Another RV chassis to ATV trailer project.

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I have a customer that wants to convert the chassis of an old 17ft camper to a double atv trailer.   He would load the ATV's nose to tail in the center of the trailer.  He would like a flip down loading ramp that would lay flat on the trailer when empty.   The trailers 4" channel is 64 inches apart.   I was thinking 3 inch C channel every 16 inches replacing the crappy bent tin cross members in there now.  then put a rail of 1 1/2 inch 3/16 angle iron around the perimeter for his wood decking to sit in.  Also putting a heaving 4X4 beam at the back as well.   Any suggestions? Attached Images
Reply:A suggestion more for your customer than you, plenty of railing up front and a ton of tie downs. Never saw ATVs yet that didn't have a ton of gear associated with them, gas cans, ice chests, gear bags, yadda yadda. I capped the perimeter of a smaller RV type frame with angle for hauling quads plus 2" x 3" angle with the 2"  flat up for cross members. Made it rock solid. I always like to put an extra cross member centered about three inches back from the very front and three inches forward from the very rear just to bolt the deck to. A little tough to weld with that little clearance but it allows you to bolt the deck down far enough from the ends that you don't have to worry so much about the ends splitting."The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:Trailer looks bent before you even start. Here's he typical caveat when it comes to converting RV's to trailers... These units were never designed to be used without the side walls. the side walls act as a truss to support the loads, especially loads aft of the axles. Also many of these frames aren't really "C" channel, just bent sheet metal in a "C" shape. To me this looks like the typical stamped sheet metal C, not real channel.  Big difference structurally. Can it be done.. yes, as long as you keep the loads with in reason, or you junk the frame and start from scratch... Again the typical caveat about welds on something like this. You need to be able to make solid "code quality" welds in all positions, every time. The "it's ugly. but it holds" BS won't cut it. I've found the "average" hobby guy can't make decent welds in anything but flat 80% of the time and the rest seldom can make decent welds in anything but flat and horizontal.I've also noted over the years that most people on average have no idea how "loaded" their trailer is. If it fits, it's OK... That's not too bad when dealing with trailers designed to carry a certain load, but when you start altering designs to carry loads they were never designed to carry, things start getting very shaky. Want to load 4K on that, probably no problem..., but most people don't stop at 4K. Just because the axles say they are rated to carry 7K doesn't mean the rest of the frame is any longer. Putting 7K on a frame that might carry 4K now, is asking for issues at some point, especially with long trailers with lots of space. It's a lot harder to overload a 4x8' trailer, than it is to overload a 16' one. You need to keep this in mind if you work on something like this. IF/when there's an issue, YOU are the one who's going to be left with no chair when the music stops in court, even if they overloaded it. You "designed" it, you fabricated it, and You'll be the one whose insurance has to cover damages... You do have insurance to cover this right?I hate to be the one who sounds of gloom and doom, but the way things are today, all these issues are important. The days of do what you want with no issues are long gone, along with the common sense of the people who used them..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:Check out these threads, first the old:http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...hlight=TrailerNow one about mine which is in process:http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=134311Mine has bona-fide C-channel for side frames and tongue: 5x6.7 (5" h x 6.7lbs/ft)  I am going to reinforce the forward 8' ahead of the axles with another 5x6.7 underneath, and then plate the open C side above the axles from the forward spring bracket to the back spring bracket.Standard C-channel has sloped flanges.  If the flanges on the side frame of the trailer that was brought to you are constant thickness from web to edge they are not standard C-channel and probably made from formed strip or flat.There are many more threads on trailer conversions and repair.  Just search the titles for "trailer" the list gpoes on and on.-MondoMember, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Reply:My son has one of the larger Honda 4x4 quads. It's about 770 lbs dry. Wet with some add ons it might run 800 lbs but I doubt it. A guy could use 800 lbs per quad as a starting point. A nice problem is that they are now close to 7+ ft long measuring the absolute furthest points so you can't get a lot on a trailer unless you stand them on their tail end to end or side ways on a wide trailer. A 17 foot trailer might haul three if loaded just right. More than likely two. But anyway three bigger quads would be 2400 lbs. The smaller the ATV the more they can load but the lighter they are too.On the wild side four large quads would be 3200 pounds.  Of course you can't control what the owner does with it when it ain't hauling quads. But then nobody can. Not even the trailer manufacturers."The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:Thanks for the replies guys.    The customer tells me just two quads nose to tail and the deck is 16' 6" long so that should be doable and the deck will only be 5' 7" wide so two wide wouldn't be possible really.  He also mentioned he would like to use it for hauling some plywood and 2 X4's for some renovations he might be doing.   I don't think the trailer is bent already, it might be an optical illusion with the less than straight edge of the driveway in the pic.  I don't think it would be overloaded with two 700lb quads on it.Would closing in the C channel with  4  X 1/4 flat bar help stiffen the frame rails or use larger angle on the perimeter?Last edited by Blackroc86; 07-02-2012 at 08:22 PM.
Reply:Did a search to see what some double quad haulers look like.   Found this commercial one. Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by Blackroc86Did a search to see what some double quad haulers look like.   Found this commercial one.
Reply:Box the perimeter rails with 4" x 3/16" flatbar, add more crosmembers and solid wooden planks and you should be ok. A raised rail around the perimeter will add to the capacity/rigidity considerablyThermal Arc Fabricator 2101970 Lincoln RedfaceMiller 150 STLStill need a Syncrowave and a plasma and a milling machine and a lathe and a bigger shop and a....
Reply:Originally Posted by Canoe2fishBox the perimeter rails with 4" x 3/16" flatbar, add more crosmembers and solid wooden planks and you should be ok. A raised rail around the perimeter will add to the capacity/rigidity considerably
Reply:Originally Posted by Canoe2fishI wouldn't put a lawn mower on that trailer
Reply:I can see by some of the replies the US if far more litigious than some countries.   Makes me wonder how much lawyers and lawsuits have to do with you poor economy?   One could hardly do a repair on anything without facing litigation from what I gather.  Not saying I want to do a job that would create a danger on the roads.
Reply:Originally Posted by smokin_dodgeWhile it doesn't appear to be well built - most likely it is a manufactured product, which means there was engineering and development done on the trailer.A wise man once said, "never judge a book by its cover". From a liability stand point, if you were to purchase the trailer from an accredited business who sells these from an American manufacturer, then you would be protected from liability in the event that something breaks and potential injury is caused. If its an overseas manufacturer, I would be leery as they might not manufacturer to the same standards as in the US.Now, at the same time, by building an ATV hauler out of an old RV frame, it doesn't matter how "well built" it looks, in a court of law you would be at the mercy of the court, unless of course it is certified by a regulatory agency as being approved for its intended purpose.
Reply:Originally Posted by Blackroc86I can see by some of the replies the US if far more litigious than some countries.   Makes me wonder how much lawyers and lawsuits have to do with you poor economy?   One could hardly do a repair on anything without facing litigation from what I gather.  Not saying I want to do a job that would create a danger on the roads.