of MDF etc and hedge clippings.

BMAK · Jul 30, 2009

chunkytfg said:
Looks like a nice sturdy trailer. Dont forget though you need the red triangle reflectors on it to be 100% legal

Yeah and prob should get myself a number plate on it as well!!!

chunkytfg · Jul 30, 2009

technically IIRC(probably not though) if the numberplate is clearly visible on the towing vehicle then that is fine

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