Boat tail project based on a single wheel trailer...

[BamZipPow]

Gonna make a quick run out to Gonzales, TX. Not putting the upper gap cover in place fer this run.



I left a white strip in the middle of the trailer lid. I'm tempted to call this a Skunkwerk trailer.

[aerohead]

You can tell everyone that it runs on Kickapoo Joy Juice!

[BamZipPow]

The run to Gonzales, Texas went pretty smooth. With the speed set to 65mph, indicated was 25.3mpg going out and 24.3mpg coming back. Had to take a different route coming back as east bound I-10 was backed up. Ended up stopping a couple of times fer shopping and food so I'm surprised the mileage was as good as it was.

Revamping how the trailer access doors are kept locked in place. The cover I initially built back in November has become a hassle to install and remove as there are too many steps just to git access into the back of the truck with trailer hooked up. With the new simple setup, I can open either door and drop the tail gate without opening the other door. I can even drop the tailgate without opening any of the access doors. I've retained the locking clips setup to secure the doors with since I have so many all over the truck.







Finally cut the ~2" off the bottom of the front leg supports so I can retract the supports higher. This will minimize the possibility of dragging the support wheels on the ground when encountering an extreme driveway...like my driveway. I removed the top bolt on the stem so I could use that hole to secure the support. No extra drilling required. The upper part of the supports do stick up past where the original front cover was.


Gonna paint over the white "skunk" stripe so the entire trailer will be black. At least it was fun!

Had a one incident where a SUV passed me on the left and then they slowed down to about 40mph in a 75mph zone in the left lane just to see the truck/trailer. Surprised they didn't git rear ended...idiots!

Started brainstorming ideas fer a belly pan fer the trailer. Thinking about a sliding one that attaches to the extended rear diffuser on the truck. It would be able to slide back and forth as the trailer pitched up and down to the road. I know I have to account fer space when the wheel pivots back around when backing up.

I've fabbed up a mock shock out of PVC pipe so I can git an idea of how much extension I'll need fer the shock as well as clearance for the tail gate in the down position. I figure I can vertically bolt in a 2x4 stud into the front of the trailer and support it in the back (although it will cut a little bit into workable storage space in the trailer) so it can handle the energy being transmitted by the shock. Shock tabs will be bolted into the 2x4 and on the trailer hitch.

I'm almost ready to start taking the trailer body apart and rebuilding it with the knowledge I've learned over the past 11 months. I know that the front side can be a little bit lower to match the diffuser without contacting the ground. The rear won't be as low as the current sides are but more close to the frame of the trailer. I know I want to radius the edges as much as possible. I might even build an enclosure fer the wheel, too!

[freebeard]

Bucky Fuller always said it takes three prototypes to work out all the details. (The money would walk when he wasn't ready to go to production after the second. It happened more than once.)

You've come a long way with this.

[BamZipPow]

There was some questions being asked about my rear license plate being obstructed by my front access doors so I did some investigative work on the Texas laws that might apply to my situation.

TEX TN. CODE ANN. § 502.409 : Texas Statutes - Section 502.409: WRONG, FICTITIOUS, ALTERED, OR OBSCURED LICENSE PLATE

TEX TN. CODE ANN. § 502.409 : Texas Statutes - Section 502.409: WRONG, FICTITIOUS, ALTERED, OR OBSCURED LICENSE PLATE

(a) A person commits an offense if the person attaches to or displays on a motor vehicle a number plate or registration insignia that:

(1) is assigned to a different motor vehicle;

(2) is assigned to the vehicle under any other motor vehicle law other than by the department;

(3) is assigned for a registration period other than the registration period in effect;

(4) is fictitious;

(5) has blurring or reflective matter that significantly impairs the readability of the name of the state in which the vehicle is registered or the letters or numbers of the license plate number at any time;

(6) has an attached illuminated device or sticker, decal, emblem, or other insignia that is not authorized by law and that interferes with the readability of the letters or numbers of the license plate number or the name of the state in which the vehicle is registered; or

(7) has a coating, covering, protective material, or other apparatus that:

(A) distorts angular visibility or detectability;

(B) alters or obscures one-half or more of the name of the state in which the vehicle is registered; or

(C) alters or obscures the letters or numbers of the license plate number or the color of the plate.

(b) Except as provided by Subsection (f), an offense under Subsection (a) is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $200, unless it is shown at the trial of the offense that the owner knowingly altered or made illegible the letters, numbers, and other identification marks, in which case the offense is a Class B misdemeanor.

(c) to (e) Repealed by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 30.66, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.


(c) Subsection (a)(7) may not be construed to apply to:

(1) a trailer hitch installed on a vehicle in a normal or customary manner;

(2) a transponder, as defined by Section 228.057, that is attached to a vehicle in the manner required by the issuing authority;

(3) a wheelchair lift or wheelchair carrier that is attached to a vehicle in a normal or customary manner;

(4) a trailer being towed by a vehicle; or

(5) a bicycle rack that is attached to a vehicle in a normal or customary manner.

Text of subsection as added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

So another advantage of my towed boat tail is that it's still a trailer and trailer laws apply to it. Granted that I'm paying about $60 a year to register my trailer and I have to tow it at least 2000 miles to break even on the costs of the registration from the added fuel savings (currently about 2mpg better than not towing it)...it's still not a bad bargain. Hopefully, I'll be able to build the trailer to the point where I'll only need to tow it 1000 miles to break even.

[BamZipPow]

I think I have my air shock absorber mounting solution!

By extending the nose of the hitch backwards, the requirement fer the shock to be on the outer most part of the arc is transferred to the rear instead of to the nose of the hitch. This will allow the shock to compress/expand in a close to vertical arrangement similar to a car/truck shock setup. This will also allow fer less interference potential fer the shock setup.





I can adjust the amount of pre-load on the hitch by inflating the air shock to compensate fer the load in the trailer. Of course, that will entail a few trial and errors on my part unless a mechanical engineer wants to chime in on the formula...

As the nose of the hitch drops (rear rises), the shock will compress. As the nose of the hitch rises (rear drops), the shock will expand. The air shock should dampen the compression of the shock and the oscillations that are being transmitted into the truck.

Standard shock tabs will attach it to the vertical and horizontal parts to allow fer attachment and pivoting of the shock absorber. When the air shock is not under any pressure, it should be fairly easy to connect/disconnect the shock or hitch.

[freebeard]

Your hypothetical mechanical engineer will be looking at the ratio of the triangle sides compared to the bore and stroke of the air shock, and will analyze the offset of the lower pivot from the centerline of the hinges proper for binding.

[aerohead]

In an aero-utopian society,I'll simply drive to the interstate,and while topping-off the tank for the out of town excursion,attendants will attach the trailer for me.With a swipe of my debit card,I've covered my fuel,plus a modest rental fee for the round-trip use of the trailer.
These trailers could work 24-7-365,with a 100% coefficient of utilization.

[BamZipPow]

A quick attachment so I can figure out the range of motion. Looks like the tongue will be about 7.5" from the back of the hitch and the attachment point at 6" from the back of the hitch.





The working range of 4" from the center line to a maximum extension of 6.5".

[aerohead]

"Going where no mod-man has gone before" cue the Star Trek theme song.