Home built trailer help please

[whizzy]

I have decided to build a trailer that I can use for both my Westfield and a small formula car(not at the same time). The enclosed area will need to be 14ftX6ft and be about 5ft tall on the inside and have access to the front of the car through a hatch/door. I have looked through the thread that folks outlined what they use to tow their seven. Some had modified existing single axle trailers and enclosed them using steel or wood. While very informative a more detailed exlpanation of construction would be helpfull. I want to enclose the trailer for peace of mind at motels etc and use a single axle design. Would the folks that built there own enclosure or open trailer be willing to share build photos, designs and advice?

Thanks in advance!

Wendell

[slomove]

Not really a build diary but a few pics

 

I used to have drawings but that friggin' Windows7 does not allow me to run the ancient CAD software anymore. I hope it gives you some idea, at least. The plywood shell has the advantage over metal (for me) because it is much easier to cut, glue, screw and repair if anything goes wrong. I considered a very shallow box but decided to go standing height while I am at it. Did not add much weight and now I can sleep in it at the track. There is a hatch on the left hand side but that was not neccessary because there is ample space inside to move around.

The conical nose should help my somewhat anemic tow vehicle (that said, I can tow up to 70 or whatever the legal limit is with the Hyundai and only on mile-long up hills in the desert I had to turn off A/C).

Total empty weight is 1500 pounds. The wheels and axle are rated 3500 pounds.

 

P.S.: I even survived falling from the roof when I painted it....I forgot that a tilt-bed trailer may just do that on its own when not supported.

 

 

Before:

 

 

and after:

 

Edited May 21, 2011 by slomove

[JohnK]

Try http://www.trailerplans.com. this gives a selection of types/configurations, and the step by step plans are done by a PE (an engineer who's certifiied), so what you construct is not likely to fail from some sort of structural weakness.

[WestTexasS2K]

Having built a number of trailers. Both open and closed I can tell you that it is cheaper to buy a factory built trailer than to build your own. I built a 7x12x4 with a lift top on it. It lifted alot like a pickup bed cover. I was trying to keep it low profile to make it easy to pull with a small suv and the customer wanted to be able to put it in his garage with the car in it. It turned out pretty nice I think, but I could have purchased a 7x14 low profile tandem axle bike trailer for about the same price. It wouldn't have fit in his garage but that was about the only requirement that it lacked.

 

Not having learned my lesson I just built a 6.5' x 12' flat bed trailer to haul my Ultralite on. I was wanting something light weight just for the car. I shopped for two days on the net to find a good deal on axle, hitch, lights, jack wheels and tires. The steel supply house is literally two blocks from me where I bought all the metal. I spent two full days building it. I then sanded and epoxy primed and painted the trailer. I had a total of 1250.00 in it and I could have gone down the road and purchased a similiar trailer with a powder coated finish that is just as well built as my trailer for 1280.00. So for 30.00 I savings I spent two days of my valuable time and the 1250.00 doesnt even include welding gas and supplies, sandpaper, primer, and misc items. The trailer that sells for 1280.00 has side rails and a folding removeable ramp gate. I officially state that I will never build another trailer. I dont know how these trailer manufactures keep the doors open.

 

Unless you are just wanting to do it as a project, or have a special style trailer that just isnt available. I would buy a factory trailer and save yourself in the long run.

 

Thats my experience.

Edited May 27, 2011 by WestTexasS2K

[slomove]

I agree, don't build a trailer from scratch to save money. I built the trailer only for 3 reasons: 1) it is almost impossible to find an enclosed trailer in the 1500 pound range and I can not tow more with my car. 2) I had the frame, axle, wheels and brakes already. 3) I like projects

 

I probably would not build another one, too. Bin there done that and took way longer than anticipated.

[Klasik-69]

I was having the same thought as Whizzy. I currently have a 8.5 x 24 enclosed V-nose trailer and its like pulling a billboard behind my truck. I wanted a lightweight, possibly open trailer, that I can tow my R300 to and from the track. The enclosed trailer is nice....air conditioned and fitted with a winch, generator, a lot of tools, and it drains a gas tank on my F150 like it had a hole in it. At 70 mph, 8 to 8.5 mpg.

 

The only trailer I saw that seemed user friendly is the one built by Stalker in Bradenton, Fl for their car. It's a single axle tilt bed trailer but I think it sells for over $3K. I'm thinking of maybe building one like theirs but I'm still looking around.

[jimrankin]

My bussines partners brother used to build several types of commercial trailers, mostly for United Rentals and other fleet renters. Great big OLD Butler buildings in the Valley out past Chico, no heat, no air, blue toilets outside, none of the workers spoke english (or probably had Green Cards) bought wheels/axle/tires/steel in bulk and sprayed everything in a lean-to. Every piece was cut/set in jigs and the whole build from cutting stock, welding and painting was done literally in hours, everybody ran all day. I watched the stock builds when they were making us a custom 20,000LB tilt for a large fork lift and couldn't beleive how quick they went.

Now the shocker.. He eventually closed because he couldn't get his bids down to the competition any longer.

So, if you buy in bulk and figure your time at minimum wage, your probably still too high! LOL.

[blubarisax]

You can always go with a stock trailer and have the fun of customizing it! The Featherlite is not too heavy so I get well over 11 mpg.

 

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac336/blubarisax/IMG00118-20110514-1659.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac336/blubarisax/IMG00119-20110514-1756.jpg

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac336/blubarisax/IMG956676.jpg

[gjslutz]

I did add an enclosure to mine. Total E.W. after brakes were added is 985 LBS.

 

I did build the cage out of 1" sq. tube, I need no inside lights.

 

Gary

[snookwheel]

I was having the same thought as Whizzy. I currently have a 8.5 x 24 enclosed V-nose trailer and its like pulling a billboard behind my truck. I wanted a lightweight, possibly open trailer, that I can tow my R300 to and from the track. The enclosed trailer is nice....air conditioned and fitted with a winch, generator, a lot of tools, and it drains a gas tank on my F150 like it had a hole in it. At 70 mph, 8 to 8.5 mpg.

 

The only trailer I saw that seemed user friendly is the one built by Stalker in Bradenton, Fl for their car. It's a single axle tilt bed trailer but I think it sells for over $3K. I'm thinking of maybe building one like theirs but I'm still looking around.

 

I am in the same boat. 8.5 X 24 trailer and 8.5 mpg. I've started using a Harbor Freight trailer to tow my tires to close events if the weather is good. It can be cost effective for long trips since w have living quarters up front and can stay in the trailer instead of a hotel. I would love to get one of those Stalker type trailers.. Someday.