AlanN's MK3 V6 Day Van

[Leeday]

Just found this old mock up for my trailer, means making another roof spoiler and a couple of sets of lights, although I have collected a few parts for doing the job, wheels and tyres, new arch panels etc. its a way off yet. Need to find myself some space to make it in

WOW, this will be well cool
Work hard and fast and bring it to Transitmania

[MattBlackMinibus]

Too cool

[transitandy]

Wow Al

[AlanN]

Thats the project, but i have a few jobs that need doing on the van first. Going to weld 2 halves together, but i want to move the axle to the centre. I was looking for a lwb to make the rear section but I soon realised that was going to be almost impossible to find, so 2 swbs will have to do. I already had one mk3 but had to go coz of storage but im still looking

[RustWidow]

Oh Alan you have GOT To do that trailer, it's really cool. I'm sure you'll get everything done... Eventually! Lol gl mate nice job you're doing there

[AlanN]

One of the things I haven't researched as yet, is the legal requirements needed for a trailer, besides sorting out brakes and extra lights for the front panel, which will be another rear technically LOL

[mealic]

Don`t worry Al, I think you`re old enough not to have to take a test to be able to tow

[AlanN]

Oooh didn't think of that one lol

[Leeday]

Thats the project, but i have a few jobs that need doing on the van first. Going to weld 2 halves together, but i want to move the axle to the centre. I was looking for a lwb to make the rear section but I soon realised that was going to be almost impossible to find, so 2 swbs will have to do. I already had one mk3 but had to go coz of storage but im still looking

My thoughts are if you have the axle dead centre how balanced will trailer be when you un-hitch it, A-Frame will weigh abit and prevent it from tipping backwards maybe (depends what you have in it), to make it easier to man handle when its unhitched axle would need to be slightly to the rear so you have a bit more weight to the front sitting on the jockey wheel, or if you are going to fit it out then have axle centre and the heavier items up front near the A-Frame.
You may have already considered this.... just my thought.
Any trailer weighing over 750Kg has to have working brakes by law.

[MinorMatt]

What do you want to know Alan?

And are you going to have a split tailgate at the front (rangy style) so you can open your back doors and open the trailer up to it giving you lots of camping space...?

I thought about making one from a mk3 rear end too - but haven't got the time or inclination at the moment

[AlanN]

Good comments, I toyed with a few ideas with the axle arrangements, cutting the van just behind front doors and fitting the other rear panel to that, but after few measurements, I found that area was a fair bit wider than the rear section to be grafted on, Matt will probably remember that from the six wheeler, but this would have left the axle in the original position.
2nd idea, graft the 2 rear sections and making it a 4 wheeler, I kinda liked that idea. Problem with that is the extra weight, dummy axle, finding another two wheels and it scrubbing the tyres when turning.
Then lastly, the previous photo, although it would be some serious work to move it to the middle. Extra weight would be towards the hitch, battery and a bit of storage.
Nice idea Matt about the range rover split doors, but I didn't really know what I was going to do with the front, was offered a tailgate rear end, so was thinking of using that. Some the refinements were going to be sorted along the way lol
One question i have, does it have to have some sort mot, or plating? Weight/brakes

[Leeday]

Trailers don`t need an mot, over 750kg trailers have to have a brake system, brakes easy to sort, use a tow hitch with the slide brake type, so either use a hydraulic system connected to original hydraulics (a bit complex but do able) or a cable system connected up to the handbrake cable set up on axle, as your van brakes the trailer moves closer to the van, the sliding hitch then operates the brakes and so slows the trailer, loads of caravan dismantlers so you could get the whole a-frame off a caravan and graft it onto your trailer, or make up your own a-frame and just get the braked hitchlock.

[paul2012]

All newly built trailers O1, O2, O3 & O4 now require a IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval) (Blame EU for that one )

Each trailer should have a statutory plate showing :-

Manufacturers name and address chassis or serial number and model number
Number of axles
Maximum weight per axle maximum
Nose weight of coupling
Maximum gross weight (GVW)
Date of manufacture

As for brakes, approval documentation must be provided for IVA.

To be blunt, everything is inspected right down to glass, General design and construction etc as shown below

[Leeday]

oooh all sounds technical
All easy enough to do and bring up to any standard required though.
Who does the inspection? is it VOSA?

[MinorMatt]

Its the DVSA VOSA don't exist anymore

Its only since October 2012 that the IVA applies

The last trailer I built was finished in September 2012 (No honestly it was... i'm not making it up, it was moving cars in October)

I would be looking to use a trailer axle rather than a transit axle because you will get brakes that work properly with auto reverse...