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Trailer Main Page |
Truck Modifications
The Hydraulic Trailer Project:
Trailer Construction
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Update 2 |
Update 3 |
Update 4 |
Update 5 |
Update 6
Progress Update:
August 11, 2007
For the first time since contracting the trailer, I
visited Steve's shop this morning to check out the
progress and to talk over some of the features.
Some of the basic
specs of the trailer:
Frame length: 32' (8x8 steel tubing, 1/2" wall
thickness)
Road capacity: 15 tons (30,000 lb.)
Yard capacity: 20 tons (40,000 lb.)
Hydraulic arms: 4
Air suspension
Pintle hook with hydraulic tongue
Hydraulic landing wheels
Hydraulic brakes
Trailer delivery date: September 19, 2007 or
before (we hope)
While it still took some imagination to envision the
completed trailer, there were signs of progress.
Anyone versed in large projects knows that many of
the steps take a long time and don't show satisfying
visual progress, but it was clear from the piles of
welded support arms and axle assemblies that Steve
had gotten a lot of work done in the past several
weeks.
Bear with me,
squint, and try to envision how this trailer will
come together from these pieces. It may be
helpful to view these two photos, which show roughly
how this trailer will look when complete, though
with some modifications and evolutionary changes.
This is Steve's 40' trailer, on which my new trailer
is loosely based. |
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Here are the frame
pieces laid out on blocks in Steve's shop, facing
towards the forward end of the trailer. Note
that the frame rails are not properly spaced or
aligned at this time.
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Here are the frame pieces, looking towards the rear
of the trailer. The 40' long frame pieces have
not yet been cut to length.
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This is the starboard aft bracket assembly that will
eventually support one of the hydraulic arms, with
one of the axle assemblies on the floor beyond.
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This is one of the axle assemblies, awaiting its air
bag and installation on the trailer frame.
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Here is another view of an axle assembly, showing
the disc brakes and other components.
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Last Monday, Steve brought a truckload of the
smaller parts down to Everett, MA to be hot dipped
galvanized, including the hydraulic arms, offsets,
and the support braces for the wooden pads.
They were completed ahead of schedule, so they were
back in the shop awaiting assembly.
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Here are the tires, rims, and air bags, awaiting
assembly.
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Steve expected to make
a lot of progress in the next week, so I planned to
make another visit next weekend.
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