Build your own trailers

[Markcuda]

That does it, with all the worries, I ain't building a thing, not even a work table.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOOLOLOLLOLOOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOOLOL
Oh Lord, help us all.

 

[DT86]

LOOLOLOLLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLLOLOOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOOLOLLOLOLOL

 

[joshuabardwell]

That does it, with all the worries, I ain't building a thing, not even a work table.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOOLOLOLLOLOOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOOLOL
Oh Lord, help us all.

Do you seriously not see a difference between building a welding table and building a trailer that will carry 10,000 lbs of cargo on a public road at 70 mph? Do you seriously think that someone who has to ask, "What size welder should I buy," is qualified to build said trailer? Nobody here is saying that you can't home-build a trailer. We're saying that you need to be qualified to do so.

 

[mangus580]

A few years ago, I had a friend of mine build me a trailer using these plans - Master Plans Trailer Plans Store - trailer plans, trailer part, trailer hitch part, boat trailer part, Tandem Axle Trailers, utility trailer part, brake controllers, horse trailer part, Gooseneck Trailers, snowmobile trailer part, trailer axle part,

In the end, the cost of materials was probably close to $1500 I think he said. We had done some bartering for the trailer, so I dont really remember. What I will say, is you will NOT go to any box store and buy a trailer that is as heavily built. He built it all with a stick welder and a torch. He cut every piece with a torch, and cleaned his cut up with a grinder. Did a wonderful job on it. I use it all the time for my golf cart, and other random 'pickup truck' type uses, as we only have suburbans. It tows awesome, and is balanced great.

Would I do it again? Not sure... The timing was right. I had a few things I didnt need anymore, he had time on his hands and wanted what I had. it worked out.


Pictures of the build, and the final result can be seen here - Wesley's Photo Gallery :: Trailer Build

 

[Pops15]

Talk to your insurance agent (not the carrier - the agent, and if you don't have one, get one) about what is involved in getting a home-made trailer insured.

That's exactly what I did. I asked my agent what it would cost to add a home made flatbed trailer, 14K GVWR, liability coverage only, not for hire, to my business policy. Agent replied $50 a year. Simple as that. That's how it is in IL. Might be different elsewhere.

Also, in IL a personal, non-business use trailer being towed by a personal, non-business vehicle is automatically covered by the liability policy on the tow vehicle. No so when the tow vehicle is a business vehicle. In that case the trailer would have to be listed on the business policy. In other words, in IL, don't tow your boat with your company truck unless it's listed on the business policy.

 

[joshuabardwell]

In the end, the cost of materials was probably close to $1500 I think he said.

This just goes to show that it's near impossible to buy the materials as cheap as a manufacturer. I paid about $1600 for a new 7,000 lb GVWR, dual-axle, 16' utility trailer. If I had a source for cheap steel, that would be a different story, but you still have to buy the coupler, the axles, etc... It is really, really hard to do better on price than someone who makes hundreds or thousands of trailers a year.

Being "heavily built" isn't really a plus to me. I think that trailers are a case where more is not necessarily better. With a trailer, I want it to be strong enough to carry the GVWR, but any additional weight is just cargo capacity that I don't have. Build a trailer with C-channel instead of angle iron, and put the same 3,500 lb axle under it, and at the end of the day, the C-channel trailer will actually carry less cargo. This is why I think that using professional plans is important when building a trailer--because a professional engineer will have determined the optimum type of stock to use to provide enough strength, without having too much weight.

 

[Gary Fowler]

The one and only time I built a trailer (actually 2 of the same design) was in 1971. I was then a certified structural welder and had a couple years experience welding in heavy construction. I had decided, (actually US Army and my Congressman decided ) that I needed to get out out of the army and go help my hardshipped father on the farm due to his health. We needed some cotton hauling trailers for the farm and a store bought one was $1500 for a 8wide x 40 foot long. We made a deal with a cotton gin to front the money for materials in exchange that we would use their gin for all the cotton. At the time the material cost was $500 per trailer. We bought a Victor torch and bottles, a Lincoln 225 amp tombstone welding machine and a couple hundred pounds of 7018 rods. Next we went shopping for axles, tires and rims. We bought the axle stubs rated for 12 thousand pounds per x 4 and I built the axles out of 2 pieces of 4" channel iron welding together to form a box. All material bought was 4" channel for the axles, 6" channel for the side railing and 2x2 x1/4 angle plus some 1/2" plate for the fifth wheel type front axle (18"x18"x1/2" plate with gussets from cornersback to the axles with identical plate on top with 1.5" steel rod for pin with welded flat washer made from 1/2" plate welded on each end) some 1/8 flat plate for the floor and front panel, expanded metal for the sides and back. I pretty much copied the design of the store bought but beefed it up with a center rail rather than just side rails, heavier angle in the cross bracing and heavier axles. I built the whole thing on two metal sawhorses in about 7 days per trailer with my Dad working as my helper. This was all legal to pull in Louisiana at the time with no brakes, no registration or inspection required for farm trailers. All of them were built the same way back then. I left the farm after about 5 years of use on the trailers and they were never an issue with anything needing repair and we routinely loaded them with up to 10 bales of cotton (1 bale =1200-1500 pounds). The store bought trailers would sag in the middle with that much load but not my homebuilts. The last time I saw them was in 1982 and they were still in service with same tires,10:00x16 x 8 ply. They were easy to find as I welded my initials on each side of both trailers. These turned out to be the best pulling trailers I ever pulled with my truck. Absolutely true tracking and no weaving even at 60 MPH. I was 22 years old and did all the work in design, layout and welding myself. It isnt rocket science if you overbuild it.

Engineering a design is the ability to design it to just meet the specs + a bit of safety margin which is how most manufactured trailers are built. Other than price, overbuilding was the reason we built them them ourselves so they would be likely to break down in the field.

 

[Markcuda]

Do you seriously think that someone who has to ask, "What size welder should I buy," is qualified to build said trailer?

No, he should not even try to use JBweld.))))))))))))))))))

 

[FredH]

In the Trucking industry we have what are called " Super Truckers " . They are the drivers that have seen it all , done it all and know it all . Born with a 20" steering wheel in their hands and 20 years experience , Here is not much different ! The poster (Fabsroman ) asked what size welder for building a trailer , BUT did he say he was going to buy it and go straight out and build a Trailer ? NO !! Did any of you " Smart " Fellows every consider that he may be looking years down the road at possible projects and a trailer being one of them ? Again , apparently " NO " . Just blast him with your rude comments , " No, he should not even try to use JBweld." . Dude , Get a Life !! Some of You Should learn from people like Diamond Pilot or Shield Arc , Vast , Real world experience , but you do not see them bashing people ., do you ?? I do notice that the QUALITY of New Members to this board has certainly taken a downward turn for the worse over the last year or so .:thumbdown:

Fred H.

 

[Markcuda]

Some of You Should learn from people like Diamond Pilot, Real world experience , but you do not see them bashing people ., do you ??

He sure bashes General Motors.LOLOLLOLOLOOLOL
Ok, go spank some other thread.