£150 trailer wasn't the bargain I thought it was

[skotl]

Technically, I didn't spend £150 on it. I'd bought a far-too-big caravan-based trailer for £150 and swapped it for this.

Worst news:

So it now needs a new axle, hubs and wheels (ordered). Surprisingly, the springs seem ok - probably another year in them.
So, cut the axle off and put it on it's back to sort out the chassis:

As an aside, astonished at the weight in that axle and wheels!

 

[gordon stephenson]

By the looks, That trailer spent its life being towed by the Nautilus, but I'm sure it can be resurrected With a while in dry dock.

 

[HopefullySoon]

Looks more like a tow along to a submarine than a boat .

Malc

 

[pedrobedro]

It looks like it's got perished/failed indespension units mounted upside down and leaf springs fitted to replace them so there is no damping for the leaf spring which is not a great idea. I'd want some more reinforcing under the OSB if you are putting any weight on it as well.

 

[gerrymoore]

reminds me a little of triggers brush...had it 10 years and I've only changed the axles, wheels, chassis and floor

 

[armalites]

I feel your pain, you are in it now.

I've done the cheap trailer thing a couple of times before, once it worked out really well had it for 10-12 years and other than a couple of tyre and some wheel bearings it was great and someone local is still towing it around with his log business. The other time was a home made car transporter and I had an axle snap the wheel turn 90 degrees just before I got on the M25

I've got one now that I will probably get rid of but I was really glad of it yesterday when I took some scrap in, I would have been crying if it had been my Ifor because when they picked the stuff up with grab stuff was crashing everywhere.

 

[brightspark]

didn't send Stevie wonder to buy it for u did u

 

[garethp]

My bargain wasn't quite as bad - nice coat of new paint on the top and sides of the box section, nothing at all underneath. Brakes assembled wrong but it didn't matter as they were all seized and one wheel was off something else and had been butchered and attached with coach bolts... Oh and tyres so badly cracked I wont use them on a wheel barrow.

Bit of work and its now a cracking trailer which is good for 1500 or 1800kg (I cant identify if the suspension units are 1500 or 1800kg ones)

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Technically, I didn't spend £150 on it. I'd bought a far-too-big caravan-based trailer for £150 and swapped it for this.

Worst news:

So it now needs a new axle, hubs and wheels (ordered). Surprisingly, the springs seem ok - probably another year in them.
So, cut the axle off and put it on it's back to sort out the chassis:

As an aside, astonished at the weight in that axle and wheels!

That makes me shudder......

 

[rtbcomp]

I got one similar on Freecycle, so it didn't cost me anything but I scrapped it. It was homemade and some of the welds had come apart, the Indespension units and wheel bearings were shot.

 

[8ob]

The dog says it all

 

[dannyp]

it woud have problay been better job just to make one

 

[Chillitt]

That makes me feel a bit better about the trailer I just got... Still, at least mine was cheap..

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Last year I got this from Free cycle. Like another post. This was before I found this site.

That's how I got it home, after pulling it from a bush.

£150 was spent on wood (Wiltshire wood recycling). New wheels and wheel bearings, from a local trailer supplier (most expensive parts) and the wood stain and paint was already in my workshop.




That's the finished beasty.


And here is the brace of trailers.

 

[brightspark]

i rebuilt my trailer and I keep it under cover when not in use my only regret was should have had the frame galvanised . it was new steel and shotblasted etch primed and a decent top coat but they still go rusty I have coated all the underneath with bitumastic paint after cleaning and de rusting which is a good help

 

[pedrobedro]

I built one about 30 years ago and it's on it's 3rd floor and second set of sides which are now T&G floorboard wood and lasting well. I made it specifically to fit a 48x40 pallet in the base and it has served well the 750kg units are still sound but I keep thinking of a bit bigger one to fit a bike or scooter in just in case I fancy a project.

 

[Mikey D]

It's even got one of those anchient hitches
On someone please seek out the thread from many moons ago , you know the one where the caravan decides to have a wander off into the field

 

[jpmillermatic]

its a tough call...I feel your pain too.....perhaps someone is selling an axle only......or start asking around at scrap yards, ect.......you never know.

a new axle over here is about 200.00 or so.....comes with bearings and hubs.....


JP

 

[Turbo]

We needed a 6x4 car trailer years ago & having got fed up waiting for me to make one my dad bought one at an auction. First time I used it I got 1/2 mile from home & the stub axle bent - the suspension units were rotten along with the chassis! That prompted me to make one using the old trailer as a doner but the only things I re-used were the tow hitch & the hubs - even the rims were rotten, you could see the inner tube poking out through the rim!

That was nearly 20 years ago, it's still on its original timber & working perfectly. I'm planning to strip it this winter, repaint the steel, make some suspension upgrades & replace some rotten floorboards. But that's 20 years use with the only maintenance being an occasional coat of creosote!

 

[Dieselman 63]

It's even got one of those anchient hitches
On someone please seek out the thread from many moons ago , you know the one where the caravan decides to have a wander off into the field

Do you mean this?