am looking to build a car trailer for a race car (car will weigh approx 550kg!).

i would like to keep the weight of the trailer below 200kg, will this be possible???.

have sketched out some basics using 50x50x3mm angle iron,and 40x40x3 box section, and the weight for the steel comes in at approx 65kg.


cheers
Ray

You may be able to build a much simpler trailer using steel sheet bent to a top hat shape - someone like Barnshaws steel bending can do this for you. All you need add are some cross members and you're done. It's also very very simple to make a tilting bed using this method (with no hydraulics I might add).
(I know, didn't answer the question at all, devil's advocate and all that).

The steel for this trailer totals 150kg.

The axle, wheels and coupling need to be added on but I'm sure it will still be under 200kg.

Owelly,

How much were the parts for your one?


Andy

Axle £120
Coupling £130
Lectrics/misc £60
Wheels/tyres £20
Steel £165
Galving £100
I think thats everything!

What are you using as a towing car? The reason I ask is that my 1300 Yaris can legally tow up to 900kg, as long as it's a braked trailer.

I towed my car to the SVA on a BIG professional trailer I hired for the day - total weight was probably 800+kg. Managed OK, no struggles, biggest worry was the fact that the trailer was 15cm wider than the car on each side! (and before anyone criticises, it had side markers and lights to indicate its width - as I said, it was a 'professionals' race trailer). A bigger car would have been better, but it was legal and did the job.

The spookiest thing was being being tail-gated continually by a yellow-nosed locost!

David

quote:

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Originally posted by David Jenkins
A bigger car would have been better, but it was legal and did the job.

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I did check that! The trailer plate's gross weight was still within the car's limits (just - by about 25kg ). It was a fine trailer, but it only had 1 pair of wheels, so wasn't intended for heavy cars, even though it was quite a size.

David

I'd show a picture of the car on the trailer, but my ISP is porked (again)

Found it - it's not a clear view, but you can see the general size and appearance:




[Edited on 17/8/06 by David Jenkins]

Ah, fair enough. I didn't realise you could get car trailers with rated weights less than about 1500kg - but then I only looked into it very briefly a couple of years back.

one option that occured to me is to build a trailer and make up all the details on the plate, specifically manufacturer, and for the rest just put ideal figures. Ie, my trailer must be under 750kgs due to an absent E category on my license, so it will be badged up as 745kgs etc.