rottin1 Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 Here's my next venture. I want to take this curtainside trailer and put it behind my Pete daycab. The colors are going to match the tractor. It's going to have a Red frame and Red framework for the curtains. I'm not really sure if I want Black curtains or White. Any suggestions are welcome. I didn't get a picture of the frame before I cut the airbags and hangers off, but you can tell by the boxart where there mounted. It was a forward mounted tri axle. I'm making it a spread axle. I have a help question as well. The trailer is a scale 44ft and change (hoping I measured right!). What distance between the spread should I have? 10' 2" or 8' 6". I was leaning towards 8' 6" myself. If it was 48ft or more I was thinking 10' 2". I'm going with the super single tires on this. I was toying around with the idea of duals, but the framework is to wide for this. It's set up for the singles.The wheels where molded in Gray, so I shot them with Duplicolor Chrome. I used it on my cattle trailer and like the results so tried it on the wheels. I'm sticking with it. I'm going to try and get everything up underneath it today , tonight. Thanks for looking. http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t121/ro...de/MVC-009F.jpg http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t121/ro...de/MVC-010F.jpg http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t121/ro...de/MVC-013F.jpg http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t121/ro...de/MVC-014F.jpg http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t121/ro...de/MVC-012F.jpg :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Albion Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 Johnny, Interesting project! Make sure you put the air track suspension the right way around. The air bags should be to the rear of the trailer! Good Luck with the build. PS the Pete was superb!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpreadAxle Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 this looks like a good choice for the trailer. It shouldn't be too hard to "Americanize". dave's right about the air bags. Also, if you wanted to in the future, make the crossmembers narrower, the cement to the frame rails, for the dual tires if you wish. As for the spread, not sure as far as length vs distance between the axles. I pull a 48' with a 10' 2" spread. the 8'6" would look good though. It's right for a Canadian trailer. I've been told Canadian DOT doesn't like our big 10' 2 spread axles going up there, but I'm not 100% sure. May be according to what province you run. Anyway, good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rottin1 Posted April 5, 2007 Author Share Posted April 5, 2007 Thanks for the comments guys. I went with the 8' 6" spread on this one, and I've decided to go with the super singles. I've got the air bags mounted correctly with the axles and air tanks in place. Tonight I'll get the landing gear finished up. http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t121/ro...de/MVC-015F.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpreadAxle Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 i wonder if that was the common spread used for the old 40 ft trailers. 8'6". Years ago, I bought an AMT Fruehauf flatbed at a swap meet with a conversion done to it. When I get home I'll post a pic. It has the big leaf spring between the spread axles, but they look like a 10' 2" spread. It just needs to be loaded and hooked up. i just can't decide what tractor to use with it, but whoever did it did a nice job. Yours is coming along nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rottin1 Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 I've taken a break from my Pete auto rack restoration to do a little more work on my curtainside trailer. I've got way to many irons in the fire, but it's challenging and fun. I've got the wheels on this and eventually I'm adding single wrap around fenders on each of the wheels. It looks a little awkward without them I think. I never was a fan of super singles. I think someday I will pick up another one of these kits and make it a regular 8 wheel trailer with sliding tandems. I've painted the rear doors Duplicolor Chrome.The front is also in Chrome with Red to match the frame and top of the trailer. I've decided to paint the curtainsides White. This has all been painted to match and sit behind my 359 daycab. I BMF'd the tie down ratchets on the curtians.I am going to paint the straps between the ratchets and buckles as well. I'm hopefully going to fab up some strap loops as well to hang down from the ratchets. The only regret I have so far is not painting the very top of the side curtains to match the Red on the rest of the top curtain. The back end of the trailer is next. I have to fab up a more American looking rear end on it. I'm working on adding 2 tool boxes, one for each side between the tires. I'm thinking those will help also with the awkwarness of the single tires. Hope you enjoy the new pics. http://s159.photobucket.com/albums/t121/ro...%20Curtainside/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semi Trailer Mechanic Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 What's goin' on... Johnny That's looking good. For your suspension add a crossmember attatch it to the front side of the trailing arm hangers. I know this is a model but w/ out that crossmember the flange of the peir where the hanger is welded to will rip away from the ceneter of the pier.The hangers bend and flex and rip away from the center of the pier. I've had to repair dozens of trailers where this happened to those crossmembers. Either a faulty weld broke or something hit that crossmember. Here's a 10ft spread I scratchbuilt for the reissue Great Dane trailer. I used flat stock styrene but usually you'll find a piece of 1/4 x 3 inch c-channel steel. My opinion I wouldn't have used super singles. http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?...&p=74092661 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFassassin Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Looks great. I made that kit before but i basically just made it to the instructions so it doesnt look as good as yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rottin1 Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 Thanks for the kind words! Semi : I know, the super singles look awkward and I'm not to thrilled with the way they look, but I'm sticking with them only because I'm so far into the build. I think once i put the fenders on and add the tool boxes it should take away from akwardness of the single tires. I had a helluva time with the paint on this. For some reason, there is a mark on the side of the trailer that cannot or will not be covered with paint. It must have been because of a mold issue or something in the plastic. Every time I primed and painted it would still come through.I even tried a skim coat of body filler, then sanded it, but it still came through. I've got it to where you really have to look hard to see it. I really don't feel like tearing it apart to add regular duals to it. I will definetly pick up another one of these to build as a regular trailer. Assassin: Thank you for the good words! I'm sure your looks good as well. I almost did build it as a 3 axle trailer myself, but then I came up with the brainstorm with the spread axle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Albion Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Johnny, This is an excellent build. The trailer really does compliment the Old Pete, as a truck trailer combination they look great. Your standards of finishing are really first class!!!! I wish my finishing was as good as this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rottin1 Posted August 22, 2007 Author Share Posted August 22, 2007 Finished up the tool boxes with slam locks. Added fenders to each wheel. Made my own hucaps for the wheels. I didn't like the pointy ones that came with the kit. I started painting the straps in between the ratchet and the buckle. I'll finish that this weekend. Those are flat black. I've made up the connections underneath the trailer for the glad hands. I'll show them all hooked up when I get it completely done and ready for final pictures. The only major thing left is to fab up the back end of the trailer to make it more american instead of european. All in all I think it's turning out better than I thought, exspecially now that the fenders and tool boxes are on. http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t121/ro...de/MVC-020S.jpg http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t121/ro...de/MVC-021S.jpg http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t121/ro...de/MVC-022S.jpg http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t121/ro...de/MVC-019S.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twist67 Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 Hi there, very nice looking trailer.I made a conversion of it some time ago.Here is on picture of my trailerrearend.Maybe it will elp you for yours. Keep up the good work, Cheers,Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rottin1 Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 Twist: Thanks! That does look good. I'll definetly use that for reference. Flip that pic around and lets see the front of the tractor!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twist67 Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Hi there, rottin1,okay,I flipped the pic and here is the tractor.I converted an Revell Kenworth W-900 added an T-600 AMT Sleeper and set it on an 1:24 Peterbilt frame...I changed the fronttires after I´ve taken the pictures...I have to do some new pictures of the whole rig. btw,I changed the frame of the trailer for the dual wheels....I have to look on my hd if there are any pictures of that.... Cheers,Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rottin1 Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 Twist: Nice looking ride there. The duals do look better underneath the trailer. I said in one of my earlier post that I would probably get another kit and build it like the way you did. I really like the Kenworth. Good idea with the AMT sleeper too. Nice job!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpreadAxle Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Hi there, rottin1,okay,I flipped the pic and here is the tractor.I converted an Revell Kenworth W-900 added an T-600 AMT Sleeper and set it on an 1:24 Peterbilt frame...I changed the fronttires after I´ve taken the pictures...I have to do some new pictures of the whole rig. btw,I changed the frame of the trailer for the dual wheels....I have to look on my hd if there are any pictures of that.... Cheers,Chris Chris, that is one fine KW. Both of you did nice work on your curtainside trailers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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