|
Posted by Ignoramus15568 on April 15, 2008, 1:20 pm
Please log in for more thread options
>
>>I wouldn't substitute tube for the angle in a trailer application. Reason is
>>that short of hot dip galvanizing, you can't rust proof the inside of the
>>tube. Water will get inside and eventually the frame will rust from the
>>inside out leading to failure. Do yourself a favor and follow the original
>>plans.
>>Just my .02 YMMV.
>>Paul
>
> Rect tube has some nice attributes for trailers:
> 1. As Tim noted, it has considerably higher torsion strength than
> angle
> 2. It is very easy to weld in crossmembers -- recommended.
> 3. The bottom provides a good place for spring mounts.
>
> The cross members don't add much weight while providing bed support
> and further stiffening the rails against twist.
>
> A well-constructed evenly-loaded trailer made of 2 x 3 x 1/8" rect
> tube should be good for 1500 lb. Peak stress is under 10 KSI. I would
> rate it at 1000 lb.
My trailer is made of a unibody steel bed, and 2x4x1/8" tubing frame
underneath. (not 2x3 as in in your example).
Because the bed is rigid, it distributes the weight across the frame
nicely without big stress areas. The points where the leaf springs
are attached to the frame are reinforced with 1/4" thick 2x2" steel
angle, to which the spring mounting hardware is welded. On both sides,
there are two 12" long pieces of the angle welded on.
I loaded this trailer to slightly over 6k gross, to carry 4,500 lbs
power supplies. (happened twice).
Both times there were unloaded rudely, one was dropped into the bed
from about 4" height, another was dragged through the bed to the very
back end of it and only then lifted with a forklift. Both times the
trailer held up without any visible damage.
That tubing is good stuff. I would personally recommend 2x4 instead of
2x3. Also, filling them with Great Stuff foam inside, is a good idea.
This trailer is one of the few homemade things that work well for me.
i
| 
Yahoo! 
Google 
Windows Live 
del.icio.us 
digg 
Netscape 
XML Sitemap
>that short of hot dip galvanizing, you can't rust proof the inside of the
>tube. Water will get inside and eventually the frame will rust from the
>inside out leading to failure. Do yourself a favor and follow the original
>plans.
>Just my .02 YMMV.
>Paul