Trailer got stolen, so decided to build one

[drizler]

You don't need to be certified to weld a trailer together! That's just a piece of paper. As long as you have penertration on both pieces of metal to be welded.

Ditto, just do it right and check it occasionally and you will be fine.

 

[jack707]

Yup pick the right rod and set the machine right to get the right heat

 

[Deere Dude]

Most people I know that build those sort of things over-engineer them by adding more braces, more steel and more weld than a manufacturer. Home built trailers are usually built like tanks.

 

[Renze]

People often worry that they might be endangered by something built by people at the same level of competence as theirs... Its just that the incompetent cant judge someone elses competence.

The worlds biggest disasters were caused by people who concidered themself as competent: those brave enough to ask for others opinion usually spare themself from catastrophic failure.

 

[BWSwede]

In the past 3 years I have seen the result of two home built trailers that failed parked on the shoulder of a mountain highway I frequent. Both were goosenecks and both folded and drug their bellies. The first was hauling hay, I don't know what the second was hauling as it had been unloaded.
Most construction failures come from faulty construction or user error, not from professionally engineered designs.
Why put innocent people at risk to possibly save a few hundred bucks.
"Usually like tanks" or "usually save themselves from failure" is not good enough for me.
BWSwede

 

[Renze]

Most construction failures come from faulty construction or user error, not from professionally engineered designs.

If you had spent some time in professional engineering, you wouldnt be so certain that the latter excludes the first !

 

[lostcause]

I'm all for diy projects, but not those built by others that could kill me. Trailers need to be built using engineered plans and welded by certified welders (or somebody that good). Winging something that can carry 6000 pounds at 60 mph is incredibly reckless.
Seeing comments about using 5" channel instead of 3" without any mention of the web thickness shows me how much is missing from this discussion.
Please keep this trailer on your property.
BWSwede

Actually, I'd say very little is missing by ignoring web thickness. I can't imagine why you would want any standard channel other than the lightest section.

If a C3x4.1 isn't enough, go to a C4x5.4 rather than a C3x5 or C3x6.
If a C4x5.4 isn't enough, go to a C5x6.7 rather than a C4x7.25.
If a C5x6.7 isn't enough, go to a C6x8.2 rather than a C5x9.

Assuming you have no depth restrictions - which you are unlikely to see on a trailer - I'll always bump up to the next depth instead of going thicker. The lightest section is still going to be more than adequate for thickness, and usually lighter, and therefore cheaper. Less weight means more remaining carrying capacity and more remaining cash.