Topic: Getting ready to build a trailer

[brc]

I am getting ready to build a car/quad trailer and I have a couple of questions.  I want to build a trailer to fit my cruiserand 4 quads on and not to fit a reqular car/truck on so no one will ask to borrow it.  Am I the only one, but it seems like everyone asks to borrow my car trailer and when I get it back they have managed to screw something up.  I am selling the car trailer to a friend and I am going to build a trailer to fit the cruiser and our quads on.  I plan to build it like an equipment trailer with the deck above the tires.  I am going to build it 14ft long.  I was looking on line and I am going to get my axle/spring/wiring kit from southwest trailer sales.  The axles are 5200 lb ea and I am ordering the lug pattern 6 on 5.5.  I have a set of Chev truck rally wheels with the center caps and beauty rings I want to run.  I want to make removable sides for it w/O.D. green canvas cover and I have an old 6K warn winch to mount to the trailer along with a tongue box.  On to the questions.

1-FRAME???  I have looked at several trailers and I want to build my frame out of box instead of channel and was wandering what size would be good.  I was thinking 6X2 but was wandering if I should go with 1/4 or 1/8in wall?

2-DECK???  I DO NOT want a wood deck I want a metal deck.  I checked on aluminum and decided not to use it because it will be really exspensive.  So I plan to use steel.  I am just worried about it bowing with the weight of the cruiser and strap/chains securing it to the trailer.  I was thinking about 12guage tread plate and re-enforceing the floor under where the cruiser tires will sit.  Do you thing that would work?

3-Lights???  I know I want to run the oval lights and recess them into the rear cross member and I have seen the LED's on other trailers is their anything special you need to do to run LED's on a trailer and not have them blink 4000X's a minute?

The other reason I am building the trailer is to haul our quads on and be able to use it to haul stuff to the dump and pick up pallets of pellets for the pellet stove.  When I use my car trailer to drag the quads up in the mountians I am constantly dragging the dove tail and I want to build this one with a little clearance.  I am going to design the ramps to be kind of steep (45deg or so) on purpose so if someone asks to use it they cannot get a car up the ramps.  I am just tired of getting my car trailer back messed up ie. lights broken/fenders bent etc.  I know just say "no" but my wife thinks it is mean when I tell one of her friends husbands no when they ask to use it, and if she is unhappy the whole house is unhappy.  Oh well, it gives me an excuse to build the trailer I always wanted anywway.  Let me know what you guys think.

brc

[brc [OP]]

I just ordered the axle kit from Southwest Trailer Sales.  I ordered 7200lb axles with 8 on 6.5 wheels.  The kit is coming freight so I have to go to the dock and pick it up when it comes in.  I also ordered all the box steel for the frame and deck.  I am going with steel diamond plate floor since aluminum is OUTRAGEOUS in price.  I will put up some pictures when I start building.

[red]

your deck reinforcment would be a good idea, i've always run an extra piece (usually angle iron or square tubing) about every 18-24 inches, depending on the weight of the expected load that the trailer will be used for. 1/8" thickness is what i've used on these supports.

[brc [OP]]

I will be running crossmembers rail to rail under the deck.  But I am also going to run them parralell to the side rails under where the cruiser tires will sit on the trailer.  The only other heavy thing I haul is 1 ton pallets of pellets for our stove.  I make an annual trip to Idaho to pick up 6 tons each fall.  I dont think it will make that much difference since the pellets are still on pallets on the trailer.  We will see they still haven't delivered my delivered my axles.  We will see when I finally start building.