Little Brass Offroad Trailer

[crawlerpawl]

I've wanted to make a little trailer for my Jeep for some time now. I finally got a start so I thought I'd post a few pics...

The materials I'm using...

A start on the frame, it's 4x6 inches....

I'd like to make some leaf springs and my own axle, but not sure yet...

I soldered on some front suspension mounts, but I still haven't been successful at springs that don't snap...

Any hints on making stronger springs would be appreciated. They're made from a lawnmower starter spring.

 

[crawlerpawl]

Great start,what about adding a couple more leafs to each side to give more strength?

It's not the stiffness that I'm concerned about, it's the brittleness. Where they've been heated they snap like twigs when cooled in water. If I let them air cool they bend.

 

[Draz]

can also try diping them in motor oil for cooling but watch out that the oil does not start on fire.

 

[crawlerpawl]

Here's another thought that popped in to my head - independent suspension with a single lateral leaf...

It would allow good ground clearance, but I don't think it would be very strong.

 

[kyle_l]

have you thought about doubling up the main leaf will make them a little more stronger at the end.

 

[crawlerpawl]

I haven't been working on this trailer for a while so I picked it up again and got a little done. Need a bunch more fasteners...

 

[crawlerpawl]

I made up some tiny U-bolts out of coat hanger wire to fasten the axle to the leafs...

And some aluminum plates for the top side...

I also doubled up the leafs as per Kyle's and Kuatto's suggestions. The last bit of metal fabrication left is a 3-way swiveling hitch then I can paint and assemble the chassis and build a styrene box. The chassis will just be black, but I'm not sure what colour the box will be. Maybe dark red to match my Jeep.

 

[alan]

Very nice fabrication!

 

[-]

Swell work indeed... Should look great following on the trail.

 

[crawlerpawl]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the comments.

 

[NVFOCUS]

Yep, looking great and YES do paint it to match the Jeep so that they look like, they do belong together plus it will at to the realism.

What are you going to put in it once its all finished?

 

[crawlerpawl]

Yep, looking great and YES do paint it to match the Jeep so that they look like, they do belong together plus it will at to the realism.

What are you going to put in it once its all finished?

Just various accessories as I make/buy them. I also want to make it able to carry a motorbike when the lid is removed.

I have an axle made up now, here's a couple pics...

I started on the hitch as well - this piece is made of steel. It will swivel on 3 axis' (axises? axi?) ...

This picture will make more sense once you see it come together.

 

[crawlerpawl]

In regards to the square axle tubes,what size bearing did you manage to fit inside and how is the rest of the assembly setup to accept the wheels?

Nothing fancy here, just bushings. A locknut on the outside, then a washer, a bushing and a carved down 14mm wheel hex to sleeve the wheel down to fit the axle, and another washer on the inside. The axle tube has a bushing pressed in to the end to fit an 8-32 threaded rod. The assembly has a small amount of slop, but nothing I can't live with...

These roughly-hewn parts make up my swivel hitch...

And this is the hitch assembled...

This piece slides in to the hitch receiver and is held with a body clip...

Thanks for looking. Stay tuned, more to come.

 

[GKF]

awesome work paul. i love the drop down hitch.
fantastic idea. what are your plans for hauling in the trailer?

 

[alan]

Homemade universal joint with swivel!:bowdown: Beautiful work!

 

[crawlerpawl]

Thanks guys.

awesome work paul. i love the drop down hitch.
fantastic idea. what are your plans for hauling in the trailer?

Just an enclosed box for the usual offroad gear and accessories, but I also want to make the top removable to haul a motorbike.

 

[Headquake]

Nice trailor man. I somehow missed this thread.

 

[Dukk]

Re: the springs. After quenching in water hit them with some heat again - just enough to get a very dark red or even no red, just hot. This should relieve some of the brittleness.

 

[crawlerpawl]

Thanks guys. I finally started the box today, he's a couple pics to give you an idea of what I'm doing:


Waiting for glue to dry on the upper box sides...

The shape of things to come...

 

[crawlerpawl]

I thought I'd try making a shovel while waiting for more glue to dry...

In answer to the inevitable question about the handle: a drill press and a dremel tool.

Here's what I've got done on the trailer box so far...

The tape is just holding it while the glue dries.