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 our 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 and practical to make a frame 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 of 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 tow bar. 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 are welded to the side frame thin sheets tin. 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.
In the first video entitled " homemade trailer» shows the stages of creating a two-wheeled trailer.
In the second video “Business idea in the garage. Homemade dump trailer 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.
A car is not a luxury, as pedestrians believe. Man has made great strides in development, having mastered mechanized wheeled vehicles. Today, this vein, although not as strong, but no less intrusive, continues to excite the minds of motor vehicle enthusiasts from large factories to garage workshops. Exactly in that order. After all, the latter have fewer resources and a much greater desire to experiment. Designing a trailer for a car with your own hands is a suitable goal.
DIY trailer
The reason why drivers choose a homemade trailer for a passenger car: individual parameters, cost. Serial manufacturers offer any modification, but the further from the base, the higher the price. Why is this necessary if there are a couple of wheels lying around in the garage, metallic profile and tool. Registration will not cost more, and the experience gained is invaluable. Before constructing the future pride of the street, you need to understand the types of homemade trailers for cars.
Types of self-assembled trailers
Business and industry use professional trailers equipped with special equipment for a specific load. They are distinguished by additional load-carrying capacity and the ability to handle it efficiently at different conditions. Some components are made in the factory using complex technology that cannot be done in a garage: zinc coating, strong welding.
Homemade trailer frame
Therefore, you should not aim at a trailer over 750 kg, besides, it assumes category “E”. But if this state of affairs does not suit the motorist, then he challenges the biaxial design for universal use and tests as he pleases. Before the first modification.
DIY trailer
The choice of trailer type depends on what to transport and what materials for making it are lying around. A four-millimeter corner or profile, two wheels of a domestic car, a set of springs, wires with lights already bring the unit into the class of homemade single-axle trailers up to 750 kg. Plywood for the sides and bottom is not in short supply, unlike thick sheet metal, which still needs to be cut. The main thing is not to skimp on the coupling mechanism. Making a connecting unit will not cost you just bolts and nuts. For increased safety of a homemade trailer, it is better to buy special fasteners to the tow bar. Anyone who has decided to create a passenger trailer with their own hands already knows what a trailer is and what they are, but information on the standards for the manufacture of trailer hitch devices will make it possible to operate the miracle of technology even after the first traffic police stop.
You need to know this
Firstly, this is a simplified list of requirements of GOST 37.001.220-80, given below:
- Permitted trailer weight up to:
- 1.8 t;
- Not heavier than the weight of the tug or half of it when the trailer hitch is without brakes;
- Allowed length no more than:
- Not one and a half times longer than the car;
- Allowed width no more than:
- 230 cm;
- No wider than the car by 20 cm on both sides;
- Permitted height no more than:
- Not 1.8 times higher than the trailer wheel track;
- The center of gravity with a load is not higher than the track width multiplied by 0.725;
- Ground clearance is not less than the car's ground clearance;
- A homemade trailer for a passenger car can only be single-axle. (A twin axle is also a single-axle design, although it is called a two-axle design among car enthusiasts). The distance between the axes of the paired structure is up to 1 m;
- The trailer must have a load on each side of no more than 0.55% of its own weight;
- The coupling device must be equipped with:
- A permanent cable or chain in case of sudden disconnection of the trailer hitch from the car while driving;
- Homemade anti-rollbacks (shoes);
- Jacking platform;
- Removable lever brake;
- Mudguards, fenders;
- Signboard for the sign;
- Stable support;
- A spare wheel similar to the car;
- Lighting fixtures, wiring and plug.
Trailer manufacturing process
Making a passenger trailer with your own hands, based on the information above, prompts the craftsman to draw a drawing of the future model and search for materials of the appropriate size.
There are basic drawings. But there is one caveat: they require direct assembly with components, the absence of which can puzzle or even discourage you from making a trailer with your own hands. The effective path combines economy, the desire to cut, cook, twist and the ability to give a good result. Therefore, it is worth listing the parts necessary for manufacturing and dividing them into homemade and purchased:
- Square rolled metal 30x60 mm or 25x25 mm is suitable for a frame, rack, and additional stiffening ribs. Although a 40 mm corner is also suitable for the latter. A U-shaped channel is suitable for bridge beams.
- The sides and bottom are made of thick multi-layer plywood 10-12 mm or galvanized iron sheet 0.8 mm. When combined it will turn out economical option. In any case, the structural fasteners for the sides must unite the body.
- The chassis is easier to find when disassembling a Zhiguli or Moskvich. It includes:
- Hubs;
- Springs;
- Spring earrings;
- Stepladder with pads;
- Shock absorbers;
- Wheels.
A complete find will be a success, and a separate selection if you know it won’t take much time. Chassis solution is 70%. If you buy an independent torsion bar or rubber-harness suspension, you will have to buy the rest of the chassis due to the least versatility. Few people like to bore a purchased spare part into old components. Shock absorbers are worth buying new.
- Fasteners and fasteners for beads are common in hardware stores.
- Three millimeter cable or chain.
- The electrics are made from multi-core cable. But you need to buy flashlights with an outlet.
- The tow bar clamp is something you don’t want to skimp on.
To make a two-axle trailer for a car yourself, you will need the same material, only in a double name. With the correct procedure, the first step will be the ability to weld metal, and the last will be the search for an awning or material for its manufacture. If you have never cooked, you need to contact a specialist, having previously prepared everything that needs to be welded. At the design stage, it is necessary to take into account the dumping system. If it is conceived, then the body structure requires hinge mechanisms and separate strength amplifiers.
DIY trailer assembly
You can’t ignore drawing up a drawing. Preparatory actions may not leave numbers in memory. Visibility provides visual control, understanding of the assembly, and, moreover, if there is help from the master during welding or milling. Summing up the collection of materials, components, and tools will give permission to begin actions:
- Channel cutting begins with measuring pieces of the required length.
- The sawn-off parts of the frame are laid on flat surface for welding. Smooth angles and planes will ensure precise fixation of the sides. Next, the stiffening ribs are cooked. System of spars (longitudinal) and traverses (transverse parts).
- Before welding the spring brackets, measure one meter from the back of the trailer to the expected middle of the bridge beam. There will be a welding point there. The axis should be offset from the center to the rear side. The shock absorber mounts are also welded.
- Whether the drawbar is V-shaped or straight, it can be removable. Then you need to weld the brackets with holes for the bolts. The drawbar is centered.
- Next comes the installation of the chassis: axle, springs, shock absorbers. Hubs and wheels are installed.
- The inverted frame with wheels undergoes further assembly. A towbar is installed. It requires attention. A suitable option is to fix it on the tow bar and roll the trailer by the drawbar to the car. The hitch with the drawbar can be welded or bolted, dismountable. We must not forget about installing cables and safety chains.
- The procedure for installing the bottom and sides follows from the drawing. But after fitting, they must be removed to fix the wiring with lighting devices.
- Reversing lights, turn signals, parking lights and brake lights correspond to the car's lighting. For parallel connection, use the appropriate connector: plug. The socket is located on the tow bar.
- After checking the installed components, the wings are installed.
Video instructions for making a trailer
The sample test is carried out with a gradual increase in load. It is advisable that someone help in this matter, visually recording the operation of the suspension and coupling unit. Anti-corrosion coating is applied at any stage of installation. This is subject to availability of covered locations.
Registration of a homemade trailer with the traffic police
The last step is registration homemade model own production. The traffic police will send the owner and the trailer for examination. It is important that the laboratory is accredited. It is necessary to save receipts for used components, and most importantly - a certificate for the hinged device, the same fastener. In such circumstances, it is better to buy it. From the standard papers you need: a copy of the owner’s and car’s passport, do-it-yourself photographs of a trailer for passenger cars, an application to the traffic police to register the towbar, a receipt for the state duty. If you had the documents, you first had to undergo a technical inspection, the positive decision of which recognized that the trailer complied with the standards, after which it was registered and numbers were issued. This procedure is described in more detail in
Events and exhibitions are constantly held to showcase automotive technology. Motorists love to show off a do-it-yourself light trailer that fits the style of the car, at least due to color range. Today it is profitable to make a trailer yourself. Individual solutions add to the collection of technical insights when designing a trailer. Reliability and safety remain the constant rule.
How to make a trailer with your own hands will be discussed in this article, and several manufacturing options will be described, depending on the wheel suspension. Many drivers are starting to think about self-production trailer when there is a need to transport some kind of cargo, for example during the construction of a house or cottage. And when searching for a ready-made trailer, many do not find what they need on sale, and if they do, the trailer costs quite a lot.
With self-production, car owners have the opportunity not only to save a significant amount of money, but also to make a trailer to suit their needs and the dimensions of the cargo being transported, as well as the size of their car. In addition, some trailer parts can be made literally from iron trash that is lying around in the garage or at the dacha, or you can find something for pennies at a car disassembly (for example, the same suspension parts and wheels).
Below we will first describe the manufacture of a soft (suspension) version of the trailer using a ready-made automobile beam, then it will be described in full homemade version with suspension, and at the very end, the simplest non-suspension option will be shown, which can be used locally (if cargo should be transported nearby and on a good road).
And of course, each driver will be able to choose the trailer manufacturing option that is more suitable for him in terms of operating conditions, as well as depending on the complexity of manufacturing. There is no point in listing what tools and materials you will need to make a trailer at the beginning, since everything will be described during the process.
Do-it-yourself trailer - an option with a ready-made car beam.
As the name already implies, you will need to find a rear suspension beam from some old car at a car disassembly site. Instead of a beam, you can use a suitable pipe (for example, 80 mm in diameter), this option will be easier, but in this case you will have to attach the wheel hubs to the pipe and attach the springs to the pipe. But with a beam everything is much simpler, since all the fastenings are already there.
However, some springs can also be secured to a regular pipe using hairpin clamps (as shown in the photo with a square adapter for the hub - below in the text). Using a pipe instead of a factory beam will lighten the weight of the suspension, since the beam is still significantly heavier than the pipe. What to choose - a pipe or a finished beam, everyone decides for himself, based on his capabilities and what material is available.
The price of a beam can be a penny if you use a beam not from a foreign car, but from a Soviet car. And if the price of some ancient Moskvich can be in the range of $100 - $150, then it is not difficult to guess that the price of the rear beam from the same Moskvich will be very low.
The advantage of the Moskvich beam and its rear suspension is that the Moskvich suspension uses leaf springs rather than springs, which means the load-carrying capacity of a trailer with springs will allow you to transport even cubes of a boiler for construction in the trailer. In addition, it will always be possible to add a couple of additional springs and thereby further increase the load-carrying capacity of the trailer, in case of emergency.
Well, another advantage of the leaf spring suspension is that you will not need to spend additional time making A-arms for the independent suspension, which is usually used with springs. However, this one is more difficult option will be discussed below.
And so we purchased a beam (rear axle), preferably together with hubs and wheels, and of course with springs attached to the beam (see photo 1).
The axle shafts can be cut off, and the main pair of the gearbox can be removed from the housing along with the bearings - they will no longer be needed, and the weight of the beam will be significantly reduced. Well, the hole for the exit of the cross will need to be closed with a homemade plug. That's it - the base of the trailer is there.
Ear for attaching the spring to the trailer frame.
Next, you should make the ears shown in photo 2 below and in the photo on the left. “Ears” could also be cut off from the car body during disassembly (the factory ear is shown in the photo on the left), but if this was not possible, then they would have to be made from sheet metal 4 - 6 mm thick.
These "ears" will be used to attach the springs to the trailer frame once the frame is built.
It is best to make the frame from a profile pipe (a rectangular profile 40x60x4, but a square one 60x60x4 is also possible), since such a pipe is quite rigid, despite the small thickness of the walls, and is not too heavy, unlike a corner one. In addition, it is very convenient to weld the joints of the profile pipe at the corners of the frame.
Of course, before welding the frame, you should measure with a tape measure and mark with a marker desired length and then cut pipe blanks for the base, which has the shape of a rectangle.
The two longest pipes (long sides of the frame rectangle) will be the length that you want to get the final trailer body (2 meters is quite enough, but if longer, then it is preferable to make a two-axle trailer). Well, the width of the other two transverse pipes for the short sides of the frame rectangle, if possible, should not be wider than the dimensions of your car.
Having cut two long pipes and two shorter ones with a grinder, we grind chamfers from the edges of all pipes (for a reliable weld) and lay the pipes on a flat floor, laying out an equilateral rectangle of pipes.
We check all the corners of the rectangle using a square (so that the angle is strictly 90º), then we electrically weld the pipe joints, check the corners again with a square and finally weld the joints.
We use a conventional welding machine, with an electrode diameter equal to the thickness of the pipe wall, but it is much more convenient and faster to work with someone who has one, and the quality of the seam will be better (and without scale).
Having welded the rectangle, we then prepare (cut) two or three transverse pipes, which we weld in the middle of the rectangle (this will add rigidity and add an additional supporting surface to the floor of the trailer body, and the longer the trailer, the more transverse pipes should be welded).
After this, you can weld the frame to the suspension (through pre-made “ears”) and then from the front, weld an L-shaped jumper to the rectangular frame of the future car trailer, which is indicated by yellow arrows in photo 2 above), onto the top of which the ball joint of the towing device will subsequently be welded - tow bar. I recommend reading about how to make a tow bar for your car.
Well, now all that remains is to make a body with a hinged tailgate and attach it to the trailer frame. There are also several options for making the body. You can weld a frame from an angle (in the shape of a parallelogram) and then weld it to the frame (or bolt it).
Next, the frame from the corner (floor and sides) is sheathed with chipboard, plywood, textolite, metal sheet etc., depending on the cargo being transported.
But you can use not a corner for the body frame, but the same profile pipe(as in photo 3 on the left) only smaller in width (40x40x3 mm, or even 40x20x3 mm).
The floor of the trailer body can be made of metal sheet (as in photo 3, if you plan to transport something heavy), but you can also use chipboard, textolite, thick 20 mm plywood. If we use plywood or chipboard, they should be coated before painting. natural drying oil to prevent future exposure to moisture.
If you plan to transport large cargo, then it is better to immediately increase the sides, as shown in photo 4 on the left. To increase the height of the sides, we again use a profile pipe, but of a smaller transverse size (30x30x3, or 30x20x3).
Next, all that remains is to weld the hitch for the ball joint (they are already on sale in car markets now) to the top of the L-shaped jumper, previously welded to the trailer frame. To the same jumper, in the area of the ball joint, but from below, an “ear” should be welded into which the axis of the folding stop will be inserted.
The support will be needed so that the trailer, after uncoupling it from the car, stands strictly horizontally on the ground. However, the presence of a stop is not necessary; you can do without it.
Then you should cover the sides of the trailer with metal sheets, plywood or textolite and then prime and paint the car trailer (photo 5).
It is advisable to hang the tailgate on door canopies (you can make the canopies yourself, as in photo 6) in order to be able to open the tailgate during loading or unloading.
Locks and hinges (door hinges) for the hinged tailgate can be purchased at markets or hardware stores.
Well, don’t forget that on the rear side, or just below, you should definitely attach and connect the brake lights, parking lights and turn signals. All this can be found from some car at a salvage yard for pennies. Attaching and connecting standard (factory) brake lights, turn signals and side lights to the trailer will allow you to easily register your homemade car trailer at the local MREO and then undergo technical inspection without any problems.
And lastly, if the trailer will be used somewhere in the village, then fenders are optional (as in the photo above), since the absence of fenders (mud flaps) increases the trailer's cross-country ability in mud. Well, if the trailer is made for the city, then installing fenders is very desirable, otherwise the trailer and the car will always be dirty. Making flat fenders for trailer wheels is very simple, from thin sheet metal, and therefore this process has not been described.
By the way, if the sides of your trailer are wider than in the photographs above (that is, the sides will overlap the wheels when viewed from above), then you can not make fenders, but simply hang rubber mud flaps under each side, in front and behind each wheel.
A DIY trailer is the second option with independent spring suspension.
This option is more difficult to make than the option described above with dependent leaf spring suspension. Since you will have to buy or make independent A-shaped arms (pendulums), and hang them on the trailer frame through machined lathe bronze bushings. You can use rubber silent blocks instead of bronze bushings, but bushings are still much more reliable and durable.
Zhiguli lever made of sheet steel.
This version of independent trailer suspension allows you to use a homemade trailer on any off-road terrain and is more suitable for SUV owners. This option with soft independent suspension is also perfect for a boat trailer.
You can look at a motorcycle disassembly site for ready-made levers from the Ant scooter suspension, or common sheet steel levers from classic Zhiguli cars (shown in the photo).
Or look for levers from the rear suspension of some foreign passenger car (as in the photo on the right - by the way, this photo shows the rear suspension lever of a car along with a fixed factory hub, shock absorber and brake drum (with a brake cable), which means you won’t need to bother with securing the hub on the lever.
In addition, it will be possible to use the brakes on the trailer (by connecting a cable to or to the brakes of the car), if you plan to transport something very heavy). Such a lever will need to be secured to the trailer frame rotated 90º, unlike the front suspension arms of Zhiguli and other cars.
In general, there are a lot of options for making a spring suspension for a trailer, just like there are designs for spring suspensions for passenger cars, there are as many options for making a suspension for a homemade trailer.
You can search and purchase on websites or in car dealerships, ready-made new levers with already welded support cups for the springs, as in the photo on the left. If you can’t find ready-made A-shaped levers, then you’ll have to make the levers yourself, there’s nothing complicated about it.
Springs can be found at disassembly, and their thickness and, accordingly, rigidity depend on what kind of cargo you are going to transport in the future. If you plan to transport a boat or a small light boat, then springs from an Ant scooter, or some kind of ATV, motorcycle, etc. will be quite sufficient.
When making A-shaped suspension arms yourself, you will need a steel sheet for reinforcing gussets, a round thick-walled pipe with a diameter of approximately 25 - 30 mm, a slightly thicker pipe for bushings for silent blocks (or for bronze bushings).
Homemade A-arm made from straight pipes. All that remains is to weld an adapter to the top of the lever to secure the hub axis.
The design of the levers is clear from the photo above. It shows levers with curved pipes, but if you don’t have one, you can make levers with absolutely straight pipes, in the shape of an even letter A, as in the photo on the right.
When the levers are purchased or ready, all that remains is to attach the wheel hub axles to the ends of the levers and put them on the axles themselves.
In order to secure the hub axles and the hubs themselves with bolts to the end of the A-arm, or to the end of the spring suspension pipe, you will need to cut square (see photo below) or round adapters with holes from thick sheet metal (thickness 18 - 20 mm) (round adapters - flanges can be cut on a lathe from thick sheet metal), into which the hub axle flange will be bolted (as in the photo).
Having cut adapters from thick sheet metal and drilled holes in them (at the same distance as on the flange of the hub axle), all that remains is to weld them to the A-shaped arm, or to the transverse pipe of the spring suspension (the photo on the left shows exactly the option with a pipe for spring suspension).
If the square adapter for the hub axle will be welded not to the spring suspension pipe, but to the end of the A-shaped spring suspension arm, then the adapter during welding should also be reinforced with gussets welded across the adapter (square) (as in the drawing on the right), cut from dozens of sheet metal (thickness 8 - 10 mm).
It is advisable to install shock absorbers inside the spring (or nearby), which will add comfort. However, this makes the design heavier and more complicated. It is much more convenient to attach shock absorbers from some kind of motorcycle, which themselves have general design(shock absorber and spring as one unit).
By the way, when using shock absorbers from motorcycles (together with springs), it will not be necessary to make support cups from sheet metal and weld them car springs. It is enough to weld ears to the suspension arms for mounting bolts for silent blocks of motorcycle shock absorbers.
There are many options for choosing parts and making an independent soft suspension for a car trailer with your own hands, and everyone chooses what is more convenient, and sometimes based on what comes to hand at a car or motorcycle disassembly. And of course, it is impossible to describe absolutely all options for manufacturing a suspension for a car trailer in one article. However, the main and most simple options The manufacture of trailer suspensions have been described.
Having made the suspension, all that remains is to weld the trailer frame and sides, then sheathe the floor and sides, as described above, in the first version (with a beam and springs). And then all that remains is to fasten the independent spring suspension to the frame (by the way, it is more convenient to make the suspension removable rather than welded). Of course, the places where the suspension of the right and left wheels are attached to the frame of a homemade car trailer must be absolutely symmetrical, which can be checked using a regular tape measure.
It should also be remembered that when attaching the upper spring and shock absorber support, you need to ensure that the wheels of the empty trailer are suspended with some negative camber. Otherwise, when fully loaded trailer, the tire tread will wear unevenly (more on the inside than on the outside).
Well, don’t forget about the feet, dimensions and turn signals (described above).
In conclusion (below), you can watch a video about making a trailer with your own hands, the simplest non-suspension version. And although it shows how to make a trailer with your own hands for a walk-behind tractor (the principle of constructing a car trailer is the same) and does not show how to attach the hubs to the transverse pipe, all this was described above, good luck to everyone.
One day, on occasion, I dropped in to see one of my friends, who works at a scrap metal collection point, and saw in his pile of pieces of iron the fragments of an old “bee” trailer, it seems.
There, in this heap of old iron, the size of my house, there was also an old rear axle, apparently from a “Muscovite”.
Immediately the idea was born to build a trailer from this trash for transporting various useful household goods.
After short and productive negotiations involving several Bank of Russia notes, these remains ended up with me, and I safely brought them to my village.
That's what I got.
I already screwed my own wheels onto the bridge, fortunately I have Moskvich wheels. In addition, I also got two dented sides, front and rear, with broken hinges.
So, let's list what I used to make this trailer.
1. Rear axle with springs from Moskvich
2. Remains of the old body from the Bee trailer
3. Two forged oarlocks from an ancient gate
4. Spring bushings for Muscovite, rubber, 6 pcs.
5. A piece of stainless steel tube (old curtain)
6. M10 bolts with nuts, 6 pcs.
7. Hinges, 4 pcs.
8. Aerosol paint, 1 can, orange
9. Hitch, 1 pc.
10. Wheels from a Muscovite, 2 pcs.
11. Welding machine
12. Bulgarian
13. Corner 45X45 from an old bed, 2 pcs.
The towbar was purchased from a car dealership, primarily for reasons of unification so that my trailer would fit all standard towbars, as well as for reasons of safety and ease of use. I saw homemade coupling devices, and I could make them myself, but they did not inspire confidence in me.
The next morning, after the first “trying on” of the bridge and the body, it became clear that they were...incompatible. The bridge turned out to be 8 cm narrower than the body. I had to cut it. With the help of a grinder, after a couple of hours, all the excess was cut off, and the result was a body that was ideally suited to this bridge.
After reverse welding, further construction continued. Due to the fact that the metal of the body was not particularly thick and not very strong (I realized this when cutting the body with a grinder), I decided to attach the springs to the body through the corners in order to more evenly distribute the load on load-bearing elements body From two long corners from an old armored mesh, 8 pieces were cut. short corners and holes were drilled in them for future fastening. After “fitting” the bridge to its fastenings, four of the old forged gate oarlocks were made.
A small note about hardware. As they say, everything is learned by comparison. Like the corners from an old bed, or the old oarlocks from a gate - the antique metal in them is of excellent quality, unlike modern corners that can be bent by hand - these old pieces of iron were cut and drilled with great difficulty. I don’t think it was some kind of alloyed or special steel - it’s just that steel was made differently before.
There were also 6 bushings cut. from an old stainless steel curtain.
Once everything was assembled, bolted down and properly welded, it was time to put the trailer on its feet, that is, on its wheels, and begin its final assembly.
The sides were straightened, new hinges were welded, bolts were installed on the sides, and the towbar was welded into place. At the end of everything, the trailer was touched up here and there (one can of paint would not be enough for the entire trailer) and put into operation.
I have not checked the maximum load capacity of the trailer, but the trailer can easily transport 0.3 m3 of sand, 10 bags of cement, 200 pcs. bricks I didn’t load it anymore, but not because it would break, but because the tractor I have is an old Moskvich-412, I feel sorry for it.
I transport anything on a trailer. Sand, stones, brick, earth, manure, garbage, boat, cabinet, refrigerator, washing machine, potatoes, hay, and so on and so forth.
I am not going to install lighting devices on the trailer and register it with the traffic police, because it is used only during daylight hours and only within our village, it does not go on the highway, and the maximum speed of my “road train” with a load is no more than 30 km/h . For the same reason, I did not make wings over the wheels and did not install shock absorbers. At these speeds there is no such need. Only reflectors (reflectors) from
There are times when you definitely need to transport something. If the dimensions of the cargo do not fit into the trunk or interior, then you need to call a special service or get your own car trailer. The second option is, of course, better, but where to get it?
What is a trailer, what are they?
A trailer is an additional rack that attaches to the back of the car. They are available for cars, ATVs, motorcycles, walk-behind tractors and even bicycles. If you have the ability and at least some experience, then you can do car trailer with your own hands, because buying it is a waste of money. Such a useful addition to the household is quite expensive. Even if the homemade one does not look very aesthetically pleasing, it will be made conscientiously, exactly as it should be - It was decided, we will make the trailer with our own hands.
What you need to know
To start making a trailer with your own hands, you need drawings. You need to know and imagine exactly what the future structure will look like. It is important to strictly adhere to all the rules that require creating homemade trailers. There is even a special unified GOST 37.001.220-80 for this. If the product is not made in accordance with GOST, then the traffic police will not register it. Nobody wants to waste money, so it’s worth finding out all the nuances of how to create a trailer with your own hands.
What is needed for making
Before you start making a passenger trailer with your own hands, you need to buy everything Consumables and prepare all working tools. It all starts with the frame. It requires square-shaped rolled metal. It produces a stable and solid foundation for future construction. For the sides and bottom, ordinary sheet iron will be used.
An important element of every homemade trailer is its chassis. Here everyone is dodging as best they can. There are many options on how to get the chassis in order to make a trailer with your own hands. As an option - an old axle from a sidecar, which used to be attached to old motorcycles. If there is one, then it will be a real find, because you can take an axle from it, and in addition also suitable wheels. An axle from some old Moskvich or Zhiguli would also be suitable. There you have to proceed from what is available or cheaper. You can also get a pendant somewhere. For example, from an old heavy motorcycle - these are sold cheaply in online stores.
You will also need a TSU device, a tow bar - a towing device. Turn signals, brake lights and all that are required, as well as wiring, which will then be connected to the car.
The only special tools needed are a welding machine. The rest is probably in every home.
DIY trailer: frame drawings
The simplest frame is usually made from square rolled metal ( steel pipe with an optimal cross-section of forty by forty millimeters). Cooking it is not difficult for anyone who knows how to use it. welding machine. It must be remembered that safety precautions should be observed when working with equipment that can cause any damage.
The future frame will be of a standard shape, namely rectangular. First you need to cut the rolled metal to the required length. The frame itself must be reinforced, otherwise it will not be possible to transport any heavy loads on it. In addition to the frame, longitudinal beams are also required, which make it stronger.
The length of the trailer, made with your own hands, will be two hundred centimeters. This is enough to transport any Construction Materials or not very large cargo. The width of the frame will be about one hundred centimeters. Height - forty centimeters. This is an average trailer for a car that you can make with your own hands. The bottom will be supported by two longitudinal and five cross beams. This design is very durable, lightweight, and most importantly, reliable. In order for the straight lines to turn out identical, it is necessary to measure everything with a ruler, otherwise everything will turn out crooked.
For the frame you will need four beams of two hundred centimeters each, six of one hundred centimeters each and seven of forty centimeters each. Having carefully measured everything, you can begin cutting the metal beam.
The size of the structure can vary at the request of the owner. Once the beams are cut, you can begin the most interesting part of the job - welding!
Welding work: frame
Having cut all the parts of the future frame that you need to make a trailer for a car with your own hands, you can start welding. It all starts from the foundation. First, a rectangle is welded from two long and two meter beams. Then additional transverse bars and beams for height are welded onto this structure. The upper plane will look like the letter “P”, because at one end there will be a folding side through which the load is brought in.
Hull plating
The frame is the “skeleton” of the trailer. He still needs "meat". To do this, you will need sheet steel at least half a centimeter thick. By calculating the area of the future trailer, you can calculate how much sheet steel will be needed for it. It is attached very easily: holes are drilled in the frame, and then the material is pressed to the body using bolts.
Do-it-yourself trailer for a car: making a tailgate
A separate frame will be needed for the tailgate. Having cut the beams forty by one hundred centimeters, you can cook the base from them. A steel sheet is sewn onto it in the same way. Two hinges are welded to the main frame, where there is no upper horizontal bar, which should also be welded to the folding side.
It will be secured using two metal plates. Transverse metal plates are welded on both sides of the body. A hole is made in them equal to the width of the bolt. Two holes are also made in the folding side. A bolt will be threaded through them, which passes through the metal plates and is secured at the end with nuts. So simple and cheap way solves the problem of fixing the lid.
Chassis and suspension
In order for a trailer, assembled with your own hands, to be able to travel, it needs a chassis. An old spring suspension and axle from a Moskvich will do just fine. It will also have wheels. The entire structure is attached to the bottom of the trailer.
Mounting to vehicle
The trailer is attached to the vehicle using special beams and a device called a tow bar. From the edge of the bottom they are drawn and welded at an angle of two metal beams so that you get a triangle. At the end of this triangle, a metal plate is welded onto which the towbar is then welded. It can be found at any auto parts store. Then you need to connect the brake lights and turn signals. They are connected as a backup circuit to the machine illumination.
