Do-it-yourself modification of a trailer for a passenger car: possible options
Hello, friends! Since a factory trailer cannot always fully satisfy the needs of its owner, many decide to make structural changes to the vehicle. All possible modifications to the trailer are aimed at achieving those characteristics that will suit you.
But what can be created from it and how much can trailers be modified? Let's talk about this.
How to lengthen the drawbar of a passenger trailer with your own hands?
Today, many companies produce trailers for transporting long loads. Each specimen on the market has its own positive qualities. Moreover, the lineup is so large that it is sometimes difficult to understand how to make a choice.
About long lengths in simple words
Long loads are loads whose dimensions exceed the dimensions of the vehicle in length. This includes loads that protrude beyond the platform by more than 0.5 meters. This includes profiled sheets: plastic, metal, polymer, or lumber. Rails, poles, rolled materials, parts of large machines.
Some types of rolled metal, communication line supports, reinforced concrete slabs or pipeline components. Transportation of this type of material is carried out during various types of construction, installation work or laying power lines, for example. It requires a lot of space to accommodate it, so standard trailed equipment is unlikely to be suitable.
Long-length vehicles are also called vehicles designed for transporting this type of cargo.
Types of trailers for transporting long items
Trailers for transporting long loads are distinguished:
- By number of axles:
- Uniaxial samples. When transporting long items using a single-axle trailer, owners often have difficulty placing the center of gravity. Transporting long items on a single-axle trailer
- Biaxial. The priority, of course, is dual-axle. They are more stable and can have a load capacity even twice as large as their single-axle counterparts.
- With or without drawbar extension.
The drawbar extension is based on a metal profile with a square cross-section. There are two types of drawbar: triangular and straight. You can lengthen both, but the A-shaped drawbar wins in this regard. This is due to the fact that the load on the connection nodes due to its geometry is much lower, and the structure itself is more load-bearing. Heavy Duty 500 ATV LAKER trailer with triangular drawbar - With folding sides, removable or not. Manufacturers often equip their products with front and rear folding sides, thereby increasing the length of the floor of the towed unit. Often there are trailers that transform into a platform with removable sides. The floor area is smaller than with folding ones, but is suitable for the stated purposes. And devices that are not equipped with any of the functions are unsuitable for transporting long loads.
- In addition to flatbed and platform trailers, you can find frame trailers on the market. They do not protect the load from dirt well when moving, but they are also useful for this purpose.
- Trailed vehicles vary in size and size. It happens that in some cases a standard drop-side trailer is sufficient. But today's manufacturer offers a rich model range with increased dimensions.
- It is worth noting that there is a difference in the configuration. Some samples are equipped directly from the factory with additional optics, a drawbar extension, a support wheel, a parking brake (although it is required for long lengths), and rigging loops for securing loads.
Ways to extend a trailer
There are only two ways to extend a trailer using:
- Trailer frame modifications.
Namely, by lengthening the side members using welding and metalwork. Quite a labor-intensive and costly process. Extending the frame frame on a trailer with your own hands - Drawbar extension.
Here you have a choice: purchase a factory device that has a guarantee of reliability, or make it yourself. Factory units are inexpensive and not difficult to install. Extension of the drawbar on the MZSA trailer
Review of the best trailers for transporting long items
The most popular brands of trailers for transporting oversized cargo are: MZSA, Vector, Trailer, Kurgan trailers, Batyr, Laker.
- Trailer MZSA 817732.012. Biaxial unit. Body dimensions - 3.449x1.511x0.29, dimensions - 4.794x1.992x0.848 meters. Its gross weight is 0.75 and its load capacity is 0.412 tons. Loading height – 557 mm. It is equipped with a spring suspension, a triangular drawbar, a moisture-resistant bottom made of laminated plywood, and galvanized folding sides. Price – 73,200 rubles.
- MZSA 817735.012. Gross weight 0.75, load capacity 0.329 tons. The dimensions of the device are 5.990x1.992x0.908, body dimensions are 4.597x1.511x0.29 meters. Loading height – 617 millimeters. The permissible length of the load is 600 centimeters. Equipped with rigging eyes, a reinforced hitch head, folding sides and a triangular drawbar. Price – 90,000 rubles.
- Laker Heavy Duty 500 Triangle Drawbar Trailer. Gross weight – 0.75, load capacity – 0.54 tons. Dimensions - 4.4x2x0.76, body dimensions - 3.22x1.5x0.04 meters. Loading height – 470 millimeters. It is equipped with spring or rubber-harness suspension, a high-quality wooden bottom, a hinged tailgate, and plastic wings. Powder coated. Intended for universal use: transportation of ATVs, boats, and other cargo. Price – 39,900 rubles. Trailer Laker Heavy Duty 500
- Batyr Long - has an extended cargo platform for transporting goods of 4.7 meters. Gross weight – 0.75, load capacity – 0.53 tons. Dimensions – 4.70x1.97x0.860 body dimensions – 3.440x1.50x0.30 meters. And the platform area is 5 square meters. It is equipped with a triangular drawbar and spring suspension with springs, galvanized sides, and one axle. Can be equipped with an awning. Price – 50,700 rubles.
- Kurgan station wagon trailer 8213-05 from - single axle with enlarged sides. Capable of transporting long items with a pre-installed drawbar extension. Gross weight – 0.75, load capacity – 0.55 tons. Dimensions - 3.555x1.71x0.98, body dimensions - 2.38x1.22x0.38 meters. Suspension type: spring. Moisture-resistant sides and bottom made of laminated plywood. The basic package includes a drawbar extension. Price – 45,000 rubles.
Rules for the transportation of oversized cargo
For passenger car trailers, the law prohibits the transportation of oversized cargo exceeding 5.5 meters in length, including the drawbar.
And also the Traffic Rules establish the permissible standard load on the ball, which should be about 25-30 kilograms.
At the same time, the maximum speed when transporting long items, depending on the road surface, is: 60 km/h - on asphalt, 40 - on a hard-surface road, 20 - on a dirt road.
video about transporting long cargo
Advantages and disadvantages
- Load capacity. Trailers for long vehicles are usually designed with a reinforced structure and on two axles.
- Versatility. In addition to long loads, such trailed equipment allows you to transport any other loads, including floating vessels.
- Large size. An oversized trailer or one with an extended drawbar is difficult to place, requiring sufficient space in the garage.
- Increased weight of the device. An increase in size inevitably leads to weight, and this affects the ease of use in general.
- Instability of uniaxial units. On single-axle trailers, the center of gravity is too difficult to achieve.
Recently, the development of industry and construction has been accelerating. In this regard, transportation of oversized cargo using a passenger trailer has become popular. Transportation of long items requires careful preparation and is a rather labor-intensive process. Therefore, it requires a clear approach and measured actions, including when choosing a trailer.
Review of passenger trailers for transporting long cargo Link to main publication
Do-it-yourself trailer extension - Metalworker's Guide
Today, many companies produce trailers for transporting long loads. Each specimen on the market has its own positive qualities. Moreover, the lineup is so large that it is sometimes difficult to understand how to make a choice.
DIY car trailer
Sometimes the trunk capacity of a passenger car is not roomy enough for many motorists, especially if transportation of large cargo is required. A trailer is best suited to solve this problem.
Homemade trailers for cars
There are two types of trailers, manufactured by a specialized factory or home-made:
- Factory trailers do not require additional permits for their registration and registration. But at the same time, factory trailers do not always satisfy car enthusiasts with their technical characteristics, and if they do, their price is prohibitively high. And the quality of the trailers themselves is not at a high level, which requires additional investments after purchase to eliminate factory defects.
- A homemade trailer is a structure that a car enthusiast assembles according to his own drawing from a material that makes it obsolete in quality, while adhering to GOST standards for its assembly. As for the registration aspects of such a product, they are much more expensive than when registering a factory one, since additional permits are required to operate a homemade trailer.
If we look at it from an economic point of view, the cost of a homemade trailer, taking into account all registration costs, is significantly lower than buying a new one.
It is also worth considering that a homemade trailer will be of much higher quality than a factory one, if only because the entire manufacturing process will be controlled by the car enthusiast himself.
Set of tools and materials
The first thing you need to make your own trailer is a drawing.
It is also worth noting that the drawing must comply with GOST standards 37.001.220-80 .
This standard specifies all the requirements that are necessary in order to obtain permission to operate a trailer and its further registration in the Interdistrict Registration and Examination Department.
In addition to the drawing, the following materials will be required to make a homemade trailer.
- Profile pipe 40x40 millimeters for constructing a trailer frame. You can use a larger pipe, but it is worth considering that this will entail an increase in the weight of the structure.
- For the sides, it is recommended to use steel sheets with a thickness of at least 0.6 millimeters , but not more than 1 mm, as this can also lead to an unnecessary increase in the weight of the sight.
- For the bottom of the trailer, you can use OSB sheets or polycarbonate. The amount of material is calculated from the bottom area of the trailer.
- Metal beam 80x5 mm for the trailer axle.
- Hub for mounting wheels , perfect for the rear beam of the VAZ 2108.
- Two VAZ wheels with a diameter of R 13 , R14 upon request.
- Two shock absorbers from a Ural motorcycle.
- Two automobile shock-absorbing springs, you can use a building from a VAZ 2101 or a ZAZ 969.
- Two-core braided wire for electrical wiring, approximately 10 meters.
- Parking headlights with stops and turns.
- A thick-walled metal pipe at least three meters long. For the manufacture of a towing element.
- Towbar lock.
- Male-male connector for connecting the on-board network from the car.
DIY trailer
How to make a trailer for a car with your own hands and what tools are needed when creating this type of “accessory” for a car?
On this page you will learn how to make a trailer for your iron horse with your own hands. We will definitely tell you what you will need for this, looking ahead, I will tell you that nothing supernatural is required, an ordinary tool such as an angle grinder, a screwdriver, an electric jigsaw, etc. Also pipes for the frame and much more that can be easily found at any construction site.
And upon completion of the manufacture of the trailer, you will learn how and where to register the trailer with the traffic police.
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Sometimes, to solve the problem of lack of space in the trunk, the best option is to make a homemade trailer for a car with your own hands .
Even if the cargo you need to transport is not heavy, its dimensions may become an obstacle to normal placement in the trunk of your car.
It is clear that there are different types of cars, and there are enough models with large and spacious luggage compartments, but now we are taking into account middle-class passenger cars, the percentage of which is the highest on our roads.
Technical implementation of extending the overall dimensions of a trailer
Regardless of whether the car enthusiast will do this on his own or delegate the work to specialists, you need to think about a technical solution to this problem.
The length of the drawbar may vary, but it is necessary to determine whether it will be folding or solid. A long trailer is more cumbersome to drive, so it is optimal if it can be extended as needed.
You will need to think about the folding and fastening mechanism, so such a project will cost more.
The next point that needs to be considered with a trailer on a passenger car is how the drawbar will be attached: using welding or bolts. If you make a completely new drawbar, then the old one is completely removed.
As an alternative, an additional fragment of a durable metal profile is welded to the old one. The length of such a drawbar may be different, but it is desirable that the new part be identical in width and thickness.
It is important to carefully select the material from which the elongated structure will be made. Of course, it must be moderately durable and withstand significant loads.
It is better not to use flat metal elements for extensions, which simply may turn out to be weak.
Experts recommend purchasing a metal corner or channel with a thickness of at least 3 mm.
Once you have measured how much additional length will be added, you need to take care of reinforcing the structure. To do this, a corner is welded perpendicular to the flange on both sides.
All work to lengthen the drawbar can take at least several hours, because you will have to weld and attach metal bolts, as well as treat them with anti-corrosion compounds. Everyone determines the length calculation for themselves.
Commercially available extension cords are capable of transporting loads up to 5.5-6 meters in length.
How to lengthen the tongue of a passenger trailer
If the driver wants to carry out work on extending the drawbar of a passenger trailer on his own, then he will have to stock up on some tools and materials. First of all, this is an angle grinder and a drill, adjustable and gas wrenches, a welding machine, a metal angle (channel), bolts and nuts, sealing materials, and anti-corrosion mixtures.
You can purchase a ready-made drawbar extension for a light vehicle trailer. They are produced by factories in the form of pipes with dimensions of 40x80 or 40x60 mm. Such a drawbar can change position and extend the distance from the trailer to the car by 2 positions: 40 or 80 cm. The sequence of actions for installing it will be something like this:
- the old coupling device is removed;
- the half-drawbar mount on the trailer is removed;
- the extension cord is placed in the place provided for this and tightened with bolts;
- The half-drawbar can be returned to its original place.
In order to carry out this procedure, it is necessary to prepare certain spare parts. In addition to the extension cord itself and the half-drawbar, you will need a lock retainer and a fastening bracket, as well as a lock with a handle.
Now let's see how you can lengthen the drawbar in a professional way, that is, the way it would be done at a service station. This procedure does not require much time and includes the following steps:
- The first step is to remove the coupling head from the trailer tongue. To do this you will need a 19 key.
- To dismantle the half-drawbar, you will have to unscrew the side brackets. The trailer tips over on its side.
- Using a 19mm wrench, unscrew the corresponding drawbar mount, which secures it to the frame of the trailer itself.
- Now the same is done for the other side of the trailer and the half-drawbar.
- The mounting bushings on the coupling head are removed.
- Now the installation of the extension cord begins - you need to find 2 holes on it. The coupling head will be inserted into the one located at the front. The extension cord itself is inserted into the drawbar with the opposite end. The holes allow you to adjust the length of the coupling structure.
- Once the length is selected, the hole on the extension is aligned with the same one on the drawbar. A half-drawbar is attached to the trailer frame.
- There are 2 mounting holes on the front of the drawbar into which you need to insert bolts and tighten them.
The wire may not be long enough to connect the trailer optics (lighting devices). To do this, you need to remove the clamps from the harness and pull it out to the missing distance. Now you can reinstall the clamps and return the trailer to its original position. All that remains is to install the coupling head in its place, and the trailer is ready to transport long and bulky cargo.
According to existing transportation rules, the length of transported goods should not exceed 5.5 meters in length. Long items must be moved so that they do not drag along the road or get into the trunk of the car itself. To do this, the distance from it to the trailer must be extended using any of the methods described above.
Advice: in parallel with the extension work, experienced travelers immediately install updated LED optics, which are more economical in themselves.
Don’t forget about reflectors - this is safety for all road users. A worn-out awning is replaced with a new one or a plastic roof is installed instead.
It would be a good idea to cover the trailer body itself with a new paint coating instead of the worn out old one.
Do-it-yourself modification of a trailer for a passenger car: possible options
Hello, friends! Since a factory trailer cannot always fully satisfy the needs of its owner, many decide to make structural changes to the vehicle. All possible modifications to the trailer are aimed at achieving those characteristics that will suit you.
But what can be created from it and how much can trailers be modified? Let's talk about this.
Legality of modernization
I will not talk specifically about how to do this or that tuning. Is it possible to change the design at all? This is the first question that needs to be answered.
Drawbar design features
Today we can highlight a number of excellent examples of trailers that are used every day by both trucks and cars. Reliability, as well as high performance characteristics of these devices, largely depend on a high-quality drawbar.
For example, we can distinguish the following towed devices:
- Sturdy;
- MZSA;
- SZAP;
- KAMAZ;
- NEFAZ, etc.
These trailers are truly popular throughout the CIS and beyond. Their popularity is due not to the work of the advertising department, but to the quality of workmanship, as well as assembly, in which the coupling mechanism, in other words, the drawbar, plays an important role.
What types of drawbar are there?
Today on trailers you can see the following drawbar options:
- I-shaped drawbar;
- V-shaped drawbar (triangular shape). Sometimes it is also called A-shaped, which in principle is also correct.
The drawbar may also have additional elements such as safety ropes, as well as folding stands, but not all trailer models have them. They are mainly necessary for ease of use of the device, as well as for a more reliable connection.
Let's take a closer look at them:
- Hitch unit. It is also called a castle. It is used as a connecting element to the vehicle's tow bar. Depending on the trailer hitch, the connection can be made using hinges, bushings, pins, ball joints, etc. Don’t forget about the locking device, which is secured with a special lever. This device is necessary in order to firmly hold the knot in the ball. Some coupling units have a special indicator that shows how worn it is, as well as a device that allows you to change the gaps between the coupling balls and the cup;
- Safety ropes (chains) are used as insurance in case of possible detachment of the trailer from the vehicle. This can happen if the coupling unit fails;
- The folding stand allows you to store the detached trailer in a horizontal position. There are also stands that allow you to adjust the height of the lock. This is an additional option that is used when using a trailer, the structure of which is much lower than that of a car. For example, to attach to an SUV.
Before purchasing a towbar, you need to pay attention to the drawbar, and also take into account the operating conditions of the towbar.
- I-shaped drawbar is perfect for a single-axle device coupled to a passenger car. It is used in the case of transporting small loads, most often for household needs;
- V-shaped drawbar is designed for transporting medium-heavy loads. It prevents rocking of the device, as well as the coupling mechanism itself, in case of movement on a nervous road surface;
- The extended V-shaped drawbar is used for transporting heavy loads. It is rarely used in domestic conditions, but for transporting boats, motorcycles, ATVs, water scooters or other vehicles, this is just the thing.
Advantages of V-drawbar
The most important advantages of this type of drawbar should be noted:
- The V-shaped drawbar is attached in several places, which increases the safety of movement. Reliable fastening prevents possible swinging;
- It can be equipped with a special extension cord, which significantly increases the possibilities of using the device. The extension cord allows you to transport long types of cargo, for example, pipes, boards and much more;
- One of the advantages of a V-shaped drawbar is the fact that it can serve as a place for a spare tire, thereby freeing up space in the trunk of the car. Also, when traveling long distances with a trailer, you can have two spare tires at once;
- Tipper types of trailers are always equipped with only a V-shaped drawbar, as this is required by design features.
Many people claim that riding and maneuvering with an I-bar is much easier compared to a V-bar, but in reality, it's just a matter of habit.
The bottom line is that a V-shaped drawbar is far superior to a drawbar with an I-shaped design. It is safer, more reliable, and also easier to use, but decide for yourself which option to choose.
Here you can evaluate the author's work:
Algorithm for lengthening the drawbar of a car trailer
Domestic car enthusiasts have long appreciated the new opportunities that a passenger car equipped with a trailer can provide.
With its help, you can transport household utensils, construction equipment and materials, furniture over any distance at a time that suits you.
However, for transporting long cargo, such as pipes or a boat, the standard trailer length is not enough. The solution in such a situation may be to lengthen the drawbar of the towbar.
Extend the drawbar on a light trailer
Transportation of long lumber is one of the most difficult tasks for specialists in the field of cargo delivery. To accomplish the task, special vehicles are required. For individuals and small companies interested in transporting boards and timber, special light trailers are provided. They involve comfortable loading, unloading and transportation of such materials.
Lumber includes:
- boards;
- beam;
- chipboard;
- Fiberboard;
- veneer.
Lumber stacked in the trailer is securely fixed
The process of loading long cargo into a passenger trailer begins with opening the front and rear sides. Next, the lumber is laid in a strict order: the longest are placed on the bottom, the shortest on top.
However, stowing the load in a certain way is half the battle. An important part of transporting cargo is its reliable securing. You can secure the load with tie-down straps. First, the boards are tied together, and then they need to be pulled tightly to the bottom of the body.
This method of securing will help the load not to move around the trailer on the road.
If the boards protrude beyond the trailer, the load must be marked. For this purpose, a special sign “Large cargo” with white and red stripes is used. The sign is attached to the part of the boards and beams that protrude outward.
Traffic regulations regulate the transportation of oversized lumber. Firstly, the load should not impair the driver's visibility. Secondly, the stability of the loaded vehicle must not be compromised. Thirdly, boards and timber should not interfere with traffic, litter the environment or create noise.
It is recommended to load and unload a passenger trailer in less busy areas, having previously fenced off the work area. For greater safety, experienced drivers transport this kind of cargo along roads with low traffic flow.
Remember – the safety of all road users and the safety of the cargo depend on compliance with the basic rules.
To transport boards, timber and lumber in general, it is necessary that the trailer be equipped with folding rear and front sides. This simplifies the process of loading and unloading the body.
Also, models on two axles are more stable, which is especially important when transporting oversized cargo (boards, timber and other lumber).
If the trailer is designed for transporting bulk materials, fishing trips and trips out of town, i.e.
Legality of modernization
I will not talk specifically about how to do this or that tuning. Is it possible to change the design at all? This is the first question that needs to be answered.
I'll say this. Some changes may not require any adjustments to your documents. But radical tuning will potentially become the subject of disputes with road service employees.
Therefore, before turning your regular car trailer into a camper or using it as a motor home, seek advice from the traffic police.
Tuning requires obtaining appropriate certificates of changes in the design of the vehicle. You will have to go through a number of offices, pay state fees, stand in lines, etc.
Although many simply ignore it. They modernize the trailer the way they want, and on the spot with the traffic police officers they find out how legal it is and how to circumvent such prohibitions. If you want to get rid of unnecessary traffic stops and incomprehensible fines, go through the lengthy but legal procedure of re-registering a trailer. This is the best option, in my opinion.
Well, or instead of converting it to a PVC boat, immediately buy yourself a trailer designed and certified specifically for such purposes. Remodeling is a troublesome task, although it is always nice to see the results of work done with your own hands.
Why is this necessary?
And indeed, why take and change a ready-made trailer if initially its layout or design suited you completely?! The question is purely personal and depends on the individual needs of the car owner.
Let's take a few good trailers as an example:
Good vehicles with enviable technical characteristics for many manufacturers. But if suddenly there is a need to use them to transport boats or to transport a motorcycle, then they will not be able to cope with such tasks.
Yes, any standard trailers are perfect for traveling to your dachas and loading several bags of potatoes collected from the garden. But I want something different and more.
I would highlight several main goals that car owners pursue when deciding to change a trailer:
Now let’s go through each of the points separately and decide what can be done in this or that situation with your factory standard towed vehicle.
Reliability
If you are concerned about the issue of reliability, then it is better to immediately buy a more expensive trailer that is resistant to all loads and impacts. Then you won’t have to think about whether it can last 5-10 years.
To reduce the rate of wear, that is, increase the reliability of your car, truck or boat trailer, you can:
It is possible to replace the hubs, modernize the suspension and other improvements. It is very popular to switch the Bee trailer to springs with a standard torsion bar. It has a good effect on the reliability, performance and behavior of the trailer on roads of varying quality. So it's worth thinking about.
Functionality
Many are more interested in the functional side of the trailer, that is, its ability to provide various additional capabilities.
Various options available:
Everything here is limited only by your imagination, needs and real possibilities. It is clear that it will not be possible to make a whole huge motor home from a small cheap trailer.
Yes, upgrading a boat trailer into a cargo trailer is a more complex process, because you will have to create the frame, sides, and install an awning with your own hands. It is easier to make a boat out of a cargo boat, because all unnecessary structures are removed and the corresponding limiters and fasteners are installed. And that’s it, the vehicle for transporting the boat is ready.
There are many examples of photos and videos where craftsmen slightly changed the design of caravans, or turned them into a real work of art. There is always something to rely on, where to take examples and inspiration.
Load capacity
If you need to transport cargo weighing up to 1.3 tons, then it is enough to have a regular single-axle trailer.
But sometimes it is necessary to increase the load capacity, for which another 1 axle is added. From single-axis we get biaxial. The solution is good if it justifies itself from the standpoint of active exploitation.
Be prepared to stand in lines and deal with paperwork. Such a conversion into a two-axle vehicle requires re-registration of the trailer with the traffic police. Otherwise, fines and even more serious consequences of illegal alterations cannot be avoided.
Appearance
The owner of a trailer does not always need to change its technical and functional characteristics. But the standard appearance is depressing, which prompts the idea to change something from an aesthetic point of view.
Let's use our imagination and get to work. The most common ones include:
A trailer is a huge space for creativity. There are no clear boundaries or restrictions here.
Do not forget that any interference with the design may be a reason for you to be stopped by a traffic police officer, issued a fine or even a ban on operation until you receive official documents and certificates of re-registration.
Source
Trailer for a passenger car, drawings, dimensions
The spars are made of rectangular pipes 60×30 mm. All the other frame and body frame parts listed above (traverses, cross members, racks, trim) are made of square steel pipe with a cross-section of 25x25 mm.
The front and rear sides of the body are the same. They are made folding (this allows you to transport long loads on a trailer), and therefore their frames, although all made from the same 25x25 mm square pipe, are made separately from the general body frame. The platform grille on top is covered with a 2-mm duralumin sheet, forming the floor of the body, and the outside sides are sheathed with thick tin - 0.8-mm steel sheet. The floor is attached to the grille with M5 bolts with countersunk heads, and the side trim is carefully (dotted) welded to the frames and posts.
The bridge beam also has a tubular rectangular cross-section: it is welded from two identical sections of channels No. 5, inserted into one another. Two wheel axles are pre-welded at the ends of one of them. The gaps between them and the beam channels at the ends were closed with plates made of steel sheet.
The beam is connected to the frame side members by means of two springs used from the old Moskvich-412 car; 13-inch wheels are also taken from the same car. The middles of the springs are pulled to the beam by stepladders, and their ends are attached to the side members: one is put on the axis of the bracket, and the other is put on the axis of the shackle. I considered shock absorbers in the design of a simplified cargo trailer for a passenger car to be unnecessary.
With such a suspension, the distance from the ground to the platform was about 600 mm, which, as operation has shown, is quite acceptable.
The drawbar of the homemade trailer is double-beam. Made from the same rectangular pipe with a cross section of 60×30 mm as the side members. The rear ends of the drawbar beams are docked and welded to the front ends of the side members with a 200 mm overlap. The front ends of the beams converge on the body of the towbar and are also welded to it. I have it homemade, but I never go on public roads with my trailer (and there is no need for this). Technical requirements simply prohibit the use of homemade towing devices.
The home-made trailer does not have brakes; I use the tractor’s brakes to stop or slow down the speed of movement. But I installed alarm devices—tail lights with turn signals and brake lights—so that my actions would always be clear to those driving on the road.
Types of boards
The first question we will raise is the manufacturing materials used to create extension structures. And also their differences. So, in the basic classification there are:
- Aluminum with stainless steel. It is good for extension sides because, according to its technical characteristics, it is durable and does not rust. Although the weak side of this material, which reduces its popularity, is the high price.
Which material is best for a caravan is up to the driver to decide, because they are all good in different situations. The main thing is not to overdo it with savings, so that later it does not become a disappointment.
If we talk about the variety of passenger trailers, it is important to say that homemade ones are popular due to their low cost. Although the weak side of this type of design is the complexity of assembly. However, one way or another, it is first important to determine the model of the trailer you are going to work with. And if you doubt your own abilities or lack the ability to work independently, contact the professionals of companies such as Kurgan Trailer, MZSA. Read this article about what to look for when choosing a trailer for a car trailer.
Do-it-yourself trailer extension – Metalworker's Guide
Today, many companies produce trailers for transporting long loads. Each specimen on the market has its own positive qualities. Moreover, the lineup is so large that it is sometimes difficult to understand how to make a choice.
About long lengths in simple words
Long loads are loads whose dimensions exceed the dimensions of the vehicle in length. This includes loads that protrude beyond the platform by more than 0.5 meters.
This includes profiled sheets: plastic, metal, polymer, or lumber. Rails, poles, rolled materials, parts of large machines. Some types of rolled metal, communication line supports, reinforced concrete slabs or pipeline components.
Transportation of this type of material is carried out during various types of construction, installation work or laying power lines, for example. It requires a lot of space to accommodate it, so standard trailed equipment is unlikely to be suitable.
Long-length vehicles are also called vehicles designed for transporting this type of cargo.
Types of trailers for transporting long items
Trailers for transporting long loads are distinguished:
- By number of axles:
- Uniaxial samples. When transporting long items using a single-axle trailer, owners often have difficulty placing the center of gravity. Transporting long items on a single-axle trailer
- Biaxial. The priority, of course, is dual-axle. They are more stable and can have a load capacity even twice as large as their single-axle counterparts.
- With or without drawbar extension.
The drawbar extension is based on a metal profile with a square cross-section. There are two types of drawbar: triangular and straight. You can lengthen both, but the A-shaped drawbar wins in this regard. This is due to the fact that the load on the connection nodes due to its geometry is much lower, and the structure itself is more load-bearing. Heavy Duty 500 ATV LAKER trailer with triangular drawbar - With folding sides, removable or not. Manufacturers often equip their products with front and rear folding sides, thereby increasing the length of the floor of the towed unit. Often there are trailers that transform into a platform with removable sides. The floor area is smaller than with folding ones, but is suitable for the stated purposes. And devices that are not equipped with any of the functions are unsuitable for transporting long loads.
- In addition to flatbed and platform trailers, you can find frame trailers on the market. They do not protect the load from dirt well when moving, but they are also useful for this purpose.
- Trailed vehicles vary in size and size. It happens that in some cases a standard drop-side trailer is sufficient. But today's manufacturer offers a rich model range with increased dimensions.
- It is worth noting that there is a difference in the configuration. Some samples are equipped directly from the factory with additional optics, a drawbar extension, a support wheel, a parking brake (although it is required for long lengths), and rigging loops for securing loads.
Ways to extend a trailer
There are only two ways to extend a trailer using:
- Trailer frame modifications.
Namely, by lengthening the side members using welding and metalwork. Quite a labor-intensive and costly process. Extending the frame frame on a trailer with your own hands - Drawbar extension.
Here you have a choice: purchase a factory device that has a guarantee of reliability, or make it yourself. Factory units are inexpensive and not difficult to install. Extension of the drawbar on the MZSA trailer
Review of the best trailers for transporting long items
The most popular brands of trailers for transporting oversized cargo are: MZSA, Vector, Trailer, Kurgan trailers, Batyr, Laker.
- Trailer MZSA 817732.012. Biaxial unit. Body dimensions - 3.449x1.511x0.29, dimensions - 4.794x1.992x0.848 meters. Its gross weight is 0.75 and its load capacity is 0.412 tons. Loading height – 557 mm. It is equipped with a spring suspension, a triangular drawbar, a moisture-resistant bottom made of laminated plywood, and galvanized folding sides. Price – 73,200 rubles.
- MZSA 817735.012. Gross weight 0.75, load capacity 0.329 tons. The dimensions of the device are 5.990x1.992x0.908, body dimensions are 4.597x1.511x0.29 meters. Loading height – 617 millimeters. The permissible length of the load is 600 centimeters. Equipped with rigging eyes, a reinforced hitch head, folding sides and a triangular drawbar. Price – 90,000 rubles.
- Laker Heavy Duty 500 Triangle Drawbar Trailer. Gross weight – 0.75, load capacity – 0.54 tons. Dimensions - 4.4x2x0.76, body dimensions - 3.22x1.5x0.04 meters. Loading height – 470 millimeters. It is equipped with spring or rubber-harness suspension, a high-quality wooden bottom, a hinged tailgate, and plastic wings. Powder coated. Intended for universal use: transportation of ATVs, boats, and other cargo. Price – 39,900 rubles. Trailer Laker Heavy Duty 500
- Batyr Long - has an extended cargo platform for transporting goods of 4.7 meters. Gross weight – 0.75, load capacity – 0.53 tons. Dimensions – 4.70x1.97x0.860 body dimensions – 3.440x1.50x0.30 meters. And the platform area is 5 square meters. It is equipped with a triangular drawbar and spring suspension with springs, galvanized sides, and one axle. Can be equipped with an awning. Price – 50,700 rubles.
- Kurgan station wagon trailer 8213-05 from - single axle with enlarged sides. Capable of transporting long items with a pre-installed drawbar extension. Gross weight – 0.75, load capacity – 0.55 tons. Dimensions - 3.555x1.71x0.98, body dimensions - 2.38x1.22x0.38 meters. Suspension type: spring. Moisture-resistant sides and bottom made of laminated plywood. The basic package includes a drawbar extension. Price – 45,000 rubles.
Rules for the transportation of oversized cargo
For passenger car trailers, the law prohibits the transportation of oversized cargo exceeding 5.5 meters in length, including the drawbar.
And also the Traffic Rules establish the permissible standard load on the ball, which should be about 25-30 kilograms.
At the same time, the maximum speed when transporting long items, depending on the road surface, is: 60 km/h - on asphalt, 40 - on a hard-surface road, 20 - on a dirt road.
video about transporting long cargo
Advantages and disadvantages
- Load capacity. Trailers for long vehicles are usually designed with a reinforced structure and on two axles.
- Versatility. In addition to long loads, such trailed equipment allows you to transport any other loads, including floating vessels.
- Large size. An oversized trailer or one with an extended drawbar is difficult to place, requiring sufficient space in the garage.
- Increased weight of the device. An increase in size inevitably leads to weight, and this affects the ease of use in general.
- Instability of uniaxial units. On single-axle trailers, the center of gravity is too difficult to achieve.
Recently, the development of industry and construction has been accelerating. In this regard, transportation of oversized cargo using a passenger trailer has become popular.
Transportation of long items requires careful preparation and is a rather labor-intensive process.
Therefore, it requires a clear approach and measured actions, including when choosing a trailer.
Review of passenger trailers for transporting long cargo Link to main publication
DIY car trailer
Sometimes the trunk capacity of a passenger car is not roomy enough for many motorists, especially if transportation of large cargo is required. A trailer is best suited to solve this problem.
Homemade trailers for cars
There are two types of trailers, manufactured by a specialized factory or home-made:
- Factory trailers do not require additional permits for their registration and registration. But at the same time, factory trailers do not always satisfy car enthusiasts with their technical characteristics, and if they do, their price is prohibitively high. And the quality of the trailers themselves is not at a high level, which requires additional investments after purchase to eliminate factory defects.
- A homemade trailer is a structure that a car enthusiast assembles according to his own drawing from a material that makes it obsolete in quality, while adhering to GOST standards for its assembly. As for the registration aspects of such a product, they are much more expensive than when registering a factory one, since additional permits are required to operate a homemade trailer.
If we look at it from an economic point of view, the cost of a homemade trailer, taking into account all registration costs, is significantly lower than buying a new one.
It is also worth considering that a homemade trailer will be of much higher quality than a factory one, if only because the entire manufacturing process will be controlled by the car enthusiast himself.
Set of tools and materials
The first thing you need to make your own trailer is a drawing.
It is also worth noting that the drawing must comply with GOST standards 37.001.220-80 .
This standard specifies all the requirements that are necessary in order to obtain permission to operate a trailer and its further registration in the Interdistrict Registration and Examination Department.
In addition to the drawing, the following materials will be required to make a homemade trailer.
- Profile pipe 40x40 millimeters for constructing a trailer frame. You can use a larger pipe, but it is worth considering that this will entail an increase in the weight of the structure.
- For the sides, it is recommended to use steel sheets with a thickness of at least 0.6 millimeters , but not more than 1 mm, as this can also lead to an unnecessary increase in the weight of the sight.
- For the bottom of the trailer, you can use OSB sheets or polycarbonate. The amount of material is calculated from the bottom area of the trailer.
- Metal beam 80x5 mm for the trailer axle.
- Hub for mounting wheels , perfect for the rear beam of the VAZ 2108.
- Two VAZ wheels with a diameter of R 13 , R14 upon request.
- Two shock absorbers from a Ural motorcycle.
- Two automobile shock-absorbing springs, you can use a building from a VAZ 2101 or a ZAZ 969.
- Two-core braided wire for electrical wiring, approximately 10 meters.
- Parking headlights with stops and turns.
- A thick-walled metal pipe at least three meters long. For the manufacture of a towing element.
- Towbar lock.
- Male-male connector for connecting the on-board network from the car.
Choosing a method of extension
More often than not, the carrying capacity of passenger car trailers is designed for a larger volume of cargo than can be accommodated with a standard on-board configuration. Therefore, expanding the side of a trailer is a process that most owners of road trains face. Moreover, when the walls of a trailer vehicle increase by forty centimeters, the capacity of the body increases by at least seventy percent. This significantly increases the operational capabilities of this type of device.
If you look at the situation from a practical point of view, then you should think about extending the sides of a passenger trailer even before purchasing it. Even if the selected instance does not include this feature. In this case, you will have to do the modification yourself.
Owners of road trains prefer three options for increasing the height of the walls of a passenger trailer:
With a more detailed examination of these options, the description of the basic qualities is as follows.
Do-it-yourself trailer making technology
The first step will be to assemble the base, that is, the frame of the future trailer. It is its strength that will determine the service life and reliability of the structure. After welding the frame, it is necessary to create a connection unit between the trailer and the car and a special coupling for fastening.
Next comes the most crucial moment, namely the assembly of the axle. After this, all that remains is to add the flooring, side walls and finishing work, and you can move on to checking your homemade car trailer. If you cannot create such a structure with your own hands, then you can always contact any workshop where they will make a similar structure for you in the shortest possible time. The main advantage of such a trailer is that it is universal and can be used for any car.
Hi all! When buying a trailer, many people initially think about the prospects for its use. Others only realize after purchase that their vehicle is missing something and needs modernization and improvement.
Therefore, it is quite natural that today we will talk about the sides of a passenger trailer. We sell trailers without sides. They are called platforms. Some people need to increase or change only the rear side, others the front and sides.
The choice is made individually. Everything takes into account the volume of cargo that will be transported on the vehicle. If you increase the sides, this will significantly increase the capabilities of the trailer. Although it will not be possible to increase the carrying capacity by increasing the capacity, you will be able to transport larger and larger items, which was impossible with standard equipment.
Read more: Individual entrepreneur for cargo transportation which tax system to choose
Conversion of a passenger trailer
Trailers for passenger cars, manufactured at the factory, are characterized by versatility. That is, they can be used with cars of different brands and for transporting various cargoes, if this does not contradict the technical specifications. But for the sake of versatility, the functionality and load-carrying capacity of such trailers suffers greatly; in principle, they are not suitable for many tasks. At the same time, a specialized platform for an ATV or boat costs much more. The question arises: is it possible to convert a passenger trailer from the factory to suit your needs?
How to choose a quality trailer for a car?
Your task is to choose a reliable and inexpensive passenger trailer. Where to begin? Let's say you already have several options in mind, but are stuck on choosing. What will help you not regret the purchase even after a few years: even before purchasing, know how and what a really high-quality trailer is made of. In addition to price, dimensions, and main characteristics, it is important to take into account the details on which the quality of a passenger trailer is built.
The most budget passenger trailers cost 25-30 thousand rubles. It is difficult to find high-quality trailers in this segment: their manufacturers do not have manufacturing technology, use cheap materials, and the trailers themselves have minimal functionality. Trailers from major manufacturers (MZSA, KMZ, Trailer, etc.) cost from 30 thousand rubles, we recommend choosing from this category. The tips below will help you do this. ! Remember: a trailer is a highly dangerous vehicle! Choose a reliable trailer made only from quality materials.
RACKS
An optional part in the trailer design. The sides can be attached directly to the frame. However, their presence provides an additional guarantee of reliability. The thickness of high-quality racks is from 3 mm. They should be attached to the sides with bolts, not rivets.
! Aluminum rivets cannot withstand high loads. When transporting sand, for example, the pressure on the sides increases greatly and the rivets are pulled out.
A passenger trailer should provide the most convenient loading process. Therefore, pay attention to the mechanism for attaching and removing the sides; it should be simple, fast and convenient. Only the rear side, or the rear and front, or all sides can be removed. Consider whether you will need additional extensions.
Now there is a large selection of trailers with both galvanized and painted sides. But if paint is applied over plain ferrous metal, the trailer's lifespan will be short-lived as corrosion will quickly damage the unprotected metal. High-quality painting is carried out only over galvanization, and galvanized painted sides will last many times longer than sides painted on ferrous metal. The most budget trailer models are not galvanized, and the sides become unusable after a year or two.
!
High-quality painting is carried out only on galvanized metal
. The frame is the basis for the strength of the trailer. Therefore, ask the seller what it is made of. It is better if the frame is galvanized. Large manufacturers test the design before releasing a model. For example, Kurganmashzavod, a manufacturer of KMZ trailers, tests them with a range of 50 thousand km.
The frame must be made of high strength metal.
The bottom should be made of moisture-resistant plywood. Make sure that the plywood is attached to the frame with bolts and not with rivets or nails.
How to make a reinforced trailer for a car with your own hands
You can make such a light trailer with your own hands. To make it, you can use spare parts and parts that can be found in the garage or at a disassembly site.
The frame will be made from two spars and two traverses (front and rear crossbars). And the platform lattice consists of five crossbars, which are placed between the traverses. Crossbars and traverses relative to the side members should have small cantilever outlets. Longitudinal parts must be welded to the ends of the outlets. They will play the role of lining the frames of the trailer sides. You can weld the racks onto these parts, and the upper trims to the racks.
Factory sides
The ready-made solution in the form of extending the sides of a passenger car trailer differs for the models for which it is provided, as well as in height, material and sheet thickness. The competitive qualities of this option over homemade products are:
Video instructions for installing additional sides on the “Krepysh” trailer
How to increase the sides of a passenger trailer, using what materials, is up to you. The main thing is to accurately assess capabilities, cost, time and quality. The rest depends on the caravan model. However, before starting any modifications, it is important to consult with a professional or look up recommendations from knowledgeable drivers on the Internet.
A trailer is a vehicle that does not have an engine installed. It is designed to travel in conjunction with a car. Despite the apparent complexity of such a device for transporting goods, it is not difficult to make a trailer with your own hands. For successful work, you need to choose the right parts and materials, make sketches or drawings.
Trailer drawbar extension: choosing the most reliable design
Good day to all! For many motorists, a trailer has become an indispensable means of transporting construction materials, crops from the dacha, furniture and other objects. But the standard dimensions of this trailed vehicle are not always enough to transport certain elements. Therefore, a trailer drawbar extension becomes a way out of this situation.
The drawbar is widely used for transporting long cargo if its length exceeds 5-6 meters. Conventional trailers make it possible to transport the same boards if their length does not go beyond 5-6 meters.
For longer loads, you will need to use an extension cord to comply with traffic regulations and also to ensure the safety of the load itself.
Varieties
First, look at the equipment of the trailer you purchased. There are examples when an extension cord is included with the vehicle.
A good example is the Kurgan Trailers company, where the presence of an extension cord is a standard feature of their products.
Owners of a variety of caravans may need an extension cord, including:
- SST;
- SAZ;
- Vector Love;
- Batyr;
- Trailer;
- MZSA;
- KMZ 8136;
- Strong, etc.
There are separate materials about many of these brands on our website. Just go to the section with passenger trailers, or use the convenient field to search for information.
I think each of you understands why a motorist might need such auxiliary elements.
Therefore, our main task now is to choose the appropriate option, having understood the varieties and some of the nuances.
In fact, extension cords differ in their purpose and manufacturing features. Don't forget about the dimensional characteristics and materials used.
Classification by manufacture
Essentially, a motorist has two main options. This is to buy a structure that complements the main trailer, or to assemble it yourself.
I’ll say right away that the second option is not the best idea. Yes, structurally it can be an ordinary pipe with several holes. But even here there are some nuances and manufacturing features that can only be implemented in specialized production conditions.
If you want your passenger trailer to operate equally safely and reliably with or without an extension, choose factory-made products.
In addition, many manufacturers offer the required designs as spare parts, and some, like Kurgan Trailers, standardly equip their trailer models with them. It turns out that you won’t have to look for anything, saw or drill anything.
You just need to purchase a finished product and install it on the vehicle according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Yes, some people successfully assemble extension cords with their own hands for their own car trailer. But here you will need to calculate the length, take into account the changing load, compare it with the load capacity and other characteristics.
Roughly speaking, you won’t be able to weld the first pipe you come across. This can have serious consequences.
Transport trailers
The widespread use of semi-trailers and trailers is due to the additional convenience when transporting heavy loads. The vehicle bears only part of the load, which extends its service life. When unloading, you can save valuable time by unhooking the cart and leaving it in place, and unloading it at a convenient time. This option is convenient and is used for delivering goods between workshops of the same enterprise located at a certain distance.
All towed devices are divided into two groups:
DIY making
In order to make a caravan yourself, you need to take care of purchasing some materials and tools. In order not to look for the necessary devices during work, they are purchased in advance. List of tools and materials:
Steel channel for frame. You should select or cut pieces that have a cross-section of 40x25 mm. You can use a square pipe with a transverse dimension of 40x40 mm. The cuts are determined by the master based on size considerations.
Is it possible to convert a passenger trailer?
Rather than wondering whether it is possible to convert a factory trailer so that it carries twice as much cargo or make a motor home out of an ordinary cart, it is better to immediately buy trailers with the appropriate parameters. What do drivers most often want to change in their vehicles when they need to decide whether a trailer can be modified?
If it's just a matter of design, can a car trailer be redesigned to make it look more modern and stylish? Here, most likely, no one will prohibit you from updating if the basic design remains the same.
We recommend reading: Pictures of the oath to Russia
Or you can weld an additional fragment of a metal profile to the old structure, preferably identical in width and thickness. The material for extending the structure must have sufficient strength and withstand heavy loads.
As a rule, to extend the drawbar of a passenger trailer, a metal channel, angle or square pipe with a thickness of at least 3 mm is chosen. Experts do not recommend using metal flat parts to build up elements, since they do not have sufficient strength and may not withstand the load; it is better to purchase a channel or corner for this. You can use a metal strip that will block the holes cut in the drawbar flange.
Operating a light trailer
For car owners with a driver's license of categories “B”, “C” or “D”, the operation of light trailers is permissible. For category “B”, the use of a trailer is permitted subject to a maximum weight not exceeding the weight of the curbed vehicle. In this case, the sum of the permissible maximum weights of the trailer and the vehicle is no more than 3500 kg. If you are overweight or when towing a heavy trailer, you must issue a driver's license with category “E”.
Like other road users, a passenger trailer is a full-fledged vehicle, and its improper installation and operation poses a threat not only to the car owner, but also to other road users. Based on this, the legislation provides for the need to use a trailer in conjunction with a motor vehicle. To do this, it should be equipped with a plug socket and appropriate towbars (traction mechanisms).
The operation of a trailer requires additional equipment, such as additional electrical wiring to the trailer's lighting devices (turn signals, clearance lights, brake lights).
For the safety of trailer movement on the highway, the ratio of the width of the vehicle and the overall dimensions of the trailer is taken into account. If the latter exceeds the car, the car must be equipped with rear-view mirrors on extended brackets. In addition, regardless of the size of the trailer, the general rule for any model is the need to have two wedges on the road. When stopping on a slope, they are installed under the wheels.
How to drive with a trailer: rules, restrictions, fines
Buying a trailer and driving with it does not require special knowledge and skills, but there are a number of legal and practical nuances that you must remember. To begin with, it is worth remembering that a trailer is a vehicle that is not equipped with an engine and is intended to be driven in conjunction with a mechanical vehicle, and a car with a trailer is called a road train.
In general, trailers are divided into light (with a permissible maximum weight of not more than 750 kg) and heavy (more than 750 kg), and the latter must be equipped with a braking system. The bodies of passenger trailers can be metal welded or prefabricated; there are models with a wooden floor and fixed or folding sides. Most often, the trailer is equipped with a removable frame and a tarpaulin awning. Trailers for passenger cars can be single-axle or double-axle, with or without a front support wheel. The drawbar can be straight or V-shaped.
A separate category includes dump trailers and trailers for boats and boats with special supports, rollers or runners. These may have a fiberglass roof and mechanisms to facilitate loading and unloading of equipment. In the upper price category there are car transporter trailers, caravan trailers, as well as commercial equipment of various types.
In most cases, to operate a passenger trailer, it is enough to have a standard passenger category “B”, but there are nuances: the trailer must have a maximum weight of no more than 750 kilograms. Also, category “B” is sufficient if the permissible maximum weight of the trailer is more than 750 kg, but does not exceed the weight of the vehicle without load, and the total permissible maximum weight of the train does not exceed 3.5 tons. That is, a one-ton trailer can be attached to a two-ton SUV without any problems.
If the maximum weight of the road train exceeds 3.5 tons, or the trailer is heavier than the car, then the driver will need a category “BE” license. Simply put, you shouldn’t hitch a two-ton motorhome or a heavy boat to a runabout.
The trailer is a vehicle and therefore must be registered with the traffic police within 10 days after purchase. To register, all you need is the owner's passport and the trailer's title. Also, the traffic police may ask for a copy of the purchase and sale agreement and the acceptance certificate. After registration, the owner receives a regular registration certificate, which he must have with him, and a license plate.
As with a car, changes in the design or color of a trailer must be registered with the traffic police. But you don’t need insurance for a trailer—a compulsory motor liability insurance policy for a car is enough. Moreover, if the trailer belongs to an individual, there is no need to put an o in the tractor policy; this rule applies only to organizations. Inspection for private trailers is also not required.
The installation of a towbar on a passenger car is provided by the manufacturer, so there is no need to register changes with the traffic police. It is worth keeping in mind that the tow bar itself must have a certificate of conformity and a passport, and must be installed strictly according to the instructions without interfering with the design of the car. There is no need to present documents for it to the traffic police.
The rules for vehicles with trailers differ only in terms of the maximum permitted speed. If in urban conditions the speed limit for a road train does not change, then outside populated areas it will have to drive slower than the flow: no more than 90 km/h on highways and no more than 70 km/h on simple country roads. But there are two nuances.
The first concerns toll highways with a speed limit of 130 km/h, on which a car with a trailer must travel the same 90 km/h as required by clause 10.3 of the traffic rules. But the capital's Moscow Ring Road, with a speed limit of 100 km/h, is a city road that is not subject to clause 10.3, so there a road train can reach the same 100 km/h.
Legality of modernization
I will not talk specifically about how to do this or that tuning. Is it possible to change the design at all? This is the first question that needs to be answered.
I'll say this. Some changes may not require any adjustments to your documents. But radical tuning will potentially become the subject of disputes with road service employees.
Therefore, before turning your regular car trailer into a camper or using it as a motor home, seek advice from the traffic police.
Tuning requires obtaining appropriate certificates of changes in the design of the vehicle. You will have to go through a number of offices, pay state fees, stand in lines, etc.
Although many simply ignore it. They modernize the trailer the way they want, and on the spot with the traffic police officers they find out how legal it is and how to circumvent such prohibitions. If you want to get rid of unnecessary traffic stops and incomprehensible fines, go through the lengthy but legal procedure of re-registering a trailer. This is the best option, in my opinion.
Well, or instead of converting it to a PVC boat, immediately buy yourself a trailer designed and certified specifically for such purposes. Remodeling is a troublesome task, although it is always nice to see the results of work done with your own hands.
Popular extension methods
Why did they even come up with extending the sides? It's simple. This is required to increase the capacity of the trailer's cargo platform.
This modification completely justifies itself, since the carrying capacity is designed for a larger amount of cargo than the owner can transport with the current sides. Elementary calculations have shown that when increasing by just 40 centimeters, the internal usable space immediately increases by 70%. And this is the minimum indicator. That is, the possibilities of the car owner and the owner of the trailer will expand significantly. Therefore, it’s worth thinking about whether it’s time for you to start expanding the design of your standard trailer.
No one argues that you need to think about this in advance, even before purchasing the vehicle itself. But not all trailers initially have the option of increased sides. Sometimes you have to take everything into your own hands, and increase capacity as the need arises.
There are 3 most common extension options:
Let's briefly talk about the implementation features of each of the presented extension options.
Wooden sides
On the Internet you can find quite a lot of videos where the sides are built up using wood.
This procedure looks something like this:
I advise you to process the boards in advance, and cut them immediately after welding the steel corners and taking measurements.
Metal constructions
Here you will have to spend a little more money. But metal is more stable, reliable and durable. They have increased strength.
For work you will need sheet metal. It is better to take galvanized steel, stainless steel or aluminum. You will also need a profile pipe and metal corners. Corners are welded to the trailer, and then the sheathing is made using pipes. Having assembled the frame, it will need to be sheathed with metal sheets. Fixation is carried out with bolts or welding.
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