listerdiesel · Jun 20, 2015

I'll make this a thread rather than just a couple of pictures.

Our youngest son, Philip has had this trailer for 3-4 years without getting stuck into it, but things are moving now, hopefully, the body is off and he pressure washed the chassis yesterday.

The plan is to extend the chassis by 600mm at each end and build a camper body onto it.

I'll post some pictures as we go along, bodywork will be Aalco extrusions again, similar to the 6-wheel drawbar trailer.

Peter

listerdiesel · Jun 20, 2015

'Trailer 3/4 Ton' is the designation, so not a lot really, but it is designed to carry that across country. For what he needs, it's more than enough.

Got a fair bit done this afternoon, the rear chassis was cut off and 750mm of extension welded in. Note that Philip always wears goggles when grinding or cutting, he caught a hot bit of steel in his eye just before we were leaving for Holland a few years ago and has worn them on these jobs ever since. Lesson learnt!

The pictures aren't posed, you can see the sparks round his feet if you look.

Got the reinforcing plates to go over the welds yet.

Going to the local metal scrap yard to see if we can get some more 100X50 box section, the piece we ordered hasn't arrived.

Peter

honolulujoe · Jun 20, 2015

nice job so far, pretty neat looking welds, I would definitely wear goggles for grinding, I should imagine one of those sparks in the eye is extremely painful.

trax · Jun 20, 2015

ah interesting. i'm thinking of keeping mine pretty much standard army kitchen body, but sticking a roof tent on the top.

i always wear goggles and gloves (usually) too.

i had a disc explode on me before.. not fun.

btw what's the big leccy boxes in the garage?

tacr2man · Jun 20, 2015

When you do the front extension , I would take the opportunity to extend the front further than the rear as it is quite easy to end up rear heavy with these trailers, not a good thing

listerdiesel · Jun 20, 2015

The 'leccy boxes' are a battery tester system for testing 110V Nicad battery rafts on EMU's. It isn't a garage, that's the roller shutter entrance at the factory.

http://www.prepair.co.uk/Tester.htm

Regarding weight balance/distribution, we've started the front extension today having picked up a decent bit of 100X50 at our local metal scrap yard, and in fact the rear has the longer extension at 750mm than the front with 600mm.

There will be an underslung LPG vapour tank and water tanks so we'll be able to balance it up by positioning those items.

Rain stopped play unfortunately, may get back up there later and carry on.

Just started raining as I took the pictures. More involved bracing needed at the front to strengthen the drawbar.

Peter

Funkykipper · Jun 20, 2015

Excellent thread.

warrior · Jun 20, 2015

v8geoff · Jun 21, 2015

Looking great ,great thread

Brown · Jun 21, 2015

Looks like an interesting project. Is that a rather rusty series chassis I see leaning against the wall too?

Rasher · Jun 21, 2015

Great project.

listerdiesel · Jun 21, 2015

Brown said:
Looks like an interesting project. Is that a rather rusty series chassis I see leaning against the wall too?

Yes, but I think it is probably terminally rusty, even Philip's skills aren't going to bring that back to life

Peter

listerdiesel · Jun 21, 2015

Today's efforts.

We got the front A-frame re-connected, made up to two perimeter frames for the front floor and got the A-frame cross-beam welded in.

Going to temporarily rig up the lights and get it weighed in the morning. Length is about 4 metres now.

Peter

Trewey · Jun 21, 2015

Nice work as always Peter.

How's the Bus conversion coming along? Haven't seen an update of that one lately.

listerdiesel · Jun 21, 2015

We are at the stage of taking out the old windows, plating over the old bodywork with 16g dural and then fitting new windows:

The roof lining is finished:

Solar panels are wired up and the controllers running:

Just back from holidays in France and Holland with the big trailer, got to get back onto that now. Mercedes blog link in my signature.

Peter

Bobsticle · Jun 21, 2015

Fantastic project. I have considered something similar but on a considerably lighter scale.
Whilst studying the excellent photographs in bed this morning I cant help asking a few questions. What led to the decision to bisect the drawbar beams within their angle rather directly from the crossbeam. And have you any more close ups of the welding. Possibly with a slightly squoze tube of copper grease in shot and some strongly drawn finger marks pulled manly across the bare steel.

listerdiesel · Jun 21, 2015

We wanted to leave the junction between the drawbar A-frame and the first cross-member alone, and with the joint out in the open as it were we can plate over the welds more easily. The A-frame members go back to the second cross-member.

I didn't take any more weld pictures, but will do as the job goes along.

Biggest problem today was a stiff breeze which caused the shielding gas to blow away from the weld, but we got round it by holding a big sheet of plastic around Philip as he was welding.

Peter

honolulujoe · Jun 22, 2015

had a look at the bus pages, fantastic project

listerdiesel · Jun 22, 2015

Weighs in at 380kg, coupling is 1500kg rating so we have a ton and a bit to play with

Peter

bluehaze · Jun 23, 2015

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