Aluminium Trailer Build Tandem Axle (On a budget)

[gazza2006au]

Cat im likely to keep the Etec because of funds i can just chip a bit away at a time, in using the engine thats 174kg hanging off the transom on a 850kg hull i think it should be ok

Weldi g starts tomorrow guys going to tig weld the spring hangers to the plate

[gazza2006au]

I'm going to buy new axles, hubs,bearings brakes and disc's my left over budget only allows me to buy a complete braked axle but it should get my trailer as a roller, if i go galvanized and need to weld the brake mount pads can i use tectyl with lanolin to stop the rust on the welds will it effect the galvanize later on? will need it for all my steel parts on the trailer too untill i can get a bit more coin to galvanized the steel parts in a few weeks if its ready to do so

the second axle assembly should come in soon as its only a basic roller axle and is cheap, i should have a complete trailer in pieces once i buy the braked axle and get that out of the way, the trailer bolts are coming in on monday as mentioned my mate is picking those up from hes work he told me 50 bolts 8.8 grade with washers and nut retails $160 got them for $18 bargain...

if my disc allow it i will reuse my old 4 wheels off the old trailer i had bought an additional 2x nine by six wheels for my other boat i had sold the tires are no good but i will chuck those wheels on the old trailer to flog it off instead of cutting it up and binning the whole trailer

pretty much have it sorted so far

[scottar]

Another option. Never used it personally but was talking to the boiley's at work about doing gal steel

https://www.weldingsupply.com.au/pro...g#.W-7Lj_ZuKUk

[gazza2006au]

Never seen anything like it before Scottar thanks for posting this, How do u apply it just by rubbing it on? or does it need heat or something?

[scottar]

Never used it Gazza but I assume you heat the steel and then melt the stick onto it - bit like solder

[Dignity]

Great stuff, clean the work surface so it's nice and shiny otherwise it'll not stick properly, and yes you need heat, after all it is nearly pure zinc.

[gazza2006au]

Do u guys think i would be better off going single axle 1600kg or possibly 2000kg for better balance? i can find the 1600kg stub axles to make my own axle but i can't find a suitable steel axle piece for the 2000kg stubs

Scottar got me thinking about the balance and what if i build the trailer and i am way off i am stuck with it as it sits

[Gon Fishun]

Do u guys think i would be better off going single axle 1600kg or possibly 2000kg for better balance? i can find the 1600kg stub axles to make my own axle but i can't find a suitable steel axle piece for the 2000kg stubs

Scottar got me thinking about the balance and what if i build the trailer and i am way off i am stuck with it as it sits

As the others have said ,go the load sharing rocker springs. You're going this far , don't skimp on what might prove fatal.

[Dignity]

Build a cradle, your overall height will increase but better off.

[gazza2006au]

Gon not sure how i would bridge the gap with my cross member in the middle of the springs

How would i go about that Dig?

[Dignity]

Because you are putting your cross members below the frames, normally they would be bent and welded to the insides, you will need to make it so your frame stands off the depth of your cross members, hence the increase in overall height.

[gazza2006au]

Dig this is the only way i could possibly do it mate as my cross members edge is cut at 45 degrees i can possible stick a spring hanging rocker thing in the middle but it will need some thought

i just went out and rolled around on the grass with the torch i have limited funds now because i have bought almost everything for the trailer build, my alloy frame measures 1540mm wide and my old trailer axles measure from outside of the wheel to outside of the wheel 2200mm that leaves me with 330mm between my outside alloy rails and the outside of my wheels my wheels are cheese cutters only 150mm wide do u think that big gap on the inside of my wheels or my stretched in width mud guards will look real dicky or cause some concern for the blue slip inspector mechanic?

basically there will be 180mm between the inside of each wheel to the outside of my alloy rails, maybe if i close the inside of the mud guard the mechanic wont see the gap lol

[ranmar850]

As others have said, you really are better off having the spring hangers, whether they be single or dual, welded to a heavy piece of angle, which is then u-bolted to the trailer frame. This will give you a degree of adjustablity, loosen the u-bolts and slide the frame back or forwards,and you often only have to move the axle location a little to change the balance significantly. I've seen this done with commercially produced ali trailers, IIRC.

[gazza2006au]

Trying to figure out how i can make a rocker arm holder that will sit inside my cross member and bolt down using the same bolts the cross member is held in place with this should keep the same axle height

[ranmar850]

Another thing--you are talking about maybe going 1600kg single axle, just be sure it will be big enough loaded. Remember, that includes the weight of the trailer ( which is the only real reason for going ali, particularly on the bigger rigs) I know you have quoted 850kg hull and 174kg of motor, but add batteries, rigging fuel, all your normal gear, and the trailer, and you don't have a lot to spare. Then load it up to go away, as we do. The old" nah, that doesn't weigh much" can be very misleading. I did the exercise once, weighed every single thing I packed, none of it was "heavy", no extra fuel or water, and added total came up 350 +KG! And an overloaded Swiftcraft Dominator on an 1800KG trailer. I had uprated that trailer, single axle 1400kg which came under the boat, (1550 kg on the weighbridge )to 1800kg tandem with all OEM parts and a new compliance plate.