Findlay234
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 posted on 8/4/09 at 09:18 AM |
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Caravan to a car transporter???
Has anyone out there converted a caravan into a car transporter?
Does anyone know someone who has, or a website detailing such a conversion?
Does anyone know or can give hints to the the legal issues? All up weight of trailer chassis and car must not exceed the max allowable of the caravan
axle.
Anyone know or can give hints to the practical issues?
Cheers
Fin
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Danozeman
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| posted on 8/4/09 at 09:48 AM |
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This used to be a caravan
 
trailer
 
Trailer2
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/upload/P1010300.JPG
Its the basic caravan chassis with 40x40x4 angle wleded on top for the bed and cross pieces. The bed is ply, cant remember if its 18mm or
thicker.
It towes lovely with my locost on it and iv had just over ton on it which wasnt a struggle. Just made the suspension sit down a bit.
Total cost about 150 quid and that included the bradley double lock hitch. Took me a week of afternoons to build.
[Edited on 8/4/09 by Danozeman]
Dan
Built the purple peril!! Let the modifications begin!!
http://www.eastangliankitcars.co.uk
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hughpinder
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| posted on 8/4/09 at 09:52 AM |
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I have built a large trailer from a caravan base, but not a car transporter. It wasnt difficult to get a hitch/suspension that were rated to 1200 kg
overall (single axle too). If you want a car transporter the deck would be quite high to clear the wheels so you would need long ramps - also the
weight is higher up when you are towing. If you drop the deck, then you have the problem of the wheels intruding into the load area (unless you can
find a very wide caravan!), so your car will have to be pretty skinny. The caravan chassis rails seemed quite lightweight to me (60mm*20mm channel),
so I changed them to 4"*2" lipped channel from a commercial vehicle body builder. I'm not sure if the caravan deck is designed to be
wet from the top? (I had some chequer plate for mine)
Must type quicker!
Regards
Hugh
[Edited on 8/4/09 by hughpinder]
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Findlay234
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| posted on 8/4/09 at 09:53 AM |
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Nice thats perfect.
Im looking for a trailer that i can drive on my standard licence. Which means the MAM of the tow vehicle and the MAM of the trailer added together
must weigh less than 3.5 Tonnes. The only way i can see about doing this at a cost is by building a conversion from a caravan.
Cheers
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Humbug
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| posted on 8/4/09 at 10:32 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Danozeman
This used to be a caravan
Its the basic caravan chassis with 40x40x4 angle wleded on top for the bed and cross pieces. The bed is ply, cant remember if its 18mm or
thicker.
It towes lovely with my locost on it and iv had just over ton on it which wasnt a struggle. Just made the suspension sit down a bit.
Total cost about 150 quid and that included the bradley double lock hitch. Took me a week of afternoons to build.
[Edited on 8/4/09 by Danozeman]
...Obviously only on a private road/track 
cars towing caravans or trailers
(including car derived vans
and motorcycles)
Built up area (street lit): 30
Single Carriageways: 50
Dual Carriageways: 60
Motorways: 60
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mad4x4
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| posted on 8/4/09 at 10:34 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Humbug
quote:
Originally posted by Danozeman
This used to be a caravan
Its the basic caravan chassis with 40x40x4 angle wleded on top for the bed and cross pieces. The bed is ply, cant remember if its 18mm or
thicker.
It towes lovely with my locost on it and iv had just over ton on it which wasnt a struggle. Just made the suspension sit down a bit.
Total cost about 150 quid and that included the bradley double lock hitch. Took me a week of afternoons to build.
[Edited on 8/4/09 by Danozeman]
...Obviously only on a private road/track
cars towing caravans or trailers
(including car derived vans
and motorcycles)
Built up area (street lit): 30
Single Carriageways: 50
Dual Carriageways: 60
Motorways: 60
He meant WEIGHT not SPEED .
Scot's do it better in Kilts.
MK INDY's Don't Self Centre Regardless of MK Setting !
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Findlay234
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| posted on 8/4/09 at 12:04 PM |
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how long did that build take? i guess as long as youve got your welder, the materials and a sledge hammer itll take you only a few hours.....
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Slater
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| posted on 8/4/09 at 12:17 PM |
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If you just want to transport a seven, you can use a caravan chassis but you need to make the trailor mudguards strong enough that the seven's
front wheels will go over them and down on the other side as the seven drives on. The body of the seven will fit between the trailor mudguards no
problem. Just be careful with the exhaust!!!!
I have patented this idea, if you copy it you will owe me some cash.
[Edited on 8/4/09 by Slater]
[Edited on 8/4/09 by Slater]
Why do they call Port Harcourt "The Garden City"?...... Becauase they can't spell Stramash.
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Danozeman
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| posted on 8/4/09 at 12:46 PM |
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quote:
If you want a car transporter the deck would be quite high to clear the wheels so you would need long ramps
That is the trouble with mine but it works well. If you look at my deck it is in between the wheels. My front goes through there with a few inches
spare.
Dan
Built the purple peril!! Let the modifications begin!!
http://www.eastangliankitcars.co.uk
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MautoK
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| posted on 8/4/09 at 04:40 PM |
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What's the situation with IVA?
I understand that trailers (new build) will be subject to IVA.
Will caravan-derived car transporter trailers have to undergo IVA? I would have though not, as the actual caravan chassis, running gear, brakes and
hitch could be untouched and just the flat-bed welded/bolted on. The analogy is a kit car that uses an unmodified chassis did not require to undergo
SVA (not sure about IVA requirements in this respect)
The other point about IVA & trailers is that trailers are not registered, so have no official identity.
But then, in the event of a mishap would one have to show a trailers MAC (or whatever the IVA-equivalent will be)?
If you couldn't show a MAC or prove that the trailer pre-dated the IVA requirement there could be trouble?
Am I missing something or has it not been thought through (like so many other things this so-called g*v*rnm*nt does)?
Imagine building a trailer for £150 or so, then having to shell out three times that for the IVA????
He's whittling on a piece of wood. I got a feeling that when he stops whittling, something's gonna happen. (OUATITW/Cheyenne)
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Findlay234
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| posted on 8/4/09 at 10:25 PM |
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Hey Danozeman, do you have any ideas on the empty weight of your trailer? Ive got my eye on a caravan at the moment with a gross allowable weight of
850Kgs. now if the chassis/wheels/hitch itself weigh less than 250Kgs itll be perfect, assuming a car weight of 600 max.
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 12/4/09 at 01:37 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by MautoK
I understand that trailers (new build) will be subject to IVA.
You what? I hope they can do both at the same time cos I was planning on building a trailer to get some final welding practice in before I start on a
chassis
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MautoK
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| posted on 12/4/09 at 04:19 PM |
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Yes, but I should have researched a bit further before making assumptions.
See VOSA Linky for the prices.
'Only' £70 for car trailer IVA.
Thinks....build trailer then add engine, seats...
John.
He's whittling on a piece of wood. I got a feeling that when he stops whittling, something's gonna happen. (OUATITW/Cheyenne)
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Trev Borg
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| posted on 27/6/09 at 09:05 PM |
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Just got a galvanised caravan chassis for £50 offa fleabay, and looking to see if anyone had any good plans for a car trailer build.
VOSA did not ever cross my mind!!!
good job my trailer was built years ago, before these rules came intp play
Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes.
By that time, who cares.
You're a mile away, and you've got his shoes
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MautoK
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| posted on 27/6/09 at 11:07 PM |
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I'm not aiming to build a trailer but curious to know how the 'system' works.
OK, so you get your shiny trailer inspected and get a MAC or equivalent. What then? A trailer isn't a taxable/registerable entity.
Or do you 'forget' the IVA and paint it a rusty colour, distress it a bit, and say you built it in 1975?
Anyone know....just curious.
John.
He's whittling on a piece of wood. I got a feeling that when he stops whittling, something's gonna happen. (OUATITW/Cheyenne)
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Trev Borg
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| posted on 28/6/09 at 08:39 AM |
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I am going to use the original chassis, axle, wheels, tow hitch, brakes, btake cables.
Does this mean I can get and age related plate ?
Would it be classed as a radicallt altered vehicle ?
Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes.
By that time, who cares.
You're a mile away, and you've got his shoes
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DarrenW
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| posted on 30/6/09 at 10:29 AM |
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This article suggests trailor IVA not required until 2012. Does SVA cover them in the mean time?
http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/repository/IVA-Guide-version-30-Dec.pdf
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MautoK
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| posted on 30/6/09 at 11:57 AM |
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Good find, Darren!
Haven't read it all, but still curious as to what happens when one gets the MAC.
quote:
Originally posted by DarrenW
This article suggests trailor IVA not required until 2012. Does SVA cover them in the mean time?
http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/repository/IVA-Guide-version-30-Dec.pdf
He's whittling on a piece of wood. I got a feeling that when he stops whittling, something's gonna happen. (OUATITW/Cheyenne)
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