5x8 trailer questions

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i built a 5x8 trailer about a year ago and just now got it rolling. i need some idea on the metal. its 1/8 x2x2 angle with braces from side to side every 2feet. the tongue is 3/16x2x2 angle. the axle is placed where 40% of the trailer is behind the center of the axle (3500capacity dexter) what i am wondering is what is the capacity of the trailer frame.Zach WareOwnerMid-GA Outdoor & Equipment ServiceByron GA478-960-2014
Reply:my neighbor did the welding on the frame (certified welder) i did the rails.Zach WareOwnerMid-GA Outdoor & Equipment ServiceByron GA478-960-2014
Reply:With no design plan it's impossible to guess. With a detailed plan and engineer could work out the numbers. Tops would be the max rating on the axle, but real load rating below that would depend on the design. The basic materials is similar to my 7K trailer, but that doesn't mean anything. How that material is used makes all the difference. Most trailers similar to mine, use the rails as the "frame", so they would need good welds also or it's worthless.Is 1500lb safe? How about 2k? Honestly there's no real way to know except to do the math. At best you can look at similarly built trailers and use that as a reference..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:it has 14 inch side rails thats what i refered to as rails. idk. i wanna haul a few small logs for milling without taking the big trailer out.Zach WareOwnerMid-GA Outdoor & Equipment ServiceByron GA478-960-2014
Reply:The problem is the 1/8 2x2 angle iron. That stuff is so weak.  Years ago I has a wood box trailer that only used that gage L and it would only handle 1000 pounds.  Most of us can grab hold of a four foot section of it and bend it in half.
Reply:Assuming your tires have ratings of 1750 lbs each  or better and are inflated to the maximum air pressure you can carry a max load on the axle of 3500 lbs, including the weight of the trailer.  You can calculate or weigh all the steel above the axle and subtract that from your 3500 lbs gross weight.  You should have 10% of the weight on the hitch but this varies depending on the distribution of your load on the trailer.Anyway whatever remains after subtracting the trailer weight from 3500lbs is your theoretical maximum payload, assuming the material used, design and welds will handle it.  Unless you built the trailer from an engineered plan you would need an engineer to evaluate and  calculate the actual capacity of your trailer.I think trailer axles are over-rated and should be derated somewhat for things like constant use, rough roads, maximum loads, high speeds etc.About the only way to approach this is to be on the lookout for overload warnings, even if an engineer gave you a weight calculation, if you are hauling logs the weight will vary by the diameter, species, water content etc. of the log and I doubt you will be weighing each log as you load it.So be on the lookout for tires that are flattened on the bottom, bulging sidewalls, excessively hot tires, blowouts, bearing failures, axle bowing, springs flattened out or reversed, frame bowing, flexing, poor braking and slow acceleration etc.  Start out light and work your way up to what you decide is a conservative maximum load.  Experience and judgement will be your guide, don't over do it and you should be fine."The reason we are here is that we are not all there"SA 200Idealarc TM 300 300MM 200MM 25130a SpoolgunPrecision Tig 375Invertec V350 ProSC-32 CS 12 Wire FeederOxweld/Purox O/AArcAirHypertherm Powermax 85LN25
Reply:The decking, and how it's attached, will also have a big effect on the load the frame can handle. a 3/5" plywood/MDF deck is going to hold a lot less than 2x? decking. and if the decking is just laid on top and held down by bits of angle on either end it will hold less than if the decking were securely attached to all cross members and the even the outside rails.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger