Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Reply
Author: Subject: Minimum Sensible Trailer Weight
dhutch

posted on 25/9/09 at 09:41 PM Reply With Quote
Minimum Sensible Trailer Weight

The university motor club is looking to get another shared ownership trackcar, and as this will not be taxed or insured, it will be trailered everywhere.

However as time goes on its increasingly hard to find anyone with a pre97 licence to tow the trailer so all of a sudden weight is a fairly large issue.

I have trailer for the kit, which combined weighs about 1200kg, which i can tow with the 306 and achieved a max train weight under the magic 3500kg.

So the question is, whats what lightest you could reasonably expect to get a very basic flatbed trailer. Say we had a 950kg stiped car (mx5?) could we get a trailer together for 250kg?

Daniel

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
l0rd

posted on 25/9/09 at 09:53 PM Reply With Quote
A striped MX5 will not be 950Kg as it is 940Kg fully built
View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
dhutch

posted on 25/9/09 at 10:44 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by l0rd
A striped MX5 will not be 950Kg as it is 940Kg fully built
Interesting.
- Ive never owned or weighed one but i thought they where pretty much bob on a ton. Maybe thats the later models?

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
jwallbank

posted on 26/9/09 at 07:27 AM Reply With Quote
Lightweight Trailers

Proprietory trailers for 950/1000kg load come in at around 300 to 350 Kg - look at the Woodford lightweight range for a good idea of what you get for that weight (www.woodfordtrailers.com).

If you are prepared to put in a lot of work then building one yourself from say angle iron/box section will just about get it down to 250kg. Many years ago (probably 20), Indespension used to sell the plans for these DIY lightweight trailers but not these days. Alternatively, use an old caravan chassis (usually rated at 1000kg+) and put a basic platform on it. These chassis are cheap from a caravan breakers but very lightweight to start with.

The only other point I would make is check with your insurance company if they will cover you for towing a home made trailer - some insist on a "proprietory" trailer these days.

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
belgian2b

posted on 26/9/09 at 07:35 AM Reply With Quote
Hello,

my XTR2 is 500 kg and i have a trailer that is 200 kg.
No problem, except may be for the axle.
I should place rigid axle with bigger wheels.
It will cost me some 20 kg , but as long as i stay under 750 kg it's OK for me.

Gerardo

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
l0rd

posted on 26/9/09 at 10:08 AM Reply With Quote
Is is 940Kg according to wikipedia.

Depending on what you awant to do with it. You can always remove unwanted parts but if you add rollcage, strutbars etc you will soon gain some of it back.

Also, if you go for any of these try to get an import as they are better spec cars.

Lots of weight saving by removing the complete AC system (rads, pump,hoses,under dash unit, Be careful as the MX5 has an AC plug that connects to the ECU?), get a manual rack so you can bin the PAS system, spare wheel, Hood etc.

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
owelly

posted on 26/9/09 at 07:24 PM Reply With Quote
I built a very light trailer. I think it was around 120kg. I used 2mm steel for most bits and 3mm for the drawbar.






And as the trailer was so light, it was cheap to galv!





http://www.ppcmag.co.uk

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.