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Advice on making a trailer
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fordf350camper



Joined: 08 Jul 2008
Posts: 358

PostPosted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 1:58 pm    Post subject: Advice on making a trailer Reply with quote

Any advice well come on making a trailer.I would like to use the backend or the front end of a 1990 mazda bongo van,same shape as my ford spectron.I was going to fit it on a trailer that has brakes.Or a caravan chassis.
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fordf350camper



Joined: 08 Jul 2008
Posts: 358

PostPosted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 2:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

this is the kind of van i want to use.May be the front end with a little of the rear welded on so it has rae lights.
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47p2



Joined: 24 Nov 2007
Posts: 2009
Location: Glasgow

PostPosted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are your intentions to chop the middle section out the van and weld the front and rear together?

It would depend on the weight you are planning on carrying as to whether a caravan chassis would be suitable or not, also depending on weight as to whether you will require brakes
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fordf350camper



Joined: 08 Jul 2008
Posts: 358

PostPosted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 4:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi yes thats what i was thinking so it matches this van.It was going to have a cooker,sink inside.Or i was thinking of using one of the ends ,front bit or the back bit would be easyer but if i use the front that would be diffrent.
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danielr



Joined: 27 Jun 2009
Posts: 17
Location: Oxford UK

PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As said above, it really depends on the weight that you want to carry.

looking at the van, it would make a nice aero dynamic box trailer, and I guess that it you take out all the seats, board up the windows etc it'll be nice and light too.

the only trouble is that you won't be able to turn corners very well!

with a wheel in each corner it'll make anything other than driving in a straight line unbearably hard and unstable, as you'll end up using your towing vehicle to drag the tyres sideways across the road. (because the wheels will be fixed, and not steerable).

if the back axle is a solid torsion beam, or leaf sprung then these do make ideal trailer axles, but you'll have to move the axle to the middle of the chassis, and if you want a 2 axle trailer, you'll have to find a separate axle, and more the front wheels towards the middle as well.

I certainly wouldn't recommend mixing wish bones like will be on the front with whatever is on the back of that van in an axle arrangement towards the centre of the vehicle.

all that said, if you;re making a braked trailer I guess that it's ideal to start with a car axle as you've already go the hubs with build in brakes and all that...

Personally I think that by the time you've cut the car in half, moved the axles and go a load of box section to actually strengthen the chassis that you've chopped and welded about, you'd have done better to have just bought only the box section and just made a trailer!!
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