VEHICLES, CAMPERS, and BOATS > Build Threads

Equipment Trailer Build

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Bear9350:
I picked up a 16 ft "car hauler" a couple years ago when we were remodeling the house.  At that time I really just needed something to get 20 ft lumber and loads of other building materials the 10 mile round trip from the store.  With that project done I am wanting something that I can safely trailer equipment/ vehicles down the highway. 

The trailer I purchased is not up to that challenge.  It is obviously a home-made trailer.  The axles are re-purposed mobile home axles, coupler is not heavy enough, overall build quality of the trailer is not great and some areas would need re-enforcing.  I had previously purchased a set of take-off camper axles rated for 4500 lbs each I think.  The plan was to install these under the current trailer and fix it up some to make it work.  The more I evaluated the trailer, the hours of work and amount of material required the less ideal the situation became.  Coupled with the fact even after re-working the trailer it would still have some drawbacks I decided to change route. 

I will re-use the camper axles I picked up and build a new trailer around them.  I have modeled everything up in CAD beforehand to get the most of my materials and reduce the amount of had scratching time during the build.  The plan is to build a 16 ft equipment type trailer with a 30" dovetail.  The main frame and tongue will be 5" channel with 3" channel cross-members on 19.2" centers.  19.2" centers comes out on 8'. 

Bear9350:
This morning I ordered my steel material list:

65' of 5" channel for main frame and tongue
100' of 3" channel for cross members
45' of 2" x 3/16" angle for tying down decking and other various things
40' of 2" x 1/4" angle for ramp material
20' of 2-1/2" angle to create ramp storage
20' of 2-1/2" x 1/4" flat for a rub rail
8' of 6" x 1/4" flat for a rear bumper

Total for steel should be under $600.

They have some of this coming in on a truck tomorrow so I should be able to pick it up Friday.

I also ordered some other components.

New axle hanging brackets and supporting hardware
Adjustable 2-5/16" coupler
3" channel for attaching coupler
5,000 lb jack
Brake lights
Clearance lights
Steel stake pockets
New tires, valve stems and lug nuts

All these material will start showing up the end of this week through the beginning of next week.

I had picked up 4 older 15" wheels earlier for cheap that I plan to sandblast and paint to mount the new tires on.

Decking material will be picked up when the trailer is ready for it to be installed.

All in I expect to be right about $1500 for materials for the build including axles, wheels, tires and decking.

Nate:
why 15" instead of 16"...?  if I remember correctly, there is only one manufacture that makes 15" load range E tires and they want an arm and a leg for 1?

stlaser:

--- Quote from: nmeyer414 on April 05, 2017, 02:01:18 PM ---why 15" instead of 16"...?  if I remember correctly, there is only one manufacture that makes 15" load range E tires and they want an arm and a leg for 1?

--- End quote ---

Correct, real trailer don't run 15" tires.....

Bear9350:
15" load E is common with plenty of options.  I actually probably could have went a little cheaper and got away with D tires.  The tire ratings on the D in this size would be right at the top end of what the axles are rated for.  But it really wasn't that much more to bump up to the E and play it safe.

Plenty of the bigger trailer manufacturers are specing 15" wheels with there 10,000 lb trailers.

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