Posts: 698
Joined: 10/16/2002 From: Indianapolis, IN, USA Status: offline
After a couple of weeks following an inspiring and very good thread on building a small trailer http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3113482/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm (link to thread) I can stand it no longer and must have one for myself. The motivating factors are; bidding a fond fair well to my full size Tahoe, gas prices headed for $3.00 per gallon and beyond (just like Star Trek), and not being able to fit any plane larger than a postage stamp into my fuel efficent ride. Most flying fields are a $5.00 trip away in my beloved Tahoe. So owning a trailer for my planes to ride in seems to be a great option. I just can not justify $2,000 or more for a store bought mobile toy closet! Besides that, how many airplanes/engines/radios...????
Posts: 698
Joined: 10/16/2002 From: Indianapolis, IN, USA Status: offline
First step a trip to Harbor Frieght and a trailer kit pn/90154.
Unpack the two boxes and take inventory. One damaged part but a quick trip back to HF and a no qustions asked replacement. I love no hassle customer service!
This trailer has a folding option that lets the trailer fold in half for storage. With a box bolted to the trialer frame this option is not usable. My plan is to eliminate the folding option and parts used for that.
Assembly begins. This kit is a bolt together kit and requirres only a couple of wrenches to assemble. I have decided to bolt together the two center cross members where the frame halves would fold for storage of the trailer. This was simple and easy to do as all of the frame members have ample holes in them. I have planty of extra hardware for this step since I will not be using the stake holders or the folding option. I assembled the entire frame less axle and wheels with all bolts just hand tight. I then realized that the plywood for the trailer floor would provide an easy template to make sure the trailer frame bolted together squarley. Off to the hardware total cost at this point $264.99
Posts: 698
Joined: 10/16/2002 From: Indianapolis, IN, USA Status: offline
After a succesful trip to one of my favorite stores (hardwares) I now have one sheet of 19/32 4 ply underlayment plywood for the floor of the trailer and 2 sheets of 5.2mm luan plywood for the sides and 4 1x2"x8' top choice pine bords for fraiming the box of the trailer. Cost of trip to hardware $ 44.80.
19/32 plywood on floor with 2x4 blocks to space it off the garage, err I mean Trailer Manufacturing Facility assembly floor, and the same trailer frame placed on the ply for assembly. This time I tighened the bolts to hold the frame together and started to assemble the nose (trailer hitch of frame) using the instruction assembly manual that came with the trailer.
I also have manufactured (2) aluminum straps (1.5x9x1/4" brackets to replace the folding hinge brackets suppled to couple the front and rear of the folding trailer. This was just something extra I did because I have the aluminum on hand, you could still use the kit supplied brackets and they will work just fine.
After the trailer frame is assembled completely I will seal the plywood floor using latex primer and finish paint. I will detail what I do when the time comes. Now back to construction, more later.
Posts: 739
Joined: 2/8/2002 From: ruston, LA, USA Status: offline
Jeb, Thanks for posting this. I agree on your concept. I am at the same point, I have an old van and a small car. Need to do something in the long term because the van will some day be gone. Keep the post comming.
Posts: 1390
Joined: 8/3/2004 From: East Cobb County,
GA, USA Status: offline
Couple of things to ponder . . .
Trailers are more than mere toy toters, they are also toy _storage spaces_.
If you enclose the majority of the "A" frame section, you increase the volume of the dry storage area and also reduce the amount of power needed to pull the thing down the road.
Whether you make your trailer a "V" nose or not, add a rock shield across the front - 24" wide 1/8" aluminum plate would serve nicely.
Photo is my store-bought "V" nose 7'X16' tandem axle model airplane hauler.
My model airplane hauler _puller_ is a 2003 E-350 Extended Super Duty van with the three rear bench seats removed and stored. Makes room for a full 4'X8' sheet of half inch ply in the back, and I can haul a _lot_ of stuff in the van.
Posts: 5091
Joined: 7/3/2003 From: newton,
NC, USA Status: offline
One of our club membersmade his hauler from a pop-up camper that the canvas had rotted in. He gutted it, made tie-downs for everything. It had a crank-up fiberglass top, and was about 8 x 12 and about 3 feet deep. He could get three 1/4 scale biplanes and all his flight gear in it. Gave about $250 for the camper, even had a spare. With the low profile, he said you hardly knew it was behind you, no wind resistance.
I'm gonna try to find something like that, with diesel going past $2.45/gal and me getting about 13-14 mpg. The only thing covered I have to haul planes in is sort of a multipurpose affair. We camp in it, haul horses in it, haul airplanes in it, you name it.Here it is:
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Posts: 698
Joined: 10/16/2002 From: Indianapolis, IN, USA Status: offline
Well I have just bolted the trailer together and torqued all of the bolts, and added the trailer hitch connecting rails. Next step is to turn the trailer frame over and begin to build the box and top. Made a real bad mistake this evening by visiting Sears and the tool section. They had a super deal on a battery operated tool set that included drill, light, circular saw, sawzal, and most importantly a nailer. I have most all of these tools in 120 volt with the exception of the nailer. Well there goes $200 dollars of the savings realized by constructing my own trailer! Well show me a guy that does not own enough tools, (if such a person exists) and I will show you a guy that tests tools for a living!
This is not that difficult and is proving to be a great deal of fun! You folks have some great toy haulers!
I am going back to work on my trailer, see ya next post!
JEB
Forgot to mention that the picture is of the folding bracket mentioned in an earlier post. The two part bracket allowed for the trailer to fold in the middle. I have no need for this feature so I replaced the bracket with a solid one made from 1/4" aluminum.
Posts: 13448
Joined: 3/20/2002 From: San Bernardino County,
CA, USA Status: online
JEB....what size wheels do those trailers come with now ? I think they come with nicer wheels than the early H.F. trailers.
Dave.
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Posts: 383
Joined: 7/11/2004 From: Yukon,
OK, USA Status: offline
By what I understand, the stock wheels are too small for practical road use. there is a 12" set that HF sells as an option. Easier on the wheel bearings as well. Hubs arent spinning at 7grand, only oh say 5 grand
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Posts: 698
Joined: 10/16/2002 From: Indianapolis, IN, USA Status: offline
Dave,
The trailer kit comes with 12 inch tires, mounted and filled with air. You can buy the lower capacity trailer and it has 8 inch tires. The 12's should be just fine. No towing at 75 miles per hour though!
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Step by Step Trailer Build - 
brackets to replace the folding hinge brackets suppled to couple the front and rear of the folding trailer. This was just something extra I did because I have the aluminum on hand, you could still use the kit supplied brackets and they will work just fine. 
