Re: Ingenious Trailer

--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "dbaldnz" <oink@p...> wrote:
> True, though in this case the spring was very strong in relation to
> the weight of boat. Anyway, it lasted for years and as far as I
know
> is still going.

It sounds very similar to a small Cessna landing gear. They can take
very hard landings and breakage is very rare. They do bend sometimes
in a "crash".
True, though in this case the spring was very strong in relation to
the weight of boat. Anyway, it lasted for years and as far as I know
is still going.
But more conventional trailer designs can break too. I had a boat
trailer with a tubular steel main spine, which folded in half at
reasonable speed on the highway, luckily without killing the boat.
It had rusted from the inside. The outside looked fine.
I would never have a closed steel tube again....only open channel or
angle sections.
DonB


--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Spelling" <richard@c...>
wrote:
> Not a bad idea.
>
> However, if the weight changes on your trailer, your tires go down
the road
> canted in or out, getting uneven wear.
>
> Also, with a regular trailer, if you bust a spring, the suspension
on the
> trailer collapses, but the boat is ok. Been there, done that.
Twice. If his
> spring brakes his boat hits the dirt.
>
> But, as you say, an interesting out of the box experience.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "dbaldnz" <oink@p...>
> To: <bolger@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Friday, April 25, 2003 10:29 PM
> Subject: [bolger] Ingenious Trailer
>
>
> > I once used to race a Finn class, a 15ft reasonably heavy for
it's
> > type racing dinghy. One of the stalwarts of the Finns here was an
> > engineer. He made a very elegant, light and simple trailer for
his
> > boat.
> > Instead of an axel, he had a large, probably commercial vehicle
leaf
> > spring, curve upwards. On each end he welded the hubs, thus
saving
> > the weight of a suspension system. The spine/drawbar was a
tapered
> > timber/ply box section tube, epoxied, with a hitch bolted on one
> > end, two boat supports on top, and bolted to the spring. And
about
> > the only metal to corrode was the spring.
> > This worked very well, and was a brilliant example of lateral
> > thinking, to my mind.
> > DonB
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Bolger rules!!!
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horses
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Fred' posts
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<snip> away
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Gloucester, MA,
> 01930, Fax: (978) 282-1349
> > - Unsubscribe:bolger-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> > - Open discussion:bolger_coffee_lounge-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
> >
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> >
> >
--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Spelling" <richard@c...>
wrote:
> However, if the weight changes on your trailer, your tires go
> down the road canted in or out, getting uneven wear.

True, but how often have you seen a trailer tire wear out before it
dry rotted or failed for some reason unrelated to wearing out? It
might run hotter if it is canted a lot though.

Also the trailer in question carried a racing dinghy. I imagine the
load could be pretty much the same every trip. Just carry any extras
in the tow vehicle.

On another issue I wonder about the wisdom of welding to a tempered
spring.

Pete
On the subject of busted springs, a friend of mine in the boat and trailer
selling buisness for a number of years, had several springs bust on him.
Because of this he would only use torsion bar suspension.

HJ


> Not a bad idea.
>
> However, if the weight changes on your trailer, your tires go down the road
> canted in or out, getting uneven wear.
>
> Also, with a regular trailer, if you bust a spring, the suspension on the
> trailer collapses, but the boat is ok. Been there, done that. Twice. If his
> spring brakes his boat hits the dirt.
>
> But, as you say, an interesting out of the box experience.
>
> --
Not a bad idea.

However, if the weight changes on your trailer, your tires go down the road
canted in or out, getting uneven wear.

Also, with a regular trailer, if you bust a spring, the suspension on the
trailer collapses, but the boat is ok. Been there, done that. Twice. If his
spring brakes his boat hits the dirt.

But, as you say, an interesting out of the box experience.

----- Original Message -----
From: "dbaldnz" <oink@...>
To: <bolger@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2003 10:29 PM
Subject: [bolger] Ingenious Trailer


> I once used to race a Finn class, a 15ft reasonably heavy for it's
> type racing dinghy. One of the stalwarts of the Finns here was an
> engineer. He made a very elegant, light and simple trailer for his
> boat.
> Instead of an axel, he had a large, probably commercial vehicle leaf
> spring, curve upwards. On each end he welded the hubs, thus saving
> the weight of a suspension system. The spine/drawbar was a tapered
> timber/ply box section tube, epoxied, with a hitch bolted on one
> end, two boat supports on top, and bolted to the spring. And about
> the only metal to corrode was the spring.
> This worked very well, and was a brilliant example of lateral
> thinking, to my mind.
> DonB
>
>
>
>
> Bolger rules!!!
> - no cursing, flaming, trolling, spamming, or flogging dead horses
> - stay on topic, stay on thread, punctuate, no 'Ed, thanks, Fred' posts
> - add your comments at the TOP and SIGN your posts and <snip> away
> - To order plans: Mr. Philip C. Bolger, P.O. Box 1209, Gloucester, MA,
01930, Fax: (978) 282-1349
> - Unsubscribe:bolger-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> - Open discussion:bolger_coffee_lounge-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject tohttp://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
I once used to race a Finn class, a 15ft reasonably heavy for it's
type racing dinghy. One of the stalwarts of the Finns here was an
engineer. He made a very elegant, light and simple trailer for his
boat.
Instead of an axel, he had a large, probably commercial vehicle leaf
spring, curve upwards. On each end he welded the hubs, thus saving
the weight of a suspension system. The spine/drawbar was a tapered
timber/ply box section tube, epoxied, with a hitch bolted on one
end, two boat supports on top, and bolted to the spring. And about
the only metal to corrode was the spring.
This worked very well, and was a brilliant example of lateral
thinking, to my mind.
DonB