trailer material

[frwinks]

so draggin' four big tires with the fronty isn't exactly easy on gas, so it's time to fab up a small trailer before I break my DD or go broke payin' for gas :beatup: ..just big enough to fit the zook :)
3500 brake'ed axle, 6.5'x12' frame, rolling on 15's or 16's..
my question is re. the material for the frame :roll: I was thinking 2"x4" all the way around :roll: what thickness would be ideal, without making it too heavy :question:
also, any restrictions/guidelines available from MTO I should know before I build it and get it pulled off the rd first time I'm towing it :D :D

here's a rough sketch of the frame I'm thinkin' about... I'm thinking a bit overkill, but whaddaya think :bringiton

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/frwinks/trailer.bmp

[Mudball]

You can save a lot of weight in the design, by using stronger/heavier material, but far less of it.

Do you have any other drawings of potential designs?

[zc911]

what are you gonna tow it with? it;s gonna be more weight you are pulling behing you and more tounge weight.

OH i would do double axle, alot more stable

[MuddMachine]

what are you gonna tow it with? it;s gonna be more weight you are pulling behing you and more tounge weight.

OH i would do double axle, alot more stable

What he said.

Now taking all that into consideration, a car dolly is much easier on your truck than flat towing or a trailer. 1 axle, minimal weight and you can use brakes on the dolly to help you stop. Food fer thought.

;)

[screech]

Princess Auto sells plans for trailers

[Fullload]

Don't waste your time with a trailer. You think your nissan is eating fuel now!. wait till you add another 1000lbs behind it.
I'll let you take my trailer for a boot when the snow leaves. Put a zook stock zook on it and see. ( about the same as your planned trailer and built zook.)


My suggestion would be to somehow get out of the fronty, and buy something that will tow everything with ease, or keep flat towing till you can afford a new truck.


My 2002 dodge dakota 4door with the 4.7 V-8. ( Gasser)

when my truck is empty at 120kph gets me about 425-450kms per 80 ish liters of fuel
At 100kph with full trailer and camping gear will do 450kms per 80 liters of fuel up hill to sudbury.
At 110kph about 350-375 kms.

At 120 kph it will 250 kms per tank towing the trailer and zook. I did not even make it to Kaladar without having to fill it!!!

It is fantastic having a trailer but your P/U will not cut it no matter how light you make it. My dodge does it. i would not say it is the easiest on it but with a carefull right foot and patience it does ok and will hold any hill at 80-90 kph but anything over 100 and it just sucks back the gas and i hate seeing V-8's at 4500 rpm's for any lenght of time.

I flat towed for two years and had no problems, and just cause you think your zook is off the road and on the trailer does not make it anybit easier on the vehicle towing it. The only disadvantage is that your zook on a bar will not help with stopping as a trailer with brakes will.

[frwinks]

already have acces to a dolly, but that still leaves two 32" on the pavement :(
single axle will be plenty for my truck IMHO..not going to be towing anything else with it...with 15 or 16's there should be very minimal rolling resistance (even if I'm adding another 600lbs on the tounge, @ least it'll roll much much better) The fronty can pull the wt. that's not an issue, the drag caused by 4 32" MTR's, tight brakes, locker, etc is ;)

here's a drawing using heavier material, but less of it...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/frwinks/trailer1.bmp

edit to add:

good info Full ;)


Looks like I'll be getting around 350km out of 70L (flattow) that's going up and down and up at down on airport rd at around 80... the 410 was much better on the truck (ran at around 2100rpm, which would yield some pretty decent milage)
now with the zook on a trailer if I can squeeze another 50-60km out of a tank I'll be happy...if not I can always use to haul my bikes around :D and rent a spot on yer trailer :thefinger :D

[Fullload]

even if I'm adding another 600lbs on the tounge,
]


Your tecnically allowed to have 600lbs on the tongue as it will be over you amount of the hitch itself.
I know you used that as an example but just letting you know, and if you do only have one axle it will more than likely be more than that. Even if you position your zook 50% in front and 50% behind the trailer axel your still way over your allowd tongue.
In order to get the afformentioned 60% in front of the axel and 40% behind you will have to back the zook on ( say goodbye to the soft top) or park the zook way way back ( like i do) on the trailer.

[TheSarg]

get out of the fronty

Muuaahhhhh! yeah rite

[vanbdan]

already have acces to a dolly, but that still leaves two 32" on the pavement

Why not put some cheap tires on for hauling?One set of 235's used should last a life time for towing.
Oh ya if you want a good tow vehicle get a fullsize van.Nothing in the world better than a fullsize van-bring all your stuff with ya,everything stays dry,out of site,and ya can sleep in it too.


van :hubba:

[Fullload]

Muuaahhhhh! yeah rite


I don't know how to take that comment? elaborate a little more please.

[Depot]

Trailers are a luxury and as such there is a price to pay.

Cons : more weight to pull
more fuel being used (debatable)
more expense and maintenance
puts a lot of weight on the back of ur tow rig.. may need to beef up suspension

Pro's : always get ur truck home
more control while driving..
trailer asisted brakes - saves ur tow rig and is 1000X safer.
many other uses

All that being said... DONT waste ur time and money with a single axel. either go dual or fergit about it. With that kinda weight and highway speeds, a single will work but they aint pretty. Duals are much more stable and safer and easier to drive.

btw, 3500 lbs axel... trailer will come on close to 1000, that leaves 2500 pounds for ur zuk and crap.... I think with a single axel design, even if u stay under ur total limit. it'll be a heat score for MTO if u can keep it from bouncing.

Finally with dual axels, u have more flexibility in loading ur trailer for distributing weight. Very tricky to do on single axel jobbies.

my 2 cents

gl

D

[Canadian_zuk]

A good car dolly will only add 90# to your hitch. They can come with brakes and turn and handle as easily as a trailer. And unless you lose yer rear axle, it'll still get ya home. Much better than flat towing, and they don't take up as much space.

[frwinks]

duals it is :D :D :D 6.5'x12' should be a sweet little trailer to haul around.. plus I think I can re-use the stock wheels from the sammi :roll: 5x51/2 right??
like I said..the fronty can pull the wt..and I barely ever take it over a buck (even when not towing) so there should be no problems there..just looking to get those 32's (fer now) off the ground :D

:rofl: Sarge :D :D I'll stuff an lt1 in that mofo before I give it up :rofl: :bringiton

[zc911]

you can probably get away with 2x3 for the frame, since it will be so short.
Use some 1.5x1.5 for a railing if you want. It will help strengthen it up too
Get a pair of 3500lb axles from PA, brakes on one (or two if you have the cash)
Use some 3inch C channel for the tounge.
It would be a tough, stout little trailer

[TheSarg]

Just cause i know he loves his Fonty just as much as he loves his Zook, FullLoad kinda like me givin up my er left nut er somethin.

[Mudball]

I have a couple of trailer designs that I was going to build.. but it would be just as easy to build one hell of a deluxe car dolly. I'm thinking of building a car dolly with a large box (obviously chromed diamond plate steel :D) on the tounge, and the dolly behind it.

Then i'll just use my useless 235/70 tires as the rear wheels on my sammi for towing, saving my 33's ;)

[MuddMachine]

Depot.... right you are. MTO will be all over one axle, shitty for swaying too.

I say dolly with a Fronty. Like a few of us stated, they have brakes. Stu used to pull a v8 cj on 38's with his 4runner and he hated it. Someone lent him a dolly for a weekend and he said the difference was :D :D :D

A double axle trailer will kill your Fronty, you'll see ;)

[Depot]

to give u an idea. y 24 foot trailer is made of 2X6 square 1/8 wall. 4 main runs with 4 crosses plus A for front. U really dont need all that much steel when using square.

i think for ur uses, 2X3 1/8 wall will be more than enough. Do a flat deck design with open center.. makes working on ur rig a breeze at camp.

U can always come down to my pad to check out my 24 footer if u want some ideas.

oh yah, make both axels braking. The extra coin aint that much (I think $65 per backing plate) but the difference it makes in performance and logevity is amazing.

gl

D

[DannyL]

FORGET SINGLE AXLE IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :shame:

[frwinks]

U can always come down to my pad to check out my 24 footer



I don't play on that team mang :thefinger :D :D :D :D


I'm going to get some pricing on material tomoree :pray: hopefully I'll go ahead with the project :pray:

[zc911]

if you want to wait till some snow melts and i can get my trailer out lol
You can try pulling that. It;s about as light as a double axle car trailer can get without going to Aluminum
I think you are going to be dissapointed in the performance of the truck trying to pull a sammy on a double axle car trailer :(

[Depot]

I think you are going to be dissapointed in the performance of the truck trying to pull a sammy on a double axle car trailer :(

Ur right that performance will suck cause now ur pulling more weight and tongue wieght is up there, but on the same hand, braking and handling will be much improved... i.e. no more hacing to get someone in the zuk to trun the wheels when trying to back it in a driveway! :roll:

D

[zc911]

i agree that nothing beats a full car trailer, but if you want to pull one you need the right truck.
the smallest i would want to use is a dakota.
Everyone seems to think a sammy is as light as a feather, but start adding a roll cage, lift, toy axles, 33 or bigger tires, and the fact that it;s as areodynamic as a brick, and it defintaly can be felt back there.

[Fullload]

i agree that nothing beats a full car trailer, but if you want to pull one you need the right truck.
the smallest i would want to use is a dakota.
Everyone seems to think a sammy is as light as a feather, but start adding a roll cage, lift, toy axles, 33 or bigger tires, and the fact that it;s as areodynamic as a brick, and it defintaly can be felt back there.


I also fully agree. Just make sure that you have a nice big tranny cooler!!