Aluminum trailer

[Caleb]

I think you'll have a hard time with airbags. You'll have to find a super light duty set. You aren't supposed to have no pressure in airbags at any time because it will allow the fittings to leak, and even at 10-15psi, mine on my truck would make it ride like a rock. They serve a purpose, but I don't think a super light trailer is it. The idea is cool though, I think there has to be something better than leaf springs and cheaper than coil overs. Still not "cheap" but maybe airshocks? I think you could tune those much better than airbags and mounting is super simple.

Funny this is being discussed because I've always wanted to build some sort of offroad trailer that has a link suspension and the frame was made out of round tube. Ever since I built my buggy clear back (what, probably 10 years ago now). At the time I was thinking of using airshocks (to match my buggy) and running 40" tires (again, to match my buggy).

 

[STAG]

You aren't supposed to have no pressure in airbags at any time because it will allow the fittings to leak

... Where'd you hear that?

 

[Caleb]

... Where'd you hear that?

Well, dealing with the compression fittings for years, I've experienced it myself...also the instructions for my air ride airbags said the same thing, most airbags will have a minimum pressure of 5-10psi...this is why. If there's no pressure in the system (especially on the super low pressure you see in airbags anyways) then the lines can come unseated and will leak. If you're talking about a system that's high pressure then they get seated well enough they won't leak without pressure in the system, but that's not the case with airbags. I can almost guarantee the vast majority of airbags that leak, leak because of this...and if you've dealt with airbags on pickups long enough, you'll know leaky airbags is fairly common.

 

[spaggyroe]

Got it....they just rivet (or similar) theirs together, so it can be all flexy if it needs to be, without cracking welds and junk.

How cool would it be if someone were to design and then plasma cut a "kit" to be bolted or riveted together, so the average joe could assemble a slick adventure trailer box in their garage...???

Now if we only knew a local master designer / fabricator with a home plasma table.

 

[STAG]

Well, dealing with the compression fittings for years, I've experienced it myself...also the instructions for my air ride airbags said the same thing, most airbags will have a minimum pressure of 5-10psi...this is why. If there's no pressure in the system (especially on the super low pressure you see in airbags anyways) then the lines can come unseated and will leak. If you're talking about a system that's high pressure then they get seated well enough they won't leak without pressure in the system, but that's not the case with airbags. I can almost guarantee the vast majority of airbags that leak, leak because of this...and if you've dealt with airbags on pickups long enough, you'll know leaky airbags is fairly common.

then build the OBA system with a 12v pump directly on the trailer, and make the trailer air system completely stand-alone. You'll never drop the air pressure unless you have a leak or unless you have to service the system.

 

[I Lean]

How cool would it be if someone were to design and then plasma cut a "kit" to be bolted or riveted together, so the average joe could assemble a slick adventure trailer box in their garage...???

Now if we only knew a local master designer / fabricator with a home plasma table.

Bolting or riveting is so much work though!

My "adventure trailer" is planned to be pretty simple, small, and open-top. Basically just a truck bed to tow behind, more or less. It will probably end up looking something along the lines of this:

 

[MikeGyver]

I you could do it, and with steel prices so high it would probably be affordable. 7075 would be my choice, I would build the whole thing out of it and keep it as ridged as possible.

Seems like a rather strange material choice... unweldable, very expensive, not very good corrosion resistance, material is usually limited to bar and sheet although aerospace sources can run tubing (at even greater expense).
Good, logical choice for your carabiner and parts of your AR-15, probably not so much for an already light weight, small trailer that doesn't really have any return on its investment.

I'd make the frame out of steel and everything else out of aluminum, you wouldn't even be sacrificing 100 lbs.

 

[Caleb]

then build the OBA system with a 12v pump directly on the trailer, and make the trailer air system completely stand-alone. You'll never drop the air pressure unless you have a leak or unless you have to service the system.

Being able to keep pressure in the system isn't the problem I was pointing out with airbags. The problem is even at super low pressures (10-15psi) it makes even the ride in a full-size truck much stiffer. Unless you found some super light duty (like super super light duty, like balloons that won't pop, light duty ) air bags, having bags on such a light trailer is going to make it super stiff and therefore very bouncy (like there's no suspension at all).

 

[Caleb]

Seems like a rather strange material choice... unweldable, very expensive, not very good corrosion resistance, material is usually limited to bar and sheet although aerospace sources can run tubing (at even greater expense).
Good, logical choice for your carabiner and parts of your AR-15, probably not so much for an already light weight, small trailer that doesn't really have any return on its investment.

I'd make the frame out of steel and everything else out of aluminum, you wouldn't even be sacrificing 100 lbs.

I was thinking the same thing but it's been so long since I've really dealt with aluminum, didn't want to say something thinking I was mistaken If I were to pick an aluminum grade to use it would likely be something in the 50XX series. A lot of marine applications use it due to it's corrosion resistance and it's stronger than you'll ever need for an offroad trailer. 6061 is a good choice too but can be more prone to cracking than the 50XX series.

 

[STAG]

Being able to keep pressure in the system isn't the problem I was pointing out with airbags. The problem is even at super low pressures (10-15psi) it makes even the ride in a full-size truck much stiffer. Unless you found some super light duty (like super super light duty, like balloons that won't pop, light duty ) air bags, having bags on such a light trailer is going to make it super stiff and therefore very bouncy (like there's no suspension at all).

Then rig it up for leverage (bags in the middle of the links) then a trailers weight would push down twice as hard on the bags, and you'd get twice the ride quality without having to have super light duty bags.

I dunno just spitballing. It might be something I could be interested in tinkering with.

 

[Kevin B.]

This 700 lb trailer has air bags. They don't talk much about what bags they're using though.

http://www.expeditionswest.com/equipment/adventure_equip/adventure_trailers/chaser.html

 

[STAG]

This 700 lb trailer has air bags. They don't talk much about what bags they're using though.

http://www.expeditionswest.com/equipment/adventure_equip/adventure_trailers/chaser.html

Slick setup. If doing that frame out of aluminum though those trailing arm mounting points would have to be really reinforced.

 

[Unimog]

Air bags cause more stress than springs also. I don't know if it would make any difference in the components on a trailer this small.

 

[flexyfool]

Air shocks and develop a chart of PSI vs. weight being carried?

 

[thefirstzukman]

I was thinking the same thing but it's been so long since I've really dealt with aluminum, didn't want to say something thinking I was mistaken If I were to pick an aluminum grade to use it would likely be something in the 50XX series. A lot of marine applications use it due to it's corrosion resistance and it's stronger than you'll ever need for an offroad trailer. 6061 is a good choice too but can be more prone to cracking than the 50XX series.

Nobody ever said anything about welding it.. And who cares about corrosion resistance if your going to paint it? If I'm going to build an aluminum trailer it's going to be one big bad ass solid machined piece of 7075. That being said I have no plans on building an aluminum trailer.

 

[skippy]

Not to mention $$$, 7075 is more than double the cost of 6061... I would save the headache and money an jut build a lightweight steel trailer. Use lighter steel material and design it accordingly.

 

[mesha]

I was thinking about using 6000 series of some sort. It does flex more than the 7000 series which is a good and a bad thing.

I was planning on welding it together. I am not worried about the cost. Aluminum vs. steel might cost me a few hundred bucks difference on a trailer this size.

I may end up going with a steel trailer(the plan in the beginning), but just kind of thinking about aluminum pros and cons. This wasn't really about if steel or aluminum is better so much as if aluminum is a valid choice.

If I go aluminum I will probably go with coil overs for the suspension.

 

[jsudar]

I know I'm a little late to the party, but for what it's worth: I did see an aluminum jet ski trailer abandoned on the side of the road near Deer Creek with the tongue completely torn off. I wasn't in a hurry so I stopped to check out the carnage and it looked a victim of fatigue. At least in my opinion, anyway.

 

[mesha]

I know I'm a little late to the party, but for what it's worth: I did see an aluminum jet ski trailer abandoned on the side of the road near Deer Creek with the tongue completely torn off. I wasn't in a hurry so I stopped to check out the carnage and it looked a victim of fatigue. At least in my opinion, anyway.

That sounds like a bad day for someone :-(

Steve and Kevin were talking about a hybrid trailer with all contact points having isolators.

Maybe I need to rethink about a steel frame and then the top part be aluminum. The main problem I see with that is tw frame is the heavy part. I don't really think style frame and aluminum top would save any weight.

I guess it depends on the size of the trailer and height of the box.

 

[Spork]

My neighbor has an aluminum trailer with a steel frame, he says it pulls pretty easy with hit Jeep. Maybe I'll sneak over and get a pic.