building a trailer

[2manyrocks]

Lookin' good! There's a lot of work been done on this one. I only had to built a set of ramps, and they took about four days of hard work.

 

[Gizmo36]

It want be as long as it has been.

 

[MrJimi]

Looking real good, what kind of paint did you use and what pressure did you spray it, I used rustOleum and about 20 PSI at the gun on mine
see painted mine here all I did was a repaint and I only painted what shows, yes, I cheated Shh

 

[sandman2234]

Loading a trailer with a heavy load such as a tractor can be very stressful to a trailer. There are several ways to relieve some of that stress. I like to back it into a ditch so the dovetail is sitting on the bank on the other side of the ditch, but anyway of supporting the rear of the trailer will work. Even cutting a block to stick under the rear of the trailer at each ramp will help. I mounted tongue jacks on each side for a friends trailer. Blocks are often built into the ramps. As far as driving down the road, us the chains to create a strongback with the load as part of it. Pulling forward and backwards does have advantages. Or if that doesn't make sense, pull from the rear of the trailer to the top rear of the tractor and from the front of the tractor to the front of the trailer. As long as the chains are tight, your going to help the trailer as long as you don't pull the bolts out of the middle of your tractor.
David from jax

 

[Gizmo36]

I just use oil based enamel from TSC .I spray with 35 psi at the gun.

sandman I am going to put block on the ramps or tongue jacks on . I have not made my mine up yet.

 

[mudcat]

I kinda think Eddie is right about the need for side rails to strenghten up the bed. You only have those outside two, full lenght rails for support. I would suggest you watch the rear third of the frame when you load it for the first time with something heavy and decide if the "flex" looks acceptable to you. Remember, if there is weight on the rear and you are bouncing down the road or over railroad tracks, it might really stress that rear section. The front section has some advantage, because of the tongue support. I build a 20 foot long trailer similiar to yours and it was flatbed,also. I used five full lenght tubular sections the full lenght with two 6000 lbs. axles. I felt I even got some flex during big bumps on our highways.

Did you look at it or just jump on the Eddie band wagon? That trailer is built stronger than most euipment on the market! Great job Gizmo!

 

[CATMAN]

Mudcat; I did look at it before replying. My first thought was how similiar it was to the one I built in 1992. The outside perimeter rails look like to be 2"x4" tubular steel. My guess is that it is 1/4" thick. That's is what I used on mine also, but I had three additional 1.5" x 2.5" tubular steel(3/16" thick) running the entire 20' lenght also. The bed was covered with 1 1/8" marine grade plywood countersunk even with outside rails. This allowed for pallets to be loaded from the side. I felt I could share my experiences with Gizmo36. My loads may have been heavier than what this poster plans on hauling. I did read the entire post and viewed photos in each reply, Eddie just happened to have the same thought as I did during my reading/viewing.

I think we can all agree that Gizmo36 is doing a great job.​

I also feel that most would agree that when one "boxes" in a trailer, it adds a lot strenght. Around here, the lower cost car trailers, use 3/8" angle iron for there outside rails and they also "box" in the trailer with side rails because that is how it gets the necessary strenght. My Snap-on dealers' son, purchased one of these $1295 car trailer specials years ago, he told me that they had problems with it until they welded trianglar gussets at all the corners and some of the joints then it was fine after that repair.[These last two sentences are in no way a reflection of the trailer in this post.]

 

[mudcat]

I thought it looked like 4" C-channel. I guess I need a smiley with a foot in its mouth. No denying it would be just short of a tank, if it was boxed in like the front rail.

 

[CATMAN]

Hey mudcat, Maybe Gizmo36 will enlighten us both with the actually tube size. If it is 2"x6", then I am probably "all wet" and there is more strength than I first thought.

Gizmo: I had a different thought about support instead of permanent metal side rails, what about a cable with a turnbuckle up in the lower front corner and triangular support stands over the axles(maybe low and only has high as the fenders with one stand at the front curve of the fender and the other at the rear curve). It would look like a very low pitched roof rafter on each side, but with the "peak" cut off. The advantage is that it could be removeable for side loading. Or forget the cable and use hollow rods with spherical rod ends attached. Use one left-handed thread and one right-hand threaded rod end, then when you rotate the center hollow shaft it loosen or tightens.(just like a big turnbuckle)​

You can take this idea or leave it.

 

[Skyco]

One tip- if you ever build a trailer make the fenders bolt on.
I recently had my car trailer's left fender smacked by an 18 wheeler out of his lane in a 2 lanes turning left situation. The fender was welded on and made replacement of the fender a real chore. He was at fault so it didn't cost me directly but was a huge hassle. He admitted fault to the police then changed his mind later, finally got my check after 6 weeks
Funny thing is I have been wanting to replace both fenders with heavier gauge removeable fenders so that's what I did. Nuts welded behind trailer frame so 4 bolts removed without crawling under trailer and they are off. I've had occassion where getting out of a low car is a problem since the fenders can block the doors. Problem solved.