Fixologist Trailers

After finishing our latest dog trailer project, I've been scribbling up an idea about a goodeneck combination trailer. Tipper, toolbox and this time the potential to carry 8 metres long on the rack.

I've been collecting materials and are designing a truss type chassis to make it light, but this time manufacturing will be done with simple basic tools.

It's easy to manufacture a trailer on jigs, in a workshop with 250 k worth of tools but can it be done with the following tools:

Arc welder and electrodes. ($300 plus electrodes)
Angle grinder with cutting, grinding, wire brush and sanding discs. ($100 plus cutting, grinding discs)
Tape measure. ($10)
Clamps (simple run of the mill plastic quik grip type). ($60)
Pencil and scriber. (Pencils $10 and a old screw driver as a scriber)
String line. ($6)
Plyers. ($15)
Spanners. (Aldi special $50)
Drill and drill bits. (Drill $200 and cheap drill bits.)
Obviously the fabricators most important tool.....hammer(s) ($100)
Chain and come along or ratchet straps. ($100)
and finally.
A rafter square. ($20)

So with $1000 worth of tools, what can we do.....

Watch this space. Will be on YouTube when we start.

After approximately 6 months of use, a quick video to show the movement in a tight carpark with the ute and dog.

A pig trailer could never be this versatile.

https://youtu.be/ibSl1_iwEUI

Backing dog trailer in carpark at Beechworth Bakery Bendigo Parked the ute and dog trailer at the bakery, drove onto the dirt above the carpark, had to readjust due to it being so tight, then backed back, drove out of...

Ball weight is a very important part to a trailer hitch. Ideally 10 percent of the trailer gross weight should be riding downwards on the ball and towbar tongue.

This 3500 kg 50 mm ball coupling has experienced extreme wear on the front edges of the inner coupling. At 100 kph, the coupling allowed the ball to exit and broke free. Safety chains allowed the driver to stop.

When looking at the coupling, it's obviously where the wear is.

What is not obvious is that this coupling has done 2000 kms. The amount of negative ball weight meant the wear was at the bottom.

This coupling was on a tri axle load sharing trailer which was well balanced. It in fact has about 30 kg of ball weight.

Check your coupling for wear at all times.

Seen our latest trailer with its winch tipping tray.

I have not had much time for hydraulics as a working mechanism on something that doesn't get used every day as hoses and seal perish, eaten by rats and mice and are very expensive for good quality units.

I have designed 3 trailers with winch tippers as winches are designed to drag through mud, sit in water and general get abused. Winches are cheap in comparison to hydraulics.

I made a scissor lift that uses a 10 mm cable on a 13000 lb rated winch to lift the body. Some of the surprising safety features of this design is that winches will trip out if loads are too excessive meaning chassis don't bend or distort.

Show us a tipping mechanism on your trailer that you've created.

https://youtu.be/75YkYvBjKRs

Winch cable tipper tri axle dump trailer A dog trailer (front axle steers trailer) in Australia and New Zealand very popular for gravel and soil trailers because of their maneuverability. A car base...

The idea of towing more than one trailer at a time behind a vehicle less than 4500 kgs has interested me for some time in Australia.

This article https://roadslesstraveled.us/triple-tow-or-toy-hauler-how-to-rv-full-time-with-a-rzr/
reveals what is happening in the US of A in some states and a few people in Australia have tried and been unsuccessful.

Combine harvesters in the agriculture sector are permitted to tow a combe trailer and followed by a compressor to get through state boundary quarantine requirements.

I got me thinking about the possibility of a combination that could be used by tradies and even to a degree camper trailers towing a boat.

Currently it is illegal to tow more than one trailer behind a utility in Australia but wording states that there are exemption permits available.

Over the last few months I've researched this a lot and had communication with VicRoads.

The information contained in blog posts in caravanning forums is wrong. A new concept can overcome this predicament.

Watch this space as we journey through the so called impossible process to achieve this. It will be an interesting ride but one that is achievable through a set list of criteria.

Triple Tow or Toy Hauler? How to RV Full-time with a RZR? | Roads Less Traveled We take a deep look at triple towing versus a toy hauler and reveal what we learned during several RV factory tours.

Inside my trailer I've used these sliders for my toolboxes. Mine are 1000 mm long and can hold 220 kg per pair.

At $69 each they were really cheap and very steady. I particularly liked the fact that they don't come from China and in fact Taiwan now makes some of the best sliders available. They haven't paid me or anything, I'm just impressed with the results.

Head over to:- https://www.heavydutydrawerslides.com.au/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI85e7tfDO7gIVapVLBR2bvgcCEAMYASAAEgLB__D_BwE

Heavy Duty Drawer Slides - Fast Shipping Australia Wide Heavy duty drawer slides, heavy duty drawer runners, heavy duty drawer slides Sydney, heavy duty drawer slides Melbourne, heavy duty drawer Brisbane, Industrial Drawer Slides Locking Drawer Slides Tool Box, heavy duty drawer slides solutions for generator access, heavy duty drawer slides for 4WD

Looking back into history, old ideas can be refined and updated, wonder if anyone has a plan for this concept.....

It has been rescued and restored since.

https://youtu.be/56XL0TysIn0

1974 Volkswagen Beetle & Camper - road test http://MuscleCarFilms.com/ for more info!While it's not a performance road test (like my other videos), I just had to add this review of a bizarre Volkswagen...

We're seeing a lot more hooks on tow vehicles these days and it got me thinking, are they legal to use.

A rated hook usually only has a spring loaded clip to prevent the load (chain) coming adrift.

Looking at VicRoads website it states that 'it usually is a shackle'. Shackles obviously are a threaded chain link that is both rated and non rated. (Capable of a certain weight before it breaks).

What I did find interesting in my research is that VicRoads specifically states that shackles DONT Necessarily have to be rated. With rated shackles being a few dollars more, of course you'll choose the rated every time.

But back to the rated hooks. I can't find any reference to whether they're legal or not. Anyone know?

What's your thoughts on this.

Does simplicity override D shackles?

The other thought is do you really want a trailer swinging on the back of your tow vehicle hanging by the chains?

Hooks photo from EBay.

The humble tow ball. A 50 mm ball rated at 3500 kg is the most common connection used for towing trailers.

Every connection needs to be rated (D rated - it's breaking strength) in order to be used.

Every tow ball sold in Australia must be tested. Considering this is what connects a trailer to a tow vehicle, failure of this one part can have dire consequences.

Haven't towed your trailer lately, check out your tow ball. It doesn't cost much to replace.

Personally I believe towballs should be treated the same way as climbing gear which has a usable life before destroying it which is 5 years.

My tow balls get replaced every 2 years and if there is any small sign of wear, it gets replaced.

Cheapest insurance money can buy.

Welcome all to a place where discussions on all things car trailers and caravans.

Feel free to add photos of your amazing trailer, it can be your creation or something you've bought.

A place to share ideas. Enjoy people.