Trailers

[fisherman]

See a braked trailer for sale, cheap, it is a caravan chassis. Trouble is a caravan is about a ton all up: will the suspension be too stiff for a boat, other than a GRP one?
I could make a flatbed from it, useful for boat or anything.
I remember a certain person here made a car carrier from one, for his hillclimb buggy.

(I had this idea for launching at Mylor. The slipway is free but the car park is £4.50, plus £4.50 for the trailer which has to go a half mile away. So use a car trailer for the boat, then park the trailer in the car park, £4.50, and put the car on it. Simples.)

 

[Binnacle]

The trailer should have a plate near the ball hitch with the max axle weight(s). Typically vans come in around 1100 to 1500kg single axle, sometimes more.

 

[bignick]

How are you going to get the car onto the trailer when the trailer isn’t connected to anything? It will tip up?

Also, boat trailers typically have thick galvanising, flushable brakes etc. because they’re designed to be put in the sea repeatedly. I wouldn’t think your caravan trailer would last very long If you dunked it.

 

[Neeves]

A couple of small Acrows will stop the trailer tipping up, or down. I'd be amazed if a boat trailer has extra galvanising - galvanising is....well galvanising. Specification for thickness is 70 microns, go much thicker and you may suffer from peeling - I'd have thought the bearings might go before the gal.

I prefer the lateral thinking - go for it.

Jonathan

 

[rogerthebodger]

Caravans obtain have support legs at each comer which are lowered when under use

 

[ProDave]

Caravan chassis, at least modern ones don't consist of a lot, usually just two long members one each side that come together at the front for the tow hitch. Most of the strength is provided by the caravan floor.

Also they are usually quite wide. It's easy towing a caravan when you have that great big lump behind you reminding you how big it is, but convert it to a flat bed trailer and it will still be as wide but not so obvious to you towing it so you have to remember. You will have to fit marker lights front and back to show it's width etc.

 

[Refueler]

Caravans obtain have support legs at each comer which are lowered when under use

View attachment 166365

Easy to bend those .... and the threaded union that the rod passes through often strip thread ....

They are only designed to stop caravn from rocking - not as some think to jack up van to be level. Levelling of van is done by blocking wheels and front jockey - then lower corner stays.

 

[fisherman]

I never dunk my trailers, haul the boat out on squashy rollers. More worried about hard suspension, but might be tempted to buy it anyway for general use. £150 at the moment.

 

[DownWest]

Going through my head too, after I saw a suitable 'van chassis trailer in the local car strippers. My plan is to use a dolly for the boat and keep the trailer out of the water, so no bearings to worry about, as the dolly will have plain ones. Parking not a problem here, our regular slips have free space nearby.

Will ask the price next time, £150 would be a steal, a new suitable boat one is €3K. Prob is, it has to have it's registration card and number plate, as do all trailers over 500kg here.

 

[bikedaft]

I never dunk my trailers, haul the boat out on squashy rollers. More worried about hard suspension, but might be tempted to buy it anyway for general use. £150 at the moment.

Go for it at that price. You can always change the suspension to softer.

I bought a larger boat trailer, it's about 8m long, a wee light boat on it leads to the wheels locking on the trailer first, so need to be cautious.

 

[fisherman]

A caravan chassis will still carry the original plate, who is going to argue with you?

How are you going to get the car onto the trailer when the trailer isn’t connected to anything? It will tip up?

I have done it. front wheel drive, the trailer does tip up. I actually had to do it, the car was bottoming out on the top of the ramps. Disconnect from tow, allow it to tip up.

 

[Daydream believer]

Are there not new laws concerning trailers, that mean they have to be inspected & certified for road use? One can no longer just make a trailer & use it on the road.
Am I correct or totally wrong?

 

[Canopy Locked]

If you really want to keep your road trailer out of the water, you need to make this

 

[fisherman]

Are there not new laws concerning trailers, that mean they have to be inspected & certified for road use? One can no longer just make a trailer & use it on the road.
Am I correct or totally wrong?

Can't find anything until you get over 3500kg, or you want to take it abroad.
However, all different if it's commercial.

 

[Pump-Out]

Are there not new laws concerning trailers, that mean they have to be inspected & certified for road use? One can no longer just make a trailer & use it on the road.
Am I correct or totally wrong?

Correct - all trailers now need type approval.
The days of home conversions are gone.

Fine for a yard dolly, but not for use on The King's Highway.

 

[fisherman]

Correct - all trailers now need type approval.
The days of home conversions are gone.

Fine for a yard dolly, but not for use on The King's Highway.

I have no reason to doubt you...except there is nothing to be found on the net. Can you do a link?

 

[penfold]

Are there not new laws concerning trailers, that mean they have to be inspected & certified for road use? One can no longer just make a trailer & use it on the road.
Am I correct or totally wrong?

He's not making a trailer, he's giving a rotten caravan a shake, sweeping up the detritus and skipping it.

The suspension will be rubber just like Indespension; it will be rated for the caravan's maximum weight so as long as the boat + trailer is approximately the same weight then it will get a satisfactory ride. The difficulty arises from caravan chassis being designed to have a slab of plywood fastened on top for some strength and a lot of the stiffness, arranging support rollers or carpeted benches for boats is a bit awkward and if you get it wrong it will wobble like a jelly.

 

[fisherman]

this is so. I don't expect the chassis to be rigid. I would simply U bolt a steel channel spine on it, with two post clamp bilge supports. Plus anything to make it rigid if needed.
We have found that HDPE is super slippery for dragging a boat on. A channel with HDPE lugs knocked in should be sufficient.

 

[Pump-Out]

I have no reason to doubt you...except there is nothing to be found on the net. Can you do a link?

Delighted:
Vehicle Certification Agency

I accept that that page (and the ones following which you need to be a barrister to understand) are somewhat wordy. But I bring your attention to paragraph 2.4.2

Hers's some easier bits:
Type Approval and IVA Tests for Trailers in the UK
or, for Northern Ireland:
Trailers

Extract from NTTA:
If you're planning to build a trailer in the UK it's important to understand the regulations around Type Approval and Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) tests. Whether it's braked or un-braked it must be put through an IVA test. These tests are designed to ensure that all trailers meet the necessary safety standards and are roadworthy before they can be used on public roads.


Extract from NI:

Small trailers (those not under annual testing)​

For trailers not under annual testing the control will be at point of sale. The retailer is banned from selling a trailer without a valid approval certificate and needs to keep a record that they made such a check for each trailer sold. The retailer would not need to give any recordable document to the owner other than usual commercial transaction papers.

Enforcement of the point of sale record-keeping rule, for trailers not under annual testing, would be carried out by the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA). In future, small trailers built for a person for their own use must be made to the legal approval standards and they will need an approval certificate before they can be used on the road.

This will most probably be attained by going to a Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) centre for an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) inspection.

Summary of legal rules:

• most trailers, no matter what size they are, made on or after 29 October 2012 will need approval before they can be sold or used on the road
• from 29 October 2014 all trailers need approval

 

[fisherman]

Thanks. Amazed that didn't come up on googling for, eg, trailers the law.
It puts a whole new aspect on towing. Not sure any of mine are legal