Been thinking of building a small dual axle trailer. I have available
to be 4x4 ¼ inch steel tubing at scrap price.

Anyway, been thinking about simplicity vs strength in terms of tongue
design.

I like the idea of using a straight tongue that goes “through” the
front of the trailer support then has A frame sides that attach (weld)
to the front trailer support. This seems like a strong design.
However, it seems to me it would take me longer and require a fair
amount of precision. (have to cut the ends of the A frame at an angle
to meet the front support, having to cut the front trailer support in
two pieces to meet the center tongue. Then afraid I would not have
everything square in terms of the distance from one side of the tongue
tip to the frame as compared to the other side.

Most trailer designs seem easier, basically, making a “square” for the
trailer frame. Then fabricating an A frame tongue and placing it on
the upside down trailer frame, measure to ensure the tongue is square
with the frame and welding it directly underneath the frame.

However, it seems those welds will be taking all the force and a
person better have extremely good welds. (Which I am practicing but
that worries me).

Anyway, was wondering what your thought were. I was thinking a 6
feetx12feet dual axle.

One other thing I forgot to mention, with the "through" design would
the tongue be too short to cause the trailer to "ride too high" in the
front end?

One other thing I forgot to mention, with the "through" design would
the tongue be too short to cause the trailer to "ride too high" in the
front end?

One way to control this is to use a bigger offset "drop" ball-mount in
the truck hitch, so that the final ball height fits the trailer tongue
height better.  Another is to build a structure on the front of the
trailer that allows you to mount the coupler higher up (though this
will again need reasonably strong welds).  Last but not least, there
are adjustable coupler mounts available, which allow you to move the
coupler up or down as needed.

Look at the channel mount pieces here, for example:http://www.championtrailers.com/COUPLERS.htm
and then keep poking around their site, they've got a lot of parts and
usefull information.

  --Glenn Lyford

On Apr 22, 11:39 am, "glyf...@gmail.com" <glyf...@gmail.com> wrote:





One other thing I forgot to mention, with the "through" design would
the tongue be too short to cause the trailer to "ride too high" in the
front end?

One way to control this is to use a bigger offset "drop" ball-mount in
the truck hitch, so that the final ball height fits the trailer tongue
height better.  Another is to build a structure on the front of the
trailer that allows you to mount the coupler higher up (though this
will again need reasonably strong welds).  Last but not least, there
are adjustable coupler mounts available, which allow you to move the
coupler up or down as needed.

Look at the channel mount pieces here, for example:http://www.championtrailers.com/COUPLERS.htm
and then keep poking around their site, they've got a lot of parts and
usefull information.

  --Glenn Lyford

What do you think of the "through" design vs "bottom" design?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Use a bottom design for the tongue.  Otherwise you'll be making a lot
of little pieces for your bed.

For the A pieces, don't fabricate from two pieces.  Cut a notch where
the bend is leaving one outside wall that you will bend to the 50
degree bend. You won't have to heat it to bend it. It is easy to bend.
Then weld at the point where the notches meet. This way you won't be
relying totally on the weld. As stated previously, bolting would be a
good idea. Also a shear plate welded from the A piece to the trailer
bed at the sides will help reduce the tension stress of the weld
between the A piece and the bed under the bed. This will place that
weld into shear rather than pure tension.

You should organize the pieces to that the welds are into shear rather
than tension as much as possible, particularily if you are new to
welding. Don't forget, you are liable for anything that fall off your
trailer on the highway.

Also, you should be studying trailer plans that are on the web and
looking at examples locally at trailer sales places.

Plan out the whole trailer first. You should know exactly what piece
goes where before you even start.

Start building the trailer upside down first, do all the welds and
then flip it. You don't want to be flipping a trailer this size
continuously.

4x4 ¼ inch steel tubing may be somewhat large for this type of
trailer.

Steve L.

Use a bottom design for the tongue.  Otherwise you'll be making a lot
of little pieces for your bed.

For the A pieces, don't fabricate from two pieces.  Cut a notch where
the bend is leaving one outside wall that you will bend to the 50
degree bend. You won't have to heat it to bend it. It is easy to bend.
Then weld at the point where the notches meet. This way you won't be
relying totally on the weld. As stated previously, bolting would be a
good idea. Also a shear plate welded from the A piece to the trailer
bed at the sides will help reduce the tension stress of the weld
between the A piece and the bed under the bed. This will place that
weld into shear rather than pure tension.

You should organize the pieces to that the welds are into shear rather
than tension as much as possible, particularily if you are new to
welding. Don't forget, you are liable for anything that fall off your
trailer on the highway.

Also, you should be studying trailer plans that are on the web and
looking at examples locally at trailer sales places.

Plan out the whole trailer first. You should know exactly what piece
goes where before you even start.

Start building the trailer upside down first, do all the welds and
then flip it. You don't want to be flipping a trailer this size
continuously.

4x4 ¼ inch steel tubing may be somewhat large for this type of
trailer.

Steve L.

Thanks. The tubing is not what I thought but I bout it anyway. It is
3x3 1/4 inch tubing. I only have 4 10 foot pieces. It only cost me 10
bucks though.

Been thinking, maybe I should just make a single axle 10 foot trailer
as a project.

Been thinking first of making a boom pole for my 8n, maybe using that
to lift the trailer frame.