ewanspence
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| posted on 26/8/04 at 06:32 AM |
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Car trailer design
Along with my BIG Ramps I am planning on building a car trailer. I have been looking at some designs as I drive along the road and have a question
about suspension.
Does a car trailer need suspension? some look asif the do not have any?
I am assuming that caravan type "bullit proof" tyres would be used.
[Edited on 26/8/04 by ewanspence]
Ewan.
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http://www.geocities.com/ewanspence/
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Ben_Copeland
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| posted on 26/8/04 at 08:21 AM |
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They do have suspension !!!! It would bounce all over the place other wise.
A lot of new trailers use rubber instead of the old leaf springs. Its built into units, compact and light weight. Cant really describe them, cos
i've only seen it briefly.
My old car trailer has leaf springs and that bounces unloaded enough, would be dangeous without suspension.
Ben
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ned
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| posted on 26/8/04 at 08:28 AM |
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I've wondered about the use of a peugeot 306 rear beam (or 2) for a car trailer. lookng under mine, it doesn't appear to have a normal
coil over or spring location, so I imagine it could be cut in half and securely welded to a ladder frame type trailer design?
Ned.
beware, I've got yellow skin
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mangogroove
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| posted on 26/8/04 at 08:47 AM |
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http://www.alstontrailers.co.uk/ these guys supply the rubax units cheap.
And these guys do the stuff as well. But are not manufacturers. more wholesaler little bit more expensive
You want it when!
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ewanspence
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| posted on 26/8/04 at 09:17 AM |
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Thanks for clearing this up for me, the alton site price list is not available now but when I checked towsure a single unit was around £50 and I
don't think that that was braked - or should I say broken  )
The cost of units from a new source are relatively high and I prefer the idea of making it from recycled parts. I was even thinking about trailing
arms from Sierras (most folks don't use them on the Locost build so they are all going spare and probably free) plus the current wheels on my
MegaGrip, which will be replaced with nice shinny alloys at some point would also be recycled.
The other obvious source is 2 dead caravans
Ewan.
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andyps
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| posted on 26/8/04 at 09:57 AM |
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Got a couple of Sierra trailing arms if you want - but a caravan is probably better - you get a basic chassis frame too.
Andy
An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less
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andyps
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| posted on 26/8/04 at 09:59 AM |
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Thinking further though - why not try to design a trailer so it doubles as a set of high ramps?
Also - a twin axle caravan would be a great basis - save having to find two identical caravan axles, or cutting and shutting one.
Andy
An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less
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ewanspence
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| posted on 29/8/04 at 06:12 PM |
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another question about the trailer design
Does the design need to have shock absorbers aswell as springs?
Ewan.
Visit the MegaGrip site :-
http://www.geocities.com/ewanspence/
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Peteff
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| posted on 29/8/04 at 07:06 PM |
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Northern tools site.
http://www.northerntooluk.com/product/search.asp?action=search&k=suspension&i=&s=&page=2&x=0&h=5&g=4&id=281&catId=
0&subCatId=0&x=0&h=5&g=4
I built a trailer for a neighbour this year. I got the indespension units from here. They do braked ones as well with the reverse lock facility. They
were the best price I could find.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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ewanspence
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| posted on 29/8/04 at 08:05 PM |
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Thanks Pete, They are now the cheapest I have seen. But I would need 2 pairs which is £140 + vat. and they don't have brakes.
I was wanting to make this along the lines of a locost and use parts available in scrappies.
I could use 4 front struts or idelly 4 rear hubs with drums as they have hand brakes I could modify.
The more I think about it the more I know they will need shocks or they would bounce down the road like a knackered Allegro.
Ewan.
Visit the MegaGrip site :-
http://www.geocities.com/ewanspence/
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wilkingj
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| posted on 29/8/04 at 10:22 PM |
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Remember that any towed object ie trailer with a weight of over 750 kgs MUST be braked by law.
I have been looking at Towing dollys, and most of these are not braked. Probably OK for a Locost, but not for getting your Donor car.
Best Regards
GeoffW
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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andyps
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| posted on 29/8/04 at 11:09 PM |
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I think a towing dolly is only legal for recovery work rather than general towing. Quite how the difference is determined I don't know.
Andy
An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less
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Ben_Copeland
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| posted on 30/8/04 at 08:13 AM |
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If you use good old leaf springs, then dampers aren't necessary.
The only thing you have to worry about when making a trailer is the police. Apparently they were handing tickets out at the entrance to some show to
some trailer owners.
Ben
Locost Map on Google Maps
Z20LET Astra Turbo, into a Haynes
Roadster
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ewanspence
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| posted on 30/8/04 at 09:40 AM |
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leaf springs
what cars or vans that are in scrappies in abundance used leaf springs and have front wheel drive so the rear axle is a solid bar.
I think a Fiat Panda used leafs at the back but wouldn't take the load, what about vans?
Ewan.
Visit the MegaGrip site :-
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ewanspence
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| posted on 30/8/04 at 10:32 AM |
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just popped down to the scrappy
What is it about these places that I enjoy so much.
I spoke with the owner and he said the current choice for trailer makers is a Volvo 440 rear axle. comes with 40mm sq x 5mm wall shaft between the
wheels, drums brakes, springs.
For 2 axles and wheels and springs and a couple of shockers £60 and he's taking them off for me.
Will I need to have both axles braked or will 1 do?
I may use the hydrolics for the brakes, not too sure yet.
Ewan.
Visit the MegaGrip site :-
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Ben_Copeland
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| posted on 30/8/04 at 05:25 PM |
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Single braked is fine, it's hard to have both braked using a cable braking system. Only have both if your gonna go down the hydraulic brake
road.
With cable braking it's possible to get in trouble if all the wheels dont brake the same amount. Slamming the brakes on and having 2 wheels on
the same side lock up and the opposite 2 not... can lead to major problems, as you can imagine.
Ben
Locost Map on Google Maps
Z20LET Astra Turbo, into a Haynes
Roadster
Enter Your Details Here
http://www.facebook.com/EquinoxProducts for all your bodywork needs!
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ewanspence
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| posted on 31/8/04 at 12:40 PM |
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here is a pic of the volvo axle
nice and low slung with linkage brackets to front and back and a panhard bracket too. Sorry bout the rubbish pic, I will try to take a better one
later.
Sq bar across axle is 50mm sq so could be easily cut and shut if required.
I also obtained a 14ft caravan for free so now have tow hitch, a frame/chassis and lights.
Just need to strengthen it, chop off the old suspensions and make up a subframe for the twin axles.
Might make a small box trailer with the suspension from the van and sell it to recoup some of my expenses.
[Edited on 31/8/04 by ewanspence]
Ewan.
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hortimech
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| posted on 31/8/04 at 06:28 PM |
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er, how where you thinking of operating the brakes and how about making them not operate when going in reverse ( a requirement of the law now , I
believe)
Why does everything happen to me
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ewanspence
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| posted on 31/8/04 at 08:42 PM |
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If we can build a car from a pile of steel and an old sierra I am sure a simple problem like that can be overcome. But thanks for bringing this to my
attention, I tried to dig out info about the law but couldn't find any.
A simple solenoid pushing over a bar to disable the cabled brakes when reverse is selected would do. Or if I use the hydraulic curcuits a simple
electronic valve to stop the hydraulics being activated maybe?
Ewan.
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hortimech
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| posted on 31/8/04 at 09:46 PM |
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how old is the caravan you got given? if it has got plastic windows it is probably fitted with an alko chassis and you should have all you need there
to make a single axled trailer. if you need two axles get another caravan, conecting up the cable brakes should be easy. caravan brakes work on the
overrun principal, as you brake, the caravan tries to push you, this pulls the brake cables, applying the brakes on the caravan. when you go backwards
the brakes are applied but the reverse rotation of the drums applies pressure to the rear brake shoe which is allowed to collapse and pivot out of way
and the brakes do not work!
Also if you use caravan axles etc, they will come with required tags saying what load you can carry, this should keep plod happy. one other thing do
not use car tyres on the trailer, they will not stand the weight, use 6 - 8 ply tyres.
Why does everything happen to me
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wilkingj
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| posted on 1/9/04 at 06:00 AM |
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you could always source a twin axle caravan for your twin axle Trailer 
Best Regards
Geoff
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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ewanspence
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| posted on 1/9/04 at 06:55 AM |
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Thanks for all the ideas.
Is the axle weight marking a MUST HAVE or just a nice to have. Can I get a list of requirements somewhere? DVLA or Police.
A 4 wheels caravan would be nice to have but not sure I would get 1 for the same price I got this 14 foot 2 wheeler FREE!! and would the weight rating
of a 4 wheeled caravan be enough for a car and trailer weight. I guess a caravan will be around 600-700kg so each axle will only be around 350kg.
I want the trailer to be able to take upto approx 1 ton of car. Would the suspension on a pair of axles from a 2 wheeled caravan be enough for a 1 ton
car plus 500kg trailer? I would guess they would be arond 500kg per axle if I got a big caravan.
The beauty of using coil springs is that I can uprate them if I need to for a little expence. I am planning on using a set of new sport springs from a
Honda Prelude I have aquired so long as the rest of the trailer is able to take the weight. The sring rating looks about right (can't remember
what they are off hand).
Ewan.
Visit the MegaGrip site :-
http://www.geocities.com/ewanspence/
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hortimech
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| posted on 1/9/04 at 11:57 AM |
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an average caravan weighs approx 1300 -1400 kgs total pulled weight. other thing is, what are you going to pull the trailer with. it must weigh more
than the trailer and load and you must not exceed the train weight.
Why does everything happen to me
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ewanspence
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| posted on 1/9/04 at 01:22 PM |
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I am towing it with a c class merc and the spec'd weight is 1675kg. so I want the trailor to weight around 500-600kg max to leave me 1 ton for a
car.
I am amazed a caravan is sooooo heavy.
thanks
Ewan.
Visit the MegaGrip site :-
http://www.geocities.com/ewanspence/
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hortimech
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| posted on 1/9/04 at 06:12 PM |
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its not the caravan, its the cooker,fridge,heater, shower, water heater, kitchen sink etc
Why does everything happen to me
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