A trailer is reborn
Blowing a tyre on the 4wd while towing the boat a month or so ago led to a minor accident that could have been alot worse, but still the end result was bad enough to require a rebuild of my boat trailer.
When the tyre blew I was struggling to keep it under control, I ended out veering of the road to the left, over the kerb, and hitting a sign on the side of the road with the right hand wing mirror (close to me) and just graze the back 2cm of the 4wd, and then onto the mud guard of the trailer. This caused the mud guard to press on and blow the right hand trailer tyre and knocked the trailer out of square by bending the main bar, and just about every bit of steel in the trailer.
So I saved some pennies and while the ban is on, Dad and I are rebuilding the trailer. Construction is 50x50x5mm SHS. C Channel was considered, but as it is a only a dinghy trailer for cost we went with shs. Rollers, spindles, brackets purchased from Martins Trailer parts, or when we couldnt find what we needed, fabricated by myself or taken from the old trailer cleaned up and reused.
Probably 20 hours labour so far between me and dad, we working on it again today and think we will probably get the boat on this afternoon for a final adjustment before stripping everything down, cleaning up all the slag/welds before its off to be hot dipped galv.
Total Cost so far approx $350 steel, $440 in bkts, red poly rollers, spindles, lights etc.
I will reply with the total weight and the cost for hot dipping and a photo when its done.
Bryan
axl100
Posts: 112
Date Joined: 06/11/10
I like your chinese safety
I like your chinese safety boots.. ha ha good job
pale ale
Posts: 1755
Date Joined: 02/01/10
Damn, I was gonna say the
Damn, I was gonna say the same
sarcasm0
Posts: 1396
Date Joined: 25/06/09
Day Two
carnarvonite
Posts: 8669
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Rego?
Would it be classed as a new trailer and not one that has been repaired and need re registering?
Top job that should last for many years to come.
fisho-ron
Posts: 2539
Date Joined: 26/09/09
nice job brian.always better
nice job brian.
always better when you do it yourself....are you going to gusset where the rhs bends in, would be a good idea i think.
just another quick note...if you have the room and you can put the axle on the other side of the springs
it will lower the boat down closer to the water which makes it easier getting off and on? dont have to back in as far.
either way good job mate.
sarcasm0
Posts: 1396
Date Joined: 25/06/09
OHS
Lucky we didnt have any OHS inspectors onsite:) Beers were consumed after work the first day and I think both of us felt a bit shady yesterday:D
Canarvonite, You are probably right, we have rebuilt trailers in the past, but essentially just 'skinning' them over the original frame or rebuilding/strengthening sections. I might have to look into the rules, still a few weeks yet before its done so if it has to pass the pits so be it.
Ron, yes, the trailer will be gusseted where the corners are, and will have a or 3/4 walkway one side down the centre. Getting the boat on and off isnt really an issue. Yesterday we broke the back of the trailer and with me pulling the nose up and carefully walking back up the main bar we rolled off the tyres/onto the trailer without a winch. I have also had the winch fail on the old trailer where the pin that holds the handle through the cable drum broke so the handle just spun. No problem though, she is light enough to pull up by hand. Also there is a high likely hood of taking the boat into places like lucky bay so the extra height isnt a bad thing.
There are still 8 more rollers to go on, 4 more each side off a raised bar out towards the wheel arches, have to finish the winch post/nose cone section, and uprights for the lights at the rear which will also be gusseted to the frame. I like it when you can walk all over the trailer and if you have to hang onto something it feels solid.
Cheers for the comments, today is a day off but things will happen in spare time over the next week or two and hopefully get it dipped and I can get back onto the water. Some f/glass and gelcoat repairs to take place on the boat also, but hopefully that wont take too long either.
Bryan
Tony Halliday
Posts: 2500
Date Joined: 14/06/07
nice job mate, good on
nice job mate, good on ya!
now go get it wet and blood on those decks
Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~
It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it
"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)
fisho-ron
Posts: 2539
Date Joined: 26/09/09
cool briandont worry about
cool brian
dont worry about the rego mate, just use the old one.
you havent changed enough to consider it a new trailer (im talking lenght,width, single axle to a tandem and so on) its like a car mate,
you can have it regoed and strip it and rebuild it from ground up, as long as you keep the same running gear its all good.
smash
Posts: 434
Date Joined: 01/12/10
great project!
Something to watch out for though-in the pic where you are welding the spring hanger on, are you sure you have left enough room for the slipper end to move?
It sort of looks like its going to hit the RHS cross member before the spring is compressed to far. If this is the case itll compress only so far then stop dead?
Before you galvanise Id get 5 or 6 blokes to stand on it and see where it gets to compressed.
Hope Im wrong though!
sarcasm0
Posts: 1396
Date Joined: 25/06/09
Good observation
We realised the same thing after welding both sides, its been cut off and rewelded with an extra 70mm clearance.
smash
Posts: 434
Date Joined: 01/12/10
would be heartbreaking to
sarcasm0
Posts: 1396
Date Joined: 25/06/09
So close to the finish
flangies
Posts: 2543
Date Joined: 11/05/08
What a beast of a boat too!
What a beast of a boat too!
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Sweet! Nice rebuild!
Sweet! Nice rebuild!
sea-kem
Posts: 14991
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Nice work guys.
Nice work guys.
Love the West!
sarcasm0
Posts: 1396
Date Joined: 25/06/09
Galvanising
Total weight of Galvanised material = 136 kgs, Galvanising = $239.60 = $1.76 per kg.
Cheers for the positive comments!