Projects Dragster update - Built a trailer

thanks for the comments on the trailer Kerry.. With all these FED & Cackle cars , you might see a few more of these turn up..They are a RARE find ..This one is/was more work than I first planned on..LOL

Good Luck you guys at the Hamb drags, wish we could go.

1939Fiat..

 

Aren't they all? ;-)

 

Sweet run Bud. Looking forword to seeing you run in person.

 

I like.

 

I can see it now Kerry's Sun Tan-Co. Weld Why Ya Tan!! Rotate often to prevent burning rash!! LOL>>>>.

 

After I realized I was cooking I started holding the torch and bracing in creative ways to get the under cooked areas. :-D

 

Nope, springless, with built in ramps, pulled with a 4 cyl. Came with a package deal of of MG's and a Spitfire, previous owner built it from Popular Mechanics plans. only limited to what the tires weight will haul.

Not my T, MBL's

 

Nice job, how did you determine the axle placement ???
I gotta have one of these for sure

 

Well, I stuck what I have of a dragster so far on the trailer. I put the trailer axle in the wrong spot, it's to far forword. Wish I had just tacked the mounts like Jay asked. O well. It will suck moving them but I'll do it. I was measuring from the digger's front axle instead of where the the tire touched at the front.

 

The axle doesn't look too bad where it is.

Just leave it until the dragster is a fairly complete roller.

(Found my missing piece of stainless . . . leaned up against the inside of the C channel base on my lathe . . . that was a six week extravaganza....)

Today was a good day.

 

Yeah, I really don't want to have to move it twice.

Excellent! Pretty good hiding place.

 

Funny part was, I was looking for a Ranger part....

 

Hey Kerry, Nice job!! If I could make one suggestion - you might want to consider making the axle mounts adjustable. I did that on my trailer - it wasn't all that much work and if and when things change - car wise or stuff strapped to the trailer wise - you have the option to move the axle to the optimum point. Granted it was easy to do with the torsion axles I have, but I bet a sharp feller such as yourself could figure out a slick way to make it happen with those spring mounts. Just thinking out loud.

 

Hemi has a good point.

When I bought my sailboat it came with a 'Universal' trailer.

The spring mounts were welded to a 6' of so piece of angle steel.
The C channel frame was drilled quite a few times.
Drill pattern on the frame matched the three holes on the spring mount angle.
The spring mount went on the outside of the main frame rail.

Easy to adjust whether the boat was on it or not.
Frame on jackstands and slide the springs/axle/wheel combo to where it balanced best.

I suggest you get a pair of boat trailer hubs.
The ones you can grease without tear-down.
Kinda nice - specially on a short notice trip - to squirt some grease in and be assured of lubrication.

Make sure you use a compatible grease in the grease gun.

No problems in 15 years with my 8'x10' utility trailer.

My 20' box trailer came with them so they should be easy to find at any R/V or Trailer store.

 

That's an excellent suggestion Hemi! It would also allow me to add some support as well. The big challange is the rear of the thing where the frame widens for slicks. Let's see what I can cook up.

Look close Jay and you can see this axle has the "bearing buddies". This axle was originally under a boat trailer. I'm not sure I'm wild about packing the whole space with grease though. I hadn't quite decided if I was going to replace them with plain old caps.

 

You've seen an empty tow dolly bounce around, haven't you??? That's what no springs give you!

Besides, with an unsprung axle on a frame, all of your weight is concentrated on just two points, rather than spread out to four with a sprung trailer. Too much opportunity for frame failure without springs. I sold trailers for seven years. I had a few guys try to trade unsprung trailers on new ones, and all of the unsprung ones were basically scrap value. Lots of cracks in the metal...an accident waiting to happen! Junk!

Like I said, an unsprung trailer is something best left to the drag racing history pages.

 

Uhhhh... I think you missed the part where I said I put the axle at the wrong spot and had finish welded the SPRING perches.

 

Kerry, there is usually some guy at the Springfield swap selling straps and tiedowns at a good price.

 

Wow. This is cool Kerry.

We need to find you a '57 Plymouth Wagon...............