Thread: Enclosed Trailer design

very nice and neat maybe next time around i might enclose mine looks like a top job done there

Had a busy day today, started at 8.30 and finished at 5.00, I think we did pretty well and the chassis is almost finished. Just need to weld on the side rails, hook up the brake cable and attach the couple at the front.
Now I need to work out how many lights I need and source them. Also work out what type of flooring to put down.

Concrete form ply and use wingtek screws to fix to chassis. Use Sikaflex sealant (not the construction adhesive) and bead it on all steal edges and joints between sheets. You can get colours to suit the coating on the ply if your fussy about the appearance. Just make sure that you have done all your penetrations / profiling before you do a final fix of the ply because once the Sikaflex has cured, you will almost certainly wreck the ply if you try to remove it......

What size steel did you end up going with for the chassis and draw bar?

Oh no...
You didn't...

I can see paint... tell me that's not a weld accross the drawbar where it comes out from under the front cross rail...

Originally Posted by Yonnee

Oh no...
You didn't...

I can see paint... tell me that's not a weld accross the drawbar where it comes out from under the front cross rail...

Yonnee I know what your saying but in this case I think total rigidity of the frame is a must
one the construction type of material for the body,
two its cargo.

Having seen buses and coaches and damage done when chassis are welded which allows flex and also doesn't allow flex it can be a buys nightmare and manufactures also.

I just hope he has suspension towbar.

If requested to build this I would have opted and pushed the customer for an air suspension system due to nature of the cargo..

The chassis is 70x50x2mm and the draw bar is 100x50x3mm.

Originally Posted by Rat1314

What size steel did you end up going with for the chassis and draw bar?

I did, what's the problem with welding across the draw bar?
As I stated in my first post that this is my first time building a trailer.

Please explain!

Originally Posted by Yonnee

Oh no...
You didn't...

I can see paint... tell me that's not a weld accross the drawbar where it comes out from under the front cross rail...

Originally Posted by Avitus

Wow, thanks for the photos and that's an awesome looking trailer. You are certainly right about the price, its really expensive.
I have changed my mind again and have decide to use 50mm Bondor panels for the enclosure. I can get all the panels for $1540.

What is bondor ?

I got a qutoe this week from these guys to build me a trailer box 3 m x 1.8 x 2 in a sort of L shape. Quote was about $8k ready to drop onto a chassis and fit doors etc. This is the fiberglass skin styrofoam core panels they make redrigderated truck bodies from. Not cheap but another data point for you. I found them good to deal with, so far


StyroMAX
Fibreglass Insulated Panels
35 Pradella St, Darra QLD 4076
Phone: + 61 7 3375 5993
Fax: + 61 7 3375 5990
Mob: 0409 127 134
Email: mailto:[email protected]
Website: http://www.styromax.com.au

Originally Posted by Avitus

I did, what's the problem with welding across the draw bar?
As I stated in my first post that this is my first time building a trailer.

Please explain!

Over time the weld weakens and cracks the tube many weld along the drawbar underside not along the front these days. I will say I have seen it tare there also.

Originally Posted by damian

What is bondor ?

Bondor is a particular brand name for what is known as 'EPS panel'. It is probably more commonly known as 'coldroom' panel. It is a panel made of polystyrene foam sandwiched between two sheets of painted sheet metal. Each panel has a folded male and female edge to help them fit together for a neat join. Aluminium angle and/or channel is usually used (top and bottom) to hold them together . . . depending on the situation of course.

At the risk of getting off track a bit . . . I think there's a name for calling something by its brand name? For example . . . Bondor panel instead of EPS panel, Hoover the carpet instead of vacuuming, Gyprock instead of plasterboard

cheers

Thanks, got it.

One of the criteria the boss has laid down is minimising steel, so that stuff was out. The company I quoted above uses fiberglass skins instead of aluminium or colourbond.

Have you watched ebay ? there are a lot of trailers similar to what your proposing that come up from time to time and the prices are not unreasonable.

Good luck with the build.

I'm building this trailer on a $5k budget and I have never found anything like this for $5K.
Picked up the formply sheets and cable today so I can start the flooring and wiring this weekend. Got the 2400 x1200 sheet from bunnings for $47 ea.
The EPS panels are on order which cost me $1540, so far im on budget.

Picked up all the EPS panels, C channel, 70 x40 angle and 40 x 40 angle yesterday. The 70x40 will be for the external joints and 40x40 will be for the internal joints. I've a attached some pictures from today's effort. The EPS panels are fairly easy to cut with a circular saw.