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#Post#: 97394--------------------------------------------------
Re: Series axles for a big trailer - thoughts?
By: rowehillmaster Date: May 3, 2015, 1:48 am
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Renault Master rear axle ? - plenty of them in the scrappers
#Post#: 98996--------------------------------------------------
Re: Series axles for a big trailer - thoughts?
By: w3526602 Date: September 22, 2015, 3:42 pm
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Hi,
This is an old discussion, I hope you haven't started making
your trailer.
I do not have the relent dates, but for many years now, any NEW
trailer has to have automatic "reverse enable" brakes, and
hydraulically damped coupling, and probably a lot more.
Expensive new, and not very common second hand if you want to
use Land Rover axles. I don't know what the latest regulations
are regarding home-spun trailers .... Google TRAILER SVA.
It doesn't sound like it, but I sympathise with what you want to
do. But I don't want you to get into trouble. You may consider
making a trailer that looks old. But are you able to source
Imperial section steel? And personally, I'd be reluctant to tow
2500kg on a clapped out 30 year old hitch. But just in case ....
Land Rover rear springs are rather long, they will force you to
build the axles a long way apart. Front springs will not carry
2500lbs. A small Sankey weighs about 400kg unloaded, but has a
MGW of about 1250kg, using the extra rubber springs. Sankey leaf
springs are short.
The rear brakes on S1 and early S2 LWB used adjusters similar to
the hand brake. I suspect that the wheel cylinders would not be
difficult to convert to cable/rod operation same as Rover P6 ...
but I am guessing. I've seen complete back plate assemblies on
EBay for about £20 pair.
Me? I would do an EBay search for HORSEBOX try to find something
with a rotten body, on Land Rover wheels ... and Morris 1000
brakes. Then search EBay for OTHER VEHICLES ... there is some
amazing stuff there.
When did you pass your test. The latest rules SEEM to say that a
Cat.B only licence can drive up to 3500kg combined weight
trailer and tow-car. Cat.B+E can drive 3500kg and tow 3500kg,
but I don't know if Grandfather rights over-rule that. Whatever,
if you are towing 2500kg, you will want the trailer to have VERY
good brakes.
I've driven a Transit loaded way above it's braking ability.
It's not fun doing 60mph downhill, knowing that you cannot stop.
602
#Post#: 98997--------------------------------------------------
Re: Series axles for a big trailer - thoughts?
By: w3526602 Date: September 23, 2015, 12:30 am
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Hi,
Been thinking. A couple of years ago I broke up a biggish
caravan, something like Olympic Silver, I think it was 4.35m
long plus drawbar, with a chassis plate saying 1100kg MGW.
I used not to like the idea of cargo trailers made from old
caravans, because much of the strength is in the body. But this
caravan had a chassis fabricated from 80mm x 40mm x3mm thick
RHS, including the drawbar, and galvanised. The "axle" was a
tube with rubber block suspension, all held to the chassis with
two bolts at each end. Brackets had been welded under the
chassis to locate the axle. There was a plate nailed under the
axle, saying it was made by ALKO. and 1200kg MGW. All very
simple, and it had everything you need to keep it legal ...
brakes, damped coupling, etc.
It would need two more plates welded under the chassis to accept
another axle, either in front or behind the original axle,
depending on how long you want the trailer to be. So, all you
need to do is to find two identical caravans, use the rolling
chassis from one, plus the axle from the other. Maybe £50 each
from Ebay, search for CARAVAN CHASSIS, or TRAILERS, or OTHER
VEHICLES, in ALL CATERGORIES.
Some points to watch ... avoid caravans with coil springs. Avoid
chassis where the axle passes through the chassis rails. I think
it would have been possible to chop a bit out of my axle, and
weld together to make it narrower, but I understand that some
axles have a torsion bar running through the middle of the tube.
Good luck.
602
#Post#: 100435--------------------------------------------------
Re: Series axles for a big trailer - thoughts?
By: Matthew Date: January 11, 2016, 7:34 am
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Hi w3526602 and thanks for the helpful replies, sorry for the
delay in responding!
Luckily the trailer construction has not started yet, due to the
cockpit taking a back seat (Friend and I decided to recommission
a dormant Pratt and Whitney R1800 as a runner to take to shows
next year, and I've now gone and bought myself an RR Meteor to
keep it company....threads to follow in the Anorak's corner!).
The advice is however still very relevant as the radial will
need a trailer constructing for it (probably based on modifying
a Sankey, for simplicity and parts commonality with the Sankey
rig for my Meteor). I have since learned that, as you said,
overrun brakes are needed, and more to the point they have to be
cable operated not hydraulic. This basically rules out and car,
van or truck axles.
As simple as it would be to mount indispension type rubber
units if we find some cheaply secondhand, we would both much
prefer a proper leafsprung axle as they are much stronger and
have much higher ratings.
I've since been tipped off by Buzzy Bee of this parish about a
scrapyard very local to me that breaks a lot of trailers, and
will be looking in there. He also answered my query about why
millions of rubber units are for sale on ebay, but no proper
axles - leafpsrung axles are like gold dust to farmers, who tend
to hoard them for their own agricultural trailer creations.
Hopefully the scrapyard will have some!
I also need to pass my B+E, luckily my friend is in his 40s so
can tow in the meantime.
We're aware of the trailer IVA, however as this was very
technically an existing trailer that's being lightly modified,
rather than a new creation, I think (unless someone can provide
evidence otherwise) that we can get away with things. Both of us
are of a rather Victorian "let's make it a lot stronger than it
needs to be, just to be sure" mindset so it shouldn't fall
apart, and once completed it will go to a weighbridge so we can
make a proper weight plate for it too.
Thanks
Matthew
#Post#: 100439--------------------------------------------------
Re: Series axles for a big trailer - thoughts?
By: Arjan Date: January 11, 2016, 8:40 am
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Sounds :thumbs:
Ehm... "...and bought myself an RR Meteor.."
as in :
- Engine
- Plane
We transported one many years ago for a museum in Holland... In
one piece.
#Post#: 100448--------------------------------------------------
Re: Series axles for a big trailer - thoughts?
By: Doug_T Date: January 11, 2016, 12:34 pm
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My Dad built his boat trailer many years ago using Series 2 LWB
hubs, backplates, drums and various handbrake gubbins (adjusters
and expanders) to give cable operated overrun braking. With a
bit of ingenuity it can be done.
Isn't the Meteor a tank engine? (or an SD1 engine if you are
feeling really brave).
#Post#: 100460--------------------------------------------------
Re: Series axles for a big trailer - thoughts?
By: Matthew Date: January 12, 2016, 5:10 am
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Interesting idea Doug - presumably the hubs were welded into a
bit of scrap axle tube? If I can't scrounge any proper axles I
might try this. Did he just plonk the Series handbrake mechanism
into the wheel brakes?
As for the engines - yes, my Meteor is of the Merlin-derived
Rolls Royce V12 tank engine variety.
However, said friend also owns one of the aeroplane-y versions
made by Gloster (and enough spares to build another one up from
a bare airframe). It lives at Speke Aerodrome Heritage group in
Liverpool, and is a right sod to work on because all the spare
parts we're restoring it with don't fit properly - the joys of a
handbuilt plane where every part was precisely fettled to that
unit
#Post#: 100465--------------------------------------------------
Re: Series axles for a big trailer - thoughts?
By: niteram Date: January 13, 2016, 5:11 am
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that R/R V12 is a great engine, I've done a bit of work on them
and even did a factory course on maintenance and repair!
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