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UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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Build it yourself trailers - companies selling kits?
I've tried Google/Froogle searches but didn't come up with much, are
there any companies selling kits for build-it-yourself trailers? I want a simple trailer that I can use in the garden (7 acres of it) and for transporting stuff on the road (i.e. it has to be road legal). My ideal would be one that can carry 8'x4' sheet material. It doesn't have to have solid sides or bottom, the type made of mesh would be fine. Any ideas anyone? -- Chris Green - at home |
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wrote in message ... I've tried Google/Froogle searches but didn't come up with much, are there any companies selling kits for build-it-yourself trailers? I want a simple trailer that I can use in the garden (7 acres of it) and for transporting stuff on the road (i.e. it has to be road legal). My ideal would be one that can carry 8'x4' sheet material. It doesn't have to have solid sides or bottom, the type made of mesh would be fine. Any ideas anyone? -- Chris Green - at home There's a place in Leeds which sells components (rather than kits) but I guess that's a bit far for you? Mary |
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My ideal would be one that can carry 8'x4' sheet material. It doesn't
have to have solid sides or bottom, the type made of mesh would be fine. All the mechanical bits are available easily. They seem to be cheapest on www.trailerpartswarehouse.co.uk. You will to decide on your weight capacity and number of axles. If you're taking 8'x4' sheets, you will probably want brakes. Not only are they required for 750kg (which is quickly reached transporting rubble or plasterboard), but they are very useful for ground handling. If your car isn't huge, you might even need brakes below 750kg. Twin axle is nice. They make it more stable to drive and more stable to load. However, it will increase costs as you have twice as much of most of the mechicanal components, although for the same trailer rating, lower rated (i.e. cheaper) components can be used as the load is shared. So, if you're going for a single axle braked, I'd get something like: BB1300 1300kg braked suspension unit * 2 = 217.04 SW385J6 185x13 6ply 4x5.5"pcd * 2 = 193.64 PH15 Peak Coupling 1500kg A/R 43mm J/W = 116.01 Total = 526.69 (rated up to 1300kg, upgradable to 1500kg cheaply if required) For twin axle, I'd get BB750 750kg braked suspension unit * 4 = 412.84 SW150C6 500x10 6ply 4x4" pcd = 146.64 PH15 Peak Coupling 1500kg A/R 43mm J/W = 116.01 Total = 675.49 (rated up to 1500kg) This could cheaply be upgraded to much higher ratings if required. Single axle unbraked is much cheaper: TG750 750kg short stub suspension unit * 2 = 57.88 HG505S hub 4x4" pcd 1" dia stub *2 = 30.50 SW150C6 500X10 6ply 4x4" pcd = 73.32 BA254 Al-Ko 50mm coupling 50mm box = 15.05 Total = 175.75 (rated to 750kg) This ratng can't be increased. There will be no handbrake or vehicle service braking. If buying any of these components, check with the supplier that they are indeed compatible. The braked versions will also require a number of sundries, such as brake balance plates, etc. These are not expensive. Then you just need some angle iron and a welder. I'm sure you can find some designs with a little searching. You can fit the sides and floor with plywood or mesh as you see fit. Make sure it is strong enough for your chosen rating. The suspension units just bolt onto the chassis near the middle. Ensure that empty, it weighs down on the coupling. Don't forget the electrics, which are simple as anything. Christian. |
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wrote:
I've tried Google/Froogle searches but didn't come up with much, are there any companies selling kits for build-it-yourself trailers? I want a simple trailer that I can use in the garden (7 acres of it) and for transporting stuff on the road (i.e. it has to be road legal). My ideal would be one that can carry 8'x4' sheet material. It doesn't have to have solid sides or bottom, the type made of mesh would be fine. Any ideas anyone? http://www.trailerpartswarehouse.co.uk is pretty good for bits; not kits as such, you'd have to come up with your own "shopping list" and design though. David |
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wrote in message ... I've tried Google/Froogle searches but didn't come up with much, are there any companies selling kits for build-it-yourself trailers? I want a simple trailer that I can use in the garden (7 acres of it) and for transporting stuff on the road (i.e. it has to be road legal). My ideal would be one that can carry 8'x4' sheet material. It doesn't have to have solid sides or bottom, the type made of mesh would be fine. Any ideas anyone? Indespension used to do (and may still sell) a "trailer manual" which included sketch designs and parts list, as well as much useful stuff on trailers and towing in general. I've always found them expensive for parts, and the service at my local branch is, shall we say, not always the most helpful. Abbey Trailers, in Derby, otoh, are extraordinarily pleasant to deal with. Dunno about a website, mind, I don't think they've had the electric all that long. Rubber-in-compression suspension units (Indespension, Avonride, Bradley, many others) are, to me, appallingly crude pieces of engineering, but people still buy them. Once they start failing the wheel alignment goes to pot and they wear tyres out very quickly. Ifor Williams used to use multi-leaf springs, and now use parabolics, but such axles and suspension are harder to buy and to design round. If you decide to buy secondhand, wheel bearings have a hard life, and often seem minimally-specified. Taper rollers are usually wrongly adjusted, inadequately maintained, and can fail spectacularly and rapidly. Brake parts are ludicrously expensive, even simple bits like shoes. If a trailer has been neglected (most have), the hitch can be badly worn, both the coupling head and the shaft. Even folk who will sanctimoniously preach "only the finest" with car tyres seem to fit any old tyres to trailers, regardless of load rating or condition. Make sure your chosen tyre size is sensibly available - Ifor Williams are noted for using sizes like 145R10C 8ply and 185/60R12C, which you won't find at your average tyre shop. The caravan accessories section of your local free ads paper will probably have some unused wheels and high load-rating tyres, but there are many combinations or rim width, offset, and stud spacing. -- Kevin Poole **Use current month and year to reply (e.g. )*** Car Transport by Tiltbed Trailer - based near Derby |
#6
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wrote in message ... I've tried Google/Froogle searches but didn't come up with much, are there any companies selling kits for build-it-yourself trailers? I want a simple trailer that I can use in the garden (7 acres of it) and for transporting stuff on the road (i.e. it has to be road legal). My ideal would be one that can carry 8'x4' sheet material. It doesn't have to have solid sides or bottom, the type made of mesh would be fine. Any ideas anyone? -- Chris Green - at home http://www.indespension.co.uk/ http://www.towsure.com/ My 5 eggs. Baz |
#7
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In article , "Autolycus" nov2004
@mainbeam.co.uk says... snip Rubber-in-compression suspension units (Indespension, Avonride, Bradley, many others) are, to me, appallingly crude pieces of engineering, but people still buy them. You could always use the back end of an old car ... |
#8
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On Mon, 23 May 2005 11:25:24 +0100, "Christian McArdle"
wrote: My ideal would be one that can carry 8'x4' sheet material. It doesn't have to have solid sides or bottom, the type made of mesh would be fine. All the mechanical bits are available easily. They seem to be cheapest on www.trailerpartswarehouse.co.uk. You will to decide on your weight capacity and number of axles. If you're taking 8'x4' sheets, you will probably want brakes. Not only are they required for 750kg (which is quickly reached transporting rubble or plasterboard), but they are very useful for ground handling. If your car isn't huge, you might even need brakes below 750kg. Twin axle is nice. They make it more stable to drive and more stable to load. However, it will increase costs as you have twice as much of most of the mechicanal components, although for the same trailer rating, lower rated (i.e. cheaper) components can be used as the load is shared. So, if you're going for a single axle braked, I'd get something like: BB1300 1300kg braked suspension unit * 2 = 217.04 SW385J6 185x13 6ply 4x5.5"pcd * 2 = 193.64 PH15 Peak Coupling 1500kg A/R 43mm J/W = 116.01 Total = 526.69 (rated up to 1300kg, upgradable to 1500kg cheaply if required) For twin axle, I'd get BB750 750kg braked suspension unit * 4 = 412.84 SW150C6 500x10 6ply 4x4" pcd = 146.64 PH15 Peak Coupling 1500kg A/R 43mm J/W = 116.01 Total = 675.49 (rated up to 1500kg) This could cheaply be upgraded to much higher ratings if required. Single axle unbraked is much cheaper: TG750 750kg short stub suspension unit * 2 = 57.88 HG505S hub 4x4" pcd 1" dia stub *2 = 30.50 SW150C6 500X10 6ply 4x4" pcd = 73.32 BA254 Al-Ko 50mm coupling 50mm box = 15.05 Total = 175.75 (rated to 750kg) This ratng can't be increased. There will be no handbrake or vehicle service braking. If buying any of these components, check with the supplier that they are indeed compatible. The braked versions will also require a number of sundries, such as brake balance plates, etc. These are not expensive. Then you just need some angle iron and a welder. I'm sure you can find some designs with a little searching. You can fit the sides and floor with plywood or mesh as you see fit. Make sure it is strong enough for your chosen rating. The suspension units just bolt onto the chassis near the middle. Ensure that empty, it weighs down on the coupling. Don't forget the electrics, which are simple as anything. Christian. Twin axle has many advantages, but if you intend man handeling the thing, the extra tyres make it a real PITA to turn. Rick |
#9
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Twin axle has many advantages, but if you intend man handeling the
thing, the extra tyres make it a real PITA to turn. Odd. I much prefered manhandling the 3500kg MAM twin axle I hired than the single axle 750kg braked trailer. It could be steered easily by pulling on the hitch. The fact that all points in contact with the ground had pneumatic tyres, made it easier to push than the single axle with the solid rubber jockey wheel with loads of friction. Note that this would not include pushing at their maximum weights, but largely empty... Christian. |
#10
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"Christian McArdle" wrote in message t... You will to decide on your weight capacity and number of axles. If you're taking 8'x4' sheets, you will probably want brakes. Not only are they required for 750kg (which is quickly reached transporting rubble or plasterboard), but they are very useful for ground handling. If your car isn't huge, you might even need brakes below 750kg. Your design will need to take account of the restriction implied by the weight of the towing vehicle. IIRC the maximum weight of trailer and load must not exceed the weight of the car. So the heavier you make the trailer -extra wheels, brakes etc, the more you reduce the load that can be carried. If you have a light car you may be better off with the lightest unbraked trailer design you can get. Roger |
#11
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Christian McArdle wrote:
You will to decide on your weight capacity and number of axles. If you're taking 8'x4' sheets, you will probably want brakes. Not only are they required for 750kg (which is quickly reached transporting rubble or plasterboard) Hmm. Just thinking of some of the times I've taken my heavily-laden unbraked trailer down to the dump... What's a ball-park figure for the density of rubble? (I suppose it will be very variable). I'd certainly be interested to know my laden weight on occasions; is there any clever way of measuring this short of visiting a weighing station?! I'll be bringing mine back from France soon, following my forthcoming camping trip (provided I get the tent lights sorted, of course!!) and am naturally keen to fill any feasible space on the return journey with (liquid) local fare, but don't want to overdo things and overload it... David |
#12
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wrote in message ... I've tried Google/Froogle searches but didn't come up with much, are there any companies selling kits for build-it-yourself trailers? I want a simple trailer that I can use in the garden (7 acres of it) and for transporting stuff on the road (i.e. it has to be road legal). My ideal would be one that can carry 8'x4' sheet material. It doesn't have to have solid sides or bottom, the type made of mesh would be fine. Any ideas anyone? Check out if you have a local Indespension shop. Years ago they used to do leaflets describing several designs of trailer. |
#13
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On Mon, 23 May 2005 18:04:01 GMT, Lobster wrote:
What's a ball-park figure for the density of rubble? (I suppose it will be very variable). IIRC a cube yard is ball park a ton. So dependinh on how well packed the rubble was... -- Cheers Dave. pam is missing e-mail |
#14
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wrote in message ... I've tried Google/Froogle searches but didn't come up with much, are there any companies selling kits for build-it-yourself trailers? I want a simple trailer that I can use in the garden (7 acres of it) and for transporting stuff on the road (i.e. it has to be road legal). My ideal would be one that can carry 8'x4' sheet material. It doesn't have to have solid sides or bottom, the type made of mesh would be fine. Indespension .... as well as all the suspension units, they sell all the bits, including welded up frames ... the Indespension catalogue is a must have. Rick |
#15
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"Lobster" wrote in message ... Christian McArdle wrote: You will to decide on your weight capacity and number of axles. If you're taking 8'x4' sheets, you will probably want brakes. Not only are they required for 750kg (which is quickly reached transporting rubble or plasterboard) Hmm. Just thinking of some of the times I've taken my heavily-laden unbraked trailer down to the dump... What's a ball-park figure for the density of rubble? a tonne per m3 |
#16
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"Autolycus" wrote in message ... wrote in message ... I've tried Google/Froogle searches but didn't come up with much, are there any companies selling kits for build-it-yourself trailers? I want a simple trailer that I can use in the garden (7 acres of it) and for transporting stuff on the road (i.e. it has to be road legal). My ideal would be one that can carry 8'x4' sheet material. It doesn't have to have solid sides or bottom, the type made of mesh would be fine. Any ideas anyone? Indespension used to do (and may still sell) a "trailer manual" which included sketch designs and parts list, as well as much useful stuff on trailers and towing in general. I've always found them expensive for parts, and the service at my local branch is, shall we say, not always the most helpful. Abbey Trailers, in Derby, otoh, are extraordinarily pleasant to deal with. Dunno about a website, mind, I don't think they've had the electric all that long. Rubber-in-compression suspension units (Indespension, Avonride, Bradley, many others) are, to me, appallingly crude pieces of engineering, but people still buy them. Once they start failing the wheel alignment goes to pot and they wear tyres out very quickly. Ifor Williams used to use multi-leaf springs, and now use parabolics, but such axles and suspension are harder to buy and to design round. If you decide to buy secondhand, wheel bearings have a hard life, and often seem minimally-specified. Taper rollers are usually wrongly adjusted, inadequately maintained, and can fail spectacularly and rapidly. Brake parts are ludicrously expensive, even simple bits like shoes. If a trailer has been neglected (most have), the hitch can be badly worn, both the coupling head and the shaft. Even folk who will sanctimoniously preach "only the finest" with car tyres seem to fit any old tyres to trailers, regardless of load rating or condition. Make sure your chosen tyre size is sensibly available - Ifor Williams are noted for using sizes like 145R10C 8ply and 185/60R12C, which you won't find at your average tyre shop. The caravan accessories section of your local free ads paper will probably have some unused wheels and high load-rating tyres, but there are many combinations or rim width, offset, and stud spacing. The latter points are important ... I built a trailer, after a couple of years one the suspension units failed (constant dunking in salt water) the replacement bolted on OK ... but the wheels then rubbed against trailer ... the offset of the wheels required for new suspension units was different. Rick |
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"Rick Hughes" wrote in message ... "Lobster" wrote in message ... Christian McArdle wrote: You will to decide on your weight capacity and number of axles. If you're taking 8'x4' sheets, you will probably want brakes. Not only are they required for 750kg (which is quickly reached transporting rubble or plasterboard) Hmm. Just thinking of some of the times I've taken my heavily-laden unbraked trailer down to the dump... What's a ball-park figure for the density of rubble? a tonne per m3 That sounds a bit on the low side to me. I thought concrete was 2-3 tonnes per m3 so rubble should be close. |
#18
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dennis@home wrote:
"Rick Hughes" wrote in message ... "Lobster" wrote in message ... Hmm. Just thinking of some of the times I've taken my heavily-laden unbraked trailer down to the dump... What's a ball-park figure for the density of rubble? a tonne per m3 That sounds a bit on the low side to me. I thought concrete was 2-3 tonnes per m3 so rubble should be close. Erm... either way: oops! David |
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Roger R wrote:
"Christian McArdle" wrote in message t... You will to decide on your weight capacity and number of axles. If you're taking 8'x4' sheets, you will probably want brakes. Not only are they required for 750kg (which is quickly reached transporting rubble or plasterboard), but they are very useful for ground handling. If your car isn't huge, you might even need brakes below 750kg. Your design will need to take account of the restriction implied by the weight of the towing vehicle. IIRC the maximum weight of trailer and load must not exceed the weight of the car. So the heavier you make the trailer -extra wheels, brakes etc, the more you reduce the load that can be carried. In actual fact there is no legal limit on the weight a private car can tow. See:- http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group...ds_506866.hcsp If you have a light car you may be better off with the lightest unbraked trailer design you can get. In reality that of course may well be true. -- Chris Green |
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Rick Hughes wrote:
wrote in message ... I've tried Google/Froogle searches but didn't come up with much, are there any companies selling kits for build-it-yourself trailers? I want a simple trailer that I can use in the garden (7 acres of it) and for transporting stuff on the road (i.e. it has to be road legal). My ideal would be one that can carry 8'x4' sheet material. It doesn't have to have solid sides or bottom, the type made of mesh would be fine. Indespension .... as well as all the suspension units, they sell all the bits, including welded up frames ... the Indespension catalogue is a must have. We have a local Indespension but their web site had nothing much useful that I could see. Maybe I'll visit them. -- Chris Green |
#21
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On Mon, 23 May 2005 18:04:01 GMT, Lobster
wrote: Christian McArdle wrote: You will to decide on your weight capacity and number of axles. If you're taking 8'x4' sheets, you will probably want brakes. Not only are they required for 750kg (which is quickly reached transporting rubble or plasterboard) Hmm. Just thinking of some of the times I've taken my heavily-laden unbraked trailer down to the dump... What's a ball-park figure for the density of rubble? (I suppose it will be very variable). I'd certainly be interested to know my laden weight on occasions; is there any clever way of measuring this short of visiting a weighing station?! I'll be bringing mine back from France soon, following my forthcoming camping trip (provided I get the tent lights sorted, of course!!) and am naturally keen to fill any feasible space on the return journey with (liquid) local fare, but don't want to overdo things and overload it... David 1 - 2 tonnes a cubic meter for rubble, and unbraked you have to be less than 1/3 of the weight of the towing car. Which basically means you can tow virtually no rubble. Rick |
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On Mon, 23 May 2005 20:48:52 GMT, "dennis@home"
wrote: "Rick Hughes" wrote in message ... "Lobster" wrote in message ... Christian McArdle wrote: You will to decide on your weight capacity and number of axles. If you're taking 8'x4' sheets, you will probably want brakes. Not only are they required for 750kg (which is quickly reached transporting rubble or plasterboard) Hmm. Just thinking of some of the times I've taken my heavily-laden unbraked trailer down to the dump... What's a ball-park figure for the density of rubble? a tonne per m3 That sounds a bit on the low side to me. I thought concrete was 2-3 tonnes per m3 so rubble should be close. Wet concrete is arround 2.5 tonnes per cube, so rubble will be less due to the air gaps. Rick |
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#24
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Rick wrote:
On Mon, 23 May 2005 18:04:01 GMT, Lobster wrote: Christian McArdle wrote: You will to decide on your weight capacity and number of axles. If you're taking 8'x4' sheets, you will probably want brakes. Not only are they required for 750kg (which is quickly reached transporting rubble or plasterboard) Hmm. Just thinking of some of the times I've taken my heavily-laden unbraked trailer down to the dump... What's a ball-park figure for the density of rubble? (I suppose it will be very variable). I'd certainly be interested to know my laden weight on occasions; is there any clever way of measuring this short of visiting a weighing station?! I'll be bringing mine back from France soon, following my forthcoming camping trip (provided I get the tent lights sorted, of course!!) and am naturally keen to fill any feasible space on the return journey with (liquid) local fare, but don't want to overdo things and overload it... David 1 - 2 tonnes a cubic meter for rubble, and unbraked you have to be less than 1/3 of the weight of the towing car. Not true I don't think, see:- http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group...ds_506866.hcsp The limit for an unbraked trailer behind a private car is simply 750kg and that's it. -- Chris Green |
#26
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Rick Hughes wrote:
"Lobster" wrote in message ... Christian McArdle wrote: You will to decide on your weight capacity and number of axles. If you're taking 8'x4' sheets, you will probably want brakes. Not only are they required for 750kg (which is quickly reached transporting rubble or plasterboard) Hmm. Just thinking of some of the times I've taken my heavily-laden unbraked trailer down to the dump... What's a ball-park figure for the density of rubble? a tonne per m3 A bit more if its concrete rather than brick... |
#27
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On 24 May 2005 08:23:03 GMT, wrote:
wrote: Rick wrote: On Mon, 23 May 2005 18:04:01 GMT, Lobster wrote: Christian McArdle wrote: You will to decide on your weight capacity and number of axles. If you're taking 8'x4' sheets, you will probably want brakes. Not only are they required for 750kg (which is quickly reached transporting rubble or plasterboard) Hmm. Just thinking of some of the times I've taken my heavily-laden unbraked trailer down to the dump... What's a ball-park figure for the density of rubble? (I suppose it will be very variable). I'd certainly be interested to know my laden weight on occasions; is there any clever way of measuring this short of visiting a weighing station?! I'll be bringing mine back from France soon, following my forthcoming camping trip (provided I get the tent lights sorted, of course!!) and am naturally keen to fill any feasible space on the return journey with (liquid) local fare, but don't want to overdo things and overload it... David 1 - 2 tonnes a cubic meter for rubble, and unbraked you have to be less than 1/3 of the weight of the towing car. Not true I don't think, see:- http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group...ds_506866.hcsp The limit for an unbraked trailer behind a private car is simply 750kg and that's it. No, sorry, there *is* a limit on the relative weight of an unbraked trailer even though there isn't a general limit. I quote from the above:- "In use it is not permitted to use an unbraked trailer the laden weight of which exceeds 50% of the kerbside weight of the towing vehicle." Sorry, I was out with my actual figure, but the point remains true, as most cars don't weight that much, an unbraked trailer can only take a small volume of rubble. Rick |
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Rick wrote:
1 - 2 tonnes a cubic meter for rubble, and unbraked you have to be less than 1/3 of the weight of the towing car. Not true I don't think, see:- http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group...ds_506866.hcsp The limit for an unbraked trailer behind a private car is simply 750kg and that's it. No, sorry, there *is* a limit on the relative weight of an unbraked trailer even though there isn't a general limit. I quote from the above:- "In use it is not permitted to use an unbraked trailer the laden weight of which exceeds 50% of the kerbside weight of the towing vehicle." Sorry, I was out with my actual figure, but the point remains true, as most cars don't weight that much, an unbraked trailer can only take a small volume of rubble. We run two Citroen XMs, both have towbars. If I remember right their kerb weight is something like 1400kg so we'd be able to take an unbraked trailer up to nearly its maximum weight. I know the XM is a big car but modern cars are actually rather heavier than older ones, partly because we all drive bigger cars than we used to. There are not so many unbraked trailers that are rated for 750kg anyway, the typical 'small trailer' seems to be in the 300kg to 500kg range. -- Chris Green |
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