Making a trailer, wanna see?

[Half Evil]

Thought you guys might like a non-computer build.

Here is my current project. Just started, and only pictures from that one day. Ill get going back on it again thursday.

Ok, here is my first shot at building my first trailer. I have some questions but since everyone likes pictures here we go:

Pile of crap - minus leaf springs. Forgot to toss them in for the pic. The axle is a rear axle out of an 86 Honda civic, so the trailer will ride high because the tires will be right under the sides of the trailer (totally flush, so the trailer rides on top of the tires). I dont really want it high, but I would rather have it higher then wider. But I could unbolt it and use one of the square tube I have and make my own axle shaft if I think its to high.

Used to be a roof rack seen here:

And taken off ready to be sand blasted here. Its huge, measures 5'6''x10'6''. It even has corners made for tail lights (where it had reverse spot beams).

Working out of the back of the jeep

One square tube, not bad at all just surface rust

 

[Half Evil]

This tube was a little worse, with some pitting but nothing to ruin structural stability

Make shift bench where I was wire wheeling the hell out of the stuff (the long piece will

So its started. I borrowed my friends sand blaster for metal wire mesh thats impossible to wire wheel. I will get back to it the day after tomorrow and start making cuts and mark where I want to weld.

Couple questions though. How far back should the axle be set from the center of the trailer bed?

How long should the tongue be?

 

[root_assassin]

i did a similar project, but all we did was cut the bed off a 1978 ford ranger and welded a hitch to it. you got some work ahead of ya, hope all goes well!

 

[Half Evil]

Lol, I don't personally like those. But they do serve their purpose great thats for sure.

 

[root_assassin]

lol yea it was ugly as hell but we were moving dirty farm equipment so it worked

 

[Half Evil]

Lol, definitely.

 

[dude_56013]

Well I'm no mathematician or pro trailer builder, but common sense tells me you want the wheels (fulcrum) more than half way back on the body of the trailer. I just refinished my trailer (stripped it down to the frame, but didn't move the axle or anything. Only about a 9'er maybe and that's including the tongue. Bed length is 7'). I'd shoot for maybe 3/4ths or 2/3rds of the way back.

The reason is obvious. You want the weight of the trailer to be sitting on the hitch, not pulling up. So, by setting the wheels further back, it will take a tremendous amount of weight set behind the wheels in the trailer to pull up on the tongue, compared to the small amount of weight that it would take placed in front of the wheels (axle/what have you/it's the fulcrum nonetheless) to push down on the tongue.

So, to explain it graphically:

``````````35lbs``````````=````75lbs``````````
I/////______________________________
......................................( )...........................

Now, those numbers are NOT mathematically correct, just an example. Because the front of the trailer (the whole bed acting as an arm on the axle/fulcrum) has more 'leverage', it takes less weight to tilt weight in the back (the compromise is the length at which you must move this lighter amount of weight; the more "leverage" the more you have to move that arm to get the opposite side (heavier side) up to the right/same height).

So with that kind of described (for anyone who isn't completely confused by my rambling and poor definitions), when you equally distribute a load in the trailer, it will result in a push on the hitch, rather than a pull (bad!..that would be lifting up off the hitch, placing pressure on the locking mechanism!).

````[.......box/object that weights 500lbs......]
I/////____________________________________
...........................................( )...............................

So, therefore, with the above, an estimate might be that since the object is 500lbs equally distributed, then there might be 350lbs of weight on the front side of the axle, and 150lbs on the rear. Again, nothing mathematically correct.

So. Idk. I hope that helps. So I guess to short answer your question, place it maybe 2/3rds or 3/4s of the way back. Keep in mind, that the further back it is, however, the harder the trailer will be to move by hand if your jack doesn't have a wheel. You can always measure another trailer to find out, too. To guestimate, judging by how easily I can move mine by hand, I'd say that the axle on mine is only slightly over half way back. This is fine, just always remember to put the heavy stuff in front!

 

[LukaszR1]

Looks pretty cool. Definitely going to be interested in seeing the finished product! Good Luck...

 

[Rubber314Chicken]

ArrizX, to add to what dude56013 said, if you take the offroading vehicle that will be on it to a scale, I'll do the calculations on what you need to get a 10% (or 15%) tongue weight. As long as you always put it in the EXACT same spot It'll be good.

I'd also make the tongue meet from both sides of the box 2' past the bumper. So if your frame is just gonna fit the wheels, have the parts that come out to connect to the ball receiver be 2' or a Little more past the front bumper. Then you want to extend another piece out 18" or so that will hold the ball reciever. This way you have a place to mount the equipment you NEED to have on it (breakaway brake equpiment and normal brake equpiment if you need it)

Also, maybe you could have a hump in the middle over the wheels? So its higher in the middle? Would make it useless for most anything else, but you're Center of Gravity would be lower.

 

[root]

I think I'd say it's best to go with rubber chickens idea,

make a hump, just cut an arch out of the basket at each side and see if you can get some guards to stop the stuff you're carrying from hitting the wheels.

then you keep the width and make it lower.


With nose weight, you do want to set the wheels further back than centre, else the nose weight could be too light, but if you go the other way you'll make the nose weight too heavy and pull the suspension of your car way down.
that's going to be a big trailer, any idea what you'll be carrying? what you are carrying and the way that it can be packed massively effect the weight distribution also.