Car trailer-transporter

[Shug]

Been pondering about building one, and have been scouring the web looking for clues.
It seems any plans need to be paid for (with no idea on qaulity of plan), but found a nice write up here: http://www.davebence.co.uk/onyx_firefox/trailer_project.htm of one.
Also didn't realise the cost of building one isn't far off a second hand one from fleabay. Still, I'd get exactly what I wanted and would be able to make the money back again.
Biggest question for me would be the axle arrangement.
Obviously for carrying cars it'd be braked. But one or two axles? I daresay the more the merrier but at 250 quid minimum per axle, cost becomes a consideration. I'd probably never carry a car much over 1000kg, but would probably want to build it for 1500kg, making it easier to resell. As such, would one axle suffice? I know they are rated to that, but how practical would that be?
Second big question is what size welder should I be looking at to weld all the box section? Not sure my clarke 151 is fully up to the job.
Any thoughts?

 

[Wozzaaah]

I'd think your 151 would be ok if you prepped the joints but something around 180A would be better. I also think you'd be better off with two axles but I can't see any reason why one wouldn't do. Regarding plans, do you know anyone with a trailer you could take some measurements from? You'd only need the rough dimensions as you could fine-tune it to what you want. Are you thinking about getting it galvanised? That adds quite a considerable cost to the project but it would be worth it if you intend to keep it for a long time.

 

[Shug]

I wondered about the galvanising.
Wondering if I'd get away with a good zinc primer and a good few coats of stonechip.
(like this: http://www.bilthamber.com/electrox.html or some of the rust proofing stuff hydrate 80.)

 

[ozzman]

hi there im thinking about building something similar myself,
not to sure on the plans that you put up to that other trailer tho, using angle of that size for the draw bar is asking for disaster, not just that its only bolted together not particulary safe in my opinion.

and as for axles either ask around your local farms to see what they have got hiding in the hedge etc. or loacal scrap yards, as a lot of older trailer werent galavanised so the beds rot out of them then they just get scrapped, as an axle will usually outlive a trailer.

or you could get a couple of 4x4 axles and get creative with a hydraulic slave cylinder if its possible.

you've got me thinking now

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

caravan breakers?

Regards
Peter

 

[rtbcomp]

AFAIK you're not allowed to use hydraulic brakes on trailers. Brakes must operate on all wheels and new trailers rated over 750 Kg must have a modern coupling with overrun and auto-reversing brakes.

Check the ratings of available suspension units - if you can get 1500 kg you can build a 2 wheel trailer. Remember the weight of the trailer must be taken into account when choosing the suspension.

A 4 wheel trailer is easier to reverse and I would suspect less prone to snaking.

 

[shiftyseamus]

4 wheels the way, they tow much better and Its less of a disaster if you get a blow out, as i found out last saturday on the M6!!

I dread to think what would have happened if my trailer was single axle.

Usually caravan chassis/axles are too narrow(then you can't open the car door whilst on the trailer and have to exit duke of hazzard style!!)

A good wide chassis is the alco one, these turn up on fleabay for £50-100.

These also come in single and twin axles(or buy two and nick the axle off one).

Bit of reinforcement and get your local fab shop to bend you up some rails and hey presto a trailer!!

Hope this helps

Seamus


Edit, someone has beat me to it!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEWLY-BUILT-T...ryZ36632QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I bet you could buils one for less than the £800 he's asking!!

 

[Justme]

AFAIK you're not allowed to use hydraulic brakes on trailers. Brakes must operate on all wheels and new trailers rated over 750 Kg must have a modern coupling with overrun and auto-reversing brakes.

Hi not saying your wrong about that but lots of trailers have hydraulic brakes that have overrun & auto reverse functions. I agree hydraulic linked to the car would be bad. Might be that the ones I have seen were pre new rules.


Justme

 

[rtbcomp]

Hi not saying your wrong about that but lots of trailers have hydraulic brakes that have overrun & auto reverse functions. I agree hydraulic linked to the car would be bad. Might be that the ones I have seen were pre new rules.

Justme

Interesting. I'm just repeating what I read on a similar discussion on a Landrover forum. I've never seen hydraulic brakes myself, either on a trailer or in any of the catalogues.

 

[Wozzaaah]

Hi not saying your wrong about that but lots of trailers have hydraulic brakes that have overrun & auto reverse functions. I agree hydraulic linked to the car would be bad. Might be that the ones I have seen were pre new rules.


Justme

The only reference I can find to hydraulic trailer brakes is a nearly new american boat trailer for sale with hydraulic disc brakes. The brakes on all the trailers I've come across are drum brakes operated by rods using a 'cam' type arrangement, these are actuated by the hydraulic damper but aren't hydraulic brakes.

 

[Justme]

Maybe I have seen lots of self build ones that have been bodged from car bits.

Justme

 

[dcocks]

Hi
we use trailers for work all the time never seen any hydraulic brakes as yet
I have 4 Brian James car transporters for moving golf course sprayers around the country
In fact you can buy a new 2 wheel car transporter from then for less than it cost the guy to build his on the link in this thread
Our oldest one a 16 foot twin axle has done over 100k with very little expence i would not use any other make and we have tried most
Cheers David

 

[Justme]

Lots of military trailers (for behind land rovers so not lorry ones) have hydrolic brakes. Also Most land rovers are speced to tow 3500kg with normal brakes & 4000kg with hydrolic ones. Having said that the ones I meant we home builds from the 70-80's utilising bits from the car brakers yards. Back end of car trailers were very comon then.

Justme

 

[rtbcomp]

Lots of military trailers (for behind land rovers so not lorry ones) have hydrolic brakes. Also Most land rovers are speced to tow 3500kg with normal brakes & 4000kg with hydrolic ones. Having said that the ones I meant we home builds from the 70-80's utilising bits from the car brakers yards. Back end of car trailers were very comon then.

Justme

A guy I knew chopped a Minivan at the B post and fixed a drawbar to the front of the back section. Blocked the front off with some plywood and instant trailer.

I reckon an old chest freezer would make a good trailer box.

 

[FireStorm]

4 wheel all the way, alot more stable easier to tow and less issues with puntches etc, also if you make it wider then your tow vechile you need to put lights etc down the side.

also you want wider ramps then shown in that picture.

 

[classic2cv]

i'm going to build a trailer to transport my 2cv's

there quite light so i'll be using one axle with brakes

it should look a bit like this one

 

[FireStorm]

dunno if any one has looked at the linke where he made a trailer he also made a kit car which is a brillant read, some brillant detail and his wiring is so nice n neat n tidy

 

[Lippyp]

This is the nicest custom made trailer I've ever seen, I know its a bike trailer but wow. Its made to match the guys hot rod, he builds kustom bikes for a living

http://www.krazyhorse.co.uk/

 

[classic2cv]

Thats cool