Paul Hewish wrote:
Drew,
Check out the Indespension Trailer web-site http://www.indespension.co.uk
lots of info on what's available, from specialist trailers though to parts
to build your own.
I build a trailer years ago using their suspension units which came complete
with stub axles; these were then mated with Mini wheels & hubs. The
suspension units were bolted to flanges that I'd welded onto a length of
scaffold pole which acted as the main 'dead' axle onto which the trailer box
was mounted. The towbar was bolted to a long length of scaffold pole which
was then connected to the 'dead' axle via a tubular crucifix. I did it this
way so the whole thing could be easily dismantled for storage. I found to
construction easy as I had access to welding equipment. It would be
possible to make a trailer using bolted angle iron but drilling this type of
material is often beyond the capacity of the average DIY electric drill. Of
course you could always hire tools for the build.
I'm not sure that I'd build another one these days - John Rumm is correct
when he says that good, inexpensive, kit is available at the local DIY
sheds.
Paul
Drew,
I have been rebuilding an 8' x 4' x 2' x 1 tonne leaf sprung single axle with
over run brakes trailer for the past two years on and off. I got it for £20
from a local independant trailer supplier in an awful condition. Completion has
become something of a crusade, especially as I do not need a trailer this big.
However, if you do decide to DIY it I would suggest making friends with your
local branch of Indespension and buying their catalogue. Then find a steel
stockholder/fabricator and make friends with the least unapproachable bloke
there with a welding torch in his hand. You'll need the stockholder as a source
of material and the welder for advice on building techniques and for access to
his scrap bin.
A couple of relevant points from the Indespension book: Towing more than 750Kg
or half the weight of the towing vehicle, whichever is less will requires your
trailer to be fitted with brakes. Since 1989 only auto reversing over run
brakes can be fitted (i.e. not ex-car hubs) and the coupling on a trailer made
after Oct 1982 must be fitted with a hydraulic damper. So, if you are building
a trailer where the gross weight will exceed 750Kg - and to be honest, as John
and Paul above say, why bother if you aren't, unless you are building e.g. a
bike trailer - you will need expensive braking sytems and couplings.
On the other hand if you can find a derelict trailer of a suitable size, or a
bit bigger, that has rescueable non-auto reversing brakes and a spring damped
coupling you can restore it to it's original condition and method of operation.
This is what I am doing but I reckon that I could have replaced my
slightly-too-small unbraked trailer with a rather flimsy and almost big enough
unbraked trailer for what I will have spent on the restoration. However that
would have been far less satisfying.
If you do go down the restoration route I can thoroughly recommend Bonda Prima
for treating the metalwork. It's a vicious rust gripping red oxide primer that
makes standard red oxide from the sheds pale into insignificance. Costs £25 x
2.5L but is well worth the money
If you want to be bored by any more details of the saga of my trailer rebuild
drop me a line.
BOL
Richard