This weekend, I handled a power supply that weighed 4,500 lbs. Got it loaded on the trailer, moved it home, took some parts out and took it someplace else where it was unloaded. It was also mildly dropped on the trailer by mistake (I would say from height of 2 inches)
To my great satisfaction, the trailer seemed to hold up just fine.
i
WOW! That's a SERIOUS power supply!
Yup, sounds like it passed the test.
Jon
See
I really like the fact that the deck is made of steel, it is much better than wood for this sort of stuff.
Thanks Jon.
i
what kind of steel was that again? what's the url's to your pics?
b.w.
(i've been wanting to build a trailer, and i've been thinking about, or, wondering if it would be ok to use steel decking.
My deck is, I think, 1/8" thick. (with crosswise reinforcement underneath).
I am not really a big expert on trailers, so I cannot offer anything meaningful on deck thickness. It all boils down to how much you want to handle.
i
I took off a few things (600A circuit breaker, DC current shunt, and size 6 contactor) and scrapped the rest.
i
What are you going to do, electrify the doorbell and fix those pesky missionaries? ;-)
Drop tests are good, because sooner rather than later, in the real world, it's gonna happen. Nothing like real world testing with near capacity loads.
Steve
There is a huge advantage to 1) a unibody steel bed 2) thick deck 3) crosswise reinforcement and 4) 2x4 rect. tubing frame welded to it. The result is 6" of mutually reinforcing steel layers.
i
Great answer. I think your trailer came off better with the decking you had on it than it would have with 18 or 20 gauge. I think that would have been seriously dented. You know more than you give yourself credit for. You built it sturdy, and it held up to its first acid test.
Steve
gear, as for magnet power supplies. 240 KW output! Yikes!
Jon
to break it down for scrap.
Jon
Jon, to be honest, I do not understand what sorts of magnets would work with 200V, 1,200A output without melting in a few seconds.
i
It had lathe 1/4" copper bars for conductors, and three large transformers. I did not break it down to that level, myself, I just took out the few pieces I mentioned, and drove it to my acquaintaince scrapper.
i
^^^^^^ I mean large, sorry
iAccording to Ignoramus26519 :
[ ... ]
Try ones wound with copper tubing, with circulating water through the tubing to keep the temperature within reason. :-)
Enjoy, DoN.
Hi all; I'm about to build my own trailer. I found plenty of places on line to order the kits (axles, wheels, hitch, lights, etc.)
Anybody have any last minute reccomendations for sources, places to avoid, last-minute advice?
Harbor Freight would be a good place to avoid.
Use lunette (ring) hitches.
Build for much more capacity than you think is a bare minimum
My axle was, IIRC, Al-Ko Kober
Steel deck has big advantages over wood deck
Use electric brakes
Post your plan online for review prior to building
Take pictures often
i
Buy quality components from a trailer supply house in your area. If you are an experienced weldor, you know what to do. If you're not, get some help to make sure it's gonna hold. Build it in anticipation that you will carry more than you think you will, but never more than capacity. Figure that some moron is going to drop a load on it, and like iggy said, make the decking substantial. He did, and already has had a load drop on it. Good thing he made it strong.
You're putting other people's lives on the line here. Build it right and build it strong. If you're not sure, stop and get help until you are sure. It ain't rocket science, but it's a bit more than quilting.
Steve
Whatcha hauling? 2by4's or a D9 Cat? Northern Tool has a bunch of trailer stuff. You may find a local company that sells wheels, axles, and related parts if you get out the yellow pages. If you are looking for a simple trailer it is pretty hard to build one for what you can buy them for, unless you need a special application, or got a bunch of appropriate metal laying around! Greg
By the way, regarding trailer "kit", I would personally suggest to just buy a new or used trailer that is in good condition and that has a high load rating. I do not think that a "trailer from scratch" or "trailer from kit" is a cost effective project.
In my own case, I had a very nice unibody bed that I started with, so, in retrospect, it was worth it to make my own. The bed made everything very easy due to its extreme rigidity and good design.
But based on this experience, it would not be cost effective to make a trailer from scratch, at best I would end up with a substandard trailer that cost substantially more than its commercial counterpart.
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