Best material for a box trailer?

[LuxyBoy]

I am wanting a long lasting box trailer that can handle the rigors of travelling to the cape and outback where it is going to cop billions of rocks flying at it, plenty of salt/sand spray and the stresses of riding over all of the corrugations that come along with driving to these places.

I want it to be independant coil sprung suspension which should give it a pretty soft ride and hopefully not transfer too much shock through the body.... or is there a better way?

An ideas or opinions appreciated

[dano80]

Are you building it yourself or buying a pre finished one?

I built an independant coil sprung galvanised 7x4 box just before christmas, big pain in the ass, but worth the effort not to mention being able to build what you need and the sense of self satisfaction.

The biggest hassle is building the arms for the suspension, good idea if you make a jig and try to make the left and right side the same so you can utilize the one jig, that way both arms SHOULD be identical.

If you need pics and ideas PM.


Cheers, Dano.

[ludacris]

Built it out of steel and then get it hot gal dipped. Make sure you drill lots of holes so the gal goes over evreything and drains out really well.

Cris

[crozza]

Im currently building a 8 x 5 off roader.

I chose Zincaneal.

Welds very well.

[RUFF]

Built it out of steel and then get it hot gal dipped. Make sure you drill lots of holes so the gal goes over evreything and drains out really well.

Cris

And make sure you build it really well. Because you dont want to have to try and weld bits back on in the middle of the simpson with all that Gal all over it.

[Z()LTAN]

Hot dip the main chassis, then fit galv sheet to the floor.

Dont hot dip it with the sheet in as it will get stuck down for good.

Hot dip galv is as the name says HOT so any thin material may distort.

[Slunnie]

I'd use a plate floor rather than sheet. I'd worry about the sheet fatiguing in those situations.

[BJM]

+1 for 2.1mm (3mm if you want heavy duty) Floorplate - Then hot dip the lot of it.
Shoot me a PM and I'll hook you up with all the steel at a good rate.

Ben

[6thgear]

love the checkered plate look, but definitely hot gal. anyone know where to get steel cheap in sydney?

[Gutless]

Hot dipped galv all the way. But just a tip with the floor. Build the trailer without the floor in it, and have it dipped seperately. Then glue the floor down to the frame with a few tubes of sikaflex.

If you weld the floor in, it may buckle and warp from the heat in the galv process. And the floor will be replacable in the future.

[dano80]

Hot dipped galv all the way. But just a tip with the floor. Build the trailer without the floor in it, and have it dipped seperately. Then glue the floor down to the frame with a few tubes of sikaflex.

If you weld the floor in, it may buckle and warp from the heat in the galv process. And the floor will be replacable in the future.

Thats what I was told also, and by the Galvanisers, so mine has a Ally treadplate floor that was sikaflexed in afterwards.....with about 800kgs of pavers, timber and a quad on top, just to make sure that is was stuck down!

Cheers, Dano.

[LuxyBoy]

Thanks for the info so far guys
Gal chassis seems to be the go, might look at having two removable boxes for it; that way I can have a general box trailer for most of the year and swap it with a purpose built camper that is aero dynamic and stores stuff logically instead of stuffing it all in the open box with a tarp over it. Will have a nice long drawbar with a treg style hitch too.

I was thinking about capping off all holes in the chassis; adding two nitto style fittings (1 filler, 1 breather for when filling) and putting a couple of litres of fish oil in it. I figure that way the oil keeps the inside lubed and unlikely to rust from the inside out as there would be no salt/water/dirt getting in there.
What do you reckon, sound good or have I gone mad

Has anyone seen adjustable independent coils so the toe/camber can be adjusted for true tracking and good fuel economy

Might get the chassis made to my spec professionally and do the boxes myself; we'll see.

[love ke70]

it could also be an option to go the gal chassis, but with the floor, make it aluminium checkerplate or stainless, as its usually the floor that rusts before anything else.

and with filling the chassis with fish oil, if you get it hot dip gal, and as was said, have plenty of holes, the whole thing will get gal'd, and it wont rust from the inside out