Considering a trailer

[arcascomp]

I'm thinking of picking up a trailer at somepoint for three fairly different uses:

1) Collecting wood for cutting/splitting and sticking in the stove
2) Taking all the extra kit needed for cub/scout camps
3) My neighbour uses a mobility scooter and sometimes needs more space in their boot when they go away for a trip.

I think a smallish 'tow-a-van' style box trailer is what I'm after, but wondered what sort of size would look okay behind a T2? Reason I 'm asking is I saw a tiny trailer behind a L200 the other day and it looked camper than a Winnebago.

Needless to say, I'm looking for something that's buttons cheap, so I'm expecting to get something basic and build a plywood box or something for it. Anyone chucking out/flogging off cheap? (you don't ask,......)

[Lazy-Ferret]

Keep your eyes open for an old trailer tent... I got one really cheap off of preloved. The body was gone, but the frame and chassis had actually been under-sealed and were near perfect.

I picked up a couple of Conway ones for a project, and they a good size to work from, but you can get ones fitted with over-run brakes, which means not only is it easier to park on the driveway with out it taking it's self for a walk when the wind gets up, but it means you can tow a heavier load with out the boys in blue throwing their toys out the pram.

The only thing is, to check the rating of the suspensions units, as often the trailer tent is rated lower than the suspension spec, so small cars can legally tow it. You just remove the plate when making it fit your purpose, and make sure you know the rating of the suspensions units. Mine were 500Kg Indespension units, and I turned it into a 4 wheel trailer, so in theory I could go up to a tonne.. it won't go anywhere near that though, I wanted the 4 wheels for stability, more than weight, and as it regularly gets towed across wet grassy fields.

If you look for some of the German trailer tents, they have a good weight spec, or if you want to go bigger, get a caravan chassis, but I found it hard to get one small enough for what I had in mind.

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by arcascomp

I'm thinking of picking up a trailer at somepoint for three fairly different uses:

1) Collecting wood for cutting/splitting and sticking in the stove
2) Taking all the extra kit needed for cub/scout camps
3) My neighbour uses a mobility scooter and sometimes needs more space in their boot when they go away for a trip.

I think a smallish 'tow-a-van' style box trailer is what I'm after, but wondered what sort of size would look okay behind a T2? Reason I 'm asking is I saw a tiny trailer behind a L200 the other day and it looked camper than a Winnebago.

Needless to say, I'm looking for something that's buttons cheap, so I'm expecting to get something basic and build a plywood box or something for it. Anyone chucking out/flogging off cheap? (you don't ask,......)

I got a little demonstration trailer here fibre glass body in need of a bit of TLC be glad to get shot yours for the picking up, Rick

[stinka]

What the deal with converting a caravan chassis to a car trailer ? And could I tow it with my Terrano ?

Want a swb Terrano for an offroader

[solarman216]

you will need a 4 wheel chassis for this, not sure a caravan chassis would have the required axle rating, Plank will probably know, Rick

[Lazy-Ferret]

Originally Posted by stinka

What the deal with converting a caravan chassis to a car trailer ? And could I tow it with my Terrano ?

Want a swb Terrano for an offroader

Lot of people do it, the main problem is, caravan chassis tend to have a thinner wheelbase than a conventional car trailer, so you can only use it for small, thin cars....

or raise the height of the bed, so that it goes over the top of the wheels, which of course also raises the centre of gravity, and makes it pretty naff to tow....

or make it so that the mud guards are strong enough that the car can drive over the top of the wheels, and its wheels sit in front and behind the trailer wheels, which was how my first off road trailer worked. With the ground clearance of an off roader, it is fine, but a normal car would have the sills mangled.

[stinka]

Originally Posted by Lazy-Ferret

Lot of people do it, the main problem is, caravan chassis tend to have a thinner wheelbase than a conventional car trailer, so you can only use it for small, thin cars....

or raise the height of the bed, so that it goes over the top of the wheels, which of course also raises the centre of gravity, and makes it pretty naff to tow....

or make it so that the mud guards are strong enough that the car can drive over the top of the wheels, and its wheels sit in front and behind the trailer wheels, which was how my first off road trailer worked. With the ground clearance of an off roader, it is fine, but a normal car would have the sills mangled.

That last paragraph sounds like a plan

To tow a swb Terrano would I need twin axle then ? What about brakes etc.

I suppose I could just beef it up by welding some 50x50x3 box across it ? And form some tracks for the wheels to run on out of angle or sommit rather than covering the whole thing, but I could cover it with 18mm ply ... Would that do ?

[arcascomp]

Originally Posted by solarman216

I got a little demonstration trailer here fibre glass body in need of a bit of TLC be glad to get shot yours for the picking up, Rick

Rick, before I rip your arm off and smack you with the wet bit, need to check a couple of things regarding logistics of getting it to Edinburgh and where it'll live when up here. Blown away by your offer.

Is the trailer towable safely/legally to Edinburgh? and what size is it both the box and the whole footprint as I have limited storage space too. When you say a little TLC, I've seen what you can do to motor as 'TLC' but is the TLC required within the realms of a hamfisted IT geek?

[Lazy-Ferret]

Originally Posted by stinka

That last paragraph sounds like a plan

To tow a swb Terrano would I need twin axle then ? What about brakes etc.

I suppose I could just beef it up by welding some 50x50x3 box across it ? And form some tracks for the wheels to run on out of angle or sommit rather than covering the whole thing, but I could cover it with 18mm ply ... Would that do ?

I would think 18mm ply would be Ok with enough extra support, as the main chassis rails are between the caravan wheels, and that would mean the off roader would be sitting on the unsupported outside edges of the wood.

The person who adapted mine, had added several extra cross bars and like you said, tracks for the car to run along. The actual tracks were made from angle welded across the tracks, like the old style car ramps. The result with doing it that way was, plenty of places to attach tie downs too, the car had natural "wedges" to stop it moving as the wheels tended to sit in the gap between the welded cross angles, as these were about 6 inches apart, and jet washing off was a dream, as no mud stayed on the trailer. Not only that, but because the middle bit was open, it also made a great ramp for getting under the car to replace the gearbox and clutch when I needed to.

You will definitely need brakes on any trailer that could carry a car, most vehicles, regardless of size can only tow up to about 1/2 a tonne of unbraked trailer legally, which is fine for a little box camping trailer, but anything else and you are asking for VOSA to pull you over if they see you on a major road, and make your life hell, also make sure you only get a chassis where all the wheels are braked, as it in now against the law to only have a part braked trailer. It is scary how many illegal trailers there are out there, especially boat trailers, and adapted caravan chassis trailers.

Oh and one other thing, read up on the law about towing and using the outside lane on a motorway... I am amazed at how many people do not know they have restrictions on it's use, and a Customs friend of mine got 6 points and a £100 fine in the summer, as she did not know, and was caught in the outside lane of the M20.

You can find caravan chassis that can carry that sort of weight on only 1 axle, but most will be twin. Your main thing is to check out the chassis ex-caravan rating before you buy. There are pro's and cons to both single and double axle, and really you have to go with what suits you.

Obviously, twin axle means a bigger wheel base to bridge for the off roader. 4 tyre and sets of brakes to replace (although the tyres are cheaper as they do not usually need to be reinforced), and it is more likely to go through wheel bearings, and scrub the tyres out than a single axle.

But it has far better stability when towing, will sink less when you tow it onto an off road location to unload, and if you have a puncture, is less likely to go unstable, snake and cause untold damage... Personally, I also prefer reversing twin axles as well, as intrinsically they want to go in a straight line, and you have to steer it off of that, where as a 2 wheel trailer wants to go where ever it likes and you are forever correcting it.

The main things for a Single axle, is less wear and tear on bearings and tyres (But they must be "Van" tyres), plus if you want to be able to manoeuvre the trailer by hand, rather than the car, it it a lot easier to turn, as turning a twin axle by hand is a pig.

[stinka]

Cheers mate, that's pretty thorough

How do the brakes work though ? Never understood that part

[spiderpig37]

Originally Posted by stinka

Cheers mate, that's pretty thorough

How do the brakes work though ? Never understood that part

They have overrun brakes when the tow car brakes the trailer hitch compresess against a piston that inturns pulls a rod that splits to both sides pulling the brakes on when the tow car stops braking the brakes release
Bit simple but in a nut shell

[solarman216]

it is a little over 6ft long and a bit over 3ft wide not including wheels and tow bar, it has good rear lights, no breaks, but not needed on this size trailer, see for yourself, Rick

[arcascomp]

Hi Rick, I think I've sorted the storage problem at this end, now I just need to sort out then when and how I can get down there to get it!

Is there a spare wheel or should I get hold of one? it's got to make it nearly 500 miles and I know if I don't have one, I'd need it. How quickly do you need it collecting? hoping to share the trip with my neighbour and use his Galaxy as it'll use far less fuel than the T2, but we'll need to get a couple of days when we're both free.

Thanks again,

Craig.

[96terrano]

Originally Posted by arcascomp

cub/scout camps

my mum did that!

[solarman216]

think there is a spare, but cannot remember for sure, will pull it out over the next few days and check it over, no hurry it has been here a good while, Rick