Bad Engineering? Ut oh!!!!

[westpoint]

Well I am making a trailer for a 250 gallon smoker. The smoker weighs 500 empty. The fire box will probably weigh 300. The shelves....ect....Im thinking 1000#'s total max. The trailer is going to be 4'x10'. I cut some 2x2x1/8 steel square tubing for the bottom frame today. Im afraid that it might not be stong enough. I cant waste the material, its paid for and cut to size allready. I need help in assuring its strong enough. Sure Ill be running 2x2x1/8" cross brasses, and maybe some gussets tying the frame to them, and gusseting each inside corner of the frame, but what else can I do. Please help!!!!!!! Am I worrying for nothing? suggestions needed, and not telling me to buy more material please.........thank you!

[walker]

Number one, I think you are overestimating the weight of the smoker, your numbers sound pretty high to me, so do an actual weight calc. If you need help figuring it post that up as well. Number two, post up a pic of the smoker, as well as how it mounts to a trailer. If the smoker is 10' long and 3' high its needs are going to be a lot different than if it is 3' wide and 10' high. I don't know what you have made, so you'll need to make it more clear before I could give you my opinion.

[westpoint]

Number one, I think you are overestimating the weight of the smoker, your numbers sound pretty high to me, so do an actual weight calc. If you need help figuring it post that up as well. Number two, post up a pic of the smoker, as well as how it mounts to a trailer. If the smoker is 10' long and 3' high its needs are going to be a lot different than if it is 3' wide and 10' high. I don't know what you have made, so you'll need to make it more clear before I could give you my opinion.

thats just it, I havnt built it yet. I am going for something like this...http://www.smokymtbarbecue.com/store...l#.UPTRSRwgDD8

The tank is 3" wide and high, and about 84" long. Trailers ganna be 4' x 10" without toungue. Right now the tanks 480#'s empty, i need to build fire box and warmer, plus all the shelving and smoke stack. The reason I havnt buit it yet is i need the trailer to move it around while im building it.

I figure besides running cross members, and gusseting every corner with plate, when I make the toungue I can use some 3x2 tubing and have it come back to the trailer and travel under the sides to about the axle. That should help some. Im just worried.

I did find a good thread on reinforcing a 2x2x1/8" trailer about my size......should be ok right?
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/tow-r...y-trailer.html

[westpoint]

55 views one response? anyone have a opinion, or advice?

[Tryagn5]

Weight u will be at, i would not work much. I would be sure to put the correct axle, more important dont ovrer spring it. Most small trailers fail because the springs are way to stiff or people crank the spring bolts so tight that the spring cant bend. Trailer then beats itself apart. Also dont skimp on running the tonque the length of the trailer.
Kevin

[Tryagn5]

Sorry meant to worry not work

[Manisoba]

You could use the tank as part of the structural integrity of the trailer similar to a unibody car.

[westpoint]

the axles a torsion 3500#. well since noone said its ganna fall apary i guess its ok.

[walker]

You need to post the design for people to comment on the design. Pencil and paper sketch would be just fine

[jpence38]

Check out this site. It may or may not provide some peace of mind.


http://webstructural.com/how-to/steel-beam/