Car owners often have to deal with the problem of transporting cargo that is more bulky than can fit in the trunk. Trailers are sold for this purpose. Although it happens that there is no money for a trailer, but cargo needs to be transported.
Therefore, many motorists find a way out in making a trailer on their own. Moreover, such work brings moral satisfaction. Work experience is acquired and improved.
What you need to create a trailer yourself
First of all, you need materials. Durable metal tubes. Angles and channels of different markings, so that there is plenty to choose from. Strips of strong sheet steel, different sizes. It is advisable to get some springs somewhere. Or make them.
Need a tool. The more variety of tools, the better. Work will be more convenient and without problems. A welding machine is a must. Drilling machine Or a drill is a must have too. Sharpening machine (compact ones are now sold sharpening machines, do not take up much space).
Sledgehammer, hammer, chisel, spanners, calipers, taps, a tap driver (if necessary, you need to cut a thread somewhere yourself) - this is an incomplete list of what is needed. If everything is there, we proceed to implementation.
Where to start making a trailer
You can sketch the drawing yourself. Can be found on the Internet. Nowadays there are a lot of them on technical sites. You need to choose a drawing. When choosing, we determine how many wheels there will be. Usually they make a two-wheeled one. If desired, you can make a four-wheeled one, and even with a jack, a dump truck type. To simplify the example, here is a drawing of a regular two-wheeled trailer:
You need to start making a trailer with a frame. On concrete floor in a garage or other room suitable for this purpose, lay out all the pre-prepared materials for the frame. And sequentially, after measuring and trimming, weld the parts of the structure to each other. For some reason, many sites say that the frame should be made of pipes. Although practice shows that it is more convenient more practical frame make from corners.
There is also this: in some places two corners are connected joint to joint, the joint is welded. The result is a configuration similar to a small cross-section channel. Very durable material. It is not needed everywhere. Although in some places it is impossible to do without such material.
This is done the other way around, upside down. That is, the frame is welded first, then the sides. The lower frame of the frame part is welded to the sides from above. A shaft for the wheels is installed in the center of the resulting frame, secured in cups with bearings. Both the shaft and the bearing cups are mounted on springs. Which are connected to the frame by a reverse connection. Like in this picture:
Please note that the movable reverse of the springs will allow the trailer to gently and smoothly overcome bumps if there are any along the way. This is precisely why additional joints are needed on the spring when attaching it to the frame.
Further work on creating the trailer
Initially, you need to take care of the correct alignment of the mobile device. So that there is not a big advantage in one direction. This is especially true for two-wheeled trailers. Such a device should lean slightly (not much) forward. Then, when uncoupled from the machine, the drawbar (in other words, the leash) will naturally lie on the surface of the room.
Let's return directly to creating the trailer. After the base is made, the springs are secured and installed, we strengthen the wheel shaft with bearings in cups sealed from dust and dirt. Then we install the wheels. We secure them with bolts or fittings. Depending on who has what wheel mounting device. When the wheels are installed, without turning the device over, you need to strengthen the traction that will go to the car. The pull, or leash, may look like this:
Here the leash is in the form of one hollow metal pipe square section. Often, for a more stable position, the leash is made of two drawbars converging towards each other. Which form a triangular connection. Here in this picture, where the trailer is more spacious, the leash is triangular.
It is almost invisible because it is lowered to concrete slab in front, But you can guess that the leash is triangular, consisting of two drawbars connected in front into one knot with a fastening. The leash is attached using a coupling device called a towbar. There should be no ad-libbing here.
Without a towbar on the leash, the trailer will not be registered with the traffic police. For safety reasons, a standardized approach is used here with the installation of ready-made commercial towbars. This is what this device looks like:
It's cheap, there's no problem buying it. The towbar can be secured with bolts and nuts to the drawbar or welded.
Finish by strengthening the sides. Someone seals the body with thick plywood. Someone reinforces the sides with wire mesh. Some weld thin sheets of tin to the side frame. Then you can paint it. Who likes what. Last thing: you need to register your homemade mobile vehicle - a trailer - with the traffic police. To do this, you must meet a number of requirements that are the same for everyone. For safety.
The first video, called “homemade trailer,” shows the steps of creating a two-wheeled trailer.
In the second video “Business idea in the garage. Homemade trailer dump truck original design“- a craftsman, a master of his craft, created a four-wheeled, spacious trailer - a dump truck. The video shows the moment he tests the strength of the body with the body raised. Both videos can be found on YouTube.
If factory trailers for passenger cars do not suit you in some way and you decide to make a two-axle trailer for passenger car mobile phone with your own hands, then this article is for you.
GOST requirements for the parameters of a passenger trailer
If you want the State Traffic Inspectorate to allow you to operate your homemade trailer, you need to make it yourself in accordance with the requirements of GOST 37.001. 220-80 “Trailers for passenger cars.” For those who do not want to read the original source, we will briefly outline the main restrictions imposed by this document on trailers for passenger cars.
- The trailer must weigh no more than the weight of the towing vehicle. Moreover, its weight should not exceed 1.8 tons.
- A trailer without braking equipment must weigh no more than half the weight of the towing car.
- The static load on the center of the ball joint of the coupling device for any load of the body should be from 25 KGS to 100 KGS.
- A trailer can be no more than 1.5 times longer than the towing vehicle. Its length cannot exceed 8 meters.
- The trailer can be no more than 20 cm wider than the towing vehicle on each side. Moreover, its width should not exceed 230 cm.
- The height of this vehicle for the carriage of goods should not be more than 1.8 times the width of its track and cannot exceed 3 m.
- Its ground clearance cannot be less than the ground clearance of the towing car.
- The center of gravity of a loaded trailer should be located no higher than its track width multiplied by 0.725.
- A trailer for a passenger car can only be single-axle. The use of a paired axle is allowed. A twin axle is two parallel axles, the distance between which does not exceed 1 m.
- A trailer with a flat bottom installed on a horizontal platform must have a load on the wheels of one side of no more than 0.55% of its weight.
- The angles at which the drawbar should be able to deviate from the longitudinal axis of the tractor are regulated by OST 37.001.096-77.
- Two permanent pieces of chain or cable must be attached to the towbar (TCU) for insurance. They are designed to ensure that, in the event of a breakage or disconnection of the trailer hitch hinge, the drawbar does not unhook from the car’s tow bar.
- The trailer must be equipped with two wheel chocks (shoes), which can also be made by hand.
- The trailer must have places to install a jack.
- The parking brake control lever (if equipped) must be removable and located on the right front of the frame or on the drawbar.
- The trailer must have fenders and mud flaps to cover the wheels in case the body parts do not fulfill their purpose.
- Its color and appearance regulated by GOST 7593-80.
- The towing device must comply with the requirements of OST 37.001.096-77 and cannot be made by hand.
- Requirements for electrical wiring and light signaling devices are regulated by GOST 8769-75, GOST 10984-74 and GOST 20961-75.
- To connect to the vehicle's electrical equipment, there must be a connecting cable with a plug (regulated by GOST 9209-76).
- A trailer with wheels that are not identical to those of the tractor must be equipped with a spare wheel and equipped with a device for securing it.
- To ensure stability of an uncoupled trailer, it must have support posts that do not interfere with its towing.
- The trailer must have brackets or a platform for attaching a license plate.
List of things needed to make a trailer
If you decide to make a trailer for a car with your own hands, you will need the following parts and materials.
From the tool required welding machine, grinder and electric drill.
Making a bridge
Fold the channel sections to form a pipe rectangular section, and tighten them with clamps. Boil the joints. Weld the hub axles to the ends. Attach the resulting bridge beam to the springs using stepladders.
Frame welding
Finishing operations
Cover the sides with sheet iron. Make the floor by attaching the plywood to the crossbars with countersunk screws. Wings cut from sheet iron and attach them to the sides on the brackets. Prime and paint the structure. Attach the lights and run the wiring. Make a towbar insurance from a chain or cable. Only after this can you begin registration.
Want a dual axle? Weld 2 bridge beams, buy 4 short springs and install everything so that the distance between the axles is no more than a meter.
How to register a homemade trailer
A homemade trailer that you can use without fear is necessary. To register you must have:
- Conclusion of a technical examination on the compliance of a self-made vehicle with the requirements of GOST001. 220-80. Where such an examination can be done, you need to check with the MREO. Since a conclusion issued by a laboratory not accredited by the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate may be declared invalid.
- Receipts confirming the purchase of parts and materials used to manufacture the vehicle.
- Certificate for the hitch hinge (this is why we advise you to buy it and not do it yourself).
- A copy of your passport.
- A copy of the vehicle's registration certificate.
- An application addressed to the head of the MREO with a request to register a homemade trailer.
- Receipt for payment of state duty.
- made with different sides 4 homemade photos (size 10 by 15 cm).
If you present all these documents, you will be allowed to undergo technical inspection. A positive inspection result will be the basis for registering a self-made vehicle.
Almost every car owner has a need to transport cargo. large sizes, but not too much weight. The trunk is not always suitable for such purposes, and then a trailer comes to the rescue. But it is absolutely not necessary to spend money on buying such a necessary thing in the household; you can makeDIY car trailer.
We begin work by making the frame
The basis of any trailer is its frame. Its service life is determined by the strength and rigidity of the frame. Greater reliability of the connection can be guaranteed by the use of welding to assemble the component parts into a single structure.
But it is recommended to start work by clarifying the figures for the length and width of the fundamental structure. Its size is calculated by outside frame. When determining the width, you need to add twice the thickness of the wall size to the digital distance indicators along the inner side walls. If you plan to place the base between the wheels, you should add to the obtained indicators the distance between the wheel and the side of the trailer.
Once you have decided on the dimensions, you can make the first fitting of the frame. To do this, the metal profile must be laid out on a leveled surface in the room, while maintaining strict perpendicularity of the frame components and connecting them using temporary clamps. With these steps you will control the frame configuration of the future trailer, for which you will need to use a construction tape to determine the frame distances along two diagonals in a rectangle. The lengths must be equal; a discrepancy of 3-5% of the resulting value is allowed. By performing this work, you can reinforce a car trailer with your own hands with a stiffener due to the fact that geometric figure rectangular or square shape is not very stable under load.
We begin to connect the trailer to the car
If you also use other towing devices on your car, then for a homemade trailer you should select a clutch ball of the same size in order to avoid additional difficulties.
When manufacturing this coupling part, it should be remembered that with the shortest length of the coupling parts, you get an increase in the trailer’s response time to vehicle maneuvers. That is, even if the drive wheels have moved by a small amount, the trailer will quickly repeat the maneuver, which can cause the things in it to fall or become deformed. The best length is considered to be from one and a half to two and a half meters, taking into account the purpose of the device.
To make a tow hitch, a square-shaped steel pipe is suitable; you will need three of them. It will be better and more durable to connect all the pipes by welding and, to increase strength, reinforce this unit with a metal corner. Before the beginning welding work It is advisable to carry out additional fitting to ensure that the middle of the connection is strictly along the tow axle.
Then you can begin installing a chain or cable for safety purposes. Its length should be such that when the trailer moves, it does not crawl along the road. To make it easier to move a trailer without a car, a folding wheel of not very large size is often installed in the hitch.
The next step is to replenish the car trailer with your own hands with a coupling for connecting
When installing the connection coupling, you can use the fastening of the parts by welding or secure them with bolts. Before moving on to the final stage of fastening to the frame, it would be a good idea to check to what extent the grooves of the gutter coincide in size with the base pipes. You should know that the width of the groove should not exceed the width of the pipe by more than half a centimeter.
If you secure the coupling by welding, the trailer will receive additional strength of this unit, and for dismantling work you will not be able to do without gas burner. If the coupling is fastened not by welding, but by bolts, the strength is significantly lower. For such work, it is recommended to use bolts with strength class 8, since fasteners of lower classes show themselves to be weak elements under such loads. The connection itself will only need two bolts; if you take more of them, then due to the need to make extra holes at the attachment point, you can weaken the trailer frame.
We are engaged in the axis of the device
According to existing rules, the axle on the trailer should be placed at a length that is equal to 40% of the entire length of the trailer itself from the rear side. Having carefully measured the length, you should mark the place where the future axis will be located. It can be installed from top to bottom, with the frame placed upside down on a flat table surface into two blocks with an edge of four centimeters, and the spindles should hang freely and not interfere with work. From the area where it is planned to install the axle, paint is removed from the surface of the frame. The distance between the bushings is measured, it must be divided in half, and a mark is made on the axis with a felt-tip pen.
Control measurements are made as follows: the size of the frame width is divided in half, the resulting value must be marked from the center of the axis (at the same time, the position is adjusted) and only after these actions can the final installation begin.
The connection of the component parts is carried out using the method spot welding throughout the entire contact. It is best to take a spring-shock-absorbing suspension, although it does not have increased strength, but with it, a car trailer with your own hands will acquire a soft ride when driving.
Stabilization jacks
They are needed to keep the trailer in a horizontal position. Their optimal locations are internal corners frames, but you can install them only on one side. To use the lifting force, it would be more correct to use the principle of a screw mechanism; it can also be used when replacing one of the wheels.
Device boards
When making side walls, you can use wood boards, metal fragments, plywood panels or polycarbonate; the choice of the type of material depends on the purpose of the device. Due to its low weight and convenient form of processing, wood or plywood is most often used; initially, a flooring made of boards is attached to the base, it must be bolted, and the main box is also bolted to this base. But to add reliability, it is recommended to attach steel corners to the corners of the box.
Let's sum it up
Even a self-made trailer for a passenger car can significantly increase the potential use of a vehicle. It will be possible to transport cargo on it various shapes and configuration, without fear of causing damage to the interior or trunk. There are many trailer options, and the above recommendations can be used for any of them. In addition to the described components and elements, the trailer can be equipped with a braking and lighting system. But it would be better to entrust this type of work to professionals from the service center.
Homemade dacha trailer made from a car trailer: photo of building a camper with detailed description, also a video showing a mobile home.
We decided to build a small residential house on wheels so that we could travel to nature in our car. Since we didn’t have drawings of the camper, we decided to make a removable module for the factory trailer (so that there would be no problems with re-registration of the vehicle).
This is why it was purchased boat trailer from Kurgan plant(only in their title they don’t specify what kind of trailer it is. It’s just a trailer; other manufacturers indicate that it’s a boat trailer and you can’t put a house on it).
The dimensions of the module corresponded to the dimensions of the trailer - 1400 x 2400 mm. Naturally, the removable module must be durable, and a plywood house definitely won’t work for our roads; we had to weld a steel frame.
The base is welded from a 60 x 30 mm profile, the walls and ceiling are made from a 20 x 20 mm profile. 2 identical arcs were bent on a pipe bender.
The most difficult thing was to think through the doors; it took us 1/3 of the total time spent on the doors. Anyone interested in this topic has seen factory doors, ventilation hatches, gas stoves, sinks, heaters, etc. and so on. There is only one problem: cost. one factory door costs about 700-800 bucks (and you need 2 of them), a sunroof with an exhaust hood costs about 300-400 bucks, I didn’t even look at the sinks and stoves, and so it became clear that we would choose from what we found in hardware stores .
As a result, we made the doors ourselves, because with our course the budget for the doors alone came out to more than 100 thousand (on Alika, Ebay, in Europe, America, Russian online stores - the prices are approximately the same).
We decided to make the doors with power windows, because... This is the easiest way in our opinion. There is no point in describing the whole process, I will only say that making the doors was very tedious. but at cost they came out to 5 rubles per door, taking into account everything. the savings were worth it)
The outside of the building was sheathed aluminum sheets 0.8 mm, we were looking for specially large sheets so that it could be covered with one sheet without joints. As a result, we found AMC2 sheets measuring 1500 x 3000 mm, which suited us quite well.
Now I would choose a composite material for cladding buildings, 4 mm thick (for those who don’t know, these are 2 sheets of 0.4 mm aluminum, and between them a special composite that ideally withstands all weather conditions).
We stuck aluminum onto a plywood backing, riveted it around the perimeter and sealed all the joints. It was possible to leave the trailer aluminum, but initially we wanted blue on the outside, so we ordered vinyl film for covering the vehicle from a printing house and covered it on top.
Many people ask about the refrigerator. There is no refrigerator, and there cannot be one, because... The module is removable and has its own car battery. The module wiring is completely autonomous and is not connected to the wiring of the car or trailer in any way. Therefore, there is no way to connect a refrigerator here. Although I don’t understand the problem if it can be placed in the trunk of a car.
We also made 2 220V sockets in the living area, a 400W inverter, enough for both chargers and a TV. LED lighting everywhere.
Water is supplied from a canister by a fountain pump, not very powerful, but economical.
We made a niche for the countertop under the kitchen, it seemed very convenient, but in fact the ribs on top and bottom were made of a 15 x 15 profile, a very flexible and not reliable profile. As a result, the niche bent a little and the chipboard table did not fit there, so we had to make it out of plywood.
After assembly, the trailer was tested by Karcher at all joints, cracks, etc. 100% tightness.
Costs for building a caravan trailer.
We started building the camper in May 2015, and finished it in June 2016. My friend and I work in shifts, i.e. per week 2-3-4 days could be devoted to the trailer. We were very stuck with the kitchen decoration and doors. If you expect to collect it in 3 months, add triple the deadline.
In terms of finances: everything was bought new, nothing used was used. The trailer itself cost 44 thousand, and about 110 thousand was spent on materials. Everything was fixed, right down to the gloves, so the price is close to the real one. You can do it cheaper, but you should know in advance.
By weight: the trailer + module weighs about 600 kg, the module itself is about 460-480 kg. The heaviness was added by a large number of chipboards, whoever will do it - look for more lightweight material for partitions.
The 1.4 Octavia passenger car pulls the trailer with a bang. On the highway I accelerated to 130 km/h, the trailer is not felt at all, the streamlined shape practically does not slow down. consumption increases by 1-2 liters. By bad road It’s difficult to drive more than 90, after all, the weight is not small, the car jerks. But 80-90 is quite acceptable for such a trailer. I drove through fields, along dirt roads, and the trailer never hit anywhere.
Video that explains in detail makeshift house on wheels.
Do car trailer Doing it yourself is quite simple if you have the materials and tools. Even if all materials are purchased, such a trailer will cost less than a factory one. Moreover, in most cases it is possible to use various available materials and devices. You can independently make a trailer of almost any size for certain tasks.
Next, we’ll look at how to make a trailer with your own hands using the example of a standard configuration product. You can change the sizes and other parameters as you wish. The main thing is to follow the basic principles of trailer assembly.
Materials for making a trailer
Basic materials you will need:
- sheet metal;
- metallic profile different sections(for the manufacture of frames, sides);
- wheels;
- strong axle;
- springs (shock absorbers) and other parts for suspension;
- bolts and other fasteners;
- movable canopies for opening the sides.
Tools required include a drill, angle grinder, welding machine, screwdrivers, hammer, vice, pliers, wrenches and some other hand tools.
In the photo of a self-made trailer you can see various variations of such designs. Scroll necessary materials may vary significantly depending on the type of trailer.
Frame making
The frame is the basis of the entire structure. It must be strong and rigid. The purpose of the trailer and its capabilities depend on the frame. For example, if you need to make a trailer for a PVC boat that you plan to transport in an inflated state, you should take into account its dimensions. Based on these dimensions, the dimensions of the frame are first determined, and only then the main parameters of the trailer.
The frame can be made so that it is between the wheels, or located on top of them. This also affects the design features. The frame is made from metal profile large cross-section and rectangular in shape.
But, before assembly, it is necessary to determine the dimensions and drawings of the trailer. After determining the needs, put all the dimensions on the drawing. Here it is necessary to provide not only the parameters, but also all the components of the structure.
It is necessary to make a structure through which the trailer will be connected to the vehicle. The trailer's handling depends on its length. Do not make the connecting part too long, as this will impair controllability.
The recommended length is 1.5-2.5 m, depending on the size and purpose of the trailer. It is advisable to make the part from thick square profile pipes. Three pipes are required. Transverse supports should also be installed to enhance the rigidity of the structure.
The pipes are connected by welding. And to strengthen the connections, corners are additionally welded. Don’t rush to weld the parts, try on all the structures first.
A safety rope must be attached to the same part. You can also attach a compact wheel with a folding mechanism. This will simplify the process of manually transporting the trailer.
Coupling
Factory or homemade trailers must have a coupling. It is attached with a threaded or welded connection to the frame. The part that connects the trailer to the car is attached to this coupling. The coupling provides a movable connection.
Better to use threaded connection, this will allow you to easily dismantle the coupling if necessary. But, use only the most reliable, durable bolts.
Suspension axis
The axis should be shifted to the rear of the structure. From the end of the frame to the axle there should be 35-40% of the entire length of the trailer. To install the axle, the frame must be turned over. To install the axle, special bushings are used.
Spot welding technology is used to install the bushings. The bushings must be welded over the entire area of the product to ensure the most reliable connection.
It is advisable to equip the suspension with shock absorbers. This will make the structure softer and more durable. You can use a ready-made suspension from an old trailer or other automotive equipment.
Manufacturing of boards
Most the best option– make sides on a metal profile frame using sheet metal. But, in order to save money, you can also use wooden shields. Also enough modern solution is the use of polycarbonate panels.
You can also use plywood panels. However, their thickness must be large enough, otherwise such sides will be damaged even when using the trailer without a load.
The advantage of wood and plywood is ease of processing, installation and low weight. But, this option has a limited scope of use. Wooden shields are attached to the profile with threaded connections.
IN in this case Corners must be additionally installed in the corners to increase the rigidity of the structure.
DIY trailer photos
We also recommend viewing.
