Light Weight Adaptable Trailer / Service Ramp 3d model
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Light Weight Adaptable Trailer / Service Ramp

Light Weight Adaptable Trailer / Service Ramp

by GrabCAD
Last crawled date: 1 year, 9 months ago
Unlike most trailers, this lifts the vehicle by the Frame / Chassis, leaving the wheels & suspension links hanging. This is an advantage for competition vehicles as wheels and suspension components can be adjusted or changed. Not only that but the vehicle can be tipped to the front or rear to aid access to differential(s), prop shaft(s) and engine sump.

The angle of the trailer bed is secured using an adjustable stay bar. When the bed is lowered with the wheels in place, once the wheels touch the ground, instead of lowering further, the main spar, draw bar and hitch are raised off the ground. This action also forces the bed into a level position and locks the wheel pods in position.

The height of the trailer 'bed' can be cranked up and down using a detachable handle / electric drill.

The trailer wheel / suspension pods can be removed by raising the trailer bed to maximum height. The wheel pods can then be slid out sideways and removed. At the same time, the draw-bar (held in place by a pin + cotter pin can be removed. If the bed is now wound fully down, the tallest part of the trailer is only 70mm above the ground.

The width of the trailer can be adjusted in 30mm increments and fixed at the desired width by four bolts. This means the trailer can adapt to many vehicles and frame designs.

If the width setting bolts are removed, the lift ramps can be slid off the main chassis spar. The two sections of the telescopic spar can be separated leaving a number of parts, small enough to be stowed in the trunk of another vehicle.

The draw bar is designed to be used with any hitch intended to fit 70mm box via two M16 Bolts. For example, the Indespension ISSU028 braked 1000kg hitch.

The trailer is constructed from folded 3mm mild steel sheet plus a number of off-the-shelf sections of tube & box. The suspension arms are to be CNC machined from Aluminium.

The suspension bushings are Land Rover Defender / Discovery rubber-elastomer front radius arm bushes available at low cost world-wide.

Based on a 100" wheelbase, 1000kg vehicle, the trailer is designed to have a nose weight of around 50kg. The vehicle being carried should be secured in place using four (or more) diagonal ratchet straps to the four corners of the frame.

The trailer has a mass of 115kg including wheels and braked hitch - meaning, carrying a 1000kg car, it can be towed legally by most small vehicles.

For completeness, I've added a version with removable ramps for vehicles without suitable jacking points. Although having to remove the wheel pods to load is inconvenient, it improves security as the trailer is hard to steal without any wheels!

This version does not need a stay to set the bed angle. When the bed is raised to full height, the car will tip forwards. The wheel pods can be attached then the bed lowered fully. In the lower position, the bed is automatically clamped horizontal / parallel to the draw bar.

With ramps fitted, the trailer has a loading angle of less than 6 degrees - suitable for the lowest cars.

The ramps add an additional 35kg to the mass - so still a very light trailer at 150kg assuming all-steel construction.

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