DIY trailer build questions

[bogan]

I'm thinking of building a single axle braked trailer. Is it a good idea, or possible, to get the hubs/brakes/suspension etc from a car/ute/van?

[Ocean1]

Yes. The usual method is to use rear leaf springs and the front axles/hubs from the same car welded to a fabricated live axle beam. But given that nowadays it's verboten to weld any suspension components if you want to go thay way you should instead cut everything from inboard of the brake mount flange on the axle and then bolt the axles to a flange on the fabricated beam. Camber and toe-in should be built into the beam flanges. I've used CF bedford leaf springs, (for boat trailers) because there's just the one per side, no rust build-up in multiple leafs.


Other suspension configurations lend themselves to trailer donation, and I'm a fan of torsion bars, they just perform better than live axles on leafs. I've built light trailers around rubber mini rear ends to good effect, VW rear torsion bars, and Chrisler torsion bars also.

Why braked, is going to be heavyish?

[AllanB]

Unless it is super heavy duty (if so consider twin axle) I'd flag car components as they are heavy. U can buy trailer stub axles, leaf springs of different ratings etc from various outlets (there is a couple of trailer specific stores in CHCH and even Super Cheap sell the above). A very easy way would be to get a price from Briford for a axle/stub/spring combo then build your trailer around them.

Also parts here:

http://www.trojan.co.nz/index.php

[carburator]

Donor axles from a car/ute are a pain in the ass.

Its not vertabotem to weld axles / hubs however its a huge difference between someone with a home handy man welder
and comerial units and skill level.

Trojan componets are good.
have a good search on trademe.
TWL stock parts repco / super cheap.

better to list what you are going to use the trailer for first and then spec the build according to that.
size and weight you are going to haul

the other thing ok maybe for you not so great but trailer hire where i am is cheap so hassles
of storage or rego or wof for the amount i use one.

[Ocean1]

Its not vertabotem to weld axles / hubs however its a huge difference between someone with a home handy man welder
and comerial units and skill level.

I stand corrected. I was told that it was not permited to do anything to an existing suspension component that might compromise it's heat properties. Quite reasonable, I thought, given that even a professionsl welder knows nothing about the material in question, it's treatment schedule or temper.

Donor axles from a car/ute are a pain in the ass.
Trojan componets are good.
have a good search on trademe.
TWL stock parts repco / super cheap.

I built my current one with Duratorques, hard to beat.

But perhaps the gentleman can't afford them, in which case there's nothing wrong with doing it the way half the trailers on the road have been done.

[pete376403]

Some of the small front wheel drive jap cars have beam rear axles, so you get the full set (wheels, brakes, suspension etc) in one hit (ie from pick-a-part ) but as previously noted, it depends on what you're going to be carrying, and work from there.

[FJRider]

Find a trailer with dead rego (or on hold) that has the axles/brakes already fitted. A few still about and available. Troll through trade me ... a few tandem horse floats etc that would supply enough good bits to get what you require.

[bogan]

Plan is to build a 3 bike covered trailer, partially cos it would be handy for bike transport, but primarily to store a few bikes in so I have shed space for other projects.

Yes. The usual method is to use rear leaf springs and the front axles/hubs from the same car welded to a fabricated live axle beam. But given that nowadays it's verboten to weld any suspension components if you want to go thay way you should instead cut everything from inboard of the brake mount flange on the axle and then bolt the axles to a flange on the fabricated beam. Camber and toe-in should be built into the beam flanges. I've used CF bedford leaf springs, (for boat trailers) because there's just the one per side, no rust build-up in multiple leafs.


Other suspension configurations lend themselves to trailer donation, and I'm a fan of torsion bars, they just perform better than live axles on leafs. I've built light trailers around rubber mini rear ends to good effect, VW rear torsion bars, and Chrisler torsion bars also.

Why braked, is going to be heavyish?

Towing capacity of my van is 600kg unbraked, or 1000kg braked. So no need for tandem axle, but unless I can do a covered trailer for around 200kg, it'll need to be braked.

I do like the torsion bar idea, and if I can find some from a van like mine it'll share wheels and be a source of spare parts.

I built my current one with Duratorques, hard to beat.

But perhaps the gentleman can't afford them

What sort of ballpark are we talking?

[Ocean1]

What sort of ballpark are we talking?

Can't remember dude. Certainly over a grand for duratorques, hubs, coupling etc.

See here: http://www.trojan.co.nz/index.php

Call W R Twigg or TWL for prices.

PS: you can get the hubs drilled to suit a fairly wide range of stud patterns.

PPS: buying an existing rig is a good idea, even if you end up rebuilding it.

[ducatilover]

Peel the arse end out of a Falcon wagon

[jasonu]

Tandem axle trailers are WAAAAAAAYYYYYY nicer to tow. No porpousing (sp?) and a hell of a lot less shimmeing(sp?) and a lot less nerve racking if you ever want to put more weight on it. Well worth the extra weight the extra axle adds.