anyone build a car hauler?

[ragnarbronco]

mods, feel free to move this where ever,
are there any threads on here about how to build a car hauler trailer? i know northern tool has a few blue prints but their longest bumper pull trailer is 18'. i need 21' minimum. yea, i can probably modify their blue prints but was wondering it anyone had built a car hauler of this length yet? needs to be able to handle 10,000lbs. i realize most of the weight rating comes from the tongue, suspension and axles.

[Trouble maker]

I'd say if your asking you shouldn't attempt it. But here's some pointers

Its gonna cost you twice as much as you think
Its going to take you twice as long as you want
Use channel instead of box tubing, it doesn't hold water/salt so the trailer will last
Buy the heaviest axles you can afford with brakes
You can never have enough bracing
Beaver tails are worth the hassle
Design the wheel wells so you can driver a truck over them
Wood decks are great but metal is 10x better but also more $$$
Bigger tires the better
Weld with what ever your more comfortable with.

[ragnarbronco]

Originally Posted by Trouble maker

I'd say if your asking you shouldn't attempt it. But here's some pointers

that's actually a pretty ignorant comment. you're implying, without even knowing me, that i can't learn to do this. my question to you is this, have you ever built one? if not, you have no room to talk due to your own fear of failure. if you have, then you're implying you were born with this knowledge to which i'll say you're full of sh#t. i'm looking for build/design ideas, not smart a$$ remarks with no real basis.

Originally Posted by Trouble maker

Its gonna cost you twice as much as you think

what actually costs what we think it will when building a project from scratch? i seriously doubt it'll cost twice as much as much as i think. i'll give you 25% more but not 100% more. nothing i've built has cost twice as much as estimated. if i'm wanting information about fabbing something like a car trailer up, don't you think i've maybe built something a time or two? maybe the vehicle being towed on it? i'm by no means a know it all but at one point in time i didn't know what an SAS was but somehow i learned and did my own. i also had no idea how to weld but i've somehow figured out how to build winch mounts, crossmembers, rock sliders that double a jack points and a functional and bulletproof rear bumper for my bronco. while i don't do this for a living, i do it as a hobby, i have something that pro's dont have...an unlimited time frame.

Originally Posted by Trouble maker

Its going to take you twice as long as you want

see my response above.

Originally Posted by Trouble maker

Use channel instead of box tubing, it doesn't hold water/salt so the trailer will last

already planned on it. what size channel would be a better suggestion. obviously main supports will be larger than crossmembers.

Originally Posted by Trouble maker

Buy the heaviest axles you can afford with brakes

with a goal of carrying 10,000lbs i'm planning on using tandem 5,000lbs rated axles with brakes.

Originally Posted by Trouble maker

You can never have enough bracing

yes you can. when you start adding needless weight, you've overdone it. while i'm not looking to build a featherlight, i'm not looking to build a semi trailer either.

Originally Posted by Trouble maker

Beaver tails are worth the hassle

i'm open to ideas on how to angle an I beam and still maintain the original strength. yea, i can cut it almost all the way through, bend it down and weld in a section to re-strengthen it but is that the best way?

Originally Posted by Trouble maker

Design the wheel wells so you can driver a truck over them

i'm limited to 103" total width, if i build a trailer that has enough room between the tires to fit my bronco that's the goal. that way i don't have to drive over them. otherwise the other method i'm looking at is building enough height on the deck so that it is above the tires all together. if i have to design wheel wells to run over i will but would prefer to exhaust the above mentioned options first.

Originally Posted by Trouble maker

Wood decks are great but metal is 10x better but also more $$$

in all honesty i'd rather good wood. easier to replace. looks nicer in my opinion and provides better traction to wet and muddy 4x4 tires.

Originally Posted by Trouble maker

Bigger tires the better

i've never heard anything about tire size when towing. always heard use radials vs bias tires which i will be doing. while it'd look cool i'm sure, i don't think my 37's would look good on trailer. haha.

Originally Posted by Trouble maker

Weld with what ever your more comfortable with.

i've got a miller 180 that i've build a few different things with. i weld 1/4" with it routinely. i planned on using it to build this as well.

[Trouble maker]

I'm a fabricator by trade, a trailer is the least of my achievements. The reason I was so ignorant is because this thing is on our local highways. Everything has to be done right, and asking a pretty vague question implied to me you have limited knowledge. Cost maybe not twice as much but don't have very limited funds, cheeping out on the little things like paint, wiring, lights is all part of a crappy trailer. Channel I'd run somewhere around 5-6"x 3/8". Obviously don't brace the trailer to the point of 1/2 plate everywhere. To make a beaver tail strong theirs 3 easy steps, quality welds, fish plate inside/outside of channel and a few 2" plug welds. If your limited to a 103" wheelbase your going have roughly a 80" deck which is average. But what if your bronco gets one tons with offset rims pushing it out to 82", bracing wheel wells will pay off. Again wood and steel both have + and - so its, preference mines steel deck. Tire size I mean don't run a little 15" utility tire. Larger tires normally have a higher weight rating and will last longer due to larger diameter.

As far as your welder, I'm not going to say its a POS but its not top quality either. If you have access to a larger one I'd tack everything and weld it with a bigger one. If not bevel out the metal runs several passes and always weld in the flat position. If your finding the tie in isn't great pre-heat with a touch. Then let it air cool. Grind the least amount of welds as possible.

I'm not trying to be a dick, being a bit hard yes. But think of if the trailer snaps and your bronco come off killing the family in their civic behind you.

[ragnarbronco]

i get what you're saying and that's why i'm looking for build ideas for this. while i do enjoy building my own stuff i dont want the lawsuit from an accident either. again, why i'm looking for good, solid previous builds i can duplicate. my bronco and my harley are my babies and the reason i need this to be 21' min. so i can fit both on it. i'm not worried about the bronco getting wider. it won't. it's already on 1 ton axles and humvee tires. it's as wide as it's going to get. track width is 83.5" so deck width has to be 83.5" min but i'd prefer closer to 96" for room for error, so i'm going to have to figure out a way to build the deck over the tires or like you mentioned, build strong wheel wells.
i will be the first to admit i have a lot of research to do before i begin this project. in all reality the EARLIEST i'm looking at starting this would be this time next year. one thing i dont do, i dont delve into a project without knowing what i'm doing. hence the reason for this thread.
as for the welder...what do you recommend? miller 211? as for grinding the welds...that's something i don't do on structural joints. even if it detracts from appearance. i'd rather have a strong joint with an obvious weld than a pretty joint that snaps cause the weld was weakened by grinding it down.

[Trouble maker]

The problem with smaller welders is the duty cycle yours running wide open will be 10% or less. That's 1 minute of welding 9 minutes of drinking beer which turns into bad sloppy welds by the end of the day.

[ragnarbronco]

The duty cycle for mine is 30%. And youre assuming i drink while welding. Which i dont. Nor do i drink while working on my trucks, 4wheeling, riding the harley, etc.


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[StarDriver]

Originally Posted by ragnarbronco

with a goal of carrying 10,000lbs i'm planning on using tandem 5,000lbs rated axles with brakes.


i'm limited to 103" total width, if i build a trailer that has enough room between the tires to fit my bronco that's the goal. that way i don't have to drive over them. otherwise the other method i'm looking at is building enough height on the deck so that it is above the tires all together. if i have to design wheel wells to run over i will but would prefer to exhaust the above mentioned options first.



in all honesty i'd rather good wood. easier to replace. looks nicer in my opinion and provides better traction to wet and muddy 4x4 tires.



i've never heard anything about tire size when towing. always heard use radials vs bias tires which i will be doing. while it'd look cool i'm sure, i don't think my 37's would look good on trailer. haha.

1. If you going to carry 10K, 2-5K axles arent' going to be enough, did you factor in the weight of the trailer? Better look more at 2-7K axles, bigger, better tires and better brakes.


2. Better build that trailer to 102, 103 will make you overwidth, if a DOT puts a tape measure on it, you're screwed if you don't have permits.

3. Wet wood is just as bad as wet steel when mud is involved.

4. What he meant was, use the heaviest weight rated tire you can.

5. If why don't you just build a flat deck trailer so you don't have to worry about fenders? Have fun driving that truck up and over the fenders with muddy tires, I'll bet it falls off one side or the other the first time you do it.

[ragnarbronco]

Originally Posted by StarDriver

1. If you going to carry 10K, 2-5K axles arent' going to be enough, did you factor in the weight of the trailer? Better look more at 2-7K axles, bigger, better tires and better brakes.

truck is 6000lbs, motorcycle is 600.i'm guessing trailer will weigh approx 2500lbs so i'm guessing 10k GVWR should be good. but i will keep that in mind.

Originally Posted by StarDriver

2. Better build that trailer to 102, 103 will make you overwidth, if a DOT puts a tape measure on it, you're screwed if you don't have permits.

ok. i guess my research was wrong. i had read that 103" is max width. anything beyond that requires a permit.

Originally Posted by StarDriver

3. Wet wood is just as bad as wet steel when mud is involved.

fair enough. i'll consider it. but i still like the look of wood better.

Originally Posted by StarDriver

4. What he meant was, use the heaviest weight rated tire you can.

got it.

Originally Posted by StarDriver

5. If why don't you just build a flat deck trailer so you don't have to worry about fenders? Have fun driving that truck up and over the fenders with muddy tires, I'll bet it falls off one side or the other the first time you do it.

i like having a 96" deck width, like a flat bad offers, as this will allow plenty of room for the bronco and keep me under width. the catch is trying to build it high enough to clear the tires but low enough to still attach to the excursion. this won't be a goose neck, it'll have to be a bumper pull trailer.

[StarDriver]

Originally Posted by ragnarbronco

truck is 6000lbs, motorcycle is 600.i'm guessing trailer will weigh approx 2500lbs so i'm guessing 10k GVWR should be good. but i will keep that in mind.



ok. i guess my research was wrong. i had read that 103" is max width. anything beyond that requires a permit.



fair enough. i'll consider it. but i still like the look of wood better.



got it.



i like having a 96" deck width, like a flat bad offers, as this will allow plenty of room for the bronco and keep me under width. the catch is trying to build it high enough to clear the tires but low enough to still attach to the excursion. this won't be a goose neck, it'll have to be a bumper pull trailer.

1. You'll be close, always better to have a little extra, maybe look for 6K axles instead of 5.

2. 102" is the WIDEST a vehicle can be without being over dimensional,(Over Width). That includes the trailer or what your hauling on it. (Just FYI.)

3. That steel will be easier to clean up after you've loaded a dirty truck on it. But, that's your call.

4. Make sure you install a winch on the trailer, you'll thank me later.