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MAGA
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 10,769
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Always wanted a car trailer.... So it begins
Picked up some used 3500 lb Dexter Torflex axles for cheap on Craigslist last year to someday build a car/racecar/utility trailer. Today is someday. I really want to buy/build up dirt oval bomber racecar this winter, but I obviously will need a trailer to haul it on.
I grabbed some odd sized tubing from work as well as some old steel tubular pallet shelve/racks to cut into frame members. After making some axle hangars from 1/4" angle iron, I started cut and started wlding the frame. I found some new 15" trailer wheels/tires for $100 each on Craigslist and picked up a 50 degree coupler and light set from TSC. I am going to buy $500 worth of 1/8" steel diamond plate to skin it with. I should end up at about $1200-$1500 for a 16' long x 6 1/2' deck size steel skinned trailer with electric brakes on both axles and new 15" trailer tires/wheels. I have looked at used trailers, but the DIY urge could not be resisted.  This thing will also be handy for hauling tractors, mowers, skid loaders, motorcycles, airplane projects, snowmobiles, atvs etc and best of all, I will no longer have to borrow trailers from friends.     
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German autos: '79 911 SC, '87 951, '03 330i, '08 Cayenne, '13 Cayenne 0% Liberal Men do not quit playing because they get old.... They get old because they quit playing. |
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08-13-2011, 12:43 PM
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I am waiting for the "cafe racer trailer" thread.
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08-13-2011, 01:32 PM
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MAGA
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 10,769
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Quote:
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German autos: '79 911 SC, '87 951, '03 330i, '08 Cayenne, '13 Cayenne 0% Liberal Men do not quit playing because they get old.... They get old because they quit playing. |
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08-13-2011, 01:34 PM
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Looks good. Keep us updated.
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Jacksonville. Florida https://www.flickr.com/photos/ury914/ |
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08-13-2011, 02:50 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Posts: 14,150
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Looks good. I wish I had the capability to build my own back when I had one. Added a tire rack, other mods and it cost me a small fortune.
You probably already thought about it, but I added removable fenders on both sides and nine flush tie downs (3 in the front, middle and back for dirt bkes, etc.). Last edited by A930Rocket; 08-13-2011 at 02:59 PM.. |
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08-13-2011, 02:56 PM
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MAGA
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 10,769
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Top of the removable fenders will also serve as ramps. I intend to put several stake pockets around the perimeter to allow adding 2x4 mounted low side boards when I want to haul stone/dirt/etc. I have an old 12v winch and will likely build removable tire racks, tool box and generator mount for racing.
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German autos: '79 911 SC, '87 951, '03 330i, '08 Cayenne, '13 Cayenne 0% Liberal Men do not quit playing because they get old.... They get old because they quit playing. |
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08-13-2011, 03:05 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Posts: 14,150
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2x stake pockets and a removeable tire rack are a great ideas. Making the tire rack as low as possible will help with the MPG as well. Mine really went down hill with tires on it.
How long will the tongue be? I used a 4' tongue with a 12' bed, as I wanted a trailer that would fit in the garage. Others I have seen are 6' tongues. |
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08-13-2011, 03:16 PM
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MAGA
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 10,769
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Quote:
Tongue will be a standard 50 degree A frame made from a couple chunks of 6" channel I have had leaning in a corner of my shop for the last 15 years. The ball socket of the coupler will end up about 5' from the front of the main deck frame. I never got around to drawing the coupler on cad and will likely just lay it out on the trailer. I am mounting the tandem axles with their center at about 55% from the front of the deck vs the standard 60% to keep tongue weight down a bit when I have a generator/tire rack/tools etc mounted near the front. The 16' long main deck is 12' long then it slopes down resulting in an additional 4' long beavertail to aid in loading low cars. I thought about shortening the beavertail to 3' long (15' o'all deck length) but that would likely mean the back of a race car might stick out a tad.... so I just went with 16'.
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German autos: '79 911 SC, '87 951, '03 330i, '08 Cayenne, '13 Cayenne 0% Liberal Men do not quit playing because they get old.... They get old because they quit playing. |
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08-13-2011, 03:42 PM
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Dog-faced pony soldier
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Awesome - can't wait to see how this turns out...
I can't believe how stoopid expensive car trailers are. It's two axles and some sheet metal for crying out loud! If you're really fancy, an emergency brake system in case the trailer gets free of the tow vehicle (which from personal experience is WELL worth the extra effort to include). Probably buildable for $2k-$3k in parts. Why they sell for 8, 9,10k is beyond me... |
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08-13-2011, 04:27 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Posts: 14,150
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^^^^ Product liability...
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08-13-2011, 04:32 PM
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MAGA
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 10,769
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Basic frame is tack welded together.... I think I am going to go through a lot of welding rods....
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German autos: '79 911 SC, '87 951, '03 330i, '08 Cayenne, '13 Cayenne 0% Liberal Men do not quit playing because they get old.... They get old because they quit playing. |
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08-13-2011, 04:53 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Long Beach CA, the sewer by the sea.
Posts: 37,678
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Quote:
MikeZ got the open trailer free when he bought the 914 race car. |
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08-13-2011, 05:12 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 44,291
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Why begrudge companies for making a profit? A trailer is 2 axles, steel, sheetmetal, experienced welders and installers paid good wages to make a quality product, a facility capable of housing company operations, advertising, inventory, executive compensation and G&A and Profit. Trailers aren't cheap because they aren't cheap to make, and the guy that started the company would like to take home a nice 6 figure paycheck.
They sell for $10K because that's what the market will bear. Quote:
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Tru6 Restoration & Design |
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08-13-2011, 05:35 PM
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Non Compos Mentis
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Off the grid- Almost
Posts: 10,593
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I looked for a used trailer for quite a while, and ended up buying a new steel 16' flatbed for $1600.
Most used trailers were torn up enough that it would have taken as much money to bring them back into shape that the cost was the same, or exceeded the cost of buying new. If a trailer in nice shape came available, I'd call quickly, and it was already sold. Awful nice to have. Besides the race car, it has hauled all kinds of stuff, the most unusual being a Cessna 172 after it pumped all of its oil overboard and landed on a field at the local Army base. With wings removed, the airplane was lifted onto the deck, with the wings strapped down underneath the belly to get it back to the airport. Two things I added: -Big D-Rings in the four corners for strapping things down, -A 2" receiver welded to the front of the deck, as I have a Warn winch on a cradle mount for loading up broken cars or whatever. |
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08-13-2011, 05:44 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: So. Cal.
Posts: 9,103
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I bought a 16'x6.5' Carson a little over a year ago off of CL. I noticed the guy had it advertised for $1,700 one week and dropped it to $1,200 the next week. I ended up getting it for $950, but I felt sorry for the guy selling it. I suspected he had lost his job & really needed money to pay current bills. The trailor is an '06 model. You can find decent deals if you are patient. Doesn't match the satisfaction of building one though.
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Marv Evans '69 911E |
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08-13-2011, 09:40 PM
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Dept store Quartermaster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: I'm right here Tati
Posts: 19,858
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Quote:
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Cornpoppin' Pony Soldier |
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08-13-2011, 10:00 PM
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Dog-faced pony soldier
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Well if people will pay whatever for them that's their perogative but (like Tim) I'd rather build something myself rather than paying for someone else to do it. An enclosed car trailer is in the future at some point - don't like the open ones personally. Way cool project. Definitely include an auto/emergency brake though!
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08-14-2011, 05:24 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,384
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Looking good! Question: how do you tag/title it?
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08-14-2011, 05:30 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 7,482
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I had this one built for me: 26' V-nose, 10,200 pound Dexter axles, radial tires, all LED lights (and more than std), spare tire/wheel, polished uprights, heavy duty build, etc for under $4000. I could have had it built 'stock' for under $3500. So POP, they're not $10K....
 
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I love you guys outside this forum  -Eric |
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08-14-2011, 05:56 AM
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Dog-faced pony soldier
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That seems more reasonable. I'm going by actual prices I've seen around here - plenty north of $6k and for really good ones upwards of $12k.
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08-14-2011, 06:20 AM
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1989 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2
1973 Porsche 914 1.7 very modifed
