Four thumbs what way up for this video. Right to the point, from the ground up. No talking about the rain, or your aunts dog. Just shows what is going to built, then right into the basic parts and materials that go into it. I especially appreciate the parts list as they cime up. And most of all, the prices and source suggestions. Thank you fie this videi
The kit trailer I got from Harbor Freight came with 12 inch wheels and the tires wore out in about 3500 miles. I've also had bearing problems and bent the axle from carrying 1000 pounds of tile. The caravan axle is strong, has better springs, much better bearings and accepts 15 or 16 inch full size rims from old jeeps, intrepids, and caravans. I've owned caravans that had over 250k miles and I've never seen a axle bearing failure. BRAVO FOGOFOX
Thanks for this comment. I took a lot of flack for saying that Chrysler built a good axle. Your comments really reflect what I was trying to get at.... this axle is designed for serious low-maintenance mileage. HF trailers are designed to be very very cheap. That means something in real life....
8:45...there is never "overkill." Make it stronger than you'll need and you'll never need to worry about over stressing it. I love being able to weld. I bought a rowboat last month and if I need to haul it on a trailer I can build my own or modify one I buy. I'm super excited about getting my own welder.
hey! very nice job and i really liked how you took ur time to make things right from the start. i have been a welder/fabricator since '76 and ur work is very good and well planned out. keep it up!
It doesn't seem to matter how "Watertight" a DIY box metal frame is, 99% of the time you'll eventually find waters got in. It's usually best to just accept that this is going to happen and give it a convenient way to get back out. It doesn't help that a "Sealed" box frame will suck moist air in through any little pin holes when the frame get's cold, and the moisture in this condenses on the inside of the tubes when it warms back up, so the water doesn't get pushed back out. I've found a usable option is to introduce an intentional "Pin hole" (1/16" or 2mm depending on your preferred flavour of drill bits) at the sealed sections lowest point so that any pooled water get's pushed out as the frame heats up in the sun and the internal pressure raises slightly over atmospheric, but the best option is always to have a few 1/2 to 1" holes in the bottom corners where water may sit. As a bonus, These holes also double as seriously strong locations to hook ratchet straps into for when you're lugging something REALLY big about. That said, It's looking to be a pretty stout start to the chassis. I'm thinking it's going to turn out to be a rather robust little unit as I watch the rest of these videos. Nice work.
All these comments about just buying a $300 trailer from Harbor Freight. Because just buying some cheep piece of crap that will fall apart is SOOOO much better than learning a new skill set and getting a better quality product on the other end. SMH I can go buy some ikea crap furniture, but I prefer to build my own. Takes longer, costs more, but I have a better product and I learned something.
People today seem to be lazier than they used to be, with very little willingness to learn new skills, so they can build their own stuff. In the same breath, a person who said building your own trailer is a waste of time, will sit on his flabby ass for hours watching the television or staring at his phone. lol Why waste time learning and building, when you can be getting fatter and watching tv?? :D
I agree this trailer does not compare to a harbor freight trailer . You cannot just compare cost and size and think it's the same thing. The trailer in the video commercially would cost maybe $2000. It would also depends alot on how you value your time and what tools hardware and skill you have available. Just because the right thing for me would be buying a trailer doesn't mean that that's the right decision for everyone else. People are very narcissistic now and days and dont see value where it truly lies.
The harbor freight trailer is highly rated. It comes in pieces so you gotta put it together. If it's a piece of shit that falls apart its because you aren't meant to build shit. If you do it correctly it's a great trailer!
@@TheRealTimSliwa Treat them with respect and they'll hold up for a long time. The problem is that most people who buy them haven't got a clue, including the ones who claim to be "Experts".
I agree with you afterthought you mentioned in the video. Marine grade plywood or similar would have been my choice for the deck. Actually I would remove the expanded metal deck and replace it with a solid deck. More protection from road crap when driving on my cargo. Then perhaps use the expanded material to fabricate a lockable utility box just forward of the main trailer. EXCELLENT video IMHO
The welds aren’t bad but since you asked for tips for improvement.. You need to flap disk or wire wheel the material completely clean from rust and mill scale before you weld it. Thats why your welds have all that contamination showing. Keep at it and good job
5:53 A flat bar cut to the "full inside length" to lie flat on & thus across the top side of the tongue between the outer chassis rails, (flush with the topside of the chassis rails themselves & just inside where the inner edge of the front crossmember will sit), would have allowed a better "centering and load strength" for the tongue, before the end "chassis box section" was welded on. Thus one wouldn't cut in two, the end chassis member, but just notch a FULL END CHASSIS BAR (notched enough to locate over the tongue without cutting that end bar in half), which - when later tack welded to the flat bar itself, provides a stronger chassis member at that point (considering it was weakened when notched across underneath the drawbar/tongue itself). Afterwards, simply tack welding the notched section onto the tongue will complete the front cross-members installation. Doing it THAT WAY, also allows a modification for converting the design into a lifting tray, by NOT welding the front chassis cross member to the tongue/drawbar at all, but pivoting the tongue at the midway crossmember & installing a hoist / wire-rope lift mechanism, using the notched crossmember as a locator when the tray is down. The notched front crossmember, strengthened by the flat bar welded to it, will still hold the front of the tray square.
Mini van axle is a great idea! I would have ran the 2" all the way to the back so you could use it as a rear receiver. I have a homemade 4x8 trailer with a 2k axle and I have hauled 3600lbs of water in it.
A guy gave me a trailer this size after the original axle bent twice. A neighbor suggested I use a minivan axle, springs and shocks, which he had saved 3 of, saving them for this purpose. He gave me one, and I've been using it for 4 years now. Works great!
I used the identical Caravan axle that you did. With the shocks also on it yet, I can't feel it behind me at all when pulling it behind my 01 Grand Prix. Without using the shocks on the trailer, it makes the back of the car bounce some.
Theres also the option of using a pick-up truck bed from a non-running pickup truck or the back box from a non-running U-HAUL or similar box truck. Most of the time the lights are still functional plus axle and wheels are included!
I checked the classified ads and found a guy parting out a minivan (it had hit a deer, so the front end was smashed, but I figured the back axle would be fine) and asked him how much he would sell me the rear axle for. I ended up pulling it myself and paid only $30 for the axle with the springs and mounts. I suspect there are any number of junkyards who would make a similar deal. Also, check your classified ads for people parting out old minivans. You can likely pick up the axle, springs mounts, wheels and tires for a song if you buy them all in a package deal. There's not a huge demand for old minivan rear axles out there, so there wont be a lot of competition trying to outbid you.
🙄 my ocd just kicked in, lol. 1)your trailer light wires go through the tongue. 2) trailers are built upside down. 3) the perimeter is usually built first, then cross bracing. Tips for your next trailer build. 🙂👍🏻 Nice work. If thats your first time welding. Not bad. Ive seen & had to fix worse. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 for the design aspect. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 for building it yourself.
Very n8ce thank you shearing sir. How do you know How many pound those steele will hold please lrt me know sir. What kind metal I need buy to create. Trailer ?
Clean your joints with a flap disk and put a slight 45 degree chamfer on every corner you're welding, I'm assuming you're using 75/25 gas? Welding is all about practice, the more u do, the better you get, just always make sure on something like this that you have good penetration, meaning your weld is hot enough and burning in good, a lot of hobby welders scare me with making trailers and putting them on the road with little welding experience, it never hurts to find a welder buddy to get some tips from, but from seeing you cut 45s and fitting everything properly, it looks like you done a great job. Just because a weld is pretty doesn't mean it's structural, worry about how your welds hold and the looks will eventually catch up.. Nice build.
+John Stern Im assuming you would have liked to have seen him Tig it ? But heres a little story i was mig welding a t joint ( practiceand i didn't bother to clean the mill scale off and i did a downhill verticle passs and when i mived ed the clamp and went to quence it i accidently droped it on the ground and i couldn't belive that it broke in 2.It fused to one side of the plate but it didn't fuse to the other side ,What was amazing is you could see the 90degree downhill weld were it was suppose to be fused to the metal. So the lesson here is allways grind the metal till its shinny before ya weld and make sure you are using the right volts/ipm.
+mugruber kyser pretty sure I didn't mention anything about tig welding on this application, I was merely generalizing what I've been taught as proper. Some things that work today may not necessarily work tomorrow, you could weld a rocket ship and fly it to Uranus if you so desire, vertical, horizontal, when you weld a long time you learn techniques that may not be accepted as the norm but my comment was only to try and offer some advice to ensure proper penetration, no matter which techniques or type of welding you choose. Flux core is great for dirtier metal, it'll lunch through more trash than 75/25, I could go on and on but I won't, to each his own..
I actually use 100% CO2 with solid core wire. Never had a problem with penetration. My welds actually look better when I move faster, but I usually tend to move too slowly just out of inexperience...so I'm usually burning through rather than worrying about getting more penetration. If you look at the weld profile for CO2, you see that it actually makes a deeper, but narrower weld. Also, I hear a lot of people talking about grinding down the rust, and I have to admit I'm somewhat confused by that. On this video, I never welded to rust...even though it may not show it perfectly. there is one part where I welded on the rusty old shackle hangers, but the metal where I was welding was completely ground down to bare metal....it may not be very visible in the video.
I have to say very well done! It makes me cringe when i see people building trailers larger than this with angle iron not box tube. Least this will stand the test of time ;)
Like how you squared the frame and wheels. Firestone would have pulled one side .5 and the other side in towards the same side 0.3 and teach thier tv education tech to talk you into the unruly specs. Like all the cars onthe road leaning today
First and foremost, THANK YOU SIR, for such a great video, and most importantly, THANK YOU for answering all questions thrown your way so selflessly and graciously; it is uncommon nowadays to find people so inclined to offer suggestions and help without expecting something in return. I was wondering if a small and very light duty boat trailer could be built using the same principles you've shown (and probably more importantly, on a similar if not cheaper budget)? I would specifically need it to tow a 12 foot soft inflatable boat (SIB), the zodiac-type with a hard plywood or plastic transom (a capacity of no more than 450lbs, with boat, motor and gear). Would there be a better option for me? I really like the idea (especially the low expense and low maintenance that is inherent with a car/minivan axle); however the corrosion resistance does worry be a bit. I know there are better options out there (aluminum trailer, galvanized, etc.) but are all unfortunately way too expensive. Sorry for the loaded question; and again, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AWESOME BUILD my good Sir!!
Thanks for the compliments. You could definitely do it, but as you mentioned, rust resistance it's going to be a problem. You could always look at using "C-channel" instead of box steel for the frame so that you could paint both sides of the metal....you would just have to take into account that channel is not as strong as box, so it would need to be slightly re-engineered in terms of the design ...
Three questions, how is the trailer holding up after all this time, would you have done anything different after it was completed and using it and can this been done with a 120 volt welder from harbor freight
Still holding up fine. I think I would have just done a wood floor. The expanded steel starts to sag a bit and even break under heavy point loads. I am unfamiliar with the harbor freight welder, but if it can last s decent bread I would think it could work. None of the metal is very thick.
Twin tubro well, HFT trailers are a grade above junk, however I think it’s overkill on the tongue length, coulda cut it in 1/2 -2”x3”x 7’ , built like a tank!
water will still get in those tubes. after twenty years my tubes rusted through and could have caused serious damage had I not found it drill some drainage holes
Great video. Do you build and sell trailers? I am looking for a 6x10' to carry a motorcycle; it will also be a utility trailer. Thanks in advance for your time,
nice looking so far but for a cheap light weight trailer that will hold about 1200 pounds you can buy a boat trailer that has a flat top and cover it that was what I did and I did not put sides in it for hauling stuff around. the one I bought was only 200 so I feel pretty good about it but I did have to put a top on it.
Cool video. I've considered using a Dodge Mini Van axle for an existing trailer so that I could run matching Jeep wheels as to what I have on my Jeeps.
Yep. that's exactly what I was thinking. I can use the spare from a jeep wrangler, Cherokee, or from most dodge/Chrysler minivans, and probably a ton of other vehicles as well. makes it easy to find a spare...
Nice job on the trailer. Impressed by how economical it was. Question: Why did you do all the cutting and notching to fit the tongue into plane with the bed frame rather than doing a bed frame and welding the tongue underneath?
+Sylvan Butler I think your way could definitely work. I was just trying to minimize the amount of metal required to make it all work and felt like the way I did it gave it the highest strength for the amount of metal...but I'm no engineer :)
A mini van axle I think that's a bit over kill lol good project tho Edit: I have seen a comment saying there is never overkill but what are you going to put in that trailer that needs a minivan spring i think anything heavy enough wouldent fit in there lol
State laws vary in the United States, but where I live (Utah) any trailer under 700 pounds weight does not even have to be registered. This trailer is totally legal. In other states, and possibly in other countries, laws could be completely different, so you would have to research it on your own.
hello, great work you're doing both with the trailer and the tutorial, thanks for sharing your methods. i have a couple of questions, I'm a newbie on metal working and am wondering what kind of welder you're using (volts and amps)? and how thick is the metal you're using to build this trailer? an anticipated thank you for your time!!
I used a Miller 175. It is a 220 Volt, 175 Amp Metal Inert Gas (MIG) wire-feed welder. I used pure CO2 gas as the shielding gas, although most people use an Argon mix. The metal thickness is shown in the video from minute 1:19 to 1:60.
Could the axle been flipped over so it steps up to provide more ground clearance? Or does it have to be run the way you have it, stepping down? I like how much ground clearance you have otherwise.
In the least, you'd end up with a welder (if you didn't already have one) and a new trailer when you were all done compared to the cost of a trailer (I don't have a welder :)
@TomValha 0 seconds ago Nice build man. Better than I can do. I will say one thing though, instead of those 45s you should be cutting some kind of zig zag where the joints meet, think a dado joint from wood. That’s where you get structural support. 45s just are way too weak. Other than that, amazing work man Ps- those prices have me chuckling. Due too inflation it should now be an under $600 trailer. I was literally just thinking I couldn’t get that nice of an complete axle housing for $300 where I am
you'd want a stronger axle, a stronger frame, and beefier springs. this thing is based off a minivan axle...nothing on a minivan is rated for anywhere near a ton.
I disagree with what is said here. A minivan axle should easily hold a ton if all of its pieces and parts are there (shocks). Think about it a minivan is 3600 plus pounds empty (actually 3600 would be very light). The newer ones are well over 4,000. They’re designed to hold seven 200 pound people, a full tank of gas (150 lbs), a bunch of luggage, and you can still put a trailer on the back.
John K I can easily carry a 4x4 fourwheeler, or load it to the top of the rails with camping gear and it still has capacity leftover. In terms of dirt, I have had it loaded with a bobcat bucket-full of sand and that was about the max it would do. So I would say that a safe capacity limit for it is about 1,500 pounds.
+FogoFox I'm revising this weight capacity estimate down to 1,000 pounds. I've carried loads that were more than double that, but without adding shock absorbers, it was not a safe load. Also, I think going over 1,000 pounds is well above the manufacturers design loads for that axle.
Now I know what to do with my dad's wrecked 93 Buick Skylark. Brother keeps wanting to sell it for scrap. Not till i take it apart. It will cost me more than 300 after I buy the welding stuff. But at least I get to learn new stuff.
Tube frame is better because you want a light weight and inexpensive frame that is as strong as possible. For the same quantity of steel (or the same weight of steel), a tube is far stronger. Think of a bridge....they usually have a lot of steel up over your head and you drive through the centre of it all....you don't drive along the top of a solid bar of steel. that's because the father you can spread the steel away from things, the better the strength to weight ratio. this is why bicycles and cars also use either tube or "C"shaped channel rather than solid steel beams.
I understand your thinking with welding everything solid so no water gets inside the frame rails, but think about condensation. There's nothing you can do to stop it from forming inside, and if everything is completely sealed off, there is nowhere for the moisture to go. Consider drilling a few small drain holes in the bottoms of each rail. Preferably one at each end of each of each rail. I'm not bashing or trying to come across as anexpert, it's just something to think about.
It's certainly true. I probably should have filled the frame with WD-40 or something....on the other hand, that might have created an explosive situation. Man! I hate rust!
FogoFox Use 3M "Cavity Wax" inside the frame rails. It comes in a large spray can and is awesome. An alternate is CRC Marine Corrosion Preventive Spray. Both are great in this application.
I love this but feel I should point out to others to check your state regs before attempting something like this. In my state trailers without a title need its own inspection and special weigh-in, etc., and adds on a couple hundred dollars, often making diy trailers a no go here. Often makes more sense to just buy a used one with a title and “modify” it.
i have a question! I have a 5X10 trailer that I want to turn into a landscaping trailer. In doing so I want to raise the sides from about 1' to about 4'. To get a good weld, should I cut off the existing sides? or should I add on and hope that the connectivity of all sides provides stability?
Chris Gossage It kind of depends on what material you have to work with on the existing trailer. If the existing trailer is rusted out or made of thin metal, then you are going to have to find a way to support it a bit, and you are right that you could build the upper rail system to provide some extra support / stability. If it is solid enough, then you should have no problem at all.
I wouldn't have capped off the tube... i would have made a reciever hitch so i could add on one of those cargo hitches at my leisure or bike rack or something like that.. could always throw in a brake light lol
for the price,effort and time you could just easily buy one for that amount.Only reason I would want to make my own is if i had enough free metal parts laying to actually make one.
+Bou Phomvongsavad He is either using a angle grinder or a table saw with a metal cutting blade. With a angle grinder you can get a cut off disk too cut steel and one of those angle grinders you can get off amazon for 30$, but a table saw not really sure I do know they will be a bit more expensive but you will be able to cut bigger pieces of steel
+Bou Phomvongsavad Yes, I used an "angle grinder" with a 4.5" "cut-off wheel" for many of the cuts and a "chopsaw" with a 14" abrasive blade for the rest. (I wish I had a metal-cutting bandsaw, though...)
Thanks for explaining that much, I am building mine and it's always good to have a 2nd pov , but I'd like to know, with what tool did you cut the 2" x 3" that straight? Oxy-acethylene cutter? A saw? That's a nice cut, but I'm affraid I wouldn't be able to do it so well. Thanks a lot, very useful!
Oxy-acet torches will not leave a clean cut. I view them more for rough cutting. In the shop, when preparing a cut to be welded, I use a chop saw with an abrasive blade (I think it uses 14" blades) for most cuts and I use a handheld grinder with a skinny wheel (4.5" diameter) for smaller cuts where the angle isn't as important. For making a 90 degree or 45 degree cut in a home shop, you can hardly beat a abrasive chop saw. I think I bought mine for about $50 a few years ago. It isn't the best, but it gets the job done.
FogoFox Thank you. Also, I would say that I am just like you, I prefer rather welding than bolting as much as possible, but in the case of the hand of the tongue, if something breaks in the mechanism, it'll be harder to repair while welded than if it would be bolted, it's just my opinion, the the whole thing looks great ;)
FillVinf06 You are certainly correct about the tongue being more difficult to replace when it is welded on. It is possible...but it is more difficult. You would have to get out the skinny wheel on a handheld grinder and just go to town on it until all the old welds were cut out. In my case, since I even filled in the bolt holes with weld, it will be really difficult. On the other hand, I also left the tongue REALLY long, so I could easily cut the whole end off and just stick a new tongue on there. I just don't prefer the bolt on aspect and potential slop when it isn't welded. For me, it is personal preference, but you definitely have a point here.
I used a 4.5" "angle grinder" This is a handheld hi-speed rotary tool that is rather common in metal working. You can install various sorts of abrasive discs in these tools (flapper discs, grinder discs, cutting discs, etc) but to make the notch, I simply installed a thin cutting disc (what I call a "skinny wheel") on the angle grinder. These skinny wheels cut through metal rather rapidly and since it is handheld, you can maneuver it quickly to make the cuts. The downside to using a 4.5" disc is that sometimes you have to over cut on the corners in order to get all the way through the metal. If you are super intent on a perfect cut, then the best thing to do is to finish off the end of each cut with a Dremel tool with a cutoff disc on it. In this case, since the trailer is bigger and the cuts didn't have to be perfect, if I recall correctly, I just made the cuts with the angle grinder and overshot the corners a bit. Then, when I was welding it all up, I just welded the cuts at the corners to eliminate them. Hope that makes sense - it's probably easier to do a video than to explain it...
not hard at all really. you'd probably be better off designing it that way from the start rather than trying to add one after the fact, but it should be fairly easy. the concept would be the same though, you'd want to be very careful to make sure everything was aligned and square. If you did that, I can't see why it wouldn't work great. you might also increase the thickness of the metal frame as well to account for the fact that you could now carry heavier loads.
+Ben 1337 The store where i bought the metal told me how thick it was. Actually, maybe you are asking how I decided what thickness to purchase? The answer is that I guesstimated it using prior experience. This is by no means a professionally engineered trailer. See the part three video for an update on how the trailer has performed after many many miles and several years of use/abuse.
+Ben 1337 I guess I couldn't speculate. the thicknesses I used are called out in the video and the trailer has worked for me for years. If you make your own, the design (quantity and placement of the metal bars) will drive the thicknesses you need to select. So there aren't really any guidelines I could provide. My only suggestion is that it is better to go overboard and use thicker material than to skimp on it and go too lightweight....
The axle like that can be obtained from nearly any junkyard. It's out of a 2001 or maybe up to 2010 model year Dodge Caravan (which is one of the most common vehicles out on the road). A lot of different minivan axles would get you there, and the junkyards (or the local guy parting out a minivan) would be happy to sell you one for cheap. If you are lucky, you can get it with the springs, wheels, tires, and E-brake assembly all in one low-price package...
***** Well, you certainly could do that. I didn't choose to do it for a couple reasons:1) The material used to make the "backbone" is actually rather heavy. The wall thickness is much greater than the metal stock used to make the majority of the trailer. It is also more expensive.2) It isn't really necessary in my opinion. Some people don't even go back as far as the midpoint of the trailer. But again, you certainly could do it and it would definitely be stronger. In the case of this particular trailer, I have had it loaded down to the point the trailer bed was resting directly on the axle (in other words, the springs were completely maxed out) and the trailer held up just fine. Making it any beefier would just make it weigh more, but you still couldn't carry more.
FogoFox first of all i want to thank you for answering question. i did consider your reasons weight/price before i ask my question. i like your trail it's one of my favorites to reference on you tube. are you a weld by trade?
I think it would have been better and stronger if you had welded the tongue piece on top of the three crossbars instead of cutting them and notching them. (basically build it upside down)
Four thumbs what way up for this video. Right to the point, from the ground up. No talking about the rain, or your aunts dog. Just shows what is going to built, then right into the basic parts and materials that go into it. I especially appreciate the parts list as they cime up. And most of all, the prices and source suggestions.
Thank you fie this videi
The kit trailer I got from Harbor Freight came with 12 inch wheels and the tires wore out in about 3500 miles. I've also had bearing problems and bent the axle from carrying 1000 pounds of tile. The caravan axle is strong, has better springs, much better bearings and accepts 15 or 16 inch full size rims from old jeeps, intrepids, and caravans. I've owned caravans that had over 250k miles and I've never seen a axle bearing failure. BRAVO FOGOFOX
Thanks for this comment. I took a lot of flack for saying that Chrysler built a good axle. Your comments really reflect what I was trying to get at.... this axle is designed for serious low-maintenance mileage. HF trailers are designed to be very very cheap. That means something in real life....
8:45...there is never "overkill." Make it stronger than you'll need and you'll never need to worry about over stressing it.
I love being able to weld. I bought a rowboat last month and if I need to haul it on a trailer I can build my own or modify one I buy. I'm super excited about getting my own welder.
Overkill is the best policy. Didn't Marilyn Monroe say something like that? Well whoever said it, it's a good policy.
Hello from 2020. We can't buy steel for that price anymore. I say with tears in my eyes.
Hey…welcome to 2023. Still no relief on steel pricing…
@@azjeepman9415 yeah beat me to it.
It's worse in 2023 😢
@@azjeepman9415 welcome to 2024 steel prices are still high
Welcome to 2024 still not looking great on Steele prices 😀
Good job. I appreciate that you covered the geometry to ensure the finished product is square.
I love watching tools pay for themselves. And good idea putting that axle rear of center especially with that long tounge.
hey! very nice job and i really liked how you took ur time to make things right from the start. i have been a welder/fabricator since '76 and ur work is very good and well planned out. keep it up!
It doesn't seem to matter how "Watertight" a DIY box metal frame is, 99% of the time you'll eventually find waters got in. It's usually best to just accept that this is going to happen and give it a convenient way to get back out. It doesn't help that a "Sealed" box frame will suck moist air in through any little pin holes when the frame get's cold, and the moisture in this condenses on the inside of the tubes when it warms back up, so the water doesn't get pushed back out. I've found a usable option is to introduce an intentional "Pin hole" (1/16" or 2mm depending on your preferred flavour of drill bits) at the sealed sections lowest point so that any pooled water get's pushed out as the frame heats up in the sun and the internal pressure raises slightly over atmospheric, but the best option is always to have a few 1/2 to 1" holes in the bottom corners where water may sit. As a bonus, These holes also double as seriously strong locations to hook ratchet straps into for when you're lugging something REALLY big about.
That said, It's looking to be a pretty stout start to the chassis. I'm thinking it's going to turn out to be a rather robust little unit as I watch the rest of these videos. Nice work.
All these comments about just buying a $300 trailer from Harbor Freight. Because just buying some cheep piece of crap that will fall apart is SOOOO much better than learning a new skill set and getting a better quality product on the other end. SMH I can go buy some ikea crap furniture, but I prefer to build my own. Takes longer, costs more, but I have a better product and I learned something.
People today seem to be lazier than they used to be, with very little willingness to learn new skills, so they can build their own stuff. In the same breath, a person who said building your own trailer is a waste of time, will sit on his flabby ass for hours watching the television or staring at his phone. lol Why waste time learning and building, when you can be getting fatter and watching tv?? :D
I agree this trailer does not compare to a harbor freight trailer . You cannot just compare cost and size and think it's the same thing. The trailer in the video commercially would cost maybe $2000. It would also depends alot on how you value your time and what tools hardware and skill you have available. Just because the right thing for me would be buying a trailer doesn't mean that that's the right decision for everyone else. People are very narcissistic now and days and dont see value where it truly lies.
cheap not cheep
The harbor freight trailer is highly rated. It comes in pieces so you gotta put it together. If it's a piece of shit that falls apart its because you aren't meant to build shit. If you do it correctly it's a great trailer!
@@TheRealTimSliwa Treat them with respect and they'll hold up for a long time. The problem is that most people who buy them haven't got a clue, including the ones who claim to be "Experts".
By far best DIY trailer video I've seen. Lol I was actually excited to see it in use. Great video bud!
I agree with you afterthought you mentioned in the video. Marine grade plywood or similar would have been my choice for the deck. Actually I would remove the expanded metal deck and replace it with a solid deck. More protection from road crap when driving on my cargo. Then perhaps use the expanded material to fabricate a lockable utility box just forward of the main trailer. EXCELLENT video IMHO
The welds aren’t bad but since you asked for tips for improvement.. You need to flap disk or wire wheel the material completely clean from rust and mill scale before you weld it. Thats why your welds have all that contamination showing. Keep at it and good job
Thanks!
5:53 A flat bar cut to the "full inside length" to lie flat on & thus across the top side of the tongue between the outer chassis rails, (flush with the topside of the chassis rails themselves & just inside where the inner edge of the front crossmember will sit), would have allowed a better "centering and load strength" for the tongue, before the end "chassis box section" was welded on.
Thus one wouldn't cut in two, the end chassis member, but just notch a FULL END CHASSIS BAR (notched enough to locate over the tongue without cutting that end bar in half), which - when later tack welded to the flat bar itself, provides a stronger chassis member at that point (considering it was weakened when notched across underneath the drawbar/tongue itself).
Afterwards, simply tack welding the notched section onto the tongue will complete the front cross-members installation.
Doing it THAT WAY, also allows a modification for converting the design into a lifting tray, by NOT welding the front chassis cross member to the tongue/drawbar at all, but pivoting the tongue at the midway crossmember & installing a hoist / wire-rope lift mechanism, using the notched crossmember as a locator when the tray is down.
The notched front crossmember, strengthened by the flat bar welded to it, will still hold the front of the tray square.
Mini van axle is a great idea! I would have ran the 2" all the way to the back so you could use it as a rear receiver. I have a homemade 4x8 trailer with a 2k axle and I have hauled 3600lbs of water in it.
Good tip for the van axle
A guy gave me a trailer this size after the original axle bent twice. A neighbor suggested I use a minivan axle, springs and shocks, which he had saved 3 of, saving them for this purpose. He gave me one, and I've been using it for 4 years now. Works great!
I used the identical Caravan axle that you did. With the shocks also on it yet, I can't feel it behind me at all when pulling it behind my 01 Grand Prix. Without using the shocks on the trailer, it makes the back of the car bounce some.
Great job ! You gave me the inspiration to build one . One that will fit the exact dimentions I need.
Seems like it would be perfect for a landscaping or lawn buisiness
Just the steel is $415 in my area, not including the axle or the expanded metal. Obviously this vid was posted 5 years ago, but damn
Imagine how expensive it would cost in 2021
Theres also the option of using a pick-up truck bed from a non-running pickup truck or the back box from a non-running U-HAUL or similar box truck. Most of the time the lights are still functional plus axle and wheels are included!
I checked the classified ads and found a guy parting out a minivan (it had hit a deer, so the front end was smashed, but I figured the back axle would be fine) and asked him how much he would sell me the rear axle for. I ended up pulling it myself and paid only $30 for the axle with the springs and mounts. I suspect there are any number of junkyards who would make a similar deal. Also, check your classified ads for people parting out old minivans. You can likely pick up the axle, springs mounts, wheels and tires for a song if you buy them all in a package deal. There's not a huge demand for old minivan rear axles out there, so there wont be a lot of competition trying to outbid you.
+FogoFox This video & you FogoFox have made my day. Thank you for sharing this information. I appreciate you.
what do you think the weight it can hold? motorcycle?
FogoFox does it need to be a minivan axle? Or any axle off a vehicle?
FogoFox
I will be calling my local junk yard tomorrow looking for an axle! Lol
Hi, just wondering where you got all the medal from? I'm trying to build my own trailer but I'm having an oddly hard time finding medal. Thanks
Awesome video, try prepping all of your weld areas next time. Makes it a lot easier to weld a nice bead
beautiful trailer, its built like a tank. I would rather own your trailer than the junk being sold for way more money
🙄 my ocd just kicked in, lol.
1)your trailer light wires go through the tongue.
2) trailers are built upside down.
3) the perimeter is usually built first, then cross bracing.
Tips for your next trailer build. 🙂👍🏻
Nice work. If thats your first time welding. Not bad. Ive seen & had to fix worse.
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 for the design aspect.
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 for building it yourself.
Very n8ce thank you shearing sir.
How do you know How many pound those steele will hold please lrt me know sir.
What kind metal I need buy to create. Trailer ?
Clean your joints with a flap disk and put a slight 45 degree chamfer on every corner you're welding, I'm assuming you're using 75/25 gas? Welding is all about practice, the more u do, the better you get, just always make sure on something like this that you have good penetration, meaning your weld is hot enough and burning in good, a lot of hobby welders scare me with making trailers and putting them on the road with little welding experience, it never hurts to find a welder buddy to get some tips from, but from seeing you cut 45s and fitting everything properly, it looks like you done a great job. Just because a weld is pretty doesn't mean it's structural, worry about how your welds hold and the looks will eventually catch up.. Nice build.
Some good, solid sensible advice, John. :-)
+John Stern Im assuming you would have liked to have seen him Tig it ? But heres a little story i was mig welding a t joint ( practiceand i didn't bother to clean the mill scale off and i did a downhill verticle passs and when i mived ed the clamp and went to quence it i accidently droped it on the ground and i couldn't belive that it broke in 2.It fused to one side of the plate but it didn't fuse to the other side ,What was amazing is you could see the 90degree downhill weld were it was suppose to be fused to the metal. So the lesson here is allways grind the metal till its shinny before ya weld and make sure you are using the right volts/ipm.
+mugruber kyser pretty sure I didn't mention anything about tig welding on this application, I was merely generalizing what I've been taught as proper. Some things that work today may not necessarily work tomorrow, you could weld a rocket ship and fly it to Uranus if you so desire, vertical, horizontal, when you weld a long time you learn techniques that may not be accepted as the norm but my comment was only to try and offer some advice to ensure proper penetration, no matter which techniques or type of welding you choose. Flux core is great for dirtier metal, it'll lunch through more trash than 75/25, I could go on and on but I won't, to each his own..
I actually use 100% CO2 with solid core wire.
Never had a problem with penetration. My welds actually look better when I move faster, but I usually tend to move too slowly just out of inexperience...so I'm usually burning through rather than worrying about getting more penetration. If you look at the weld profile for CO2, you see that it actually makes a deeper, but narrower weld.
Also, I hear a lot of people talking about grinding down the rust, and I have to admit I'm somewhat confused by that. On this video, I never welded to rust...even though it may not show it perfectly. there is one part where I welded on the rusty old shackle hangers, but the metal where I was welding was completely ground down to bare metal....it may not be very visible in the video.
I have to say very well done! It makes me cringe when i see people building trailers larger than this with angle iron not box tube. Least this will stand the test of time ;)
Nice job!!! What did you use the round pipe for i missed that part
probly half ton but needs to get shocks for the Minny van leaf springs to carry the other half ton
Agreed! 100%
FogoFox yha I'm in the planing stages of a trailer, the springs were the first port of call so.
Also the shocks as well, nothing to big or small
Hi there,"THanks for the Diy tips on building your trailer, great job .! mike
Like how you squared the frame and wheels. Firestone would have pulled one side .5 and the other side in towards the same side 0.3 and teach thier tv education tech to talk you into the unruly specs. Like all the cars onthe road leaning today
Nice job buddy
First and foremost, THANK YOU SIR, for such a great video, and most importantly, THANK YOU for answering all questions thrown your way so selflessly and graciously; it is uncommon nowadays to find people so inclined to offer suggestions and help without expecting something in return.
I was wondering if a small and very light duty boat trailer could be built using the same principles you've shown (and probably more importantly, on a similar if not cheaper budget)? I would specifically need it to tow a 12 foot soft inflatable boat (SIB), the zodiac-type with a hard plywood or plastic transom (a capacity of no more than 450lbs, with boat, motor and gear). Would there be a better option for me?
I really like the idea (especially the low expense and low maintenance that is inherent with a car/minivan axle); however the corrosion resistance does worry be a bit. I know there are better options out there (aluminum trailer, galvanized, etc.) but are all unfortunately way too expensive.
Sorry for the loaded question; and again, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AWESOME BUILD my good Sir!!
Thanks for the compliments. You could definitely do it, but as you mentioned, rust resistance it's going to be a problem. You could always look at using "C-channel" instead of box steel for the frame so that you could paint both sides of the metal....you would just have to take into account that channel is not as strong as box, so it would need to be slightly re-engineered in terms of the design ...
The best DIY, thank you very much
Nice work.. I need to make 1 of these for my brother in-law.
why can't he ride inside with you?
Three questions, how is the trailer holding up after all this time, would you have done anything different after it was completed and using it and can this been done with a 120 volt welder from harbor freight
Still holding up fine.
I think I would have just done a wood floor. The expanded steel starts to sag a bit and even break under heavy point loads.
I am unfamiliar with the harbor freight welder, but if it can last s decent bread I would think it could work. None of the metal is very thick.
Curious how would you incorporate the parking brake?
Nice Miller!
Nice trailer
the design of the trailer is fine but needs some shocks for better handling
I tried mine with and without the factory minivan shocks, the shocks help immensely.
Twin tubro well, HFT trailers are a grade above junk, however I think it’s overkill on the tongue length, coulda cut it in 1/2 -2”x3”x 7’ , built like a tank!
water will still get in those tubes. after twenty years my tubes rusted through and could have caused serious damage had I not found it
drill some drainage holes
Jon Peterman - I agree with you rust in the form of condensation and the rust that was already inside the steel.
dude you don't get it get he's a pro
Miranda Yeats being a pro doesn't magically stop iron from rusting.
Great video. Do you build and sell trailers? I am looking for a 6x10' to carry a motorcycle; it will also be a utility trailer. Thanks in advance for your time,
Not really. I just built this one for myself. I'd take a commission, but I recently moved to Colorado and need to build myself a shop first....
super great idea
nice looking so far but for a cheap light weight trailer that will hold about 1200 pounds you can buy a boat trailer that has a flat top and cover it that was what I did and I did not put sides in it for hauling stuff around. the one I bought was only 200 so I feel pretty good about it but I did have to put a top on it.
Yep. Converting a boat trailer is an easy easy to go. Then the basic frame is in place and ready to go, and ask that is left is to customize the top.
Mistake Need to drill 1/4 weep holes metal sweets ! Condensation exit hole at the bottoms corner of each tube!
Exactly what I like straight up junk yard stuff exactly how I would recycle axel and everything
Cool video. I've considered using a Dodge Mini Van axle for an existing trailer so that I could run matching Jeep wheels as to what I have on my Jeeps.
If your existing axle is a 5 lug (5 on 4.5), that's already the bolt pattern for many older jeep wheels.
+ROTAXD mine is 5x4.53
+Tim Fox No it isn't.
+frankE91210
The trailer I have sitting at home is the small GM pattern of 5x115mm. That comes out to 5x4.53.
5x4.5 = 5x114.3mm.
Yep. that's exactly what I was thinking. I can use the spare from a jeep wrangler, Cherokee, or from most dodge/Chrysler minivans, and probably a ton of other vehicles as well. makes it easy to find a spare...
Nice job on the trailer. Impressed by how economical it was.
Question: Why did you do all the cutting and notching to fit the tongue into plane with the bed frame rather than doing a bed frame and welding the tongue underneath?
+Sylvan Butler I think your way could definitely work. I was just trying to minimize the amount of metal required to make it all work and felt like the way I did it gave it the highest strength for the amount of metal...but I'm no engineer :)
A mini van axle I think that's a bit over kill lol good project tho
Edit: I have seen a comment saying there is never overkill but what are you going to put in that trailer that needs a minivan spring i think anything heavy enough wouldent fit in there lol
Nice trailer, and excellent video
dang look at the prices
That's amazing. Good job.
great work ! Can you go with this trailer on the public streets? What happened if caps pull you over?
State laws vary in the United States, but where I live (Utah) any trailer under 700 pounds weight does not even have to be registered. This trailer is totally legal. In other states, and possibly in other countries, laws could be completely different, so you would have to research it on your own.
FogoFox In quite a few states, you can file for a title on a home built trailer and title + register it for the road.
hello, great work you're doing both with the trailer and the tutorial, thanks for sharing your methods. i have a couple of questions, I'm a newbie on metal working and am wondering what kind of welder you're using (volts and amps)? and how thick is the metal you're using to build this trailer? an anticipated thank you for your time!!
I used a Miller 175. It is a 220 Volt, 175 Amp Metal Inert Gas (MIG) wire-feed welder. I used pure CO2 gas as the shielding gas, although most people use an Argon mix. The metal thickness is shown in the video from minute 1:19 to 1:60.
nicely built but wouldnt work very well for moving soil. i think i would go for plywood floor and walls, which would be cheaper.
Could the axle been flipped over so it steps up to provide more ground clearance? Or does it have to be run the way you have it, stepping down? I like how much ground clearance you have otherwise.
It could, yes.
Could you make a PDF instructions how to build the trailer?
In the least, you'd end up with a welder (if you didn't already have one) and a new trailer when you were all done compared to the cost of a trailer (I don't have a welder :)
What kind of wire on the welder?
@TomValha
0 seconds ago
Nice build man. Better than I can do. I will say one thing though, instead of those 45s you should be cutting some kind of zig zag where the joints meet, think a dado joint from wood. That’s where you get structural support. 45s just are way too weak. Other than that, amazing work man
Ps- those prices have me chuckling. Due too inflation it should now be an under $600 trailer. I was literally just thinking I couldn’t get that nice of an complete axle housing for $300 where I am
This is bloody brilliant!
looks great man!
Now I wish I could weld!!
How much weight it can take??
I've had about 2,400 in it, but that was way overloaded. I estimate the max. safe load at 1,000 pounds.
alright, thanks. but if i wanna make a 1-tonner, what is needed? just more leaf-springs? is that frame enough for a ton?
you'd want a stronger axle, a stronger frame, and beefier springs.
this thing is based off a minivan axle...nothing on a minivan is rated for anywhere near a ton.
+FogoFox And shocks...
I disagree with what is said here. A minivan axle should easily hold a ton if all of its pieces and parts are there (shocks). Think about it a minivan is 3600 plus pounds empty (actually 3600 would be very light). The newer ones are well over 4,000. They’re designed to hold seven 200 pound people, a full tank of gas (150 lbs), a bunch of luggage, and you can still put a trailer on the back.
@@enveng4279 A quick Google Image Search shows the rear Gross Axle Weight Rating for a 1995 Grand Caravan is 2726 pounds.
I don’t weld but when you capped it off at the end, isn’t that dangerous, doesn’t it need a hole for pressure to escape?
I want to learn to weld.
nice welding work well done
how much does it weigh?
Can I do a trailer with a cheap welder or does it have to be a expensive one
with the air that's in the tubes, you will get condensation on the inside. with temperature drops
What's the weight limit on that axle? How much do you think it could handle in the bed for weight?
John K I can easily carry a 4x4 fourwheeler, or load it to the top of the rails with camping gear and it still has capacity leftover. In terms of dirt, I have had it loaded with a bobcat bucket-full of sand and that was about the max it would do. So I would say that a safe capacity limit for it is about 1,500 pounds.
+FogoFox I'm revising this weight capacity estimate down to 1,000 pounds. I've carried loads that were more than double that, but without adding shock absorbers, it was not a safe load. Also, I think going over 1,000 pounds is well above the manufacturers design loads for that axle.
Now I know what to do with my dad's wrecked 93 Buick Skylark. Brother keeps wanting to sell it for scrap. Not till i take it apart.
It will cost me more than 300 after I buy the welding stuff. But at least I get to learn new stuff.
How do you attach a metal Dolly from Wal Mart to the back of the bike without it hitting the back wheel of the bike ?
What's the advantages of using hollow tubing as opposed to solid, but smaller rod equivalents?
Tube frame is better because you want a light weight and inexpensive frame that is as strong as possible. For the same quantity of steel (or the same weight of steel), a tube is far stronger.
Think of a bridge....they usually have a lot of steel up over your head and you drive through the centre of it all....you don't drive along the top of a solid bar of steel. that's because the father you can spread the steel away from things, the better the strength to weight ratio. this is why bicycles and cars also use either tube or "C"shaped channel rather than solid steel beams.
I understand your thinking with welding everything solid so no water gets inside the frame rails, but think about condensation. There's nothing you can do to stop it from forming inside, and if everything is completely sealed off, there is nowhere for the moisture to go. Consider drilling a few small drain holes in the bottoms of each rail. Preferably one at each end of each of each rail. I'm not bashing or trying to come across as anexpert, it's just something to think about.
It's certainly true. I probably should have filled the frame with WD-40 or something....on the other hand, that might have created an explosive situation. Man! I hate rust!
FogoFox Use 3M "Cavity Wax" inside the frame rails. It comes in a large spray can and is awesome. An alternate is CRC Marine Corrosion Preventive Spray. Both are great in this application.
+David Gold Awesome tip! Thanks!
Genius pure genius
I love this but feel I should point out to others to check your state regs before attempting something like this. In my state trailers without a title need its own inspection and special weigh-in, etc., and adds on a couple hundred dollars, often making diy trailers a no go here. Often makes more sense to just buy a used one with a title and “modify” it.
i have a question! I have a 5X10 trailer that I want to turn into a landscaping trailer. In doing so I want to raise the sides from about 1' to about 4'. To get a good weld, should I cut off the existing sides? or should I add on and hope that the connectivity of all sides provides stability?
Chris Gossage It kind of depends on what material you have to work with on the existing trailer. If the existing trailer is rusted out or made of thin metal, then you are going to have to find a way to support it a bit, and you are right that you could build the upper rail system to provide some extra support / stability. If it is solid enough, then you should have no problem at all.
I wouldn't have capped off the tube... i would have made a reciever hitch so i could add on one of those cargo hitches at my leisure or bike rack or something like that.. could always throw in a brake light lol
Why is the tire fender so high?
Cuz the springs are so soft. The clearance is needed when the trailer is heavily loaded.
for the price,effort and time you could just easily buy one for that amount.Only reason I would want to make my own is if i had enough free metal parts laying to actually make one.
That's a joke, right? That trailer is beyond junk.
Rob Basich yeah they have been recalled
Why not use c channel instead and lighten it up?
Question: I am lifting my van. Thinking of spacers for the spring hangers. Are they bolted to the body? Or welded on?
Bolt on
What would you estimate the basic frame of the trailer (without axle or springs) weighs ?
the while thing weighs 540 lbs. I guess the trailer frame itself is less than 100. that leaves around 440 lbs for the wheels, tires, springs and axle.
What is the tool called for cutting and how much would I have to spend to cut these square tubes?
+Bou Phomvongsavad He is either using a angle grinder or a table saw with a metal cutting blade. With a angle grinder you can get a cut off disk too cut steel and one of those angle grinders you can get off amazon for 30$, but a table saw not really sure I do know they will be a bit more expensive but you will be able to cut bigger pieces of steel
Thanks! I look those up.
+Bou Phomvongsavad Yes, I used an "angle grinder" with a 4.5" "cut-off wheel" for many of the cuts and a "chopsaw" with a 14" abrasive blade for the rest. (I wish I had a metal-cutting bandsaw, though...)
+Bou Phomvongsavad #Abrasive cutting saw
Thanks for explaining that much, I am building mine and it's always good to have a 2nd pov , but I'd like to know, with what tool did you cut the 2" x 3" that straight? Oxy-acethylene cutter? A saw? That's a nice cut, but I'm affraid I wouldn't be able to do it so well. Thanks a lot, very useful!
Oxy-acet torches will not leave a clean cut. I view them more for rough cutting. In the shop, when preparing a cut to be welded, I use a chop saw with an abrasive blade (I think it uses 14" blades) for most cuts and I use a handheld grinder with a skinny wheel (4.5" diameter) for smaller cuts where the angle isn't as important. For making a 90 degree or 45 degree cut in a home shop, you can hardly beat a abrasive chop saw. I think I bought mine for about $50 a few years ago. It isn't the best, but it gets the job done.
FogoFox Thank you. Also, I would say that I am just like you, I prefer rather welding than bolting as much as possible, but in the case of the hand of the tongue, if something breaks in the mechanism, it'll be harder to repair while welded than if it would be bolted, it's just my opinion, the the whole thing looks great ;)
FillVinf06 You are certainly correct about the tongue being more difficult to replace when it is welded on. It is possible...but it is more difficult. You would have to get out the skinny wheel on a handheld grinder and just go to town on it until all the old welds were cut out. In my case, since I even filled in the bolt holes with weld, it will be really difficult. On the other hand, I also left the tongue REALLY long, so I could easily cut the whole end off and just stick a new tongue on there. I just don't prefer the bolt on aspect and potential slop when it isn't welded. For me, it is personal preference, but you definitely have a point here.
Looks good!
how did you make the notch for the tongue?
I used a 4.5" "angle grinder" This is a handheld hi-speed rotary tool that is rather common in metal working. You can install various sorts of abrasive discs in these tools (flapper discs, grinder discs, cutting discs, etc) but to make the notch, I simply installed a thin cutting disc (what I call a "skinny wheel") on the angle grinder. These skinny wheels cut through metal rather rapidly and since it is handheld, you can maneuver it quickly to make the cuts. The downside to using a 4.5" disc is that sometimes you have to over cut on the corners in order to get all the way through the metal. If you are super intent on a perfect cut, then the best thing to do is to finish off the end of each cut with a Dremel tool with a cutoff disc on it. In this case, since the trailer is bigger and the cuts didn't have to be perfect, if I recall correctly, I just made the cuts with the angle grinder and overshot the corners a bit. Then, when I was welding it all up, I just welded the cuts at the corners to eliminate them. Hope that makes sense - it's probably easier to do a video than to explain it...
Great video. Thanks.
if i build a trailer at home, can it be registered with the dmv in california?
I'm not actually familiar with California laws. Perhaps a Californian could chip in with an answer....
You will be fined and sent back home possible jail time and don't leave your phone on the counter when you leave.
how hard would it be to add another axle
not hard at all really. you'd probably be better off designing it that way from the start rather than trying to add one after the fact, but it should be fairly easy. the concept would be the same though, you'd want to be very careful to make sure everything was aligned and square. If you did that, I can't see why it wouldn't work great. you might also increase the thickness of the metal frame as well to account for the fact that you could now carry heavier loads.
Total kick @$$ man!!
How do you determine material thickness?
+Ben 1337 The store where i bought the metal told me how thick it was.
Actually, maybe you are asking how I decided what thickness to purchase? The answer is that I guesstimated it using prior experience. This is by no means a professionally engineered trailer. See the part three video for an update on how the trailer has performed after many many miles and several years of use/abuse.
FogoFox Fair enough, I don't really have the experience to determine material thickness, do you have any guidelines?
+Ben 1337
I guess I couldn't speculate. the thicknesses I used are called out in the video and the trailer has worked for me for years. If you make your own, the design (quantity and placement of the metal bars) will drive the thicknesses you need to select. So there aren't really any guidelines I could provide. My only suggestion is that it is better to go overboard and use thicker material than to skimp on it and go too lightweight....
Fair enough, I guess.
Pre heat the metal before welding
How do you get an axle like that though?
The axle like that can be obtained from nearly any junkyard. It's out of a 2001 or maybe up to 2010 model year Dodge Caravan (which is one of the most common vehicles out on the road). A lot of different minivan axles would get you there, and the junkyards (or the local guy parting out a minivan) would be happy to sell you one for cheap. If you are lucky, you can get it with the springs, wheels, tires, and E-brake assembly all in one low-price package...
are you using gas or flux core.. thanks
I always use gas. In this case, it was straight CO2.
how come you didn't run the back bone all the way down?
***** Well, you certainly could do that. I didn't choose to do it for a couple reasons:1) The material used to make the "backbone" is actually rather heavy. The wall thickness is much greater than the metal stock used to make the majority of the trailer. It is also more expensive.2) It isn't really necessary in my opinion. Some people don't even go back as far as the midpoint of the trailer. But again, you certainly could do it and it would definitely be stronger. In the case of this particular trailer, I have had it loaded down to the point the trailer bed was resting directly on the axle (in other words, the springs were completely maxed out) and the trailer held up just fine. Making it any beefier would just make it weigh more, but you still couldn't carry more.
FogoFox first of all i want to thank you for answering question. i did consider your reasons weight/price before i ask my question. i like your trail it's one of my favorites to reference on you tube. are you a weld by trade?
***** Nope - not a professional - I just weld stuff when I need stuff welded.
I think it would have been better and stronger if you had welded the tongue piece on top of the three crossbars instead of cutting them and notching them. (basically build it upside down)