KJ790 Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Would there be any interest in a kit for a modern punch side livestock trailer? If I were to make something, would you rather get a full kit with wheels, axles, etc, or would you just want to save a few bucks and just get the sides, roof, and front? What sort of price would something like this go for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petetrucker07 Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Boy, is there. You should know I would be. I snatched up the AMT every chance I get, if the price is right. How much would you ballpark a price at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plastic trucker Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Will it be 48'? Tandem? Triaxle? Or spread axle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJ790 Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 Right now I have a 48'x102" tandem closed axle version drawn up in CAD and quoted to have the sides made for me. I can make it a spread or a tri-axle for around the same price, so whatever would be most popular I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petetrucker07 Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I think a Canadian spread, for me anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scale trucker Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 one of each for me please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purepmd Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Hey KJ, I, for one, would love to see a modern cattle trailer. As to the question of length, if you look closely at, for instance, a Merritt Cattle Drive, the trailer is made up of small, punched panels. There are short ones over the tractor and trailer axles, and longer ones in the center section, along with the side access doors. You could make the kit out of the small, individual panels, and let the kit be tailored to the order. X number of panels for a 48', Y number of panels for a 52' triaxle, spread axle, etc... The big concern with this method would be if it would become to labor intensive to maintain a level of affordability. The modern, squared off front panel, and rear door and panel could be the same. The roof and floor could be sheet styrene. I think, judging from the high level of skills of the truck builders on this forum, we could build the frame work for the panels, upper and lower deck, and attach your panels. I am assuming you are talking about resin castings, and if so, would the smaller panels be easier than 1 long side? I ask because my experience in casting is rather limited. Just throwing out my 2 cents worth. Thanks for your efforts making this hobby more enjoyable, Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJ790 Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 Hey KJ, I, for one, would love to see a modern cattle trailer. As to the question of length, if you look closely at, for instance, a Merritt Cattle Drive, the trailer is made up of small, punched panels. There are short ones over the tractor and trailer axles, and longer ones in the center section, along with the side access doors. You could make the kit out of the small, individual panels, and let the kit be tailored to the order. X number of panels for a 48', Y number of panels for a 52' triaxle, spread axle, etc... The big concern with this method would be if it would become to labor intensive to maintain a level of affordability. The modern, squared off front panel, and rear door and panel could be the same. The roof and floor could be sheet styrene. I think, judging from the high level of skills of the truck builders on this forum, we could build the frame work for the panels, upper and lower deck, and attach your panels. I am assuming you are talking about resin castings, and if so, would the smaller panels be easier than 1 long side? I ask because my experience in casting is rather limited. Just throwing out my 2 cents worth. Thanks for your efforts making this hobby more enjoyable, Mark. Thanks Mark! For this one I am thinking the cheapest way would be to go with all styrene. I drew it out in CAD and had it quoted to have each of the sides, roof, floor panels, and front pieces all cut on a waterjet cutter out of sheet styrene. I had it quoted for being milled as well, but this was even more expensive. I figured if the sides were all sheet styrene then the "uprights" between each panel could be made by simply gluing styrene square stock every scale 2 feet. I do like your idea of individual panels, but I feel like that would end up costing too much to be realistic. Even with the waterjet cutting I am not sure how realistic this would be, it would put this idea up towards the $100 mark. I might make a couple and see how popular they are in that price range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petetrucker07 Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 If you do 1 of the "Test" trailers with a Canadian spread, I'll put a deposit on it on Tuesday when I get paid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle potts Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 One thing to keep in mind is that not all trailers are exactly the same. They vary depending on the length of the trailer ,the tandem configuration, the height of the kingpin, and the features inside the trailer. The hole patterns from left to right on the trailer are going to be different, mainly due to weather or not it has a counter balance ramp, and on which side. Also the fact that the drivers side have clean out doors that are not the same width as the panels themselves would complicate the process. Not all panels are the same size, width wise. they vary because of the differences in length, be it a tandem, spread, tri-axle, or quad. This will also effect the length of the belly of the trailer. Also the panels above the kingpin are normally a different length then the ones above the tandems. There are many different configurations that are available for livestock trailers, in fact many are special ordered to the customers specs. It would thus be very difficult, if not impossible to make a model that you could just add panels to make it longer, the possibilities are numerous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petetrucker07 Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I wouldn't be picky Kurt. I'm not a rivet counter. As long as it looks the part, it's something that's not an AMT trailer kit, it would be worth it. Like I said, I'll take 1 with a Canadian spread or no spread, as soon/if they are available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle potts Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I wouldn't be picky Kurt. I'm not a rivet counter. As long as it looks the part, it's something that's not an AMT trailer kit, it would be worth it. Like I said, I'll take 1 with a Canadian spread or no spread, as soon/if they are available. A '53 footer has somewhere in the range of about 6500 to 7000 rivets,..........just in case you wanted to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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