'Do everything' trailer?

[Dan White]

Afternoon All,

 

I'm looking at investing in a secondhand flatbed trailer and I've got a few ideas which I thought I'd run past some experienced heads on here.

 

At the moment I need a relatively generously sized trailer for general purpose work. Hay/straw, dump runs, classic car bits etc. and my mum is getting fed up with me borrowing her horse trailer. Ideally I'd like one big enough to take a classic Landrover 109, so I've been thinking about a 12x6 Ifor.

 

But... I'd like to make it future proof and with an eye on becoming a one mn band in the next few years I'm thinking about tippers. I have a hardtop truck so no chance of a vehicle mounted chip box and a towed chipper so I've researched putting a small chipper in/on a tipping trailer to keep it all behind the one vehicle. A quick search brought this up (coletti's post at the bottom) http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-chat/66095-whats-your-wee-chipper-set-up.html and I'm after doing something very similar but bigger.

 

In short - what are your opinions on making a multipurpose trailer that meets the following criteria.

 

Removable, tipping chip box

space for small chipper - mounted semi permanently?

Big enough flatbed to double as a car trailer

 

Weight will obviously be an issue, particularly with a tipper. If I put the chipper on the drawbar, it will be clear of a standard tipper but bugger the noseweight. If I put it on the back end I'll have to shift it off everytime to tip.

 

Thoughts?!

[Daniël Bos]

The only way I can see to make that work is to use a turntable trailer to avoid the issue of the nose weight being so variable.

Would be more maneuverable too, though requiring of a good driver.

[JimE]

We build a trailer with a hydraulically moving axle, to allow for variations in loading. You can just move the axle to allow for the nose weight.

 

Bear in mind though, that new trailers must be IVA tested before going on the road. So if you build a trailer you will need to have CE certificates for every component, comply with a 114 page document of requirements, and put your trailer through a IVA test (similar to that kit cars go through).

I'm not sure how that requirement translates to heavily modified trailers, but I'm not sure I would want to find out!

[Dan White]

That's not a daft idea Jim.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the rules, combining what you've said with a bit more research I'm just going to stick with a standard tipping trailer and a small chipper!

 

Cheers

[Gups 1828]

That worked for me

[aspenarb]

There would be nothing to stop you adapting a trailer to a demount system with a one chassis fits all. Demounts are common in the commercial vehicles world and even on things like Transits. Normally they have a twist lock in each corner and jack legs. Just back in and lower whichever body you want onto the chassis, not hard to achieve and very useful. Tipper,flatbed,bolstered timber and car trailer all off the same chassis. http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff331/tonyb37/DSCF0007.jpg

 

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee371/tonyj2222/bodystripdown014_zps10bb8a06.jpg

 

Bob

Edited March 15, 2014 by aspenarb

[gensetsteve]

I tend to run a 3500kg 16ft flat bed and a 10ft 3500kg tipper trailer. The tippers great but I find the c of G to high for carrying vehicles and steep to drive on and its heavy when empty considering the size.

[doobin]

I tend to run a 3500kg 16ft flat bed and a 10ft 3500kg tipper trailer. The tippers great but I find the c of G to high for carrying vehicles and steep to drive on and its heavy when empty considering the size.

 

This. For the extra cost involved in converting, and the ongoing hassle cost or swapping bits about, you could have two trailers. Having two will also come in handy in it's own right.

[Dan White]

Gups, that is exactly what I had in mind. And thanks Bob, I've seen those on a truck cabbed landrover chassis before - could end up with thunderbird two of a truck!

Two trailers is clearly the most sensible choice guys, just trying to keep the cost and yard space down.

 

And anyway, I'm prob putting it all on hold for a bit post april. My plans are rapidly changing and could see me in a different part of the world within the next few months!

 

Cheers!