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Default Modifying/improving a Erde 102 trailer.

I have a 3ft by 4ft trailer, like this one:

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/tr...er-216502.html

The rear panel drops down and is unhookable and hence removable from its
hinges.

The remaining 3 sides are fixed. They are bolted to the base of the box.

I would like to try and reduce the volume of space it takes up in my
garage by essentially converting it to a collapsible trailer.

My idea is to buy a pair of 4ft long piano hinges and a 3ft piano hinge
and install them in between the three fixed panels and the base of the
trailer box.

The idea is that the two side panels can fold down flat over the wheels
and the front panel fold down onto the Tow bar arm, thus reducing the
space needed for storage in my garage.

Has anyone done this or have a better idea?

Obviously my main concern is not affecting its load carrying capacity....

S.
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Default Modifying/improving a Erde 102 trailer.

On 03/08/2020 10:32, No Name wrote:
I have a 3ft by 4ft trailer, like this one:

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/tr...er-216502.html


The rear panel drops down and is unhookable and hence removable from its
hinges.

The remaining 3 sides are fixed. They are bolted to the base of the box.

I would like to try and reduce the volume of space it takes up in my
garage by essentially converting it to a collapsible trailer.

My idea is to buy a pair of 4ft long piano hinges and a 3ft piano hinge
and install them in between the three fixed panels and the base of the
trailer box.

The idea is that the two side panels can fold down flat over the wheels
and the front panel fold down onto the Tow bar arm, thus reducing the
space needed for storage in my garage.

Has anyone done this or have a better idea?

Obviously my main concern is not affecting its load carrying capacity....

S.


Piano hinges sound a bit flimsy to me. I guess most of the stiffness of
the structure comes from the chassis, rather than the connection between
the three fixed panels. I'd look at folding the side panels inwards
rather than outwards, with some sort of structure to make the front two
vertical corners stiffer when assembled. Maybe as simple as (say) two
lengths of 3x3 timber fixed to the front panel, that latch to the side
panels with antiluce fittings.


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Default Modifying/improving a Erde 102 trailer.

On Monday, 3 August 2020 10:32:46 UTC+1, No Name wrote:
I have a 3ft by 4ft trailer, like this one:

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/tr...er-216502.html

The rear panel drops down and is unhookable and hence removable from its
hinges.

The remaining 3 sides are fixed. They are bolted to the base of the box.

I would like to try and reduce the volume of space it takes up in my
garage by essentially converting it to a collapsible trailer.

My idea is to buy a pair of 4ft long piano hinges and a 3ft piano hinge
and install them in between the three fixed panels and the base of the
trailer box.

The idea is that the two side panels can fold down flat over the wheels
and the front panel fold down onto the Tow bar arm, thus reducing the
space needed for storage in my garage.

Has anyone done this or have a better idea?

Obviously my main concern is not affecting its load carrying capacity....

S.


Piano hinges are light duty, so not suitable.
A quick glance suggests it's all or partly monocoque construction. If so, the sides being joined is critical to its structural capacity, making fold-flat not an option with the existing trailer bed/side materials. You might be able to attach the axle & drawbar to a new bed & sides.


NT
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Default Modifying/improving a Erde 102 trailer.

On Mon, 3 Aug 2020 10:32:42 +0100, No Name wrote:

My idea is to buy a pair of 4ft long piano hinges and a 3ft piano hinge
and install them in between the three fixed panels and the base of the
trailer box.

The idea is that the two side panels can fold down flat over the wheels


Apart from the fact the mudguards that stick up above the joint
between sides and base... It looks just bolted together and not that
many bolts.

--
Cheers
Dave.



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Default Modifying/improving a Erde 102 trailer.

On 03/08/2020 11:57, wrote:
On Monday, 3 August 2020 10:32:46 UTC+1, No Name wrote:
I have a 3ft by 4ft trailer, like this one:

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/tr...er-216502.html

The rear panel drops down and is unhookable and hence removable from its
hinges.

The remaining 3 sides are fixed. They are bolted to the base of the box.

I would like to try and reduce the volume of space it takes up in my
garage by essentially converting it to a collapsible trailer.

My idea is to buy a pair of 4ft long piano hinges and a 3ft piano hinge
and install them in between the three fixed panels and the base of the
trailer box.

The idea is that the two side panels can fold down flat over the wheels
and the front panel fold down onto the Tow bar arm, thus reducing the
space needed for storage in my garage.

Has anyone done this or have a better idea?

Obviously my main concern is not affecting its load carrying capacity....

S.


Piano hinges are light duty, so not suitable.
A quick glance suggests it's all or partly monocoque construction. If so, the sides being joined is critical to its structural capacity, making fold-flat not an option with the existing trailer bed/side materials. You might be able to attach the axle & drawbar to a new bed & sides.


NT

Agreed. I *thought* I could see evidence of a steel chassis though. The
OP needs to turn it upside down and look.


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Default Modifying/improving a Erde 102 trailer.

On 03/08/2020 12:10, newshound wrote:
On 03/08/2020 11:57, wrote:
On Monday, 3 August 2020 10:32:46 UTC+1, No NameĀ* wrote:
I have a 3ft by 4ft trailer, like this one:

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/tr...er-216502.html


The rear panel drops down and is unhookable and hence removable from its
hinges.

The remaining 3 sides are fixed. They are bolted to the base of the box.

I would like to try and reduce the volume of space it takes up in my
garage by essentially converting it to a collapsible trailer.

My idea is to buy a pair of 4ft long piano hinges and a 3ft piano hinge
and install them in between the three fixed panels and the base of the
trailer box.

The idea is that the two side panels can fold down flat over the wheels
and the front panel fold down onto the Tow bar arm, thus reducing the
space needed for storage in my garage.

Has anyone done this or have a better idea?

Obviously my main concern is not affecting its load carrying
capacity....

S.


Piano hinges are light duty, so not suitable.
A quick glance suggests it's all or partly monocoque construction. If
so, the sides being joined is critical to its structural capacity,
making fold-flat not an option with the existing trailer bed/side
materials. You might be able to attach the axle & drawbar to a new bed
& sides.


NT

Agreed. I *thought* I could see evidence of a steel chassis though. The
OP needs to turn it upside down and look.


The other point is that I see it will store on end. I reckon I would
find that much more convenient than "flattening" it. YMMV.
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Default Modifying/improving a Erde 102 trailer.

On Mon, 3 Aug 2020 10:47:40 +0100, newshound
wrote:

On 03/08/2020 10:32, No Name wrote:
I have a 3ft by 4ft trailer, like this one:

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/tr...er-216502.html


The rear panel drops down and is unhookable and hence removable from its
hinges.

The remaining 3 sides are fixed. They are bolted to the base of the box.

I would like to try and reduce the volume of space it takes up in my
garage by essentially converting it to a collapsible trailer.

My idea is to buy a pair of 4ft long piano hinges and a 3ft piano hinge
and install them in between the three fixed panels and the base of the
trailer box.

The idea is that the two side panels can fold down flat over the wheels
and the front panel fold down onto the Tow bar arm, thus reducing the
space needed for storage in my garage.

Has anyone done this or have a better idea?

Obviously my main concern is not affecting its load carrying capacity....

S.


Piano hinges sound a bit flimsy to me.


+1

I guess most of the stiffness of
the structure comes from the chassis, rather than the connection between
the three fixed panels.


I think it's likely to be a mix of both. They often have some form of
(pressed steel 'C' profile) 'A frame' that runs underneath, sometimes
only to the axle, leaving the rear half unsupported, other than by the
sides. Or the A does go past the axle to the rear, leaving the front
corners unsupported (other than by the sides).

I'd look at folding the side panels inwards
rather than outwards, with some sort of structure to make the front two
vertical corners stiffer when assembled.


As long as the sides can be locked to the front somehow, and the
points at either end and the middle of the sides fairly strongly
hinged, you should be ok (as long as any stiffness in the floorpan
doesn't exceed it's elastic limit etc).

Maybe as simple as (say) two
lengths of 3x3 timber fixed to the front panel, that latch to the side
panels with antiluce fittings.


They normally have a light angle / section that is bolted into each
corner and then the front / side either bolt (fixed sides) or latch
(drop sides) to those.

Cheers, T i m

p.s. When I was 16-17 I built a Very lightweight flatbed trailer (and
hitches etc) to carry camping gear behind my Messerschmitt bubble car.
Fairly light angle rectangle with similarly light A frame and a rigid
trailing link swinging arm / axle with moped spring / damper units.

It was decked with tongue and groove and the idea that the load would
be held central and distributed out to the frame axle / hitch by the
decking.

I pulled up at the local motorcycle shop to get some 2/ oil and my
mate (the manager) came out to look at the trailer and though he would
'test' the suspension by standing on one of the rear corners. It was
never designed to carry that sort of point load and without any sides
to stiffen the side angles, him flexing them that much took it past
it's elastic limit and put a small set in it. ;-(

I did use it to carry some camping gear down to Torquay for girlfriend
and I and it performed very well, and I also collected a large drum of
2/ oil (on a cradle I made to suit). ;-)
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Default Modifying/improving a Erde 102 trailer.

On 03/08/2020 12:14, newshound wrote:
On 03/08/2020 12:10, newshound wrote:
On 03/08/2020 11:57, wrote:
On Monday, 3 August 2020 10:32:46 UTC+1, No NameĀ* wrote:
I have a 3ft by 4ft trailer, like this one:

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/tr...er-216502.html


The rear panel drops down and is unhookable and hence removable from
its
hinges.

The remaining 3 sides are fixed. They are bolted to the base of the
box.

I would like to try and reduce the volume of space it takes up in my
garage by essentially converting it to a collapsible trailer.

My idea is to buy a pair of 4ft long piano hinges and a 3ft piano hinge
and install them in between the three fixed panels and the base of the
trailer box.

The idea is that the two side panels can fold down flat over the wheels
and the front panel fold down onto the Tow bar arm, thus reducing the
space needed for storage in my garage.

Has anyone done this or have a better idea?

Obviously my main concern is not affecting its load carrying
capacity....

S.

Piano hinges are light duty, so not suitable.
A quick glance suggests it's all or partly monocoque construction. If
so, the sides being joined is critical to its structural capacity,
making fold-flat not an option with the existing trailer bed/side
materials. You might be able to attach the axle & drawbar to a new
bed & sides.


NT

Agreed. I *thought* I could see evidence of a steel chassis though.
The OP needs to turn it upside down and look.


The other point is that I see it will store on end. I reckon I would
find that much more convenient than "flattening" it. YMMV.


yes that is what I want to to, fold down the sides and then store it on
its registration/lights end.
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Default Modifying/improving a Erde 102 trailer.

On 03/08/2020 12:07, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Mon, 3 Aug 2020 10:32:42 +0100, No Name wrote:

My idea is to buy a pair of 4ft long piano hinges and a 3ft piano hinge
and install them in between the three fixed panels and the base of the
trailer box.

The idea is that the two side panels can fold down flat over the wheels


Apart from the fact the mudguards that stick up above the joint
between sides and base... It looks just bolted together and not that
many bolts.



It was a flatpack kit when I bought it. There is a 4 sided steel frame.
The trailer floor is affixed to that frame.

The sides then bolt in through holes in the floor into the steel frame
with some nyloc steel nuts.

The sides and front is pressed galvanised steel.

S.
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Default Modifying/improving a Erde 102 trailer.

On Mon, 3 Aug 2020 14:07:10 +0100, No Name
wrote:
snip

yes that is what I want to to, fold down the sides and then store it on
its registration/lights end.


I modified a box trailer for the BIL by fitting a small pair of wheels
horizontally at the back and underneath, just protruding.

He had two side accesses to his house but one was obstructed half way
down, but there was room to get the trailer in behind the side access
gate and the obstruction but only on it's end.

So he would put it at 90 degrees to the alley, lift it on end, then
wheel it sideways into place and then rest it against the wall. ;-)

I also have a trailer similar to yours and also up on end and chained
to the wall but without the wheels (so it needs manhandling into
place).

Cheers, T i m
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