Trailer build

[DXN1EL]

Hey everyone
I want to build a second trailer since the first one built has not given me any problems in two years.

This is going to be my mowing trailer so is not going haul anything heavy two 3500lb would be plenty.
I need the trailer 20ft long because my current trailer is 16ft and with three mowers there is not a lot of room left.

My dilemma is the frame. I have to have a side gate so the frame has to support the weight of the trailer without the rails for support.
I was thinking 4" C-Channel but somebody told that without the rails for support it was going to be too much flex.

Would 6" channel work?
With 3" channel for the cross members at 16" on center.

 

[jaxs]

Hey everyone
I want to build a second trailer since the first one built has not given me any problems in two years.

This is going to be my mowing trailer so is not going haul anything heavy two 3500lb would be plenty.
I need the trailer 20ft long because my current trailer is 16ft and with three mowers there is not a lot of room left.

My dilemma is the frame. I have to have a side gate so the frame has to support the weight of the trailer without the rails for support.
I was thinking 4" C-Channel but somebody told that without the rails for support it was going to be too much flex.

Would 6" channel work?
With 3" channel for the cross members at 16" on center.

"Some body" has it all wrong about flex. Flex is good because it spread's stress. 5" cee or 4" I-beam is more than suffecient on a pair of 3.5K axles. No need for cee on cross pieces,sq tube or angle will be fine.

 

[yomax4]

I'm not the authority here at all but I built the same trailer and used 2x4 tube on all fours with 2x2 crosses. Might be overkill but it hauls my tractor and 2 = 4 wheelers and I never have to wonder. Might haul my pick up not sure. Go heavier than lighter I guess.

 

[dragoneggs]

Go heavier than lighter I guess.

Never bad advice... unless you are building something that will fly.

 

[yomax4]

Never bad advice... unless you are building something that will fly.

Or Picking a girlfriend.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Or Picking a girlfriend.

Dont let your wife/girlfriend see that advice, you may end up looking for a new partner.

 

[DXN1EL]

4" I beam frame and A frame all the way back to the axles.
2" angle for the crosses.

I don't like tube because i live close enough to the gulf that things start rusting quick.

 

[user.69169]

Since you understand de trussing of de side rail, and understand de side gate gonna kill 1 truss, do a little modeling and figure out how to put truss under de deck on de gate side.
Hard part is makin de transition at back end of de gate strong enough.

Big world of difference between structural iron and trailer steel, use de right product.

Joints are de weakest points in de structure. Braces and proper corners solve dat.

Get yerself a understanding of de 4 over 3 concept of trailers. 4 cornered structure sitting on a tricycle. 4 stays flat while tricycle flexes.

TORQUE TUBE stop by a flatbed yard or truckstop and see how dat works.

 

[tshep]

I'm not convinced a gate HAS to 'kill' a truss.

 

[3Ts]

I have a 5" channel for the frame and angle (2x4 I think) for the cross braces. It's a 7000# on 2 - 3500# axles. I've not had any issues with to much flex and it's been overloaded on occasion. It is not a truss design.