Having a trailer is very handy for various applications in life. You can transport your car or tool wherever you need it. There are two ways to own a trailer: buy it or build it by yourself. How to build a trailer?
Before the start
First, before you build a trailer, you need to know what you want to transport and consider the following questions:
- What is the tractive power of my car (tractor)?
- What length, width, capacity, weight do I need?
- Will my trailer be open or closed?
- Do you need an anti-theft feature?
When you think about the dimension of your trailer, you need to consider not only the size of the cargo but also the width of the road, if the trailer is wider than the road, you will have a hard time driving.
If the cargo you need to transport is wood or building materials, then an open trailer will be a good choice. Don’t forget to measure the length of the wood as you need to make sure the trailer can hold all the cargo.
If you need to transport more expensive goods, the anti-theft function is essential, and passive electronic locks can be used to ensure the safety of the goods.
Decide on construction method
You can choose to build a trailer from scratch or assemble a kit. Whichever way you choose, you’ll need the right tools and materials.
Confirm your level of ability.
During the planning stage, it is important to know your construction and mechanical expertise capabilities. Building a trailer from scratch requires welding skills, carpentry skills, electrical knowledge to install taillights. If you have all of the above knowledge, building it yourself is a good option. Otherwise, opting to buy a trailer is the better option.
Assembly steps
- Gather materials and tools. Once you have located the source of the material, check with the customer service representative to arrange delivery. You can then follow the manufacturer’s recommended safety and procedure instructions. Most designs include bed, hinges, tongue, axle with wheels, taillights, and license plate frame. These can all be purchased assembled, making construction easier.
- Welded trailer frame. The frame will consist of four steel angle iron rods, which will be pieced together into a rectangle. Usually, the longer two are the sides, and the shorter two are the front and rear. Then you can start welding.
- Weld the angle iron rods together for bed frames, making sure the joints are at right angles.
- Weld support beams made of flat iron across from side to side.
- Bolt pressure-treated 2×6 inch (5.1 X 15.2 cm) boards to the frame, parallel with the sides inside the lip of the angle iron.
- Drill holes in the angle iron, usually a variable speed drill designed for metal.
- Attach boards to frame bed.
- Attach axles and tires. Use hydraulic jacks to raise the frame. Also, need to block 4 corners to keep the trailer high. Weld the axles under the frame. Typically, on a rectangular frame, the axles should be 60% from the front and 40% from the rear, this is to distribute the weight of the bed reasonably. After the welding of the axles is completed, the tires of the predetermined size can be mounted on the axles.
- Finish out the other parts. Weld the hinges to the tongue and attach the assembly to the front of the frame. Attach the jack behind the hitch on the tongue. The wires are routed from the front to the rear of the taillights. Taillight usually consists of the park, brake, and signal lights. The wiring harness needs to be secured under the trailer and attach the lights to the rear.
It may be cheaper to build your own trailer, but you will have to face a lot of difficulties. Assembly is not the end, you may also face the wrong axle selection, weak welding, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to leave professional things to professional people. If you need a trailer, you can always contact us, we have a professional design team and manufacturing team that can customize the trailer for you according to your ideas.