Building a Car Trailer Questions

[A1]

....Well the time has finally came ....And I have decided to build the car/truck trailer for getting the Vit from A to B .......although time and funds arent on my side

Now even though I have taken some measurements from other car trailers that mates have built ....Im still unsure of a few things regarding


1. Correct axle placement ....to acheive the best towing characteristics.
( ie: the position of the centre line between both axles ....the leaf setup I have bought are a roller type (pivots in the middle) now some sites I have looked @ go into checking the weight of the vehicle being towed....actual tongue weight with vehicle on etc some say 18" behind the centre line of the bed to centre line between axles .

There has to be a reasonable fail safe formula to work this out without literally getting the trailer all but built then getting the rig on there n checking the ball weight (which means still second guessing placement and tack welding the hanger brkts on )....

I have even gone and measured U HAUL trailers for there measurements but they also seem to differ largely over similar sized trailers ?


The bed size will be 2075mm wide X 3800mm long ....

2. Deciding the best draw bar length ......Now I have read here that a minimum of 36" from bed to ball which is only 915mm or so ....I am looking (was) making mine about 1400mm .....obviously the longer the draw bar the better for reversing etc ...but is there any ill effect on forward towing ...if you make it to large a distance ??....ie getting taily ....etc etc ..


Anyone out there have any knowledge or first hand experience on these items ??


Dan

[Rhett]

I put my axle 1/2 inch back for every foot in length of the tray. After building it I the loaded my zook and put scales under the hitch. when I had about 120kgs on the ball I set the chains to that length and that is where it sits every time. but my trailer is 4.1m long and my zook is only 95inch wheelbase so I had a bit to play with.
Why are you only going 3.8m long in the bed when the steel comes in 8m lengths?

[A1]

Cheers Rhett ...I have read a similar formula .


As the for the length ...trying to save some wieght and to fit the VIT on there its more than adequate ...the Vit measures about 3900 from the most front part of the stinger to the rear .....less the area back from the front to tyres ....it should be fine ....I have had it a 3600 flatbed trailer and the length was still fine ...added a little bit more to mine to have a little room to move if needed with the axle posi ..but thought I would ask the Q anyway ...

It wont be all that long (12 months) and hopefully there will be a Buggy (Of MY OWN ) sitting on there .... ...which will be shorter than the vit again ...

Im also making it drive over the wheels style so Id like to get it reasonably close so I can get the guards position correctly aswell ...which should give a bit of room for an aft to move if I have to

Thanks


Dan

[A1]

That axle measurement was to the centre line between the two axles wasnt it ...



If so Im looking @ 150mm from the centre of the bed back to the centre between my axles ...


what length did you make your draw bar from memory .


cheers

Dan

[Rhett]

that is the centre line yes. I have two trailers one is 1500 for te hitch the other is 1600.
I think you need to find the balance point in the vit. And put you guards so you are just off centre.

drive on some planks or something that are siting on somthing if you know what I mean.

[Rhett]

A picky when it was still shiny
http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/ ... C01667.jpg

http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/ ... C01668.jpg

[A1]

.....Damn I wish I had angled my front like that looks ...
Very BLING ...dragway centrelines an all



mmmm yeah the balance trick would let me know ....


I have used Redzook's trailer (3600mm Long) bed and the vit seemed alright on there (tims old zook n buggy towed/ tow shweet on it )

the vit was a little taily on there behind my 100 series ...maybe I needed to get some weight off the ball ... tims centre line is @ 1825 just off centre .......

I think I may bight the bullet do maybe 50 mm back from tims ...and with mine being 3800 long will give me some room to back up if needed .....I will also be fitting a storage box to the front and maybe rear ....so this weight will also change to tims setup


( I just need for it to be done already LOL )


Thanks

[nicbeer]

as u may build a buggy in future, is it better now to build it to suit both? as building another will suck.

Nic

[Mad Cruiser]

A picky when it was still shiny
http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/ ... C01667.jpg

http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/ ... C01668.jpg

That is a sweet trailer !!!! Wish i had something like that..... Might buy or build one sometime at the end of the year or early next year

[me3@neuralfibre.com]

Car trailers are different to many others as the engine makes it front heavy, so the axles can be closer to the middle.

The real answer is at least 10% weight on the ball, or else the trailer will sway.

Boat trailers often have the springs on angle iron so they can be moved for the boat. Car trailers are a best guess. Mine is great with a car on it, but a dog for swaying with a heavy load of whatever, unless I load it front heavy.

I have seen some wonderful car trailers that are very light. Light is good. Basically a pair of wheel tracks / ramps and some light frame. Look at some of the rally car trailers.

Paul

[80lsy gq]

Dan

at an average if you set the centreline of the axle around 75mm behind the centre of the deck of the trailer(with yours being 3800 long) it should tow well when empty and to make it tow well when loaded you just need to move the car to whatever position it sits best..sometimes moving the car 50mm will mkae a big difference to the way it tows...

oh and around 1400 for the drawbar length will be about right...make sure the drawbar goes all the way under the deck to meet up with the spring hangers...

dave

[A1]

Dan

at an average if you set the centreline of the axle around 75mm behind the centre of the deck of the trailer(with yours being 3800 long) it should tow well when empty and to make it tow well when loaded you just need to move the car to whatever position it sits best..sometimes moving the car 50mm will mkae a big difference to the way it tows...

oh and around 1400 for the drawbar length will be about right...make sure the drawbar goes all the way under the deck to meet up with the spring hangers...

dave

cheers Dave .....

Thanks for the advice .. .

Axles in tomoz Night

mmm I will have to check with the placing of the draw bar I have already cut them to a rough size of 2600 ...So hopefully they are long enough to get to the hangers ..will check and see where they land

Thanks matey


Dan

[benhl]

When i was looking at this (not very seriously mind you - bundy induced) i thought it'd be a good idea to have a removeable centre panel so you could use the trailer as a quazi hoist in the bush. To get under and drop a gearbox or inspect etc. Although increased ride height is of benefit to us 4x4ers sometimes it is easier to have a little more room. If you're going down this road i'd have drop down legs on each corner to "stand" it firm so you could use it to work on. Include a area for tool box on drawbar and possibly if you wanted to get trick space for compressor/generator welder etc...

Just some ideas. Oh and have a pole for work lights that erect up high or low low.

[A1]

Yeah I have been chasing ideas from JD induced thinking and lack of JD thinking .....most of your thoughts I have already got in the making ...... cheers for your input dude



Back to setup Q's 1 more I should of asked last night was the setting up of these roller type leaf pack ....obviously I have the centre as above 75mm back from the centre of the bed .....

So now where do I position the slipper section of the rear on each leaf pack to then weld the hanger in the correct posi ...my intiall thoughts ...were slide the slipper eye of the leaf pack (hanger) to its furthest most point ...so that when loaded it would move in the other direction to compensate for the load ....or should I set it up in the centre of the slipper eye on the leaf to allow even movement in both planes ??

Its wee bit hard to explain the above but I'm hoping that those that have done this before can comprehendi

Dan

[me3@neuralfibre.com]

Why are you running slipper springs? Wouldn't shackle springs be better on dirt roads?

Paul

[A1]

These are what Im running .....I had a search and found this ....mmmm search button stoopid ......


http://www.alko.com.au/vehicle/springs/rocker.html


also found the measurement to set them up .....amazing ......

[A1]

Dan


oh and around 1400 for the drawbar length will be about right...make sure the drawbar goes all the way under the deck to meet up with the spring hangers...

dave

Dave with the draw bar criteria , ...so its not best to have the draw as wide as possible on the underside of the bed frame??

But more so bring it in to the hanger mounts ...and tie into them ?? for extra strength ....I can see the why it would be better pulling from the same rail as the leaves are sitting on .......the main rails of the chassis are 1400 o/a in width and then I have out riggers off either side of 335mm which makes the overall width ( I was goin to run them out level with the edge of the out riggers ...) but this is a no no


cheers

Dan

[80lsy gq]

Dan

i will get you some pics tomorrow of the trailer i am building at the moment as well as some other ones i have done to show you how i did it..i have done some with a sub frame and some without..in all cases i have mounted the drawbar (whether welded solid or bolted to be a tilter) to the rail the springs have attached to..

do you have any pics of what you have done so far...so you are going to mount the axles on the 1400 wide rails and the wheels are going to be under the deck which is 2 metres wide roughly..is that what you plan on doing???

dave

[A1]

Mate the pics would be great ..........


As with the trailer ...if you take Tim's (redzook's) add 200mm more to the length ..100mm more to the draw bar and position the centre line between the axles 75mm from the centre of the bed ...thats it ...

I will have folded /welded guards (not removable as Timmys) which I will drive over ....so as the overall width of the trailer is about the same as a cruiser / patrol ....

I will take a pic tomoz but there aint much to look @ .

looking forward to seeing those pics you mentioned.



cheers

Dan

[BrettInUte]

a couple of things to think about.....

extra tray length
if you make your car trailer trailer 2 foot longer than you need to JUST fit your vehicle on... it makes it HEAPs easier to get the weight distribution right. It will allow you to alter the vehicle, fit toolboxes, carry spare tyres etc

Thats my number one tip for getting a good towing car trailer.

A long drawbar is great for reversing - also allows a better fudge factor in balancing the load. ( also more room for toolboxes and spares mounted on the a frame)

But its not so much the long drawbar that does it - its the distance between the axle centres and the tow ball.

Ramp slots.
Setup the rear end of your tray - so you have lights on the outside, next is slots to slide the ramps under, then fit the number plate in the center. a 2 m wide tray should JUST fit all that in. we have used 2 bits of angle iron as slides for each ramp. You dont have to lift them far, they take up no load space, and are easily help in with a spring loaded pin.

cheers all.

[Webbie]

a couple of things to think about.....

extra tray length
if you make your car trailer trailer 2 foot longer than you need to JUST fit your vehicle on... it makes it HEAPs easier to get the weight distribution right. It will allow you to alter the vehicle, fit toolboxes, carry spare tyres etc

Thats my number one tip for getting a good towing car trailer.

A long drawbar is great for reversing - also allows a better fudge factor in balancing the load. ( also more room for toolboxes and spares mounted on the a frame)

But its not so much the long drawbar that does it - its the distance between the axle centres and the tow ball.

Ramp slots.
Setup the rear end of your tray - so you have lights on the outside, next is slots to slide the ramps under, then fit the number plate in the center. a 2 m wide tray should JUST fit all that in. we have used 2 bits of angle iron as slides for each ramp. You dont have to lift them far, they take up no load space, and are easily help in with a spring loaded pin.

cheers all.

This is for a buggy no ramps needed

[redzook]

stop being gay and just build the fawking thing

[shakes]

a couple of things to think about.....

extra tray length
if you make your car trailer trailer 2 foot longer than you need to JUST fit your vehicle on... it makes it HEAPs easier to get the weight distribution right. It will allow you to alter the vehicle, fit toolboxes, carry spare tyres etc

Thats my number one tip for getting a good towing car trailer.

A long drawbar is great for reversing - also allows a better fudge factor in balancing the load. ( also more room for toolboxes and spares mounted on the a frame)

But its not so much the long drawbar that does it - its the distance between the axle centres and the tow ball.

Ramp slots.
Setup the rear end of your tray - so you have lights on the outside, next is slots to slide the ramps under, then fit the number plate in the center. a 2 m wide tray should JUST fit all that in. we have used 2 bits of angle iron as slides for each ramp. You dont have to lift them far, they take up no load space, and are easily help in with a spring loaded pin.

cheers all.

This is for a buggy no ramps needed

until it need's to "rolled" on to it!

[A1]

Well Dave com'on its not like you have much on this week


Where;s these Pics .........


J/k


Well I have it rolling ...has been since sunday....seems like it will have a bit of ball weight with no load as it sits now ... hence the call by ya self about towing well unloaded ....now I just gotta get some ramps done and get the SHITVIT on there and find its best placement

[80lsy gq]

Well Dave com'on its not like you have much on this week


Where;s these Pics .........


J/k


Well I have it rolling ...has been since sunday....seems like it will have a bit of ball weight with no load as it sits now ... hence the call by ya self about towing well unloaded ....now I just gotta get some ramps done and get the SHITVIT on there and find its best placement

i got the pics dan but lost the damn cable to get them onto the computer

so wheres your pics then??????

good that you got it done


dave

[BrettInUte]

Im really keen to see some pics here guys !!!