[atari4x4]

draw bar tech time...

so apart from the loss of strength & maybe the storage space, what are the downsides to a single draw bar set up like that jeep one where it breaks into the Y at the start of the box leading back to the front spring mounts?

a big single would be able to be jack knifed wickedly off road before coming in contact with anything.... hectic trailer drifting

[Fatzook]

atari4x4 wrote:

draw bar tech time...

so apart from the loss of strength & maybe the storage space, what are the downsides to a single draw bar set up like that jeep one where it breaks into the Y at the start of the box leading back to the front spring mounts?

a big single would be able to be jack knifed wickedly off road before coming in contact with anything.... hectic trailer drifting

When using a single beam drawbar the basic rule of thumb is to calculate the sectional and span strength of the dual beam version that you would use to do the job, then find the appropriate sized material that has atleast double the strength. Most of this info is available from reputable steel suppliers, so there ain't much work to be done.

As for where to joint the 'y' in..... that all depends on how long your drawbar is.

[Moph]

Gus - worth while having a look at Modern Trailers down in Lonsdale. I'm really happy with mine and it was reasonably cheap. They don't mind spec'ing one up as a custom build either.

[Polar_Bear]

pod all-roader?

[atari4x4]

[Fatzook]

1300 x 1400. Folds out to 2600 x 1400 I'm 6'4" and there would be room for 2 leggy 6' swedish backpacker babes in there with me (don't tell my missus )

[atari4x4]

Fatzook wrote:

1300 x 1400. Folds out to 2600 x 1400 I'm 6'4" and there would be room for 2 leggy 6' swedish backpacker babes in there with me (don't tell my missus )

cool, that's 4'3" x 4'7". these are the stock SV's specs, but mine would be a fair bit wider
Width (mm): 1695mm
Rear Track (mm): 1450mm

am i nuts wanting the same wheel base as my SWB, eg aiming for equal ramp over? i hate the idea of a mega long drawbar, but i know there are benefits such as being easier to reverse/manoeuvre & nicer to tow. will having the axle further back/small rear overhang counter a shorter draw bar?

i can't see me loading it up that much, maybe 50l fuel & 50l water max when touring & light camping gear, ideally i'd like to try to keep it as light as possible.

Moph wrote:

Gus - worth while having a look at Modern Trailers down in Lonsdale. I'm really happy with mine and it was reasonably cheap. They don't mind spec'ing one up as a custom build either.

If Royce wont sell me his, I'll pop into Modern Trailers one morning before work & have a chat to them.

[Fatzook]

Well you will atleast want the drawbar to be long enough so that the rear door of the zook can be opened without having to unhitch or jack-knife the trailer.

And moving the axle back on a trailer with a shorter drawbar will help.

And don't just consider the axles position when empty. If you have particular items that need to fit, think about their layout within the trailer so that you can achieve the desired ball weight. Too little weight, and it will wag around on the highway. Too much and it will overload the rear end, taking weight from the front and give you shitty light steering and fuck your dynamic castor.

[atari4x4]

trailer with portals, can that be legally done here?

[Fatzook]

They're called drop axles.


Perfectly legal.

[atari4x4]

i knew they were drop axles, portals sounded better. would be a nice way to get the axle up out of the sand/mud/ruts, one less thing to drag.

[Fatzook]

atari4x4 wrote:

i knew they were drop axles, portals sounded better. would be a nice way to get the axle up out of the sand/mud/ruts, one less thing to drag.

Agreed. Although the axles in that pic appear to be bent, whereas the drop axle are stepped via inch plate these days. Perhaps thats an old military trailer with a cast axle?

[atari4x4]

i spy a US plate in the background, could be milspec.

[303zuke]

Aluminium trailer for Suzuki on E-bay

[303zuke]

Fatzook wrote:

They're called drop axles.


Perfectly legal.

I had one of these axles, but was way too wide for a Suzuki. Could be mounted to either way to lower or raise the trailer by 3".

[Fatzook]

303zuke wrote:

Aluminium trailer for Suzuki on E-bay

Ally Chassis!!! That will crack up like a sao biscuit!

And that thing weights 160kg.... My steel one weighs 180, and its git a much bigger ( read: heavy duty ) drawbar, and its hot dipped to boot!

However this one is a foot longer than mine

[atari4x4]

303zuke wrote:

Fatzook wrote:

They're called drop axles.


Perfectly legal.

I had one of these axles, but was way too wide for a Suzuki. Could be mounted to either way to lower or raise the trailer by 3".

is there a legal limit to the amount of drop you can have?

[303zuke]

Not that I'm aware of, but I'm sure the manufacturers would only make them to a size appropriate to the GVM rating of the axle and bearing combination, eg I doubt you'd get an 8" lift on 40mm bar as the torsional loads on the u-bolts would be too high.

[reeceh]

Im just wondering who tows trailers with there sierras and what size of trailer.

When im finished the sierra it will be 2inch spring lifted, 30x9.5 bighorns with a 1.6mpfi engine. However no gears as such. Im looking out for a 5x4 trailer however would my sierra be capable of pulling a 6x4 trailer.

Ill be chasing a trailer camper topper and they only really come in 6x4 sizes.

What do u have and what trailer do you tow with. ??

[joel]

had a 1.6 in it, a hardtop, a spare 31'' and various other crap for the drive from brissy to darwin, worked fine.
i want to make a frame on it to put a topper tent and a small tinny upside down.

[christover1]

My camper trailer weighs 260 kg empty,
with tent top on.
Roughly 5 x 3.5
My LWB Sierra 1.3 towed that fine.
Its now towed by my 1.6 LWB Vitara,
can't even feel it, till stopping.

[joel]

very nice, my trailer weighs about 120kg empty.
can you use the inside of the trailer with the tent on it?

[christover1]

joel wrote:

very nice, my trailer weighs about 120kg empty.
can you use the inside of the trailer with the tent on it?

Yes, door at back still opens normally.
4 bolts, and top comes off when I want to use it as a normal trailer.

[Joe]

Some trailers in here

and here

and here

[royce]

http://www.manheim.com.au/ttpm/items/31 ... rchResults

[steak_knife]

royce wrote:

http://www.manheim.com.au/ttpm/items/3193503/adf_6x4_cargo_trailer_-box-domestic-_no_vin_or_compliance_plate?referringPage=SearchResults

Over engineered shit, just like every thing the army build's....

[joel]

steak_knife wrote:

royce wrote:

http://www.manheim.com.au/ttpm/items/3193503/adf_6x4_cargo_trailer_-box-domestic-_no_vin_or_compliance_plate?referringPage=SearchResults

Over engineered shit, just like every thing the army build's....

thy are pretty simple and will stand up to a heaps of abuse, can be had kinda cheap too!

[zukenutter]

Hey Gus, how's your trailer project coming along?

[atari4x4]

still in the planning stage.... i don't even have a tow bar yet

[zukenutter]

atari4x4 wrote:

still in the planning stage.... i don't even have a tow bar yet

planning is the fun bit