Trailer measurements. Burrell 4" Showman

Hi All

Been doing a bit of Trigonometry today. Yes I know it is a saturday.

Well I have been measuring up for trailer fitting.

Widest point. Rear wheels = 840mm track width.
Rear wheels width = 150mm

Front wheels = 640mm track
Front wheel width = 70mm
Inside min track = 500mm

Wheelbase = 1260mm

Total height = 1223mm (May be highter with the extension chimney)
Total length = (Unknown at the moment. Arms not long enough)

Using a standard IIfor Williams trailer.
Bed height 620mm with 2400mm ramp length.
Gives a crest over angle of 14.9deg.

Rear departure angle is 34deg.

The crest over angle of the engine (Showman as longer) is 13.6deg. This is due to the stearing worm.

This gives a interferance of 1.5deg approx. BUT that is with the trailer perfectly flat and solid. In practice the trailer will dip due to the weight on the ramps and rear of the bed.

Road loco should be clear as it is a few inches shorter on the wheelbase.

If the angle is a problem in practice I will be making some combination chocks. So the chock will be for the wheels while on the trailer but also will have a longer back end to allow the ramps to rest on and provide a extension to length to reduce the crest angle. Also will stop the ramps digging into soft ground.

Lynn, you've obviously run out of things to do on your engine!!................. Have you got a winch in mind to pull your engine up into the trailer?
Tony.

Hi Tony

Yes going to mount a winch on the trailer with a rotating snatch block. That will allow the winch to be used to pull the engine on and also to pull the trailer to the car for single handed hitching up and to pull the trailer up the drive.

Lynn
I can't quite see the sum you have done presumably checking that the centre on the engine does not ground on the transition from ramp to trailer bed. Don't forget to check that the back of the tender does not ground on the transition from ramp to grass. This can be a problem when your ramp ends end up in a dip.

The C of G of you engine will vary depending on how much water you have on board (wet or dry engine). If you want to have your nose weight just right design you trailer loading so that you can adjust. Having some heavy movable items such as coal can save the effort of moving the engine and resecuring.

Hi. Julia. Rear end clearance is not a problem it is at 34deg. how is your 6" build going? not seen you on tt for quite a while.

Hello Lin,

I too have started to think about my trailer. What I have considered is:

it wide enough
it long enough
will it take the weight
will it come with a winch?

Oh and do I like the look of it .

(And yes before anybody asks, I bought my last car because I liked the colour.)

All the best,

Brian M

Brian M wrote:Hello Lin,

I too have started to think about my trailer. What I have considered is:

it wide enough
it long enough
will it take the weight
will it come with a winch?

Oh and do I like the look of it .

(And yes before anybody asks, I bought my last car because I liked the colour.)

All the best,

Brian M

Width 5'5" engine and trailers should fit side by side.
Length 8' will take the engine but 10' is better.
Gross all up. Mine will be 2.7t but will be run at 2t = car limit. Lots of extra strength for off roading.
Also makes the position of the engine across the way not critical as any single wheel set will be rated to take the full load.
Winch fitted to take 2t easily.

Colour that is what spray guns are for. Bright day glow pink sounds interesting.

Hi Lin,

Therefore,

weight of the trailer + engine + water and miscellaneous, such as coal = 2.5 tonne.

I think I need a new car, my dry kerb weight is 1.6

Cheers,

Brian

I'm the same, working on finding a 2nd vehicle to cope with a breaker trailer weight of 2.5t. At the moment Land Rover and Range Rover are coming in that bracket, there is the Merc ML and G wagon and a BMW but very limited.

Once someone has had the engine on a weigh bridge will decide which way to go.....I may be back to the idea of a bus, but not so good off road.

Hi,

Just came across that thread as I am just now planning for my trailer.

Lynn stated and measured her engine to have a wheelbase of 1260 mm. From what I think to remember the length overall should be around 2200 mm or thereabouts.

Just been out to garage aka workshop and measured wheelbase of 1150 mm and a total length of about 2050 mm. Not much of a surprise to me as I learned that Showmans have a longer boiler and of course the generator up front.

Could anybody with Road Loco (DCC) please have a look at their engine with a measuring tape and cross-check my measurements.

The trailer I‘ve been looking at is a combination of caravan and goods trailer with a „garage“ ( the space for goods) either in 2500 or 3000 mm long. As I have to decide upon ordering which one I‘d need, a good idea of what to go for would be appreciated.

Thanks

Cheers

Elwood

Hi all, my trailer is 1550mm internal and 2400 long. I got the trailer built for shifting around my mg6 crawler tractor. Yes it has 300 high sides but I wanted a trailer that is also useful for other things, like garden waste etc.
my car is a Holden commodore and with the engine on the trailer I come just under 3t total weight ( was checked at my work due to having a weight bridge there)