How to strength test a trailer

[muddy42]

I have inherited an old 8ft x 5ft trailer for free. I plan to use it for local roads and tip runs rather than long distance motorways etc. It has a heavy steel frame with wooden slats and a jockey wheel - probably home made. No Brakes. To give you an idea of its weight, I will need the loader to lift it off its wheels. The wood is in OK condition and its been kept under cover. The underside looks pretty rusty, its mostly flakey rust and I cannot poke a screwdriver through anywhere. I've had the bearings off and repacked them with grease. So far I have spent time on the trailer rather than any money.

I want to test the integrity of the frame before going too much further, replacing tyres or repainting. I appreciate that ultimately the only real way to be sure would be to get the wood off, scrape back all the rust and repaint, but that would take a lot of time and money.

However is there any quick way of strength testing a trailer? I was thinking of overloading it will IBC cages of logs - about 1000kg so kind of like an overload proof test, over the 750kg it can legally carry to allow for dynamic load and bumps while its on the roan. This may go beyond what the old tyres can hold, so I could use axle stands. If it dies, it dies and I won't lose any sleep or money.

Surely someone will have been in this position. Any advice gratefully received. Thanks,

 

[Bavarianbrit]

In Germany all trailers have to have an MOT equivalent test then you pay for insurance and a minimal road tax. Just saying it is very hard next to impossible to get a home made one through the MOT. Seems too lax in H&S UK to me.

 

[finnbear270]

If you have the loader, Ton bags sand etc.

 

[Norfolk Horn]

If its a heavy old thing you will be luck if you can put 500 kg on it and be legal

 

[75]

To give you an idea of its weight, I will need the loader to lift it off its wheels.

over the 750kg it can legally carry to allow for dynamic load and bumps while its on the roan.

Total weight of trailer and load is 750kgs unbraked. Putting 1000kgs on it as a load test would certainly give you some peace of mind but is way over what you can legally carry. If it's just the odd tip run with some junk then I'd just be replacing the tyres if they are ancient but I'd not be towing anything of consequence (logs, quad, building materials etc). Static load is one thing but stress fracture is what will most likely kill it. I once had an old trailer drawbar snap on my many years ago - not on the road thankfully but it snapped at a weak spot of weld someone had bodged and a crack propagated from there. However, it snapped when empty, despite having just towed a load of logs in it a few days earlier.

 

[Tim.243]

I have inherited an old 8ft x 5ft trailer for free. I plan to use it for local roads and tip runs rather than long distance motorways etc. It has a heavy steel frame with wooden slats and a jockey wheel - probably home made. No Brakes. To give you an idea of its weight, I will need the loader to lift it off its wheels. The wood is in OK condition and its been kept under cover. The underside looks pretty rusty, its mostly flakey rust and I cannot poke a screwdriver through anywhere. I've had the bearings off and repacked them with grease. So far I have spent time on the trailer rather than any money.

I want to test the integrity of the frame before going too much further, replacing tyres or repainting. I appreciate that ultimately the only real way to be sure would be to get the wood off, scrape back all the rust and repaint, but that would take a lot of time and money.

However is there any quick way of strength testing a trailer? I was thinking of overloading it will IBC cages of logs - about 1000kg so kind of like an overload proof test, over the 750kg it can legally carry to allow for dynamic load and bumps while its on the roan. This may go beyond what the old tyres can hold, so I could use axle stands. If it dies, it dies and I won't lose any sleep or money.

Surely someone will have been in this position. Any advice gratefully received. Thanks,

Run it over the local weighbridge car first then the trailer that will let you know what it can carry from the off to play with.

 

[muddy42]

Thanks for the replies.

If you have the loader, Ton bags sand etc.

Yes, I have a full sized manitou which will be able to get the trailer clear off the ground. However its an old manitou and it doesn't display weight.

Run it over the local weighbridge car first then the trailer that will let you know what it can carry from the off to play with.

Good idea about the weighbridge, the problem is I live in the sticks and I can't find one nearby. Maybe a sawmill or agricultural supplier has one. I'll keep looking.

 

[old 30-06]

I think you are over thinking this. I would guess your 8ft by 5ft trailer weighs at the most around the 250kg mark. You can, therefore, tow it with 500 kg of payload. Unless you are moving soil or sand, etc, you are not likely to be in excess of that weight due to the dimensions of your trailer. Just get on and use it sensibly.

 

[muddy42]

I think you are over thinking this. I would guess your 8ft by 5ft trailer weighs at the most around the 250kg mark. You can, therefore, tow it with 500 kg of payload. Unless you are moving soil or sand, etc, you are not likely to be in excess of that weight due to the dimensions of your trailer. Just get on and use it sensibly.

Thanks. At the beginning of the thread that's kind of what I was thinking, just overload the trailer a bit to test it and then crack on. If it lives, buy new tyres and smarten it up with some paint, if it crumples, scrap it.

 

[Heym SR20]

Go around with a hammer on the steel frame. It should ring reasonably well. If it’s all dull could well be rusting on the inside. Is the frame open at all - can you rinse out? Does the water run out looking filthy versus nice and clean.

You may well be better off investing a few hundred pounds on a decent galvanised trailer with proper brakes etc if you are wanting it as a road trailer that can carry a load. By the sounds of it, its already heavy so you will soon be over the 750 kg unbraked limit.

New tires, bearings etc - money soon adds up. Probably half way to a decent 2nd hand trailer.

 

[countrryboy]

I think most folk have summed it up pretty well.

Really won't be legally carrying that much.
But even with a modern trailer u just need to hit 1 pot hole wrong to snap a leaf spring.

I think if it was me I'd look at wot I need it for, wot I'm towing and the roads.
Dunno if I'd even bother with new tyres unless old 1s won't hold air.
If I needed tyres I'd probably try the scrappy, prob get a steel wheel and tyre for 10 quid, if u can find a stud pattern that fits
Do the t

 

[muddy42]

I think most folk have summed it up pretty well.

Really won't be legally carrying that much.
But even with a modern trailer u just need to hit 1 pot hole wrong to snap a leaf spring.

I think if it was me I'd look at wot I need it for, wot I'm towing and the roads.
Dunno if I'd even bother with new tyres unless old 1s won't hold air.
If I needed tyres I'd probably try the scrappy, prob get a steel wheel and tyre for 10 quid, if u can find a stud pattern that fits
Do the t

Thanks. It doesnt have leaf springs. The tyres hold air but are a bit perished.

Its easy to get negative and talk yourself into spending ££££ on a new trailer but this is only for short journeys to the tip.

 

[dryan]

Turn it on its side and get a screwdriver and hammer to tap all the main welds on the frame and spring/suspension mounts as also the drawbar. If all looks ok then I’d be happy to tow assuming the bearings are ok.

 

[VSS]

I think I'd just use it until it falls to bits, and then get another one.

 

[Mountain Bug]

Just use it and see how it goes. If it breaks on the way to the tip, drag it on in and leave it there.


Scott

 

[tozzybum]

Had a small half ton trailer, made a mistake by not checking tyres .
Yes blown tyre with a washing machine in .
Great fun trying to get it out in the road as it started to tip over .
Lesson learned the hard way

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Trailers like caravans get left in the sun by the side of most houses so cover the tyres with some light blocking membrane or old carpet to protect the rubber.

 

[muddy42]

Trailers like caravans get left in the sun by the side of most houses so cover the tyres with some light blocking membrane or old carpet to protect the rubber.

Thanks. luckily I can keep this undercover as did the previous owner. I think the surface rust must be from road salt.

 

[Cootmeurer]

I’ve seen very few trailer frames fail ever. Your most likely weak points will be tyres, hubs, springs in that order.

If given an unknown I would replace the tires, then inspect hubs and springs, if all those pass the tests then roll on

 

[Grannysmith]

Turn it on its side and get a screwdriver and hammer to tap all the main welds on the frame and spring/suspension mounts as also the drawbar. If all looks ok then I’d be happy to tow assuming the bearings are ok.

If it fails on the road and plod take it for inspection it could be embarrasing if its not in roadworthy condition